opin.menu.members.jpgopin.menu.forumfaq.jpgopin.menu.search.jpgopin.menu.home.jpgview our wiki

Go Back  The Tool Page: Opinion » Tool » Live » Concert Reviews: Nov-Dec 2006
User Name
Password
Old 12-05-2006, 03:24 PM   #41
Level 1 - Lurker
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Cornwall
Posts: 2
Bincount™: 0
Re: 2006/11/30 - Cardiff, UK - Cardiff International Arena

Well, after many years of waiting, this was my first Tool gig. Have loved them since I first heard Aenema in about 99, and my obsession has steadily grown!

So I bought tickets for Cardiff the second they went on sale.

Maybe my expectations were TOO high. Or maybe not. But I was SOOOO dissapointed with the gig. It does have to be mentioned that none of this was really Tool's fault; but even so, I felt pretty peeved by the end of the show.

But I digress. Mastondon? Hmmm, not my cup of tea. I'm not, I hasten to add, really a 'metal' fan and Mastodon were probably just too metal for me. Though it was hard to tell; because from where I was standing, the mix was without question the WORST I've ever heard in 20 years of gig-going. I'd read other posts previous over the tour saying how poor their mix was, but nothing prepared me for this! Though it might have had something to do with where I was standing in the arena.... more of which anon!

Anyhoo, on to Tool - I had high hopes that Mastodon's mix was purely their problem, but alas no - Stinkfist began, and although the sound was a LOT better, it was still far from perfect. There was far too much bass...ummm.... vibration? dunno, as I'm not a sound engineer I find it hard to describe, but there just was a lack of crispness to the sound as a whole. Adam's guitar was pretty much spot on through the whole gig, as was Justin's bass - but I think the muddiness of the sound took a lot away from the Danny.

The worst problem though, as others have mentioned, was Maynards vocals. WAY too quiet for most of the set; and yet, though quiet, when he sang, I noticed that the "muddy" quality of the sound increased. It was only when he wasn't singing that I could really get into the music! :o(

I think some of this is probably due to the acoustics of the venue - it seems a lot of people who were at the front loved the gig, but alas being an old(ish) fart, I prefer to stand nearer the back now! But even so, I wasn't far from the mixing desk... who knows what this guy heard? He was probably listening to McFly on his headphones or something....

I don't want to sound all moany and groany; there were a few highlights - for some reason, the sound on 46&2 was pretty much perfect, and I was in awe for several minutes. Trouble is I didn't feel the same again until Lateralus, which was just jawdropping and shone dispite the mix (apart from the instrumental middle of Schism, which was also pretty bloody wonderful).

But I was gutted by Wings1&2 - to me, it was like listening to the song through a wall of muddy gloop. If the soundman really is to blame, then he should be fired IMMEDIATELY. My wife and I spent £200 on tickets and train fares from west Cornwall, and I don't take kindly to some joker not doing his job properly.

It also seemed odd that, for Vicarious and Aenema, the vocals got a lot louder once the "gasmask-mike" was used - hoo-fricking-ray I thought, only for Maynards voice to be cutting out half the time!!!

The mix (at least to my ears) was the worst I've heard, apart from Mastodon, and The Mission last year (yes I am an old goth!!!).

One things for sure, I'll never see ANYTHING in Cardiff arena again. As for Tool? Well, of course I will - but please, get a new sound man!
OFFLINE |  
Old 12-05-2006, 05:08 PM   #42
Level 9 - Obstreperous
 
Jimmeny's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: UK
Posts: 1,515
Bincount™: 30
Re: 2006/11/30 - Cardiff, UK - Cardiff International Arena

Dunno who you guys have been listening to, but I find most live gigs too loud, too bassy and too muddy. I thought Cardiff was pretty good tonally!
OFFLINE |  
Old 12-05-2006, 06:22 PM   #43
Level 1 - Lurker
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: the south
Posts: 4
Bincount™: 0
Re: 2006/11/30 - Cardiff, UK - Cardiff International Arena

I agree with the point that Maynard's vocals could have been a bit louder (and yes it was weird and pretty annoying when they got louder but also got cut out when he put the gasmask on), but I've seen other bands at Cardiff Arena, and comparing them to Tool - Tool's sound comes out on top.

But Mastodon's sound was way off - I thought at some points my head was going to fall off due to the overly loud bass. Again, I'm probably bias because they're not really my thing, but still the sound was pretty shocking.

To be honest - bad sound or no bad sound, Tool are excellent musicians and put on a brilliant show (more robust than when they played London in June).
OFFLINE |  
Old 12-07-2006, 12:42 PM   #44
Level 1 - Lurker
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Cornwall
Posts: 2
Bincount™: 0
Re: 2006/11/30 - Cardiff, UK - Cardiff International Arena

Just goes to show, I guess, that a lot of it depended on where you were standing. Probably, the closer you got to the front, (centre front mind, not side front - I tried that!) the better the sound.

I'm actually used to hearing CLEAR sound live - I saw Muse recently, and their sound was perfect. I always expect a band to be Better live than on record, and Muse were. I know Tool are as well, having heard various live recordings, but it was bloody hard to tell from this gig! It was like listening to a dodgy bootleg...

I mean, I've seen Swans for crissakes - probably the loudest band ever, and even though they were crushingly loud, they were still clear sounding.

The other possiblity, of course, is that Mastodon were either so loud or so badly mixed that they screwed my ears up first...!!!
OFFLINE |  



Rate This Thread
You have already rated this thread
« Previous Thread | Next Thread »

Quick Reply
Your Reply:
Forum Jump

all posts © their respective authors. the tool page is not responsible for any of their thoughts, brilliant or otherwise.