Review: Tool

 

Photos by Shane Keyser/the Star

A recording of the voice of the late psychedelic drug proselytizer Timothy Leary echoed inside the Sprint Center at the onset of Tool's concert Friday. The relationship between music and illicit substances would be examined for the remainder of the quartet's two-hour performance.

Tool occupies the conceptual space vacated by dormant classic rock band Pink Floyd. The bands share similarly dour perspectives while performing music favored by users of recreational drugs.

Although it hasn't issued an album since 2006, Tool's reputation as a live powerhouse attracted almost 16,000 fans. Most weren't there solely for music.

Tool's multimedia presentation is more elaborate than the most enthusiastic devotee of the once-popular Pink Floyd-themed planetarium laser shows could have imagined. Seven videos screens- including two mobile monitors- displayed hallucinatory effects and portions of the band's notoriously disturbing videos. Lasers and dry ice combined to form artificial banks of clouds near the ceiling of the cavernous arena. The exhibition was so eerily hypnotic that even the industrial noise and disorienting light display during a seven-minute intermission was transfixing.

 

Not unlike spectators at an audacious fireworks display, the audience roared its approval at the introduction of each new visual element. The effects often elicited heartier cheers than did Tool's music.

While lights occasionally illuminated the audience, the musicians onstage lurked in shadows. Vocalist Maynard James Keenan seemed especially reclusive. Even when he didn't employ a megaphone, Keenan resembled a sinister carnival barker.

"It's all gonna work out," Keenan reassured the audience after a bout of unsettling sonic experimentation.

The charismatic Keenan is a riveting figure, but he was the least important component of the band Friday. His vocals were deliberately downplayed in the remarkably rich sound mix. Keenan's demurral allowed the focus to shift to his exceptional band mates.

 

Guitarist Adam Jones, bassist Justin Chancellor and drummer Danny Carey have forged a unique and wholly effective form of arena rock. Their droning introduction to "Vicarious" revealed the influence of avant-garde composer Glenn Branca. Such artful moments were balanced by the unrepentant bombast of material like "Stinkfist."

Tool's stylistic range was held together by its futuristic aesthetic. Just as Tool's videos depict grossly deformed humanoids trapped in torturous dreamscapes, Tool's music is correspondingly cold and clinical. During "Intolerance," Tool distilled the most immediate elements of the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Cream and Led Zeppelin into something even louder and more malevolent. All traces of blues were excised, leaving only terrifyingly cold slabs of doom-laden metal. Tool's emotional range, consequently, is limited to rage, fear, panic and awe. This deliberate vacancy of warmth is a large part of Tool's appeal.

A crack in Tool's steely veneer was revealed when the band was briefly joined by Ordy Garrison, the drummer for opening act Wovenhand. Garrison, who played as if Bo Diddley were on stage, injected a welcome dose of humanity into Tool's set. Carey, a native of Paola, Kansas, displayed an uncharacteristically fiendish grin during Garrison's effort.

 

Wovenhand offered a roots music-oriented version of the mysticism explored by Tool. Seemingly speaking in tongues and twitching like a man possessed by malicious spirits, vocalist and guitarist David Eugene Edwards evoked a captivating combination of Robert Johnson and Nick Cave. Although Wovenhand was favorably received, its gauzy drones would be better suited to a smoky opium den.

Tool, conversely, clearly belongs in crowded sports arenas. While it's impossible to ascertain which element was more impressed, Tool's performance was enormously rewarding to sober and intoxicated fans alike.

| Bill Brownlee, Special to The Star

Comments

[Green]

Great show, would have liked a few more songs, would have liked some older stuff too but all and all it was a good time. Visuals were good, nice to see a laser show, I thought the sound was amazing, wow, so clean, it was surprisingly bright too, you usually dont get that in an arena.

The security was ridiculous, I checked the polcies before going into the Sprint and sure enough they threw a fit over binoculars, they said it was a band request, I understand cameras but come on, binoculars. What does the tool have agasint the 1600's. Sorry sir, please take the looking glass back to your car, pretty lame.

[Kilby]

Didn't know that Wovenhand included ex-16 Horsepower leader, the brilliant David Eugene Edwards. I saw them open for Morphine in KC back in the 90's and thought they were not only incredible, but even bested Morphine, who were a fine live band in their own right, that night. 16 Horsepower never really got their due and I will now have to check out Wovenhand.

[Steve]

Gotta love how you completely ripped the story off of KansasCity.com Great news DICK

[Steve]

Do appreciate the pictures though.. but don't steal other's stories.

[robert]

um steve, please notice the banner at the top of the page...

to save you the time:
back to rockville
the music blog of the kansas city star.

[northlander]

Disappointed Wovenhand only played half an hour. Surely they could have squeezed in another couple of songs! Really liked the mix of new and old visuals. Overal great show.

[Green]

Steve is this your first time here, haha!

[Bubba Brown]

Anyone else reading this TOOL review catch URIAH HEEP at the Ameristar? I did - as I suspect TOOL might be back within two years - never know when HEEP might return. As it is, their current ten-date U.S. tour had to be cut down to eight gigs. Had to cancel two shows because they had a tough time entering this great nation of ours. TOOL sounded like one of those 'see or regret' concerts to many.

