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Primus kicked off its long-anticipated 'A Tribute to Kings' tour Wednesday night in Boise, Idaho, in which the band debuted its version of Rush's 1977 album A Farewell to Kings.
After delivering an eight-song set of some of its own most beloved material, Primus changed lanes and delivered an inspired rendition of the entire A Farewell to Kings album.
(You can watch Primus perform "Closer to the Heart" via the player below. Watch the opening sequence at the bottom of this page.)
Primus bassist and frontman Les Claypool explained in early-2020 that the band has been discussing a Rush tribute tour for years. They initially wanted to celebrate A Farewell to Kings (the first Rush album Claypool ever heard) in the fall of 2019, but delayed the plans in order to take part in Slayer's farewell tour.
In early-2020, Primus announced the tour, but it was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Claypool has said that the tribute tour took on a greater meaning after Rush drummer Neil Peart's death in early-2020.
"We're trying to be as sensitive as we possibly can, so it doesn't appear like we're just jumping on the, 'Hey, a superhero died, let's go out and do a tribute to him'-type thing," he said. "It's about admiration for these amazing musicians and friends."
Primus performing A Farewell to Kings in its entirety might seem like a strange combination, but remember this is Primus we're talking about.
Beyond Claypool, guitarist Larry LaLonde and drummer Tim 'Herb' Alexander all being huge Rush fans, this Primus lineup toured with Rush in 1992, kicking off a friendship between the two groups that has lasted to this day.
Claypool has contributed to numerous Rush books over the years, including the Wandering the Face of the Earth touring compendium and Geddy Lee's Big, Beautiful Book of Bass.
Last weekend, Claypool made news when he shared a photo of himself preparing for the tour with a bass lesson from Lee himself.