When asked to describe a Tool concert, the term “artsy” comes to mind. Not in a bad way. Not pretentious or fake, but powerful and strong. A Tool concert is a magnetic experience both sonically and visually. It’s both minimalist and overwhelming. Tool fans were immersed in Tool’s sight and sound experience at a sold out Xcel Energy Center (capacity 12,999) in St. Paul, Minnesota, on June 9th, 2017.
With Adam Jones on guitar house left, front of stage; Justin Chancellor, on bass house right, front of stage; Maynard James Keenan vocals house left, rear of stage, on a riser shared with Danny Carey on drums, house right. Tool opened with four straight from 2001’s Lateralus starting with a powerful rendering of “The Grudge”. The crowd’s connection was immediate and electric. Forgoing any visuals and using minimal lighting, Tool allowed the crowd to connect solely with the band. The song built tension early then exploded in a crowd-pleasing frenzy at the end. Shifting gears into the atmospheric “Parabol” the band added a video presentation on the massive screens covering the rear of the stage extending upward as high as the lighting rig and wrapping partially around the side of the stage. They teasingly only used the bottom third of the screen. As the set progressed through “Parabola” and “Schism”, more video and lighting effects were added. By the time the band churned through “Opiate” and “Ænema” with crushing surgical precision, a full salvo of video, lighting, smoke and laser effects were released.
Tool transitioned to a virtuosic and psychedelic style in the next four songs highlighting a riveting performance of “Jambi” form 2006’s 10,000 Days. The set mix and visual effects of the music was outstanding. Even later in the show, the effects felt fresh. The enthusiastic crowd rose to their feet from the first note of the show and nearly all of them remained standing and mesmerized in place for the entire show, loath to miss any of it. With the sensory assault complete, the band provided a cheeky intermission pre-encore. The house lights were partially lit for 10+ minutes to allow the audience to return to reality before returning to the stage for a drum solo to ease the show back into form and followed by “Sweat” and ending with the seminal “Stinkfist”.
Tool is truly a unique presence on stage. Understatement is standard. Maynard James Keenan, is not front and center; he’s in the shadows on a riser at the rear of stage with no lighting on him whatsoever. The lack of pretense is evident by the scant interaction between band and audience. Instead, the experience encompasses the audience, the band, and the technical effects; the sum of which is greater than the individual parts. Cheering, clapping and singing along with the music are all spontaneous, nothing forced. The artistic presentation and precise musicianship of Tool must be experienced by every Heavy Metal fan at least once.
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