[Naturelle]

Remember the old days when you had to wait to get the NEWSPAPER to read the review?!!

[Xenu]

I am a music critic. I have seen Tool since 1997; probably twenty some odd shows thereafter. This was a bad show indeed; maybe it was the Sprint Center; maybe not; perhaps both. Mistakes: weak set list; incoherent vocals; shoddy acoustics (Jones's guitar sounded truly wretched and muffled); bringing out the drummer from the opener, etc. Lasers and films acted purely as a distraction at this show, as Brownless notes. Carey, though, is always potent on drums; I always appreciate his dedication.

[Michael]

BTW, the Uriah Heep show is already up on Dime:

http://www.dimeadozen.org/torrents-details.php?id=310418

[MetalHEAD]

I am not a music critic, but have seen Tool ad infinitum. Sprint Center sound always sucks; set list was actually quite good and covered a lot of album/CD ground considering the show length. Chancellor & Carey were dead on and YES, Jones did make one obvious mistake (let's all forgive him shall we?). Visuals were well timed, entertaining and nicely packaged. Last night was a very cool; all in all the show was a blast.

Everyone seemed to have a great time...but they are always the couple of peeps who would even cluck about the imbalance of H to O in water. Catch'em next time if you missed them last night; they are definitely the most eclectic act out there right now.

Next up: Moving Pictures Thursday:)

[mankvill]

"

Gotta love how you completely ripped the story off of KansasCity.com Great news DICK

Posted by: Steve | June 26, 2010 at 12:02 PM "

lmfao. That made me laugh.

[Xenu]

MetalHEAD:

Are you doing PR for Tool? Obviously you're not a music critic, or you wouldn't be apologizing so much for the band. Sprint Center always sucks--that's a lame excuse. Set list was quite good for a short set. Ah, the set list essentially determines how long the band plays my friend, and better songs could have been played (e.g. "The Pot). Jones made numerous mistakes; MJK needs to rethink his game utterly. I am a huge Tool fan, but I think it is pathetic that most of the 16,000 people present at KC's seemed to be more into the light show than the band and its music. Truly sad, and there's too much oxygen in my water. A blast it was not.

[King]

TOOL is a proper name for these goofs.

NO NEW MUSIC FOR 5 YEARS? .... because they suck.

NO CAMERAS, because they KNOW they SUCK and do not want it documented.

what a bunch of tools, fk them

[Xenu]

"Tool" has multiple meanings, not least of which is the bawdy one.

Your second point does not logically follow. A band "sucks" because they have not made a record in, actually, four years? Absurd. When was the last Rolling Stones LP--not the re-issue of Exile? Roughly the same period. Do they "suck" therefore?

As to cameras, ditto. Does not logically follow.

[Brandon]

WOW!!! That was huge disappointment. I don't feel that I should have to take drugs to enjoy a show. But that would have been the only way to have enjoyed this turd of concert. The sound at the Sprint Center is pure garbage. I should be able to feel the music in my chest. I've been to two shows there and I've never felt more ripped off than at both of those. Never again sprint center, never.

[STONES RULE]

The Rolling Stones have issued an album, CD, movie and/or something AT LEAST EVERY THREE YEARS since 1962, they are beyond reproach, and should not even be included in a converstaion about a tool band. They are fkg tools.

[James Andrews]

I had a great time. How would anyone know if the audience was into the lightshow over the music? Shut the fuck up!

[MetalHEAD]

The point of my "non-critic" comment apparently sailed over some heads here...claiming to be one only strives to add some non-value quality to what is simply an opinion.

Seen better Tool shows?. Yes (Kemper 2001 was the best). Seen worse?. Absolutely (Ok City a few yrs back). Did the large, diverse group I was with (and everyone around us)enjoy the show? Without a doubt. It was a BLAST.

Right James?

[NEW]

I didn't get a chance to attend this one. However, I drove by around 8:15 and the line to get in stretched at least 100 yards down to 14th Street. Having dealt with similar security issues, my guess is it was a 30 to 45 minute wait. Is that a pretty good estimate? It looked like a total hassle. When is SC going to get their act together with that? Ity wouldn't bother me so much if it wasn't for the fact that you can pretty much sneak in anything you want if you want to arrange to pass it over the barrier to a friend in the smoking area. It makes the whole process a bit of a joke.

[MetalHEAD]

We parked early right at 6:30 (wanted to grab one of the limited tour shirts that were specific to each show; very cool). Walked up and were in literally 5 minutes. Security folks were actually really polite and were moving people in fast.

But, you're right NEW; the guy behind me was loaded down with chains cleared the detector without a beep while a girl with us set it off with a small metal bracelet.

Still, walked up and in in 5:) It took us 30 minutes to get into LOG at the Uptown last year and my balls were sore for a week after that patdown....

[H]

The last time I saw Tool was in 1992 opening for Rollins Band. It is interesting that Hank went on to become a talk show host and doing spoken word while Tool have become an arena band. I was in section 107 and the sound was good. Obviously, Maynard lurks in the shadows now, but his vocal is still top shelf. I had a good time. Highlight was Intolerance. That song's universal message is so relevant regarding the world we currently reside in.

