A Perfect Circle show surprises audience

Last Saturday, A Perfect Circle performed at the Louisville Gardens, putting on a show that was bound to blow the audience away in one way or another. While it may seem that a band touring to promote an album as dark, decorated and serious as its latest, Thirteenth Step, would perform a live show in a similarly dark, decorated and serious manner. The show, performed in a venue closely resembling a high school gymnasium, seemed at times to assume the jocular attitude and spontaneity of a band practicing in front of a few close friends. The show halted for a relatively brief period as technical difficulties were overcome. During this interlude, the remaining band members exchanged Michael Jackson jokes. After caving in to vocalist Maynard James Keenan's urges, guitarist James Iha told his own joke, the ineptitude of which screamed out that it was made up on the spot. Performing nearly the entirety of each of its two albums, the band tweaked nearly every song and in some instances dramatically altered them. "The Nurse that Loved Me" was particularly changed, its floaty, dream-like sound replaced with eerie guitar riffs and drab vocals. Keenan's vocals were as impressive live as on any album, although at times some sounds were a bit too loud, causing distortion from the speakers. The eccentric Keenan has a reputation for not facing the crowd for entire shows and being crabby at times with audiences, perhaps in an effort to focus attention on music rather than showmanship. At this show, however, he managed to be both entertaining and hospitable for the most part, despite claiming to be suffering from the flu. The end of the concert was perhaps the most entertaining, as bassist Jeordie White (a.k.a. Twiggy of Marilyn Manson fame) toted a guitar and attempted to rally former Smashing Pumpkins guitarist Iha back onto the stage. Despite Iha not showing, White put on a one-man show of sorts, covering Metallica's "Master of Puppets" beginning "Zero" by the Smashing Pumpkins and continuing to play after the house lights came on, adding a touch of insanity to the informal band-practice atmosphere.
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