Les Claypool’s Frog Brigade Returns With New Live EP Ahead of Claypool Gold Tour
Bass icon Les Claypool has added yet another project to his already busy 2026. Colonel Claypool’s Fearless Flying Frog Brigade will release a new live album called Return of the Live Frogs: Volume 1 on May 22nd, coinciding with the group’s participation in the Claypool Gold tour.
The four-song collection showcases the magic of the band’s improvisation and onstage chemistry. Each track stretches between seven and twelve minutes as the ensemble digs deep into their compositions.
“The tracklist includes ‘Up On the Roof,’ ‘Phantom Patriot,’ ’ D’s Diner,’ and ‘Cosmic Highway,’ each reimagined through the band’s loose, improvisational lens,” a press release states. “Built on deep grooves, shifting arrangements, and the interplay between a cast of longtime collaborators, the recordings highlight what has made the Frog Brigade such a cult favorite for more than two decades: a sense that anything can happen at any time, and often does.”
Claypool formed the Frog Brigade in 2000 during a transitional period for Primus. It features Skerik on horns, Mike Dillon on percussion, Sean Ono Lennon on guitar, Harry Waters on keys, and Paulo Baldi on drums. After a few years of playing together, the project was shelved for 20 years until they reunited in 2023 for the “Summer of Green” tour.
The Claypool Gold tour is set to kick off May 20th, during which Claypool will perform with the Fearless Flying Frog Brigade, the Claypool Lennon Delirium (which has its own album coming soon), and Primus. See below for the full tour dates.
Return of the Live Frogs: Volume 1 will be out on May 22nd, but you can pre-order it now on CD, vinyl and as a digital download (Amazon Music).
Return of the Live Frogs: Volume 1 Track List:
- Up On the Roof
- Phantom Patriot
- D’s Diner
- Cosmic Highway
Claypool Gold 2026 Tour Dates:
| Date | Location | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| May 20 | Reno, NV | Reno Events Center |
| May 22 | Bend, OR | Hayden Homes Amphitheater |
| May 23 | Redmond, WA | Marymoor Live |
| May 25 | Missoula, MT | Kettlehouse Amphitheater |
| May 26 | Salt Lake City, UT | The Lot at the Complex |
| May 28 | Kansas City, MO | Starlight Amphitheatre |
| May 30 | St. Louis, MO | The Factory |
| May 31 | Rochester Hill, MI | Meadow Brook Amphitheatre |
| June 2 | Cleveland, OH | Jacobs Pavilion |
| June 3 | Chicago, IL | Salt Shed |
| June 5 | Pelham, TN | The Caverns |
| June 6 | Columbus, OH | Kemba Live! Outdoor |
| June 9 | Portland, ME | Thompson's Point |
| June 10 | Boston, MA | Leader Bank Pavilion |
| June 12 | Saratoga Springs, NY | Saratoga Performing Arts Center |
| June 13 | Asbury Park, NJ | Stone Pony Summer Stage |
| June 14 | Columbia, MD | All Good Now Festival |
| June 16 | Charlotte, NC | The Amp Ballantyne |
| June 17 | North Charleston, SC | Firefly Distillery |
| June 19 | St. Augustine, FL | St. Augustine Amphitheatre |
| June 20 | Atlanta, GA | Synovous Bank Amphitheatre |
| June 22 | Rogers, AR | Walmart Amphitheater |
| June 23 | Austin, TX | ACL Live at Moody Theatre |
| June 25 | Irving, TX | The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory |
| June 27 | Dillon, CO | Dillon Amphitheater |
| June 28 | Dillon, CO | Dillon Amphitheater |
| June 30 | Phoenix, AZ | AZ Financial Theater |
| July 1 | San Diego, CA | Gallagher Square |
| July 3 | Long Beach, CA | Long Beach Amphitheater |
| July 4 | Napa, CA | Meritage Resort |
In his time with No Treble, Kevin has met hundreds of amazing bassists and interviewed icons like Jack Casady, Victor Wooten, Les Claypool, Marcus Miller, and more. He's a gigging bassist performing jazz in Northern Virginia and bluegrass with The Plate Scrapers up and down the East Coast. Kevin appreciates all genres of music, from R&B to metal and everything in between. Connect with Kevin on Facebook and check his performance schedule on his website.
