Les Claypool Kicks Off ‘Claypool Gold ’26’ With a Career-Spanning Performance At Reno Events Center (SHOW RECAP)

Les Claypool has long established his place as one of the busiest artists working today. From his legendary longevity as a daring rock innovator to the many vehicles he’s created to deliver these lofty visions, Claypool is one of the more enthralling figures in contemporary music. He has traversed many rock subgenres with great ease, with each project touching on different sonic areas, and now those worlds are colliding, and Claypool is right where he needs to be: in the center of it all. Claypool Gold ‘26 brings together Primus, The Les Claypool Frog Brigade, and The Claypool Lennon Delirium for a one-stop night of unfiltered Claypool. The famed multi-hyphenate is placing all of his prized projects under one roof for a Summer run, and it all started on May 20 at the Reno Events Center in Reno, Nevada. 

The 7,000-capacity venue was treated to a charcuterie board of Claypool delights. The night kicked off with the Frog Brigade performing five songs that included “Lust Strings” from Of Whales and Woe and “D’s Diner” from 2002’s Purple Onion, giving a look into early Claypool solo material. The man of the evening was then joined by Sean Ono Lennon, Claypool’s creative partner in the Claypool Lennon Delirium. Fresh from the release of their The Great Parrot-Ox and the Golden Egg of Empathy LP, the band pulled cuts from the recent album like the title track, “Troll Bait,” and “WAP (What a Predicament),” while also touching on their classic 2017 EP with a performance of their Pink Floyd cover “Astronomy Domine.” 

Next, Claypool was joined by Primus for 10 songs, ranging from recent material to nostalgic cuts. The band performed their most recent release, the single “The Ol’ Grizz,” for the first time since its release, and went all the way back to 1991 with a rendition of “American Life.” Primus also performed songs like “Shake Hands With Beef,” “Last Salmon Man,” and “My Name is Mud.” 

Night one of Claypool Gold ‘26 ended with all three of the bands coming on stage to perform “Southbound Pachyderm,” and just like that, Claypool’s ambitious summer tour is underway. The Claypool parade marches through the States until the beginning of July, with stops in Salt Lake City, Chicago, Asbury Park, and San Diego. The tour then heads over to Europe, starting on July 31 with a stop in Milan, before all three acts head to Cologne, Manchester, and London. You can see the full setlist below, along with a link for tickets and the full schedule of Claypool Gold ‘26.

Dates & Tickets: https://www.lesclaypool.com/

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