I've been a Tool fan for one year now....this was the fourth show I've seen of this tour: KC last September, Council Bluffs in May, Cedar Rapids on Tuesday and St. Louis on Friday of this week. It's Sunday and I'm just now collecting my thoughts....

All the shows were great, but I have to say this show in St. Louis was the best. The guys were absolutely on fire. The sound was best here...I don't know why, but the big arenas have better sound for this kind of music. Of course, the smaller venues are nice for the better views of the stage. I'm just so glad I went to the four shows I saw. Each one was special in its own way. But the band seemed especially inspired in St. Louis. And I'm really glad to see a more sophisticated crowd-very little stuff thrown on the stage, no booing the opening band.

Speaking of the opening band: Melt Banana was amazing, even though they were painful to listen to for very long. They played together extremely well. They obviously have nerve to stay on a stage and play when the crowd is actively booing them, like in Cedar Rapids. That takes some guts. I will assume they have a message, but sadly, I could not tell what it was because of the extreme volume and distortion of the guitar. I only have one other thing to say about that: I am now inspired to hook up my clarinet to an amp and a distortion pedal. Surely it can be done. And then, by God, I'm going to play just like Melt Banana. I can make those sounds too, trust me. In fact, I think I'll start touring with my amped distorted clarinet. So Maynard, look out. Here I come.