Concert Review: Puscifer Pushes Musical and Social Boundaries with Their Normal Isn't Tour at Wind Creek Event Center in Bethlehem, PA

Puscifer brought their Normal Isn't Tour to the Wind Creek Event Center in Bethlehem, PA. In the true spirit of a Maynard James Keen event, they had an eclectic opener in musician/comedian Dave Hill. Another tell that Maynard was in the building were the signs at the entrances saying that no cameras were allowed and that cell phones must be away during their performance. Instead of putting your phone in locked pouches Puscifer expects their fans to be respectful adults since they let you film and take photos of the last song of their performance. I did hear of one individual being caught taking photos and security made him delete everything from his phone.

Dave Hill started the evening with a skit reminiscent of Benny Hill. He ran around, rode a bike, haphazardly swung around nun chucks and randomly shredded on a flying V guitar. He mixed in comical commentary, musical covers and original songs during his set. For all of his antics the man is quite musically gifted. His voice was strong and his guitar skills were very impressive. Dave was accompanied by a drummer and bassist during his performance; they were equally talented and managed to keep a straight face during the set.

This is third in the trilogy of reviews for Puscifer and Normal Isn't. You can read the album review here and the movie review here!

Puscifer is Maynard James Keenan vocalist and musical mastermind (Tool and A Perfect Circle) with Carina Round (vocals) and bandmates Mat Mitchell (guitars and production), Gunner Olsen (drums), and Josh Moreau (bass). This show leaned heavily on promoting the Normal Isn't album performing it in its entirety. Older songs were mixed in the back half of the set.

The Normal Isn't tour is a blend of a concert, street performance art and theater. You feel like you are in a backroom speakeasy with an oddity's performance. Maynard and Carina started on opposite ends of the raised platform behind the rest of the band. This is pretty on brand for Maynard as he starts his Tool performances this way as well. They opened the show with the album's opener, Thrust. This song has heavy drumbeats and distorted guitars that flutter behind the deliberate vocals.

Their second song was Self Evident which is my personal favorite from the album. The drums have more of a marching band feel with a heavy snare blended with the same distorted buzzy guitar riffs. Maynard and Carina danced and sang on the main stage for this one, passing each other like ships in the night.

The Arsonist was their first song performed that wasn't on Normal Isn't. This was about halfway through their set. Unlike the previous songs this performance had lighter toned instruments and more airy vocals from both Maynard and Carina, but it kept with the social tones of the Normal Isn't performances. Other older songs performed included Bullet Train to Iowa, The Remedy and Momma Sed.

The set concluded with Conditions of My Parole and A Public both including opener Dave Hill bringing this amazing show full circle.

This wasn't just a concert it was a social and societal statement. It was a reminder that music and art should provoke thought and emotion. In these times Normal Isn't...