Re: 2006/05/16 - Toronto, CAN - Hummingbird Centre
Jesus christ. Sitting in the balcony I expected mediocrity but boy was I surprised. Despite all the people who got busted for smoking up, and the damn ushers and their flashlights, the show was intense and amazing.
I would have to say the highlight was the fact that for pretty much the entire show everyone sang along, aenima lateralus and god, it was just such an amazing venue, sound, and experience. Great way to pop my tool cherry.
Alex
Oh and the fact they kept teasing us with varying intros made everything so much more amazing. I really am in awe.
Re: 2006/05/16 - Toronto, CAN - Hummingbird Centre
Also...the people all around me were all very nice. Something I don't often see....usually there's a bunch of macho guys who just give dirty looks, was nice to have some conversations. I felt ready to explode before Tool started from the anticipation.
Re: 2006/05/16 - Toronto, CAN - Hummingbird Centre
Having seen both the Seattle and Denver shows, Toronto was by far the worst of the three. I expected the acoustics to be great, but they were average at best. Very bass-heavy and the vocals were often drowned out. Overall volume was definitely much, much lower than it was in Seattle or Denver. After each of those shows, my ears were ringing for days. After this one, nothing. Not even a faint ring. It was like being at a slightly loud movie theater. Danny's drums blew the lights out in Seattle/Denver...you could feel it in your bones...at Humminbird they were noticeably weaker and had nothing close to the impact. Of course he was still a monster on the kit, but it just didn't reverberate as it did in previous shows. And yes, I had similar seats for all 3 shows...Orhcestra center about halfway back...so it was easy to compare.
The Toronto crowd was very mellow and rarely made any noise except in between songs. 90% of the fans had their hands in their pockets, bobbing their heads a little, and that was about it. Again, this is in comparison to the Seattle and Denver crowds, which were both out of control. Maybe it's a Canadian thing...I know they consider themselves to be the "polite" country, but it doesn't translate well to a Tool concert.
I fully expect that those who saw this show as their first and only will fill this thread with stories of being blown away, and I'm sure they were because they have nothing to compare it to. But the atmosphere, sound, and energy were unbelievably weak in comparison...at least to Seattle and Denver.
Overall, a big disappointment from someone who was absolutely blown away by two previous shows.
Re: 2006/05/16 - Toronto, CAN - Hummingbird Centre
Quote:
Originally Posted by swaps
SETLIST --
[tba]
*DO NOT POST IF YOU WERE NOT AT THE SHOW!
i think i was at the show. well at least i waited outside like the 40 other people who would not pay 300 a ticket. (except for the 4 guys who bought fake tix for $800 (200 each), they left really really pissed. gotta take pictures of your scalpers nowadays, or at least make them come up to the door with you and watch the ticket get zapped properly. so anyway about 40 of us waited out front for latecomers for over an hour after it started. it actually felt cool just hanging out front..... august will be here soon.
Re: 2006/05/16 - Toronto, CAN - Hummingbird Centre
i could see him perfectly tonight. He was in the back, but not like hidden or anything. Theres some screens in the background that play some animations. I saw some stuff from the album art turned into an animation which is pretty cool. The screens were kind of fucking around a bit, one screen stopped working in the middle of the set, but it was still amazing.
Re: 2006/05/16 - Toronto, CAN - Hummingbird Centre
Great show. My 10th time seeing them and best since small venue at the Warehouse in '95. Acoustics unreal given the volume added to recent songs that I had only heard live in arenas. I'm sure many people will post the set-list so I will let that be...
Fav part was definitely the change up in Schism, unreal. The build up before sober was intense. Loved the 'encore' where they all just chilled out on the stage while the crowd cheered them on -- so obvious but entertaining.
New songs sounded incredible live and will make for an entertaining stadium show in the fall. This was by far the best I have seen Tool play live in years -- UNREAL (despite how good Seattle & Denver were). Contemplating a NYC trip...
