This is the first review I have been able to do since seeing both Marysville and Oakland. Both had their pluses and neither have minuses. There is just way to much cool stuff going at any given moment during a tool show that I could post for days and never get it all then forget something because it took too long to get too. All I can say is: "Have you ever seen something that was so cool it was funny?" That is how seeing Tool was at both shows.
I had a negative attitude from reading all the prior reviews and WOW was I wrong! The whole stage setup is a big FU to people who bought floor seats from scalpers and moshing meatheads. The stage setup and whole show is fully geared to people sitting in the seats. On the floor you cant see a damn thing. The stage is absolutely mezmerizing. I remember during Vicarious they had this static thing going on when you cant get a channel on the TV and everything on the stage looked like it was floating. IT was amazing. I feel sorry for anyone on the floor at any of the coming shows. Your money is clearly wasted. Have fun with the "sweaty dudes and man-on-man action"-MJK, in the pit! SUCKERS!!!!
Message: To everyone who is disappointed with the setlist, stage setup, new album:
Get yourself sterilized immediately because you should not be allowed to reciprocate! First off everyone who compares this tour to 2002 needs to get a grip. Yes 2002 might be the high water mark for you but tool, more than any other band, evolves!!! Sorry you werent inundated with the same stage backdrop and other visuals. Sorry you had to endure something new. Sorry you didnt like it. Sorry its the same setlist, but like a previous poster pointed out, the stage visuals and lighting is definetely on the mark and coordinated with every song. They cant just come out and do requests for you. And like someone else said about the Justin interview in the SJ Mercury News, they will be unveiling wings (just as blair said) so chill the fuck out. Its an awesome setlist!!! You should have stayed home.
Back to the show: At Marysville there was this constant lazer pointing straight out to space which was way cool. That wasnt there in Oakland. But the Oakland lazers were times way better and looked better in the enclosed environment. But, seeing the crescent moon just over the stage during the show probably put marysville above Oakland. It was just too cool.
Somethings I noticed:
The last verse of Rosetta Stoned "strapped down in my bed, feet cold, eyes, red, gyroscopes and nicorrette" Maynard does without the bullhorn assistance and he mocks the sound it makes very well. The strain on ones vocal cords must be immense to do that right after the beautiful "overwhelmed as one would be...."
In Jambi, Danny does this crazy crossover with this right hand while he is keeping the beat with his left. Its truly amazing.
Maynard clearly likes Jambi, matter of fact, the way its played live, I think the whole band loves the song. Maynard started out swinging is cowboy hat around and was fully into it the entire song. At the end of Justin's solo he did this thing with his had that you would do after you signed a sweet contract or something, where you just let your hand trail off after you finish signing, as for emphasis.
In Right in Two Maynard cut a verse out and let us sing it just like in sober. I cant quite remember what part but I held my hand out like "oh shit thats new!"
Im glad that someone mentioned the "why cant we not be sober" where Maynard let us sing it, everyone was right on the money (unlike in stinkfist when you can here the idiots going "Ill keep digging") the intro to sober is excellent, I like the spacey distortions that everyone makes.
Aenima was awesome...some of us think that Maynard said "fuck Arnold and fuck all his clones" in marysville, but in oakland it was "L ron hubbard"...my friend eggman called it.
Lateralus rocked hard, the visual for it with the circles folding in on itself is truly amazing to behold with the new stage. It looks like the whole stage is sinking into a hole. The gong was awesome.
Pay attention to the pot, it is extended and both Adam, Justin, and Danny have little interludes that make the song 10x better.
When I think about it, all the songs are extended with little differences that you can only get at a live experience. And the Marysville and Oakland were two completely different shows.
What a shame for the people who cant see the difference.
P.S If you found a red billabong hoodie in section 105, please PM cause its cold in San Diego and I could use it! :P
P.P.S 512 MB SD card full of pics.... some like this.....
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...0/IMG_1702.jpg