by Bruno Basile
Taken from the Daily Cardinal, March 2, 1998. Dane County Expo, Madison, WI. February 26, 1998.
Three loud bands and a Swiss corporation were on the lineup at the Dane County Expo Center Thursday night. As a stop on the Swatch Sno-Core Tour, Primus, Blink 182 and The Aquahats delighted a crowd of thousands with their power-chords and silly mimics.
First on the marquee list, The Aquahats played a surreal mix of catchy ska and comedy. Dressed in little red suits that were a cross between '30s swimsuits and Spider Man outfits, the band was joined on stage by goofy characters like a man dressed as a chicken and a gigantic horny woman. Refreshing, to say the least.
Blink 182, named for the number of times Al Pacino says the F-word in Scarface, based its approach on volume, rather than anything else. The band's songs ahout cruel girlfriends and body liquids are as predictable as threechord-punk ever was, and its attempts at humor are frankly annoying. It is clear how much these guys are in it just to the rockstars.
By the time Les Claypool's gangly silhouette was visible through the clouds of sweat and pot, the venue was utterly packed.
From Tommy the Cat to My Name is Mud to the even weirder stuff on the latest CD The Brown Album, Primus kept the Madison crowd pogo-sticking and gave a lesson in musical technique. As far as originality and skills, the band is definitely one of the best live acts in the industry.