Oddball trio Primus performed their reimagining of the 1971 film soundtrack of Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory in Seattle on January 3.
The band – back with their original drummer Tim ‘Herb’ Alexander – opened the evening with a nine-song set which spanned their 25-year career. Beginning with 1990’s Too Many Puppies, the trio’s set took in John The Fisherman, Fisticuffs and Jerry Was A Race Car Driver.
The trio were then joined by the Fungi Ensemble for a performance of their 2014 album Primus & The Chocolate Factory With The Fungi Ensemble in its entirety, adding a prog flavour to the Academy Award nominated songs originally composed by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley.
The night ended on a cover of the Led Zeppelin classic Moby Dick and their own Here Come The Bastards, a song from their 1991 breakthrough album, Sailing The Seas Of Cheese.
The band have followed in Willy Wonka’s footsteps of late, and have produced their own brand of confectionery. Fans can buy their own Mr. Krinkle, Professor Nutbutter and Bastard bars from their website. It is not known whether a clutch of golden tickets have been hidden inside the treats, entitling fans to a tour of their rehearsal space. Fans who buy the vinyl version of the album, however, stand the chance of winning Primus gig tickets for life.
“We had to come up with another income stream, so we’re making chocolate bars because you can’t digitise a chocolate bar — yet,” frontman Les Claypool told Loudwire. Someone will be able to do that one day, probably.
_Primus, performing live at Seattle’s Paramount Theater, Washington on January 3, 2015. _
Photos by Mat Hayward/Getty Images Entertainment.
