Primus paying tribute to Rush in Milwaukee
There’s been an outpouring of tributes since Neil Peart, the dynamic drummer and lyricist for seminal prog rockers Rush, died in January following a battle with brain cancer.
Add Primus to the list of Rush admirers. Les Claypool’s band will honor the band on the road this summer, by performing Rush’s classic 1977 album “A Farewell to Kings” in its entirety in more than 40 North American cities.
Milwaukee is on the itinerary, with the band stopping at the BMO Harris Pavilion at Maier Festival Park July 7, just two days after Summerfest
wraps up for 2020.
In a statement, Claypool said that Primus originally was plotting its “A Tribute to Kings” Rush tribute tour last fall, but it was postponed when Slayer asked the band to open some dates on that group’s farewell tour.
“When we all became pals while touring together in the early ‘90s, we were pretty delighted, partially because of the musical geek-out factor but mostly because the three guys (in Rush) whom we had admired so much from afar, turned out to be truly great, down-to-earth humans, and, like us, a tad eccentric,” Claypool said in a statement.
“The ‘Tribute to Kings’ tour will be just as it is implied, a respectful and loving tribute to three spectacular musicians, songwriters, legends and friends.”
Wolfmother and Battles will open for Primus on the Milwaukee date of the tour.
Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at the Maier Festival Park south gate box office and ticketmaster.
com. Presales begin at 10 a.m. Wednesday.