Puscifer @ The Fillmore.

Text and images by Chip Frenette.

On Sunday night, Puscifer made a stop at The Fillmore to support their latest album Money Shot … and provide a bit of Mexican wrestling to boot.

The stage was minimally set with two sets of aluminum bleachers. The bleachers were for a few lucky fans who would be treated to a ringside seat on the stage for the action that took place before Puscifer took to the stage.

After the lucky fans were escorted on to the stage, a brief narrative told the story of jailers and prisoners who must fight to the death. The prisoners, one man and one woman, were dressed in all black with the exception of their blue masks and after the narrative was over, a full wrestling ring was revealed. The black outfits were ripped off to expose wrestling garb.

One team was in red and the other in aquamarine. The teams climbed into the ring for what would be a series of well choreographed violence that included flips and throws of humans in succession of one another and an occasional body flying off the top of a turnbuckle and crashing down on the canvas.

During the course of the wrestling pre-show, another masked man in an all black outfit appeared with a tray of drinks that caused a break in the action. The wrestlers toasted one another and drank before continuing with the well-rehearsed action.

Upon the last delivery of drinks, the masked man delivering the drinks exposed himself as another wrestler. He kicked, punched and grappled all four of his opponents, tossing them outside of the ring where they lie on the floor, vanquished.

Following the wrestling match, one set of bleachers was promptly removed and room was made for a drum kit to be placed front and center. As the stage was being set, the audience’s attention was drawn to video screens with information regarding the severity of using cell phones to record the night’s performance. The information was delivered in a humorous but surly tone.

“Nobody wants to stand behind you and watch the show through your fucking phone’s screen,” it read. “If you are caught using a phone to record the show, you will be escorted out of the theatre.”

A lone drummer was then illuminated on the stage as the rest of the band came into very dim light. Eventually joined by frontman Maynard James Keenan and the cast of Mexican wrestlers, who posed with menacing looks upon the audience.

Money Shot is Puscifer’s third full-length studio effort, released Oct. 30. Keenan is best-known for his work with Tool, the band that won two Emmy Awards for Best Metal Performance in 1998 and 2002 and one for best recording package in 2007.