Catch Primus in Their First Performance Following Tim Alexander’s Departure as Drummer

Primus Returns to the Stage

Primus performed their first live show following the unexpected departure of drummer Tim “Herb” Alexander, bringing in a former member to take his place. Check out the footage below.

New Year’s Eve Celebration

The concert occurred as part of the band’s New Year’s Eve event at the Fox Theater in Oakland, California this past Monday (December 30). Primus took to the stage after performances from other artists like Holy Mackerel and Frog Brigade, delivering a six-song set.

This marked Primus’s first stage appearance since they expressed being in “total shock” over the news of longtime drummer Tim Alexander’s exit from the band.

While Les Claypool and the rest of the band continue their search for a new drummer—having initiated auditions back in November—they welcomed back former bandmate Brian “Brain” Mantia to fill in for the special New Year’s Eve show.

Mantia originally joined Primus in 1989 before being replaced by Alexander, who stayed with the band until 1996. Following Alexander’s initial departure, Mantia resumed his role until the band disbanded in 2000. Primus later reformed in 2003, which saw Alexander’s return to the lineup.

During their set at the Fox Theater, Primus played several hits including “Those Damn Blue Collars,” “Fist Fights,” “Antipop,” and “My Name is Dirt.” Check out the footage from the show below.

The band is still conducting auditions to find a replacement for Alexander and has recently alerted fans about possible scammers trying to exploit the open call.

Audition submissions began rolling in online in November, featuring Billy Strings trading his guitar for a drum kit in a video application. Les Claypool subsequently shared this clip on social media, teasing fans that they might have “found our guy.”

The next round of auditions for the drummer position is slated to start later this month.

After his departure from the group, Alexander elaborated on his decision. “Over time, I began to realize that it was affecting my physical life, it was affecting my mental life, and it was affecting my family life, but my heart just wasn’t in it,” he shared.

“When I found myself struggling with these issues, I had to sit down and reflect on what exactly I was doing,” he continued. “I don’t think I ever chose my path in life; I think I just always thought, ‘I’m a drummer, I’ll just make music,’ and it all came to me. I accepted whatever happened.”