Re: 2006/05/16 - Toronto, CAN - Hummingbird Centre
My first tool show and it was amazing! Much better than other bands that i've seen so far. Uneventful, except for maynards jokes, but they kicked ass big time. I cant wait to see them again in autum or whenever.
Re: 2006/05/16 - Toronto, CAN - Hummingbird Centre
I was thinking more about it...
I think as much energy as the crowd had...it seemed a bit lacking.
I tried chanting "welcome back" during the intermission to no avail.
This concert was great...maybe it was the atmosphere that toned down the crowd's insanity
Re: 2006/05/16 - Toronto, CAN - Hummingbird Centre
The show itself was fantastic. Now I don't have any other recent dates to compare it with...but I did enjoy the sound a lot better than the other five times I've seen them!!
As for the crowd, I admit they were laid back and it was due to the atmosphere. I mean, as nice as it was to have the 'golden ticket' at the beautiful Hummingbird center...the crowd was lacking. Maybe it was the grand marnier at the bar, or bottles of red wine, or the girl opening and closing doors for you. Who knows. In the end, there were no need for the seats!
Still, as I said....they rocked....too bad about Wings for Marie though! I think all 2,999 other attendees were hoping for it.
Re: 2006/05/16 - Toronto, CAN - Hummingbird Centre
Amazing. Simply amazing. Definitely one of the best concerts I've been to, if not the best (still need to fully digest the moment). I appreciate Jambi more now that I've heard the mid-song breakdown live. Incredible. The end of Vicarious, the drum solo in Forty Six & 2, the jam addition to Schism... Honestly, there were too many highlights to list them all here. Even though I was in row T, I could see the stage really well, but I'm not exactly short (not tall either, but not short), so maybe that was why.
I do wish they hadn't taken out 2 songs just for Right In Two, but that's really because I wanted to hear The Pot. Oh well, by the time they come back, The Pot will have reached #1 on the charts, so they'll have to play it (hehehe).
And the security was a buzz-kill. I'm not annoyed or distracted when people take pictures at a show (without the flash, because the flash is useless in a large space), but I am distracted and annoyed when security shines their flashlights all over the place and berates the guy with the camera in the middle of a song. Buzz-kills...
Still, amazing show. Can't wait to see them again in the fall.
(Usually I'd have something to say to that guy who's been to 3 shows and was complaining about this one, but I'm still too buzzed from the show. Anyway, he's probably just pissed off because we're going to buy his country with our strong dollar, right everyone? :D )
__________________ "A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools."
-Douglas Adams
Re: 2006/05/16 - Toronto, CAN - Hummingbird Centre
WOW.....is all I have to say. The crowd was wicked, TOOL was above wicked.......unbelievable night..... will post my true thoughts tommorrow...when I have truly absorbed this eve.
Re: 2006/05/16 - Toronto, CAN - Hummingbird Centre
Oh, I almost forgot: I got a poster and a shirt. Paying 70 bucks for them was like buying another ticket, but they're both so awesome, it was worth it in my mind.
The poster is so huge! Who else got one?
__________________ "A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools."
-Douglas Adams
Re: 2006/05/16 - Toronto, CAN - Hummingbird Centre
i thoguht the show was fantastic. there were major audio/visual problems coming on and off during the show, but they would only be for like a second (except for the video problems: the #4 screen went out, then the #2 went out as soon as that one came back. and during aenema, the video went out of frame and was shifted one down.)
i dont know what complaints people had about the sound, i felt all the bass thumping inside my chest for the whole show. perhaps you were sitting in a seat where the sound wasnt reaching you properly.
finally, did anyone else hear the opening notes of eulogy during stinkfist?? i got really excited. overall a worthy experience. i cant wait for the next go-around.
