After a 20-year hiatus, Les Claypool’s Fearless Flying Frog Brigade has announced its long-awaited return with the massive, 41-date Summer of Green Tour 2023, which will mark the band’s first appearances since summer 2003.
Kicking off in Stateline, NV on Wednesday, May 17 before winding its way from coast-to-coast, the tour will feature several festival appearances, including the Summer Camp Music Festival, the Mountain Music Festival, the Riverbend Music Festival, and the Peach Music Festival.
Featuring Les Claypool (bass), Sean Lennon (guitar), Harry Waters (keys), Paulo Baldi (drums), Mike Dillon (percussion), and Skerik (horns), the set will include a full performance of Pink Floyd’s iconic tenth studio album Animals, which was famously captured on the band’s second 2001 live recording, Live Frogs Set 2.
“In an age of calibrated chaos, moral constipation, and conspiranoia, it is reassuring to know that certain frogs can and do fly,” Claypool comments.
Select June performances will include a co-headlining set with Jerry Harrison and Adrian Belew’s ‘Remain In Light’ Tour, which finds the Talking Heads members performing songs from a monumental period of the band’s history alongside a powerhouse band. Additional support throughout the tour include Fishbone, Neal Francis, Budos Band, W.I.T.C.H., and Moon Duo.
A limited pre-sale, including VIP upgrade options, will go on sale February 1 at 10 AM, local time, using the code WHAMOLA. General public on sale is this Friday, February 3 at 10 AM, local time. All show and ticket/VIP information can be found at lesclaypool.com/.
Formed by Claypool in the summer of 2000 during a short break from Primus, the Fearless Flying Frog Brigade made its debut appearance at the Mountain Aire Festival before embarking on several celebrated US tours. Described by Claypool as “kind of a King Crimson meets Pink Floyd meets Frank Zappa type thing," the band released two live albums in 2001, as well as a studio album Purple Onion in 2002. The band’s most recent performance took place on May 10, 2003 at the House of Blues in Orlando, Florida.
The return of the Fearless Flying Frog Brigade follows a busy year for Claypool, who in addition to performing with Bastard Jazz on NYE and throughout winter 2022, traveled the country with Primus for the band’s wildly popular ‘A Tribute To Kings’ Tour, and appeared alongside Ween at Comedy Central’s South Park: 25th Anniversary Concert” at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Last year also saw the release of Primus’ first new music in more than five years, the sprawling 3-song Conspiranoid EP, which included the epic 11-minute opening track, “Conspiranoia,” and second single, “Follow The Fool.”
Claypool is one of the most unlikely success stories in entertainment history. His trademark voice, thumping bass lines and unique worldview have become the calling cards for a number of wildly successful and influential albums in the last two decades. But through his myriad of musical and creative projects, Claypool has also become a favorite of jam banders, funk connoisseurs and pretty much everything in-between.
“Let’s put it this way … I think, with Primus and without, I’ve played every music festival in the last ten years, except Lilith Fair,” he comments. “You could say I’m the guy who doesn’t fit in anywhere, but a little bit everywhere.”
The Summer of Green Tour 2023:
May
17 - Stateline, NV - TBA venue ^
19 - Napa, CA - Blue Note Summer Sessions at TBA venue ^
20 - Santa Cruz, CA - Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium ^
21 - San Diego, CA - Observatory North ^
23 - Salt Lake City, UT - TBA venue ^
24 - Denver, CO - Mission Ballroom ^
26 - Kansas City, MO - Grinders KC
27 - Chillicothe, IL - Summer Camp Music Festival
28 - Louisville, KY - Iroquois Amphitheater ~
30 - Buffalo, NY - Town Ballroom ~
31 - Columbus, OH - KEMBA Live! ~
June
2 - Detroit, MI - Royal Oak Music Theatre ~
3 - Oak Hill, WV - Mountain Music Festival
4 - Chattanooga, TN - TBA venue
6 - Richmond, VA - Brown's Island *
7 - Raleigh, NC - Raleigh Memorial Auditorium *
9 - Asheville, NC - Rabbit Rabbit *
10 - Atlanta, GA - The Eastern *
11 - Columbia, SC - Township Auditorium *
13 - Dallas, TX - Music Hall at Fair Park *
14 - Austin, TX - The Moody Amphitheater *
16 - Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall Lawn *
17 - New Orleans, LA - Mardi Gras World *
19 - Mobile, AL - Saenger Theatre *
20 - Tampa, FL - Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino *
22 - Baltimore, MD - The Lyric %
23 - Port Chester, NY - Capitol Theatre ~
24 - Westbury, NY - NYCB Theatre [In The Round] ~
26 - Northampton, MA - The Pines Theater ~
28 - Portland, ME - State Theatre #
29 - Boston, MA - MGM Music Hall at Fenway #
July
1 - Scranton, PA - Peach Music Festival
2 - Chicago, IL - Salt Shed [Indoor] #
3 - St. Paul, MN - Palace Theatre #
7 - Bonner, MT - Kettlehouse Amphitheater +
8 - Redmond, WA - Marymoor Park Live +
9 - Forest Grove, OR - Grand Lodge +
11 - Wheatland, CA - Hard Rock Live +
13 - San Luis Obispo, CA - Madonna Inn +
14 - Los Angeles, CA - The Wiltern +
15 - Phoenix, AZ - Van Buren +
* Jerry Harrison & Adrian Belew Remain In Light
^ Fishbone
~ Neal Francis
# Budos Band
+ Moon Duo
% W.I.T.C.H.
