A stage filled with South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the rock bands Primus, Ween and even Rush icons Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson isn’t something that happens every day.
But that’s exactly what occurred at the South Park 25th Anniversary Concerts at Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre this week. Primus and Ween were billed alongside Parker and Stone for the show Aug. 9–10 that celebrated the music of South Park. Lee and Lifeson emerged as special guests. The crew covered Rush’s “Closer to the Heart.”
Watch fan-captured video near the bottom of this post, along with pro photos from the performance. See both nights’ setlists underneath the media.
The assembled band was a long time coming. South Park viewers know Primus perform the theme at the start of each episode of the long-running adult animated sitcom. Ween contributed “The Rainbow” to 1998’s Chef Aid: The South Park Album, also appearing in that year’s South Park episode “Chef Aid.”
Parker and Stone, seasoned musicians themselves on top of being TV creators, compose the music for much of South Park. At Red Rocks, Parker played piano while Stone moved around between drums, bass and guitar, according to Live for Live Music.
Ahead of the show, the South Park creators, who happen to hail from the Denver area, quipped in a statement, “We’re so excited to go home and play at Red Rocks, a place that’s been known for hosting the most legendary artists and musicians. Until now.”
“Closer to the Heart” originally appears on Rush’s 1977 album, A Farewell to Kings, which Primus took to covering in its entirety at past shows of theirs on tour.
South Park With Primus, Geddy Lee + Alex Lifeson, “Closer to the Heart” (Rush Cover)
South Park 25th Anniversary Concert Photos
Kevin Mazur, Getty Images
Kevin Mazur, Getty Images
Kevin Mazur, Getty Images
Kevin Mazur, Getty Images
Kevin Mazur, Getty Images
Kevin Mazur, Getty Images
South Park 25th Anniversary Concert Setlist – Aug. 9, 2022 (via Setlist.fm)
*at various points, the South Park co-creators were joined by Primus, Ween, South Park composer Bruce Howell and Rush’s Geddy Lee + Alex Lifeson
1. “Take Me Away (Ween cover) (with Ween) (solo)
2. “Roses Are Free” (Ween cover) (with Ween) (solo)
3. “It’s Gonna Be a Long Night” (Ween cover) (with Primus) (Primus & Ween)
4. “Here Come the Bastards” (Primus cover) (with Ween) (Primus & Ween)
5. “Uncle Fucka” (with Primus) (All 3 acts)
6. “Montage” (with Primus) (Matt Stone on drums and all 3 acts)
7. “San Diego” (with Primus) (All 3 acts)
8. “It’s Easy, M’Kay” (with Tim Alexander) (proceeded by Colorado Governer Jared Polis awarding Trey and Matt August 10th, 2022 as “South Park”)
19. “Jerry Was a Race Car Driver” (Primus cover) (with Primus) (only)
10. “Those Damned Blue-Collar Tweekers” (Primus cover) (with Primus) (only)
11. “South Park Theme” (Primus cover) (with Primus) (all 3 versions with TP + MS)
12. “Butter’s Theme Song” Play Video
13. “Have You Heard About My Robot Friend?”
