Okay, I had to wait until this morning to be able to post this, couldn't even think when I got home last night.

I'll start off by saying the English language doesn't possess an adjective descriptive enough to describe the live Tool Experience (and that's what it is, it goes beyond simply being a show). I took my son (11, first Tool show for each of us- something has always happened to prevent me from seeing them previously). Who knows, maybe Maynard came up with something during the mumbled jibberish at the beginning of Rosetta Stoned that would work.

For those of you who have complained at every show about this being the same set list from 10,000 Days...get over it. They haven't recorded anything since then, what are you looking for? Supposedly the framework for a few new tracks exists, but nothing that's ready for prime time. Could they have played longer? Sure. Are there things I would have liked to hear that they didn't play? Sure. Every one of us could say the same thing. Let's just be grateful that we've been blessed with the opportunity to once again see THE essential band of our generation.

...anyway, back to the Experience...

first, Tweak Bird was just flat out cool as hell. My son had thoroughly checked them out on YouTube and was telling me various things about them and their songs, so he knew everything they played.

Tool.

...what can I say? Since no word exists, we'll make one up...XXaraa (you can pronounce that anyway you like).

From the opening notes of 'Jambi', you just KNEW something of monumental significance was taking place. The lights and visuals, combined with the music, created an absolute hypnotic effect. Some of you have been complaining that Maynard had seemed disengaged or uninterested. Wasn't the case last night. We were in section 110, row V, which was 1-2 sections over from being dead center of stage and about 80% of the way up. Our vantage point was perfect. From where I was sitting, the acoustics were very good (not quite excellent, but VERY good). I was surprised that Maynard was as soft-spoken as he was when he was talking to the audience, didn't expect that and it was a great contrast to the power of the music.

Knowing the set list didn't have an adverse effect, rather, it was interesting to hear the way they blended them together with some of the synthesised intros.

I think one of my favorite parts of the show was right after the finish of Aenema when Danny came down from behind his kit, Maynard stepped down off his platform, and Adam, Maynard, Danny, and Justin just stood in front of the kit shoulder to shoulder for several seconds before walking off, just soaking up the adulation. That moment, perhaps more then any other in the show, really spelled out the magnitude of what we were witnessing. I'm pretty sure I saw God at that moment.

Lateralus was. Nothing else needs to be said. If I had to pick one Tool song as a favorite (an impossible task, I know), it would probably be Lateralus. I was very pleased to see how well they were able to work Vicarious as a closing number, really didn't understand how that was going to fly...but it's like my son and I always say to each other...it's Tool, it's not like it's going to suck.

Leaving was another experience all it's own. I've been going to concerts for 32 years now (since the age of 13, first one was Skynyrd in Portland, Maine, '77, about 3 weeks before the plane crash), and I don't ever remember such an orderly, quiet egress from a concert venue. I'm guessing everybody was feeling the same thing, kind of a "holy SHIT, did that REALLY happen?!?". It was about 20 minutes into the ride home before my son and I even spoke to each other.

Oh, and one more thing...

I'd be remiss if I didn't give huge props to Joe and his buddies from Bel Air who we hung with in the parking lot for 4 1/2 hours before going in, just grooving, tossing a football around, talking about everything from music to sports (far right upper corner of Lot L, black GTI and a light gray Explorer in case any of you were near us).

I sincerely hope I get a chance to do this again someday.