Re: 2006/05/16 - Toronto, CAN - Hummingbird Centre
Dear Mrhand,
This was my 19th TOOL show and my friend it just get's better. I agree wth the vocals being drowned but Danny Carey was and sounded the best I've ever seen him. I know what your talking about when you / people are mentioning the bass drowning but I have come to the conclusion that this is suppose to be. I like it.
Maynard is definitly in fine form and boy does he love the new stuff.
I also enjoyed how Adam and Danny would acknowledge eachother with new parts making sure they were in tune within songs.
You'll hate me for this but I think the drumming in Right In Two has beat out the 46 & 2 solo.
As I watched the drumming of Danny I thought to myself, HOW THE FUCK DOES HE REMEMBER ALL THAT? He honestly stands alone. I can now understand why it would take you 5 years to make parts to these songs. Agreed people?
I have read that people see the same visuals. Schism yes and other than that I don't see what else was the same. Oh, Aenima. ok, but that's all I seen.
I go to shows steady and for some reason when I see TOOL again & again there is always a sense of relief. Anyone else feel that?
Justin showed me much bass tonight. There are parts that are bass i think are guitar. It's truly the best instrument unless I could find a latern somewhere which would grant me the strenght to drum like Carey.
Adam soloing with his voice and mouth. The other reviews have yet to mention that. Fuckers but it was a nice surprise. hehe.
I had one negative thought of the show and it was the distortion jamming. I thought to myself after the show that Part Of Me or Jerk Off could be perfect songs to fit in there but that only comes from being spoiled by TOOL on previous occasions.
Maynard mentoned that Detroit is finshed as a city. Is it that bad there? Unfortunate. There are no jobs, is there?
Well, my tool army tickets were handed to me free of charge with ease.
(WIILCALL was not prepared for TOOL fans thats for sure)
My seat were eight rows back.
Maynard is still the shortest member and I'm off to get my beauty sleep.
Peace out and I hope I'll share an experience with you on the next tour MrHand and we can debate acoustics before and after the show.
This was my first Tool concert, so yeah, I don't have much else to compare it to. But I had the time of my life. The music was incredible. They're all brilliant musicians and they work together so well. I heard Adam "screw up" twice, but it wasn't an issue and didn't really disrupt the listening experience. Maynard did start in too early at one point in Lateralus, but they covered it amazingly well.
I thought the sound was excellent, though there were a couple of times when Maynard's vocals weren't quite mixed right. The bass was great, I could feel it in my whole body but it didn't disrupt the rest of the music. The drums were coming through sharp and clear, and Danny aced his part. I am still reeling in amazement, I've never seen anything so incredible.
The vibe of the crowd was amazing. Only a band such as Tool could inspire such incredible, tangible, positive energy. I also met some very cool people, smoked some very good herb, and drank some very good beer.
Had an AWESOME time. AMAZING experience. And it was great to meet so many TDNers. Thanks for making it even more memorable!
Re: 2006/05/16 - Toronto, CAN - Hummingbird Centre
[QUOTE=mrhand]...I don't know what exactly happened in Denver and Seattle but I'm sure the boys are real upset about disappointing you and thanks for making it clear that the rookies wasted their time and money at this show. You were a first-timer once, too...remember? You're obviously a Tool connoisseur (OGT) so you may want to share your constructive criticism directly with the band. Sure, that's your opinion yadda-yadda but I've seen them before too (irrelevant) and they brought the roof down tonight...I mean with the equipment they still had because obviously they melted most of their gear in Seattle. My delicate Canadian ears are still ringing and on the way out I heard dozens of fans loudly proclaiming their approval of the performance. Maybe by seeing 3 shows in a short span you've just OT'd, you better take some time off, try 10,000 days. Anyways, opening with Lost Keys sent chills down my spine, great choice guys. Maynard's vocals didn't seem like they were mixed loud enough, a little murky but still good. Visuals were killer, band did some amazing things, glad they tinkered slightly with a couple parts. Great set, great effort. If you guys are reading this, thanks it was worth every Canadian penny.
