Watch: PRIMUS Plays First Concert Since TIM 'HERB' ALEXANDER's Latest Departure

PRIMUS played the first concert since the recent unexpected departure of longtime percussionist Tim "Herb" Alexander last night (Monday, December 30) at the Fox Theater in Oakland, California. Sitting behind the drums for the show was Bryan "Brain" Mantia, who previously played with PRIMUS when Alexander originally left the band in 1996.

In light of Alexander's latest departure, PRIMUS also enlisted musicians from frontman Les Claypool's side projects, THE HOLY MACKEREL and FROG BRIGADE, to perform during last night's performance.

Fan-filmed video of the entire gig can be seen below.

The setlist was as follows:

THE HOLY MACKEREL

01. Holy Mackerel (LES CLAYPOOL AND THE HOLY MACKEREL song) (with LES CLAYPOOL AND THE HOLY MACKEREL)
02. Highball With The Devil (LES CLAYPOOL AND THE HOLY MACKEREL song) (with LES CLAYPOOL AND THE HOLY MACKEREL)
03. Hendershot (LES CLAYPOOL AND THE HOLY MACKEREL song) (all three bands)

FROG BRIGADE (with Larry LaLonde)

04. Up On The Roof (THE LES CLAYPOOL FROG BRIGADE song) (with THE LES CLAYPOOL FROG BRIGADE)
05. David Makalaster (THE LES CLAYPOOL FROG BRIGADE song) (with THE LES CLAYPOOL FROG BRIGADE)
06. Riddles Are Abound Tonight (SAUSAGE cover) (with THE LES CLAYPOOL FROG BRIGADE)
07. D's Diner (THE LES CLAYPOOL FROG BRIGADE song) (with THE LES CLAYPOOL FROG BRIGADE)

PRIMUS (with Brain)

08. Restin' Bones (first time since 1997)
09. Those Damned Blue-Collar Tweekers
10. American Life
11. Fisticuffs
12. Shake Hands With Beef
13. Jerry Was A Race Car Driver

Encore:

14. Here Come The Bastards (all three bands)
15. Cosmic Highway (THE LES CLAYPOOL FROG BRIGADE song) (all three bands)

With Mantia, PRIMUS recorded two studio albums — "Brown Album" (1997) and "Antipop" (1999) — as well as the covers EP "Rhinoplasty" (1998) and the original theme song for the TV show "South Park".

Last month, Alexander shared a letter with Rolling Stone magazine explaining his decision to leave the band.

"A lot of times, you do something you love for a long time, and sometimes the passion turns into a job, and sometimes that job doesn't feel like it's your being anymore," he said.

He reflected on the impact his decision had on his physical, mental and family life.

"When I discovered that I'm struggling with all these things, I had to sit and think about exactly what am I doing," Alexander said. "I don't think I've ever chosen my path in life, I think I've just always thought 'I'm a drummer, I'm just gonna do music,' and things came to me, accepting whatever happens."

The news of his departure was initially shared on October 29 by his now-former bandmates, who claimed that they received an e-mail from him nearly two weeks earlier saying he had "lost his passion for playing."

Alexander joined PRIMUS in 1989 and left in 1996, then rejoined when they reformed in 2003. He exited the group again in 2010 but returned in 2013.

PRIMUS isn't planning to cancel any upcoming shows. For TOOL's "Live In The Sand" destination festival, they will be joined by the latter band's Danny Carey. As for their 2025 "Sessanta" dates, they are "searching for the 'greatest drummer on earth'."

In July 2016, Alexander revealed that he suffered a second heart attack after he previously endured a similar health scare in 2014.

A decade ago, Les Claypool's plan to reform the "classic" PRIMUS lineup — with Alexander and guitarist Larry Lalonde — was put on hold when Alexander suffered his first heart attack, a "minor" attack that resulted in the drummer requiring triple bypass surgery. To fulfill its touring obligations, PRIMUS recruited Carey to fill in for a few dates. Three months after open-heart surgery, Alexander rejoined PRIMUS on the road.