Next month in San Diego, Les Claypool will begin a cross-continental multi-band tour. March 4 is the opening night of The Oddity Faire, where Claypool’s current group will be joined by a range of artists at every stop, from a pool that will include: Yard Dogs Road Show, The Mutaytor, Saul Williams, Secret Chief 3, Devotchka and O’Death. In describing this tour, which will conclude at New York City’s Terminal 5 on March 28, the bassist explains, ‘Having trod the stages of such events as Lollapalooza, Woodstock 94, Redding, Bonnaroo, Ozzfest, etc. Ive come to realize that there really hasnt been an event that truly represents the type of idiosyncratic performers that I am kin to. In my youth I was always scouring the radio, clubs, record stores and concert halls for that group or individual that had new and unique perspectives to music. The freaks. THE ODDITY FAIRE: A MUTATED MINI-FEST, is just the event where one will encounter such diverse and unique artists. The notion of the festival is to bring together folks that naturally dwell outside the box so that they may perform before a collective audience that is looking for something that hasnt been cultivated by American Idol or crammed down their throats by the Disney Corporation.’ Claypool’s quartet for this event will feature Mike Dillon on percussion, drummer Paulo Baldi and cellist Sam Bass.