This was my first Tool show. It was very, very awesome! From certain reviews that I've read on this site, I was expecting Maynard's voice to be weaker, and the show to be a bit "phoned in." From what I saw, neither of these were the case. The band sounded extremely tight. Maynard's voice was very strong, hitting and holding notes I didn't expect him to (nailing the end of Pushit!). Maynard faced the audience a majority of the time, and all of the band members seemed to be enjoying themselves. If you like Tool's music, don't hesitate to see them. After seeing them play myself, I believe that most people with negative comments about Tool's performances are being very nit-picky. Either that, or this show was just unusually good! Anyways, a few points...

Traffic around the venue was backed up. The roads around the coliseum don't seem fit to deal with that many people. Also, once inside the venue, the halls were very small and crowded.

Although the show was seated, everyone was standing. Security wasn't strict about recording at all. Lots of people were recording, and I didn't see one person kicked out or even asked to stop.

The crowd was great (at least in my section). Nobody screaming the lyrics too loud, nobody dancing too crazy, nobody talking over the music. Most people were quiet, just taking it all in and maybe headbanging. The only thing that bothered me was the girl sitting next to me. She was not interested in the show, and clearly there because her boyfriend drug her there. In my opinion, if you don't like a band, don't see their show just because you want to make someone else happy. Let the ticket go to someone who will watch the show, instead of playing on their cellphone. Regardless, she wasn't loud or obnoxious, so no big deal.

The mix was great. I was in the nosebleeds (although still close to the band, as the venue is rather small), section 124, and each instrument was crisp and clear. None were too loud or overpowering. Even when Maynard used vocal effects, he was still audible.

We didn't get Ticks And Leeches, Parabola, or The Pot which was disappointing. I was hoping (based on previous set lists) that since we got Sober, we'd get Parabola. The show was about an hour and a half, which is standard this tour.

The tour posters arrived late, over halfway through the band's set. They weren't available when I check during Intension. I ended up getting one during the intermission near the end. They were $30, and no signed posters were available. Merchandise, in general, was very expensive. $40-50 shirts and $80 hoodies.

At the end of the show, Maynard came forward a bit, gave a peace sign to each side of the coliseum, talked to Adam, first bumped Danny, then left. The other members stuck around longer and gave each other hugs.

My favorite part had to be the visuals that go along with the show. As the show progressed, they got more and more intense. They started the show with a cloth covering their backdrop and just lights above the stage. Over the course of the show, they brought in several screens, lasers, and smoke. The screens covered more and more area as the show went on. The lasers were being shined both in the air and near their feet onstage. Their light show, just like their music, is an art form.

If I had any complaints, it would be the jam before Schism and the intermission near the end. In my opinion, their show is too short to spend 15 minutes on these. It means that you only hear about 75 minutes of material from their albums. I'd rather hear another song. Also, I don't think that the jam before Schism is new material, I think it is just an intro. In my opinion, it sounds much too similar to their old material to be something they'd put on a new album.

Overall, the show was killer. Some have been speculating recently that Tool may be coming to an end. Based on this show, I feel that Tool has both the interest and physical ability to continue.