SPILL LIVE REVIEW: SESSANTA: PRIMUS, A PERFECT CIRCLE & PUSCIFER @ BUDWEISER STAGE, TORONTO

SESSANTA: PRIMUS, A PERFECT CIRCLE & PUSCIFER

@ BUDWEISER STAGE, TORONTO

MAY 22, 2025

If there’s one thing Maynard James Keenan knows how to do, it’s throw a party. The second annual Sessanta event, held last night at Budweiser Stage in Toronto, was a celebration of Keenan’s legacy, and what better way to mark the occasion than with a marathon of music from his three powerhouse bands: Puscifer, A Perfect Circle, and Primus (featuring honorary Maynard status for the night).

What unfolded over the course of three straight hours was less a concert and more an immersive rock opera hosted by some of the most creatively unhinged minds in modern music. This wasn’t your typical back-to-back lineup with long stage changes and disconnected vibes. Instead, the night flowed like a musical relay race that was seamless, dynamic, and unpredictable.

The beauty of Sessanta lies in its cohesion. The stage was pre-set from the jump: mics, drums, and instruments all carefully arranged so that the bands could rotate in and out without pause. Behind the kits sat couches, a strange but perfect addition, where band members lounge when not performing, watching and reacting to each other like they were at the world’s weirdest and most wonderful living room jam session. That sense of camaraderie radiated from the stage and into the crowd and the vibe was like one giant party.

Each group brought its own flavor to the mix. Puscifer, ever the performance art experiment, delivered their signature theatrics and industrial textures. A Perfect Circle countered with haunting melodies and precision. And Primus, with Les Claypool at the helm, brought their bizarre brilliance and low-end wizardry. But the real magic was in the transitions. Rather than separate sets, the bands traded songs in a constant loop, often blending members and blurring the lines between projects.

You could tell they were having fun. Jokes flew, smiles were shared, and spontaneous musical moments emerged. The kind that only happens when seasoned artists let loose with friends. It felt improvised yet rehearsed, chaotic yet controlled.

And just when the audience thought they’d seen it all, the finale hit like a thunderclap. After a brief 10-min intermission, all three bands took the stage together, and we’re talking 10 musicians deep, including three drummers pounding in unison, an overwhelming wall of rhythm and sound. It was raw, it was loud, and it was utterly mesmerizing. The moment stood as a perfect metaphor for the night: a celebration of musical fusion, friendship, and absolute artistry.

Sessanta 2025 wasn’t just a concert, it was an experience, a love letter to Keenan’s strange, sprawling musical world. Whether you came for the riffs, the antics, or just the legend himself, you left feeling like you were part of something rare. And that final song? That was the icing on the cake, closing out a night that was as unforgettable as the man it honored.

(Photography by Mercedes Chircop)

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