[bryan]

this review is a great example of someone who is not a very good writer trying to make themselves sound really intelligent by getting out his thesaurus and getting a little silly. sorry buddy, people at a tool show aren't using "demurral" in casual conversation and you don't need to tell us that the sprint center is "cavernous." if you are going to have guest reviewers, try to get somebody better than the music critic for the high school paper.

[Xenu]

Hey Stones-kisser, no one is disagreeing with you; they are beyond reproach. That was my point. And the band's last original LP was about five years ago--A Bigger Bang. Learn to read and understand.

And to James and Meathead, yes you can tell if the crowd is into the music primarily or the cute lasers. You look into the crowd and see what stimuli they are responding to. Brownlee was right on concerning that critical point. And, you're wrong, not everything is opinion. Opinion requires no evidence or insight in the least.

[Cya]

HEY ZENU GO FK YOURSELF YOU FKNDOUCHEBAG, LEARN TO FKN GO AWAY.

[Xenu]

Cya--I'll do that when you learn how to put up some kind of argument--if you're so offended my several comments. Telling someone to "go away" or, shut up, is fit when you've no argument whatsoever. Oh, and learn to write a sentence or fragment without using the F word. Did you write the script for Aliens III? And, it's Xenu thank you very much.

[pellboy]

Yeah,BB, I went to the Uriah Heep show and really didn't expect much but was pleasantly surprised by how well they performed. Nice setlist (not just the obvious hits and liked the way they incorporated some new stuff which fit in quite well with the old), the playing was strong (first couple of songs were even quite heavy)and where I thought they might be lacking, Bernie Shaw was a more than capable replacement for Dave Byron on vocals. Great show.

And I like the fact the Ameristar shows end early...was still able to catch the entire Subdudes show down at Knucklehead's afterwards. Big night for me with two extremes on the musical spectrum...overindulgent, pretentious and undeniably AWESOME Uriah Heep followed by as rootsy an act can be with nary an electric instrument in the Subdudes. Outstanding on both ends.

[kmoon]

wow, PB. I'm surprised u could see both. I loved Heep, but did not go this time since Mick Box was the only original member. I wish Ken Hensley would have been there at least, since Lee Kerslake isn't even with them any more. But I was at the Subdudes show & it was very very good. Their opener - u didn't miss much.

[gsp]

Yeah, was kind of expecting more from the iguanas, though I did like the keyboard player.

[pellboy]

Yeah, Subdudes were much better this time than when I saw them there a couple of years ago when they were still good but a bit underwhelming for me. Maybe it was the somewhat frigid evening that night because they brought it alot stronger on Friday. Maybe it was the fact that I was already cranked up after seeing UH. Just something about their style of music that just lends itself to a hot, sweaty dance party as it was the other night.

[kmoon]

yeah - it was kinda like being in N.O.! :)

[Ken Andrews]

wow. a bunch of folks with sand in their vaginas on this thread.

Missed the show. Saw tool back at municipal auditorium for the Undertow tour with Failure.

They were amazing then. But there was almost no visual element to their show at the point.

the only fault I found with that show was that they (like Rush) played everything perfectly and the exact same as the album...which always makes me feel like I could have just stayed home and turned up the stereo really loud.

Oh yeah...and I think that was the year ('93) that metalheads discovered moshing and there were a bunch of retards in the mosh pit doing their best to send someone to the hospital.

[Mark Garvey]

I don't get any of you complaining about that show. That was my 7th time seeing Tool and I thought they were top notch last night. Probably my 3rd favorite time seeing them and none of them have been disappointing or bad. It's been over 3 years since I've seen Tool and last night was something I'd been anticipating for what felt like ages. I feel sorry for anyone not being able to enjoy that show. Thank God I'm not a music critic, because last night was a celebration of something great and I guess being a music critic is about just trying to bring great down to make it look like you're above it. I would rather just enjoy what was Friday night at the Sprint Center, which was great. Plus, I thought the sound was good.

[Tap]

Hand the critics a mic, an axe, and the sticks, then they can crush it for us next time. Oh that's right, you don't have any talent. Hooker with a Penis says it all.

[NEW]

Aw, come on Kmoon, the Iguanas were great. Or perhaps I was waxing nostalgically to the days when I saw them at a Bethesda, MD VFW hall. But I agree that the Subdudes were better than last time although not quite as good as they were at their last GE show in 03. Great acoustics though. I am hard pressed to recall an acoustic show where each instrument rang through with such distinct clarity.

[Bailey]

I must agree with Mark Garvey. I thought the show was great. I am NOT a "music critic" officially :) I listen to what I like. I respect other people's musical tastes. Everyone has their opinion. Just because you think yours is THE ONLY OPINION doesn't make it the only opinion. I had an amazing time and would re-live it again if I could. My only complaints are that security let me thru with my camera & phone. I handed them both to the guy at the door & he gave them back. Later, security busted me for taking pictures... seems like they need to get on the same page! My other complaint... I hate being raped by ticketmaster. Wish Tool woulda played at Kemper

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