ALTERNATIVE-METAL ROCK GROUP PRIMUS - Cincinnati Event

One of the original and most distinctive alternative-metal groups, Primus, is hitting the road this summer with special guests Dinosaur Jr. and The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger (The GOASTT). The whimsical party band has chops that absorbed punk rock, thrash, speed metal, and funk to create a mind-blowing live experience this summer that can't be missed.

Primus is all about Les Claypool; there isn't a moment on any of their records where his bass isn't the main focal point of the music, with his vocals acting as a bizarre side-show. Which isn't to deny guitarist Larry LaLonde or drummer Tim "Herb" Alexander any credit; no drummer could weave in and around Claypool's convoluted patterns as effortlessly as Alexander, and few guitarists would willingly push the spotlight away, like LaLonde does, just to can produce a never-ending spiral of avant-noise. All of this means that they are miles away from being another punk-funk combo; Claypool may slap and pop his bass, but there is little funk in the rhythm he and Alexander lay down. Instead, they're a post-punk Rush spiked with the sensibility and humor of Frank Zappa. Primus' songs are secondary to showcasing their instrumental prowess. Their music is willfully weird and experimental, yet it's not alienating; the band was able to turn their goofy weirdness into pop stardom.

Creators of a loud, sprawling rock and roll, Dinosaur Jr. were largely responsible for returning lead guitar to indie rock and they injected late-'80s alternative rock with monumental levels of pure guitar noise. On their early records, Dinosaur lurched forward, taking weird detours into free-form noise and melodic soloing before the songs are brought back into relief by Mascis' laconic whine. Dinosaur's SST records laid the foundation for alternative rock's commercial breakthrough in the early '90s.

Looking to spend more time together, musician Sean Lennon and his girlfriend, musician/model Charlotte Kemp Muhl, formed The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger. Influenced by the musical history of Lennon's family and the spirit of psychedelia, The GOASTT brings together pieces from all over the musical map to create a unique sound using both of their multi-instrumental talents. The band made its debut in 2010 with Mark Ronson-produced Jardin Du Luxembourg and compilation of acoustic tracks titled Acoustic Sessions.