Derrainan

Well, after many years of waiting, this was my first Tool gig. Have loved them since I first heard Aenema in about 99, and my obsession has steadily grown!

So I bought tickets for Cardiff the second they went on sale.

Maybe my expectations were TOO high. Or maybe not. But I was SOOOO dissapointed with the gig. It does have to be mentioned that none of this was really Tool's fault; but even so, I felt pretty peeved by the end of the show.

But I digress. Mastondon? Hmmm, not my cup of tea. I'm not, I hasten to add, really a 'metal' fan and Mastodon were probably just too metal for me. Though it was hard to tell; because from where I was standing, the mix was without question the WORST I've ever heard in 20 years of gig-going. I'd read other posts previous over the tour saying how poor their mix was, but nothing prepared me for this! Though it might have had something to do with where I was standing in the arena.... more of which anon!

Anyhoo, on to Tool - I had high hopes that Mastodon's mix was purely their problem, but alas no - Stinkfist began, and although the sound was a LOT better, it was still far from perfect. There was far too much bass...ummm.... vibration? dunno, as I'm not a sound engineer I find it hard to describe, but there just was a lack of crispness to the sound as a whole. Adam's guitar was pretty much spot on through the whole gig, as was Justin's bass - but I think the muddiness of the sound took a lot away from the Danny.

The worst problem though, as others have mentioned, was Maynards vocals. WAY too quiet for most of the set; and yet, though quiet, when he sang, I noticed that the "muddy" quality of the sound increased. It was only when he wasn't singing that I could really get into the music! :o(

I think some of this is probably due to the acoustics of the venue - it seems a lot of people who were at the front loved the gig, but alas being an old(ish) fart, I prefer to stand nearer the back now! But even so, I wasn't far from the mixing desk... who knows what this guy heard? He was probably listening to McFly on his headphones or something....

I don't want to sound all moany and groany; there were a few highlights - for some reason, the sound on 46&2 was pretty much perfect, and I was in awe for several minutes. Trouble is I didn't feel the same again until Lateralus, which was just jawdropping and shone dispite the mix (apart from the instrumental middle of Schism, which was also pretty bloody wonderful).

But I was gutted by Wings1&2 - to me, it was like listening to the song through a wall of muddy gloop. If the soundman really is to blame, then he should be fired IMMEDIATELY. My wife and I spent £200 on tickets and train fares from west Cornwall, and I don't take kindly to some joker not doing his job properly.

It also seemed odd that, for Vicarious and Aenema, the vocals got a lot louder once the "gasmask-mike" was used - hoo-fricking-ray I thought, only for Maynards voice to be cutting out half the time!!!

The mix (at least to my ears) was the worst I've heard, apart from Mastodon, and The Mission last year (yes I am an old goth!!!).

One things for sure, I'll never see ANYTHING in Cardiff arena again. As for Tool? Well, of course I will - but please, get a new sound man!