A spirit of collaboration is at the core of the ongoing Sessanta V2.0 tour featuring A Perfect Circle, Puscifer, and Primus, but the latter upped the collaborative ante on Wednesday night at Grand Rapids, MI’s Van Andel Arena with sit-ins by versatile guitarist Billy Strings (a close friend and frequent collaborator with Les Claypool), vocalist Maynard James Keenan (who fronts both Puscifer and A Perfect Circle, in addition to Tool), and guitarist/vocalist Carina Round (Puscifer).
The tour presents three “acts” featuring the three bands performing in rotating orders. When Primus stepped into the spotlight to kick off Wednesday’s second act, Claypool, guitarist Larry “Ler” LaLonde, and newly installed drummer John Hoffman were joined by Maynard James Keenan and Carina Round for their recently released collaborative single, “Little Lord Fentanyl”.
During the evening’s third act, Primus opened its mid-set slot to once again welcome Keenan and Round into the fold on their 2024 Sessanta collab “Pablo’s Hippos”. From there, the band brought Billy Strings to the stage to add guitar to “Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver”. While his recent audition to be Primus’ new drummer was understandably denied, Strings brought plenty of Primusville know-how to the song, which he previously performed live with Claypool and company during last year’s Sessanta stop in Tennessee.
Buddies Les and Billy, who have allegedly had a collaborative “twang” album in the works for years but often get distracted from recording by fishing, both shared a photo of the sit-in on Instagram after the fact. “Me and Billiard stompin’ the Beaver,” Claypool wrote in his caption. “strokin’ that beav’ with ye ol’ [Primus] last night at [Van Andel Arena],” wrote Billy in his.
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The Primus sit-in once again underscored the broad scope of Billy Strings’ abilities. In the past week(ish), he has played The Gorge with his bluegrass band, sat in with Bob Dylan on one of his legendary rock staples, revealed his involvement in a new release by Canadian death metal outfit Cryptopsy, signed on to open a night of Dead & Company‘s Grateful Dead 60th anniversary celebration in Golden Gate Park, and dabbled in absurdist alt-innuendo rock dissonance with Primus. That’s not to mention the new tour dates he added to his 2025 schedule over the weekend.
Related: Billy Strings Sits In With Bob Dylan On “All Along The Watchtower” In Spokane [Watch]
Of note, Billy Strings is neither a stranger to Van Andel Arena nor high-profile sit-ins within its walls. Last summer, the Grand Rapids-area native joined Phish there for two nights of unprecedented collaboration (by accident, per Billy’s recollection). In 2023, the bluegrass star hosted his own wrestling-themed Halloween spectacle at the arena billed as The Van Andel Scramble. Guests at that performance included Bill Nershi (The String Cheese Incident), Duane Trucks (Widespread Panic), Molly Tuttle, Sierra Hull, and Chris Pandolfi (The Infamous Stringdusters). Billy Strings is set to return to Van Andel Arena with his namesake band for a two-night run this coming Friday and Saturday, May 30th and 31st. Get tickets here.
The Sessanta V2.0 Tour featuring A Perfect Circle, Primus, and Puscifer continues through the first week of June. Find tickets to the remaining dates here.
Below, check out a selection of videos and the full setlist from the Wednesday, May 28th Sessanta stop at Grand Rapids, MI’s Van Andel Arena featuring Primus, A Perfect Circle, Puscifer, and special guest Billy Strings.
Primus w/ Billy Strings – “Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver” – 5/28/25
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Sessanta (Puscifer, A Perfect Circle, Primus) – “Grand Canyon” (Puscifer) – 5/28/25
[Video: TONE]
Setlist: Sessanta Tour: A Perfect Circle, Puscifer & Primus | Van Andel Arena | Grand Rapids, MI | 5/28/25
Act I: A Perfect Circle: Counting Bodies Like Sheep to the Rhythm of the War Drums, Disillusioned, Blue; Primus: Those Damned Blue-Collar Tweekers, Too Many Puppies, Duchess and the Proverbial Mind Spread; Puscifer: Man Overboard, Horizons, Indigo Children (Versatile Mix)
Act II: Primus: Little Lord Fentanyl [1], Welcome to This World > My Name Is Mud, Jerry Was a Race Car Driver; Puscifer: Postulous, No Angel, Bullet Train to Iowa, The Algorithm; A Perfect Circle: The Contrarian, The Doomed, Weak and Powerless, The Outsider
Act III: Puscifer: The Humbling River, Polar Bear, The Remedy; Primus: Pablo’s Hippos [1], Wynnona’s Big Brown Beaver [2]; A Perfect Circle: The Noose, Kindred, Judith; Primus: Southbound Pachyderm; All Three Bands: Grand Canyon (Puscifer)
[1] with Maynard James Keenan (vocals), Carina Round (guitar)
[2] with Billy Strings (guitar)
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