Tool

I call seven shades of bullshit! Okay sorry but I’m battling two evils right now. I’m elated I got to see Tool Saturday night and the fun that the evening brought with it. I think I’ll save the angst filled rant for the next piece. So Saturday was awesome in ways beyond words. The bands were great, the energy was electric, and the people I was with were some of the best brightest examples of decent human beings I’ve ever come across.
The day started out awesome with a pre-show meet up for all of us Tool Army members (TA). We talked, introduced ourselves, ate, drank, laughed, played, we even had a foot race (I kicked everyone’s ass). Then we went to the show itself and looked on as one band after another took the stage. Wolf Mother did their thing as modern day Led Zeppelin rip offs, then Alice in Chains took the stage and rocked out hard on the classics, the new material was a little blasé but I digress. Then we endured Linkin Park for nearly an hour. For some odd reason Chester decided he was going to shoe horn his new band into LP’s set and drag it out even further. Dip shit diva! Oh well, he got fucked hard when midway through Breaking the Habit all his power got cut and the band went silent. Serves them right, suckers!
With the opening acts long gone, the roadies and stage techs began tearing down. The lights went down, the sky went completely clear, an eerie almost palpable quiet descended over the crowd. I think I was actually holding my breath. My feet were killing me, my legs were stiff, and my back, neck, and shoulders were screaming for some relief but all of a sudden the burden of my own weight seemed gone. Danny Carey’s symbol, held aloft proudly above the stage slowly began to light up and seconds later a cart carrying the man’s drum set was moved into position. The almost steel calm that has lasted for the better part of twenty minutes suddenly erupted into massive cheers and applause. That’s when the reality set in, I was mere minutes away from experiencing what I had been told would be a life changing experience. The lights went down completely, the screens went black on either side of the stage, and four men in t-shirts and jeans stepped quietly onto the stage amid shadows and wild cheering.
As the applause died down there was a single sound that pierced the growing quiet. The opening chords to Jambi were being played by none other than Adam Jones himself. The visuals cued up and the band got into it. Maynard did his best to partake in the fun, despite being ridden to a crutch (the reason for this is still unknown, aside from “God kicked me right in the balls”) and Adam and Justin played a wonderful push and pull game during segues and solos. It was a wonderful night that is by far one of the best I’ve ever had.
I know I’m being a bit vague on the details, but honestly the whole night was just so ridiculously awesome that I feel I would only cheapen it if I actually tried to convey using words. I waited four months to for that show and it was worth every moment. I’m anxiously looking forward to the next one.