Tool - Seattle 2 May 2006 - First review
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Topic: Tool - Seattle 2 May 2006 - First review
Posted By: DantesRing
Subject: Tool - Seattle 2 May 2006 - First review
Date Posted: May 03 2006 at 21:42
My lovely wife scored me some free tickets in radio giveaway (she's a
keeper), allowing me to see what was the mostly highly anticipated show
in this area this year. The tickets sold out in under 2 min. due the
venue size, it was at the Paramount which seats roughly 3,000. My
tickets turned out to be INCREDIBLE - 4th row center. The moon was in
alignment, the stars were set and I was ready for what I hoped would me
an outstanding, overwhelming event.
Alas, I must say that it was not the show I expected. I have had
conflicted feeling the past day about how I felt and finally figured
out where my problem lie.
First, the positive. The show absolutely ROCKED!!! The playing was note
perfect and seeing these guys perform these complicated tracks left me
a little in awe. I was most impressed by Chamberlin on bass, never
realizing that a lot of the solos and riffing you hear on the album are
coming from him. Jones was also great on guitar (no one really makes
the guitar scream like he does) especially on the talk box lead in
'Jambi'. Keenan was also dead on (if a little undermixed in the sound)
standing his ground and singing like a man possessed, and yes, he
totally pulls off those screams. Carey however, was only good. I mean
what he pulled off was complicated , but brought no suprises to the
show.
The selection of tracks played was perfect. I assumed that they would
focus primarily on '10,000 Days' as the had done with the 'Lateralus'
release on that tour, but they only four tracks off of it. The rest was
made up of fan favorites from 'Aenima' and 'Lateralus', with only a
couple from 'Undertow'. It really was a fans show.
The band played for an hour and forty-five minutes with no encore and
no opening act, which might seem like a short show, but seemed the
perfect length for this. The show was also visually stunning with four
large screens behind the band members showing visuals from their videas
and other animations which nicely complimented the performance.
Now for my mixed feelings. As I see it there are three problems with
the show. First the band in no way engaged the audience, apart from one
moment when Keenan came to the front of the stage and looked out at the
crowd, and the final bow. Other then that they could have jamming in
their rehersal studio for all it seemed as if there was a crowd out
there. Second, after the first song where Maynard pranced around the
stage, they stayed in their respective places, barely moving. Once I
got to the fourth song, I realized that this was all I was going to get
in terms of performance. Third, there was no mystery. It was only
a standard rock show. I know that is my problem more than theirs,
having set some high expectations, but with a band that barely tours
and seems so creaive musically and visually, I expected more.
Do not get me wrong, they were great. I came away with an even better
appreciation of their music than before, but I wouldn't go see them
again.
I know others will get ore out of this than me, and I really hope you do.
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I'm the shadow man, the jumping jack
The man who can, but won't look back
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Replies:
Posted By: CaincelaOreinim
Date Posted: May 08 2006 at 20:02
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Now for my mixed feelings. As I see it there are three problems with the show. First the band in no way engaged the audience, apart from one moment when Keenan came to the front of the stage and looked out at the crowd, and the final bow. Other then that they could have jamming in their rehersal studio for all it seemed as if there was a crowd out there. Second, after the first song where Maynard pranced around the stage, they stayed in their respective places, barely moving. Once I got to the fourth song, I realized that this was all I was going to get in terms of performance. Third, there was no mystery. It was only a standard rock show. I know that is my problem more than theirs, having set some high expectations, but with a band that barely tours and seems so creaive musically and visually, I expected more.
I hear this criticism of the band a lot (mostly pertaining to your comment about them 'not engaging' the audience). Honestly, what do you want? Where is there a spoken, or let me re-phrase that, intrinsic contract that states that the performers have to acknowledge you all collectively as attendants? Because you paid for it and this is to be your reward, smiling service? You must REALLY despise Robert Fripp then (if you've ever seen Crimson in concert that is and know his feelings on similar subjects). I could care less if the musicians aren't there to entertain me...it's, as solipsistic as this'll sound no doubt, all about what I take out of the performance. Do I really want to hear a story about how they all went drinking the other night and it was really 'fun and rad'? Or see them hopping and jumping all over the stage pointing at the crowd, laughing, and slapping them five every time a song ends? Who cares?? Perhaps you just meant the lack of interaction MUSICALLY between the band, if that's the case, I can whole-heartedly understand as you'll see below.