Re: 2006/05/16 - Toronto, CAN - Hummingbird Centre
I'm still extremely energized from the show, so hopefully this comes out coherent.
It was my first Tool concert and I was not disappointed in any way, shape, or form. Setlist was amazing, with a great balance of old and new. Since it was my first show I was extremely ecstatic to hear Lateralus and Aenema. The energy the band gives off is just absolutely amazing. I thought everything was right on point, and I was impressed with Maynard's ability to have such an amazing tone throughout. All the boys were amazing, and amazing is really a word I could use constantly because it was unbelievable. I didn't notice the faults with the visuals that some speak of, but I did notice when the second screen blew. Minor distraction, but no biggie for me. As someone mentioned, I did find the flashlights and people running around to be a bigger distraction than the phones.
I'm somewhat of a Maynard fangirl, so I adored his cowboy thrusts (haha). I would have liked to see a little more Maynard dancing, but the more subtle moves? allowed me to focus on all the guys individually without Maynard holding my attention the whole time and I appreciated this opportunity. My favourite moment has to be when Maynard mentioned us buying the U.S., and it being all beach soon, and in perfect time a guy behind me in the balcony yelled "LEARN TO SWIM" and then the band broke into Aenema. Amazing.
I thought the crowd was perfect!! There was enough screaming/yelling so that we could show we appreciated the band, but we didn't drown out Adam and Justin while they were playing on their own. Maybe in the American shows they screamed over their parts? I don't really like that idea. I had no problems with sound, I felt that bass and it was very hot.
Awesome time meeting fellow TDNers both before and after the show :D
Re: 2006/05/16 - Toronto, CAN - Hummingbird Centre
Look, I realize that the last thing any of you want to hear is criticism of an experience that has been built up and anticipated for months, and then delivered at a level that you believe was as high as its going to get. I'm not trying to rain on your parade. If you'd like to believe the Hummingbird show was the penultimate Tool experience, commence with covering your eyes, quit reading, and ignorance can be your bliss.
I'm simply giving an objective comparison to other shows I've seen, and across the board, Toronto didn't measure up. Doesn't mean Tool gave anything less than a phenomenal performance. Doesn't mean the show blew goats.
It does mean that on a scale of 1 to 10, Toronto was a 10. And Denver was a 14. And Seattle was a 16. If your own personal cognitive dissonance prevents you from even considering the possibililty of superior sound, venue, crowd, and atmosphere at a concert that (gasp!) you didn't witness...then you're beyond help.
Yes, Tool was great tonight. For the halfwits like Chosen One, try re-reading my original post. Not once did I say anything negative about the band or its performance. My problem was with the venue, the sound, and the crowd. Not a single negative word to be heard about Tool. I've seen them multiple times on every tour going back to 93, and not once have I seen a show at which I thought they gave anything less than 110%. Their effort and ability are not in question, and never will be.
It's always the variables (which Tool does not control) that either amplify and heighten the performance and make it an overall phenomenal show (a la Seattle/Denver)....or muddle it, drag it down, and make it what it was tonight. Which was a great fucking band playing a great fucking show in a crap venue with crap sound with a crap crowd.
If you've got more than one point of reference on THIS tour from which to draw, I'd be interested to hear your comparison. And if you're a halfwit flag-on-your-backpack type who's only interested in tossing up a knee-jerk defense because Tool played in your hometown and you won't hear anyone denigrate that sacred cow....then save yourself the time and effort....it's a waste of space.
Re: 2006/05/16 - Toronto, CAN - Hummingbird Centre
I was personally quite satisfied with the volume. Any louder and I'd be in a lot of pain right now - though much of that comes from the screaming girls who were immediately behind me. That was unpleasant.
