For the second time in five months, Les Claypool’s Fearless Flying Frog Brigade played Denver, CO’s Mission Ballroom. Things looked a little different for the Primus bassist’s recently reactivated solo endeavor, however, as saxophone psycho Skerik was once again among the group after missing the entire summer tour due to a shoulder injury.
Skerik was initially sidelined just prior to New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival where he was due to perform in a litany of after-parties, superjams, and various other projects. Despite some optimistic thinking from all involved, just before the Frog Brigade hit the road for its first tour since 2003, Claypool and company announced that Skerik would not be joining them, instead teasing a rotating cast of “random ‘special’ guests” which included Angelo Moore (Fishbone), Greg Sanderson (Cool Cool Cool), and more.
Between legs of the marathon tour which began back in May, Skerik (born Eric Walton) shared an uplifting health update last month. “Rehearsals start October 7!! I’ll f—in be there!!! I hope it works out!! Yikes!!” Skerik told Live For Live Music.
Sure enough, when the band returned to touring last week in Oakland, Skerik was once again among the ranks of the Frog Brigade. The saxophonist is one of the original members of the band which began as a festival superjam back in 2000 at the former Mount Aire in California. The band’s initial lineup also included Dead & Company keyboardist Jeff Chimenti and former Primus members Todd Huth and Jay Lane. These days, Claypool’s Frog Brigades features Les’s creative soulmate Sean Lennon on guitar, Pink Floyd bassist Roger Waters‘ son Harry Waters on keys, former Cake drummer Paulo Baldi, and others.
Skerik came back at a good time, as this Hunt For Green October leg of the tour sees the Frog Brigade expand to two-set performances. The band previously split the billing with an impressive cavalcade of openers including Jerry Harrison and Adrian Belew‘s Remain In Light featuring Cool Cool Cool, Neal Francis, Fishbone, WITCH, and more. On this current stretch of shows, set to culminate with a Halloween finale at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, the band can dive deeper into Claypool’s massive discography across an array of other projects, while still delivering nightly full-album performances of Pink Floyd’s Animals.
Check out a gallery of images from Les Claypool’s Fearless Flying Frog Brigade at Mission Ballroom courtesy of photographer Kit Tincher along with full-show audio from zeegrizzle.
Les Claypool’s Fearless Flying Frog Brigade – Mission Ballroom – Denver, CO – 10/15/23 – Full Audio
Setlist: Les Claypool’s Fearless Flying Frog Brigade | Mission Ballroom | Denver, CO | 10/15/23
Set: David Makalaster, Buzzards of Green Hill, Mirror in the Bathroom (The Beat), Blood and Rockets: Movement I, Saga of Jack Parsons – Movement II Too the Moon (The Claypool Lennon Delirium), One Step Beyond (Madness), Calling Kyle (Les Claypool and the Holy Mackerel)
Set Two: Pigs on the Wing, Part 1 (Pink Floyd), Dogs, (Pink Floyd), Pigs (Three Different Ones) (Pink Floyd), Sheep (Pink Floyd), Pigs on the Wing, Part 2 (Pink Floyd), Precipitation (Les Claypool and the Holy Mackerel), Hendershot (Les Claypool and the Holy Mackerel), Phantom Patriot (Les Claypool), One Better (Les Claypool)
Encore: Whamola, Southbound Pachyderm (Primus)
