Puscifer in San Francisco

About Puscifer

Puscifer is Maynard James Keenan's side project, a deliberate detour from Tool's mathematical heaviness into something weirder and more theatrical. Started in the '90s as an occasional experiment, it became a full creative outlet where Keenan could indulge his taste for industrial textures, deadpan humor, and unsettling imagery. The project embraces absurdity—album artwork featuring fictional characters, song titles that are deliberately crude, and a general refusal to take itself seriously while remaining sonically ambitious. Where Tool demands reverence, Puscifer invites skepticism. The live experience is deliberately theatrical and occasionally confrontational, with Puscifer often acting as a character rather than just a musician. It's Keenan's playground for exploring the uncomfortable space between aggression and artistry.

Puscifer shows are deliberately weird and sometimes hostile to the audience. Keenan treats crowds like they need to be earned, not entertained. Expect industrial soundscapes, theatrical staging, and an atmosphere that's more unsettling than cathartic. Not everyone leaves happy. That's intentional.

Known for Conditions of My Parole, Mommy Daddy Smoke Crack, The Remedy, Hungry for Heaven, Apocalyptical

Puscifer + San Francisco

Puscifer rolled through The Warfield in October 2022 and delivered exactly what you'd expect from Maynard James Keenan's side project: theatrical, weird, and completely uncompromising. They opened with the absurdist 'Agent Dick Merkin Video (Spam)' and made it clear this wasn't going to be a straightforward rock show. The setlist weaved between experimental cuts like 'Theorem' and 'UPGrade' alongside deeper moments like 'The Humbling River,' all anchored by the band's signature blend of industrial textures and prog-adjacent song structures. They closed out the night with 'Agent Dick Merkin Video (Tour announcement),' because of course they did. San Francisco has always been Puscifer's kind of city—willing to sit through something deliberately difficult.

Puscifer in San Francisco News

• Puscifer to Perform at BroadwaySF's Golden Gate Theatre in May BroadwayWorld.com · Oct 21, 2025
• Puscifer Announce New Album and 2026 Tour, Unveil Single “Self Evident”: Stream Consequence of Sound · Oct 21, 2025
• Puscifer Announces New Album ‘Normal Isn’t’, Shares North American Tour Dates Glide Magazine · Oct 21, 2025
• PUSCIFER announce new album and 2026 tour with biting single "Self Evident" Revolver Magazine · Oct 21, 2025
• Puscifer Announce 2026 North American Tour + Album, Debut New Song Loudwire · Oct 21, 2025

Live Music in San Francisco

San Francisco's experimental music scene has a long history of welcoming acts that exist outside the mainstream. The city's embrace of industrial, prog, and avant-garde music—from its thriving underground venues to its adventurous audiences—makes it a natural home for artists like Puscifer who refuse to play it straight. The Warfield itself stands as a testament to the city's commitment to hosting acts that challenge and provoke rather than simply entertain.

San Francisco road trip to see Puscifer?

Stay in Hayes Valley or the Mission—both neighborhoods have the kind of restaurants and bars that make a weekend feel deliberate rather than touristy. Head to State Bird Provisions for dinner if you can get in; it's precise and inventive without being pretentious. Spend a day in Muir Woods or hiking around Twin Peaks for actual views of the city. The de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park is worth a couple hours if the weather holds. Hit up a coffee place on Valencia Street in the Mission just to sit and watch the neighborhood move around you.