14. “Blame Canada” (with Primus)
15. “Closer to the Heart” (Rush cover) (with Rush) (Primus, Rush, and MS on drums)
16. “On a Colorado Farm” (with Primus) (all 3 acts)
17. “Piss up a Rope” (Ween cover) (with Ween) (only)
18. “Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver” (Primus cover) (with Primus) (only)
19. “Gay Fish” (Claude Coleman Jr. on drums and Bruce Howell on guitar)
20. “Man Up” (with Ween) (Bruce Howell on guitar)
21. “The Mollusk” (Ween cover) (with Ween) (only)
22. “Voodoo Lady” (Ween cover) (with Ween) (only)
23. “Too Many Puppies” (Primus cover) (with Primus) (only)
24. “Tommy the Cat” (Primus cover) (with Primus) (MS as Butters on vocals)
25. “Let’s Fighting Love” (with Michael Melchiondo) (Larry “Ler” LaLonde, Tim ” Herb” Alexander, and Bruce Howell)
26. “When I Was on Top of You” (MS on drums and Bruce Howell on guitar)
27. “Merry Fucking Christmas”
28. “Lemmiwinks” (with Primus) (all 3 acts dressed in Medieval clothing and John Hansen singing Mr. Slave’s parts)
29. “Kyle’s Mom’s a Bitch” (with Ween) (film version, Bruce Howell on guitar)
30. “What Would Brian Boitano Do? Pt. II” (with Michael Melchiondo) (with Tim “Herb” Alexander, Larry “Ler” LaLonde, and Bruce Howell)
31. “Yelper Special” (with Primus) (all 3 acts)
32. “America, Fuck Yeah” (with Primus) (all 3 acts) (encore)
South Park 25th Anniversary Concert Setlist – Aug. 10, 2022 (via Setlist.fm)
*at various points, the South Park co-creators were joined by Primus, Ween, South Park composer Bruce Howell and Rush’s Geddy Lee + Alex Lifeson
1. “Take Me Away (Ween cover) (with Ween) (solo)
2. “Roses Are Free” (Ween cover) (with Ween) (solo)
3. “It’s Gonna Be a Long Night” (Ween cover) (with Primus) (Primus & Ween)
4. “Here Come the Bastards” (Primus cover) (with Ween) (Primus & Ween)
5. “Uncle Fucka” (with Primus) (All 3 acts)
6. “Montage” (with Primus) (Matt Stone on drums and all 3 acts)
7. “San Diego” (with Primus) (All 3 acts)
8. “It’s Easy, M’Kay” (with Tim Alexander) (proceeded by Colorado Governer Jared Polis awarding Trey and Matt August 10th, 2022 as “South Park”)
19. “Jerry Was a Race Car Driver” (Primus cover) (with Primus) (only)
10. “Those Damned Blue-Collar Tweekers” (Primus cover) (with Primus) (only)
11. “South Park Theme” (Primus cover) (with Primus) (all 3 versions with TP + MS)
12. “Butter’s Theme Song” Play Video
13. “Have You Heard About My Robot Friend?”
14. “Blame Canada” (with Primus)
15. “Closer to the Heart” (Rush cover) (with Rush) (Primus, Rush, and MS on drums)
16. “On a Colorado Farm” (with Primus) (all 3 acts)
17. “Buckingham Green” (Ween cover) (with Ween) (solo)
18. “My Name Is Mud” (Primus cover) (with Primus) (solo)
19. “Gay Fish” (Claude Coleman Jr. on drums and Bruce Howell on guitar)
20. “The Mollusk” (Ween cover) (with Ween) (only)
21. “Voodoo Lady” (Ween cover) (with Ween) (only)
22. “Tommy the Cat” (Primus cover) (with Primus) (MS as Butters on vocals)
23. “Let’s Fighting Love” (with Michael Melchiondo) (Larry “Ler” LaLonde, Tim ” Herb” Alexander, and Bruce Howell)
24. “When I Was on Top of You” (MS on drums and Bruce Howell on guitar)
25. “Merry Fucking Christmas”
The Death Camp of Intolerance Lemmiwinks clip
26. “Lemmiwinks” (with Primus) (all 3 acts dressed in Medieval clothing and John Hansen singing Mr. Slave’s parts)
27. “Kyle’s Mom’s a Bitch” (with Ween) (film version, Bruce Howell on guitar)
28. “What Would Brian Boitano Do? Pt. II” (with Michael Melchiondo) (with Tim “Herb” Alexander, Larry “Ler” LaLonde, and Bruce Howell)
You’re Not Yelping clips
29. “Yelper Special” (with Primus) (all 3 acts)
30. “America, Fuck Yeah” (with Primus) (all 3 acts) (encore)
10 Times Musicians Were an Emergency Fill-In
Even rock stars need a sick day sometimes…