I wouldn't be surprised if other performances earlier in the tour were superior in some way - the Hummingbird Centre isn't exactly the premier entertainment venue in Toronto. I would have loved to see them at the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed theatre in Tempe, AZ. But hey, this was what was available to me, and I loved it for what it was. I also look forward to seeing Tool at least once more in the future (hopefully more!).
Re: 2006/05/16 - Toronto, CAN - Hummingbird Centre
Anyone who says the show was lacking whatever, shut the f*ck up. It was awesome, your head is just in the wrong place. My ears are ringing. I got Danny's autograph after the show! Lucky my friend brought a purple sharpie. :)
Re: 2006/05/16 - Toronto, CAN - Hummingbird Centre
Quote:
Originally Posted by mrhand
Look, I realize that the last thing any of you want to hear is criticism of an experience that has been built up and anticipated for months, and then delivered at a level that you believe was as high as its going to get. I'm not trying to rain on your parade. If you'd like to believe the Hummingbird show was the penultimate Tool experience, commence with covering your eyes, quit reading, and ignorance can be your bliss.
I'm simply giving an objective comparison to other shows I've seen, and across the board, Toronto didn't measure up. Doesn't mean Tool gave anything less than a phenomenal performance. Doesn't mean the show blew goats.
It does mean that on a scale of 1 to 10, Toronto was a 10. And Denver was a 14. And Seattle was a 16. If your own personal cognitive dissonance prevents you from even considering the possibililty of superior sound, venue, crowd, and atmosphere at a concert that (gasp!) you didn't witness...then you're beyond help.
Yes, Tool was great tonight. For the halfwits like Chosen One, try re-reading my original post. Not once did I say anything negative about the band or its performance. My problem was with the venue, the sound, and the crowd. Not a single negative word to be heard about Tool. I've seen them multiple times on every tour going back to 93, and not once have I seen a show at which I thought they gave anything less than 110%. Their effort and ability are not in question, and never will be.
It's always the variables (which Tool does not control) that either amplify and heighten the performance and make it an overall phenomenal show (a la Seattle/Denver)....or muddle it, drag it down, and make it what it was tonight. Which was a great fucking band playing a great fucking show in a crap venue with crap sound with a crap crowd.
If you've got more than one point of reference on THIS tour from which to draw, I'd be interested to hear your comparison. And if you're a halfwit flag-on-your-backpack type who's only interested in tossing up a knee-jerk defense because Tool played in your hometown and you won't hear anyone denigrate that sacred cow....then save yourself the time and effort....it's a waste of space.
well this is my second tool show, and this was 10,000 times better the the first one, i can't say that toronto was better then the past 2 shows or whatever you said, however i do believe that they put on a beautiful show i was in shock the whole time, i loved every note they played and just their stage presence was unbelievable. It just seems like mrhand is hating on toronto because we aren't loud enough; i thought the acoustics where fine, where i was sitting i could hear maynard just fine and i was on the mez. In reviews i read people where saying how they didn't understand what maynard was saying when he was talking to the crowd i was worried about that but i could hear him just fine from where i was. It was an amazing show i don't care if toronto fans aren't as loud as american fans because in a tool interview danny said that american fans are knuckleheads, so why should we listen to you saying how we should be louder and all that. Blah whatever, it was a great show and i can't wait to see them in the fall
Re: 2006/05/16 - Toronto, CAN - Hummingbird Centre
Quote:
Originally Posted by mrhand
Overall volume was definitely much, much lower than it was in Seattle or Denver. After each of those shows, my ears were ringing for days. After this one, nothing. Not even a faint ring. It was like being at a slightly loud movie theater
I went to the Detroit concert on Monday expecting to be deaf for a long time after reading reviews to the two shows you were at (Seattle and Denver). I was in the the 3rd row in front of Danny and Justin and barely left with a ringing. No complaint on the sound, because it was crystal clear and I heard every thing Maynard said/sang, but I left wondering if they decided to tone down the volume for these last few shows. Your post makes me think they did.
