The Tool Page: Opinion - View Single Post - 2006/12/12 - Mannheim, GER

Well, now I can say I got the best of both worlds. 2 shows in 3 days what a treat. The Paris Show on Sunday and Mannheim on Tuesday. Both had completely different atmospheres. In Paris I was able to sit and see the whole show from a distance, but Mannheim was a different story.
Disappointed with Mastodon, earlier this week, my boys and I opted to go a little later to the venue than we normally would. Security was being really thorough, so the lines to get in were moving slowly. It was about 8:15 and Mastodon started there set and the line moved faster than ever, security at that point was minimal. I walked through with out even being touched.
The Mimarkt Halle was packed. There were Tool shirts everywhere. Germany must have a bigger following than in France. May be that’s because MJK hates the French. Mastodon’s bass heavy noise was filling the hall. Beer was flowing, and there was a lot more people enjoying themselves in a drunken state unlike Paris. After a couple rounds of drinks we made our way into the crowd. Pushing our way closer and closer to the stage we managed to end up about 20 meters in front of the sound board. Same rules applied to this show as the one in Paris. No Smoking and no flash photography, the Germans did a excellent job at following the rule like they always do!!! Not really. People were smoking everywhere. Which I could tell was going to be a problem when the band came on.
At last they show started, and the hall filled with a strange smell that you normally find in coffee shops, good touch Mannheim. Set was the same as in Paris, played all the same songs but mixed it up a little. Swamp and 46 were swapped. Set list is correct, cool to see that some fans were there for the sound check. Wished I was there. Sound was okay; needed more vocals, bass could have been a little less but it was still tolerable. Swamp Song, got the crowd really going and the band seemed like they were having a good time.
Lots of people taking pictures, to include myself, that short term memory loss, I talked about on previous post. Venue started getting really smoky, about half way through the set. MJK’s mood seemed to change. You know that when you start to see a lot more of his back. He was bowling something back and forth across the stage. Like he was playing a game that he had come up with while on stage. The rest of the band was spot on, Justin Adam, and Danny, all were having a good time rocking out. Danny plays like an animal. Adam’s guitar is always pleasant. Justin’s bass had good sound after the sound guys tweaked everything.
I had drunk about 5 beers so when Schism started I made a break for the toilets and new beers for the group. I made it back for the best part at the end fighting through the crowd with 3 beers in hand, and then the Intermission started. They played the same background track as in Paris. Justin an Adam sat on MJK’s little stage as we all prepared for what was coming next; Wings & 10,000 Days. Right as they came on stage someone took a Picture of Maynard with a big flash; this really pissed him of since he seemed to be prepping for the wonderful song about his mother that means a lot to him. He then followed with the quote, “please no flash photography during this song, no flash photography please.” He said nothing about flashlights. The set went on for about and hour and forty five minutes, which was about the exact length of the Paris show. Laterals and Anemia always end a show well.
I can’t wait to see them again this summer. Don’t know how they will top this tour, or this last album. The guys from Tool always seem to find a way. Got another T-shirt, not from the bootleg vendors that were everywhere after the show but form the merch stand like a true fan, that way you know the money is going to the band somewhat. Thanks to TOOL for there motivation and for playing so many European shows unlike any other American rock groups. I think after these shows Tool joins the ranks with Pink Floyd as far as presentation and quality of the art they do. Until next time guys, thanks 10,000 times.

**Check Flickr in the next few days I’ll post more shots form the Mannheim show.

12-14-2006, 03:17 AM	#5
photoforresttoolfan Level 1 - Lurker Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Heidelberg Germany Posts: 3 Bincount™: 0	Re: 2006/12/12 - Mannheim, GER - Maimarkthalle Well, now I can say I got the best of both worlds. 2 shows in 3 days what a treat. The Paris Show on Sunday and Mannheim on Tuesday. Both had completely different atmospheres. In Paris I was able to sit and see the whole show from a distance, but Mannheim was a different story. Disappointed with Mastodon, earlier this week, my boys and I opted to go a little later to the venue than we normally would. Security was being really thorough, so the lines to get in were moving slowly. It was about 8:15 and Mastodon started there set and the line moved faster than ever, security at that point was minimal. I walked through with out even being touched. The Mimarkt Halle was packed. There were Tool shirts everywhere. Germany must have a bigger following than in France. May be that’s because MJK hates the French. Mastodon’s bass heavy noise was filling the hall. Beer was flowing, and there was a lot more people enjoying themselves in a drunken state unlike Paris. After a couple rounds of drinks we made our way into the crowd. Pushing our way closer and closer to the stage we managed to end up about 20 meters in front of the sound board. Same rules applied to this show as the one in Paris. No Smoking and no flash photography, the Germans did a excellent job at following the rule like they always do!!! Not really. People were smoking everywhere. Which I could tell was going to be a problem when the band came on. At last they show started, and the hall filled with a strange smell that you normally find in coffee shops, good touch Mannheim. Set was the same as in Paris, played all the same songs but mixed it up a little. Swamp and 46 were swapped. Set list is correct, cool to see that some fans were there for the sound check. Wished I was there. Sound was okay; needed more vocals, bass could have been a little less but it was still tolerable. Swamp Song, got the crowd really going and the band seemed like they were having a good time. Lots of people taking pictures, to include myself, that short term memory loss, I talked about on previous post. Venue started getting really smoky, about half way through the set. MJK’s mood seemed to change. You know that when you start to see a lot more of his back. He was bowling something back and forth across the stage. Like he was playing a game that he had come up with while on stage. The rest of the band was spot on, Justin Adam, and Danny, all were having a good time rocking out. Danny plays like an animal. Adam’s guitar is always pleasant. Justin’s bass had good sound after the sound guys tweaked everything. I had drunk about 5 beers so when Schism started I made a break for the toilets and new beers for the group. I made it back for the best part at the end fighting through the crowd with 3 beers in hand, and then the Intermission started. They played the same background track as in Paris. Justin an Adam sat on MJK’s little stage as we all prepared for what was coming next; Wings & 10,000 Days. Right as they came on stage someone took a Picture of Maynard with a big flash; this really pissed him of since he seemed to be prepping for the wonderful song about his mother that means a lot to him. He then followed with the quote, “please no flash photography during this song, no flash photography please.” He said nothing about flashlights. The set went on for about and hour and forty five minutes, which was about the exact length of the Paris show. Laterals and Anemia always end a show well. I can’t wait to see them again this summer. Don’t know how they will top this tour, or this last album. The guys from Tool always seem to find a way. Got another T-shirt, not from the bootleg vendors that were everywhere after the show but form the merch stand like a true fan, that way you know the money is going to the band somewhat. Thanks to TOOL for there motivation and for playing so many European shows unlike any other American rock groups. I think after these shows Tool joins the ranks with Pink Floyd as far as presentation and quality of the art they do. Until next time guys, thanks 10,000 times. **Check Flickr in the next few days I’ll post more shots form the Mannheim show.
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