Jun 15

Jun 15 Review: Les Claypool's Fearless Flying Frog Brigade + Remain In Light

To truly do justice to some of the most revered music of all time, an exceptional band is an absolute must-have. This was certainly the case on June 9 when Les Claypool’s Fearless Flying Frog Brigade took to the stage at Rabbit Rabbit to deliver a full interpretation of Pink Floyd’s classic 1977 album, Animals, to a capacity crowd.

The Frog Brigade's lineup boasted an impressive ensemble consisting of the supremely talented Claypool (bass/vocals), Sean Ono Lennon (guitars/vocals), Mike Dillon (percussion), Paulo Baldi (drums), and even Roger Waters’ son Harry on keyboards. It’s a group that could play just about anything well.

Their most daunting task to overcome may have been following Jerry Harrison & Adrian Belew: Remain In Light. Backed by members of Turkuaz, as well as bassist Julie Slick and percussionist Yahuba Garcia-Torres, the combo of Harrison and Belew pulled off the formidable challenge of performing a set of classic Talking Heads tunes.

From the introductory bassline of set opener “Psycho Killer,” the former Talking Heads guitarist/keyboard player (Harrsion) and touring guitar virtuoso (Belew) proved up for the mission. With multiple percussionists, a brass section, and a pair of backing vocalists accompanying the pair of legends, the performance evoked the energy and joy captured in Jonathan Demme’s 1984 concert film, Stop Making Sense. Even percussionist Steve Scales (a member of that memorable Talking Heads live lineup) joined them on stage for a few tunes.

Although David Byrne’s charismatic stage presence was lacking, Belew and Harrison handled the vocal duties rather capably. In addition to “Psycho Killer,” the group offered up lively renditions of “I Zimbra,” “Drugs,” and “The Great Curve,” among other instantly recognizable classics.

Considering how unlikely it is that Byrne, Harrison, Tina Weymouth, and Chris Frantz will ever be willing to reunite, this was the closest many of us will ever get to seeing a Talking Heads show, and it was even more satisfying than expected.

With the bar set high for the evening, the Frog Brigade wasted little time before letting its virtuosity shine. Prior to launching into the Animals portion of the set, the band set the mood with mix of Claypool originals, including “Highball with the Devil,” fan favorite “David Makalaster,” and a pair of tunes from the overlooked Claypool and Lennon collaborative project, The Claypool Lennon Delirium.

But Animals was undoubtedly the main course, and how could it not be? Although a past variation of the Frog Brigade performed the album on tour in the early ‘00s, it’s safe to say that this was a first-time experience for most in the crowd. Considering how pivotal Pink Floyd, Primus, and The Beatles were in the foundational years of my own music journey, I was swept into a state of euphoria the moment the acoustic strums of “Pigs on the Wing 1” reached my ears.

Quite possibly my favorite of Pink Floyd’s run of masterpieces released during the ’70s, the psych rock concept album was delivered with the expected level of sonic grandeur. While Claypool provided the bulk of the lead vocals, nailing the cynical tone of Roger Waters original vocals, Harry Waters took the lead on the epic “Dogs,” unsurprisingly sounding even more like his dad.

Following an impressive, faithful rendition of Animals, the band returned to Claypool’s original material, culminating in an electrifying performance of "Southbound Pachyderm," a fan favorite from the peak years of Primus.

Fortified by ideal weather — a marked improvement over earlier Rabbit Rabbit shows this season that had been disrupted by rain — this was an extraordinary night of music, featuring not one but two iconic bands performing seminal songs with the reverence and conviction needed to make it transcendent.

(Photos by Jonny Leather)