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Old 08-31-2006, 12:05 PM   #24
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Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
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Re: 2006/08/30 - Englewood, CO - Coors Amphitheater

The venue was by far the worst I've ever seen Tool at. I can put up with a lot (and am willing) to see a worthwhile show, but the sound was so bad at Coor's that I'll never go back unless I'm in the very front. Well, let me rephrase that. The problem was that the sound wasn't incredibly terrible, some of it sounded very good (say Maynard), but other parts were drowned out (say Adam). I believe this is because of three things: 1) I was on the lawn, 2) The "echo" speakers on the lawn only put out treble and some mid and 3) and the cut-off at the venue. The 'cut-off' is due to noise prohibitions, so instead of getting a full force Tool show, the levels were topped off . . . hence no Adam. Hit a solo note and it goes up . . . and then gets muddled in with the rhythm.

People have mentioned this and so will I. What a lame crowd. You will always have meatheads at the show, but with a new album dropping, it always brings in more. Suffice it to say, the crowd was annoying but tolerable. That's the first time I've said that about a Tool crowd. Musically, things were pretty dead on.

I think opening with some older stuff is a good idea since most of the new stuff seems to go over people's head live. Too long I suppose. Anyway, the show picked up with 46&2 and certainly peaked with Lateralus. I'm a pretty firm believer that the Lateralus tours were the band's best live experiences asthe songs off that album tend to build to a beautiful sonic intensity (Disposition-Reflection--Triad being a treat). The newest stuff still feels pretty vacant to me. Then again, it could be the set list is just beginning to bore me.

I wasn't feeling much of the band's jamming intros. They either seemed to go nowhere and do nothing (which is fine for ambience), but Adam didn't seem to be able to catch a groove in their first improv part. Eventually, he just hit a damn note and kicked a pedal. Bye bye jam, hello next song.

Visually, I love the new stuff for the songs off of 10,000 Days. I think that the visual setup was pretty weak compared to previous tours (even the mini-tour this year). The stage simply dwarfed the screens. Still, it was unique and inventive and provided a couple of spectacular shots with the white floor. The two biggest highlights for me coming at the beginning with Stinkfist (and its stripped down visuals) and the very end of Aenima when the whole stage goes white. Great way to end.

Overall, the show was decent, but it was my least favorite Tool experience out of the seven I've seen. This is only marginally the bands "fault" (set list) and very much the result of the venue and the stupid fucking staff that came with it. When someone who has been sitting outside since noon end up in line behing me who arrive @ 5 . . . well, something is wrong (this was because of the line mismanagement by the staff who moved people from the back to the front). Then once inside, staff made us wait in line again (sound check bs, probably not their "fault, but the asshole who works for Coors didn't have to be such a c**k tease about it). The drink lines were horribly long and they ran out of water before Tool came on (don't quote me on the,water thing, that's just what I overheard). Good news was that shirts didn't sell out and the line for that was nonexistent. Thanks for coming guys, but please don't ever go back their again. I look forward to seeing you in the New Year. I'll attend. Scouts honor. And yes, I'd probably go back to Coor's, even though I swore last night that I wouldn't. Can't let a bad venue ruin a great show.
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