Metal, Hardcore, Indie, Rock
On April 23rd at Old National Centre in Indianapolis, Indiana, the concert season was fully underway. Fans of all ages rushed through the parking lot to get into the venue, laughing at a little as they went thanks to protestors of the show who’d set up camp in the parking. Tonight’s featured artist was Puscifer, and no one wanted to be late to the show.
Kicking off our night was comedian Dave Hill. At first, I thought he was a one-man show kind of act, giving us a guitar and parody song show, but halfway through the set, he surprised us with a full band! The crowd loved his jokes, and it was obvious he came prepared for the night: almost his entire set featured jokes centered on Indianapolis.
Puscifer made the rules of their show clear from the beginning, with three separate announcements letting everyone know that no photos or videos of their show would be allowed that night. One of these announcements came in the form of a branded video shown onstage, one of a few video clips shown throughout the show. From the beginning of the show, their atmosphere was set with fog machines and moody lighting, setting the overall tone of the show.
Vocalists Maynard James Keenan and Carina Round were well-rehearsed for the show, with obviously planned onstage movements and dancing adding to the atmosphere. Round’s vocals were ethereal as she sang, and it was clear the crowd was entranced with her. The crowd also happened to be notably the most respectful I had ever seen at a show, with no yelling during or between songs, just polite applause after each song was ended. The night ended with Dave Hill making a surprise reappearance onstage, joining the band for “A Public Stoning,” ending the show on a high note.
There’s still a bit of time left on tour, so be sure to head over to Puscifer’s website and see if any of the remaining dates come near you.
