Les Claypool tour plans summer dates with Matisyahu

Les Claypool, the acclaimed bassist for alternative band Primus, is continuing his solo sojourn on the road this summer to support his latest album. The musician’s 37-city tour kicks off with a May 23 performance at moe.‘s annual Summer Camp Festival in Chillicothe, IL, and ends July 17 at the House of Blues in Atlantic City, NJ.

Highlights of the tour include a May 27 gig at The Orange Peel in Asheville, NC, a June 2 performance at The Tabernacle in Atlanta, GA, a June 20 concert at the Warfield Theatre in San Francisco, CA, and a July 4 appearance at the Rothbury Festival in Rothbury, MI. Five shows are booked in Canada, including a June 25 show at Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver, BC.

The eccentric Claypool is known for picking an eclectic variety of opening performers for his tours. The summer 2009 outing will be no different with reggae musician Matisyahu scheduled to open for a total of eight concerts, beginning with the May 30 show at Pompano Amphitheater in Pompano Beach, FL, and ending with the June 9 concert at Austin Music Hall in Austin, TX.

Folk metal band O’Death and vaudeville troupe Yard Dogs Road Show, who both opened during Claypool’s month-long tour in March, will also open on select dates of the tour. The various opening dates for each group are available on Claypool’s official Web site.

Claypool is touring behind his second solo album, “Of Fungi and Foe,” released on March 17. The record features expanded material that was originally recorded for a video game and motion picture, as well as a song from a jam session with Gogol Bordello frontman Eugene Hütz.

“Obviously the makers of the subsequent ‘Mushroom Men’ game and “Pig Hunt’ film were very aware of my tastes and perspectives because the music oozed from me in such a natural way that I believe it came as much from my pores as it did my mind,” Claypool explained in a statement. “This music became the foundation of the songs that fill this collection.”

Les Claypool itinerary:
(Dates are subject to change.)

* with Matisyahu