Tool5280

Fourth Tool show, not the worst (Salt Lake City, Summer 2002), but certainly not the best (Red Rocks August 01).

Since I've seen Tool before and didn't expect them to top the Red Rocks show five years ago this time (the venue at least would've been a really tough obstacle to overcome), I was mainly going to see Isis (who have more or less usurped the position Tool held in my musical hierarchy back in high school). Here's their setlist:

1.) "So Did We"
2.) "Dulcinea"
3.) "Backlit"
4.) New song from In The Absence of Truth

Although brief and (I think) identical to the sets they're playing every night on the show, Isis' set was worthwhile. Unfortunately, their sound was pretty crappy through most of "So Did We", and I had to spend most of the remainder of the half-hour set looking for a friend who showed up late to the show, but still, a good set. The crowd was more receptive to them than I expected, but from where I was at (West side of the lawn), most people just seemed bored with them. Disinterest is better than angry boos, though.

On to Tool's show. I'll break it down into basic pros and cons:

Pros:

- extended/modified versions of "Stinkfist", "Opiate" and "Schism"
- some of the videos are new
- the blank stage/set and the increased use of projections on it
- Adam's solos in "Jambi" and "Lateralus"
- played all my favorite songs from 10,000 Days
- first time hearing "Opiate" live
- closing with "Ænema"
- Justin tearing up the bass, always my favorite one to watch

Cons:

- Maynard leaving out the scream in "Rosetta Stoned"
- The Setlist That Wouldn't Die
- the sound (wind, venue and amp clipping all spell pretty low-quality sound)
- laser show and smoke screens (this is some serious Genesis shit, not impressed)
- encore break on stage (why?)
- Rick Wakeman-style keyboard hogwash in between songs

Overall, I didn't think it was a bad show, but it was a fairly forgettable one. Some of my friends who went to the show were heartbroken about the state of affairs the band has fallen into since the Lateralus tours, and while I can't say I'm that distraught over it, I can see their point. The over-the-top special effects, extended song lengths, and unncessary keyboard jams are turning Tool into the equivolent of a heavy metal Yes or Pink Floyd, which makes for a boring live show. Bitching about the fans (or fellow attendees in general) is pointless; for me, the band is responsible for the direction they're headed, and while I can't say I'm all for it, who cares? I don't feel betrayed or like the band is selling out...they'll play what they want, and if you don't like it, don't go again. Move on. Let someone who will enjoy themselves get your seat at the next show.

By now everybody has made the point that the setlist could use the occasional tune-up and I think that this would make the biggest difference in taking a show like this from mediocre to stellar. There are a handful of Tool songs ("H.", "Third Eye", "Flood") that I haven't gotten to see live, and can now safely assume that I never will. Imagine hearing "Pushit" or "Swamp Song" unexpectedly put into a set on one of the upcoming shows! That would be enough to convince me that it's worth the price to see Tool alive again; whether they played those songs or not, the spontaneity would do wonders to make the show unique and memorable. Just a thought.

In short, with a little change in songs and surroundings, this could've been a great show. As it was, we were stuck at Coors listening to the same setlist everyone else has heard so far this tour. But it doesn't mean it was a bad show. This is no 'silver lining' take on things, because there was plenty good and plenty bad at this show. I guess a lot of us just take it hard because you expect so much of a band, especially when you've earned the bragging rights for seeing them for the umpeenth time live ever since 199-nobody-gives-a-shit, and it's easy to get let down. But at the end of the night, I still managed to have a hell of a time.