The Rak

The word "professional" is hardly ever used anymore regarding performers, but Maynard and the rest of the band really assumed the title as they stepped up and ground out a very good show with a decent setlist Saturday night in Phoenix. I have nothing but the highest regard for these guys who, after what must have been an extended illness-caused delay, took the stage at 9:20 p.m. and immediately owned it.

Maynard was obviously ill from the get go, but the band was like a machine in the best possible sense of the word - nothing could knock it from its rails. Maynard loses his voice, sits out part of Stinkfist and Vicarious, takes one in the head, leaves and the band flies on. It was like watching ascended jazz masters like Don Cherry and Charlie Haden communicate telepahtically and keep the grooves going - that's musicianship, my friends. I have a new respect for the boys. My 9-almost 10-year old son did say, "I came to see some singing, not just playing, dad", but he was stunned by the Lateralus light show after the Return of Maynard, which he called the best o f the evening with its old school 1970s lasers and ratty hanging lights at the back of the stage that stuck me as a comment on the refined seamlessness of the LED curtain behind U2 on the Vertigo tour last year.

Other fans, parking, security - that's the rock music venue of the early 21st century, isn't it? You guys have not seen shitty ingress and egress until you have the ill fortune or bad judgment to go to the Jounal Pavillion in Albuquerque, as we in NM have to do for NIN or other shows. Sound at Cricket was great (unlike at the cow palace known as Tingley coliseum in ABQ for the Lateralus tour w/Meshuggah). I was in the grass with my boy, loving the moon over the venue, watching the various dramas around me, and enjoyed the hell out of myself. That intellectual metal guy with the Rasta hat and his cool ladyfriend in black who was pissed at missing Isis while standing in line were way cool, too. I missed Wings and 10,00 days at the end, but I had a tired kid and wanted to beat traffic. (Had it been Jambi, Right in Two and the second half of Intension I may have engaged in some on the spot bribery or intimidation, however.) Even on an off night, Tool are one of the great bands of our time and I was definately enriched by taking a boys-only road trip from Santa Fe for the show (SW airlines rules). Hopefully I won the Powerball tonight and can swing a few more shows this tour.

Glad to be on the forum finally.

The Rak
A Native American guy, but not the one backstage someone was axin' about