My problem with seeing Tool live (and I've seen them at least 6 times last tour, don't ask I'm not sure either; for reasons to be disclosed shortly) is that there's no variations in the setlist and hardly no improv/interaction/changes. Sure it's live so there's obvious differences in part sonically, but there's nothing exciting like you say. Other than that, the visual aspect is always cool and their playing for the most part is spot on like the albums...but I'd much rather see a band screw-up a lot/experiment than hear the same exact versions of an album live.
Tool have reached the point in their career though where they can do anything now...and they'll be an audience there to receive, and to buy it.
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Posted By: DantesRing
Date Posted: May 09 2006 at 00:10
First off, thanks for the response. I was beginning to think that no one was interested...
I do agree with you that it would be inappropriate for them to be
leading the crowd in a sing-a-long or high-fiving the crowd, that's not
their idiom. What I was getting at was they made no effort to make this
feel like it was an event or that anyone else was a participant (not
even each other on stage). They could have been playing in front of
3000 people, or by themselves, or on the moon for all they seemed to
acknowledge the moment. I know for them it was one of thousands, but
for me, it was a single moment. You are right, they are not obligated
to perform for 'me' and it is entirely my hang up about the show, but I
can't feel grateful or fulfilled by performers who seem to have a lack
of enjoyment in their own performance.
I have seen Crimson and Fripp in concert, and it was a different vibe
completely. The band displayed the same playing for themselves
mentality, but the crucial difference seemed to be that they enjoyed,
truly enjoyed, playing together. Even Fripp. That vibe carried into the
crowd and 'engaged' us. I didn't get that from Tool.
For the most part, they seemed bored. And this was only their second show of the tour. Must be horrible to be a rock star.
I apologize for sounding a little bitter, and I do respect your
opinion, but the more I think about the show, the more disappointed I
become.
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I'm the shadow man, the jumping jack
The man who can, but won't look back
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Posted By: CaincelaOreinim
Date Posted: May 09 2006 at 01:34
Yeah, I get what you mean. I think the mentality Tool have though, is kind of like what I hinted at with my own concert going experiences (e.g. they want YOU to reach a mental state only YOU can achieve, leave them out, which on one hand is great and on another problematic in light of a musical performance); and it's kind of a shame like you've said, and I can agree from a musician's interactive stand-point.
The band want the attention to be almost entirely off them, so they hide behind the guise of Visual Art, their erratic and ridiculously verbose occult-obsessed website master Blair - who's a close friend of Danny Carey's who even taken alone and in small doses can be humorous/entertaining but that's besides the point -, and this anti-image of self-created hermetic mystique which contrary to their beliefs is just another marketing ploy/gimmick, WHICH WORKS and is genius really. Or does it? Ah Postmodernism. That seems to be the Tool business side in a nutshell. And don't get me wrong, I'm a HUGE Tool fan, but that's just how I see it/how it is.
They draw the line (or lose it somewhere) between actual performance (improv, experimentation, etc.) and their visual art-minded side at their live shows...and it's a shame because the visual side seems to over-ride the performing side these days; something I feared would reach a boiling point in the next tour...and lo and behold, we're getting a static set-list consisting of for the most part their 'hits' and a band who play in the shadow of their accomplishments...for the most part. There's been instances where there's been variations and additions to their previous and current material which is kind of bothering me that they defenestrated those bits (like what they did to Stinkfist). They seem to have synched their performance down to a science with the visual monitors I hear too. Alas I'll accept whatever it is they'll dish out live, and catch inevitably both the positives and the negatives.
I'll be seeing them next Friday or Saturday in NYC...but I'm not sure I'll be attending any more shows afterwards when their second leg comes around, unless there's some REALLY REALLY erratic changes every night to the set-lists or some variations on next to EVERY song. Then again, I've always demanded way too much of this band hehe.
And P.S.: I also feel Crimson's friendly vibe you said you got from their show is LARGELY based on Belew's accompaniment/participation. I've always seen his role in these past 20 some odd years of being the guy saying, "c'mon in, it's not so bad in here!" Again, not that I don't mind Fripp being who he is, but just throwing that out at ya hehe.
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Posted By: Asyte2c00
Date Posted: May 11 2006 at 17:09
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Sounds like an amzing show. I was suppose to see them at a local venue but the server crashed and i got screwed out of getting tickets
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Posted By: Abecedarian
Date Posted: May 16 2006 at 10:32
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You're a lucky man, not only for being able to see Tool live but also because you were given tickets for free. I was able to read a few reviews from others who attended their concerts since this leg has kicked off, and personally, I can't wait 'til they come near my place of residence.
Regarding your issues with their affinity to "not engage their audience," well, you have to understand that that's Tool, it's how their concerts are approached. If you expect Maynard to come running out and flailing his arms in the air, screaming, "How the hell are you tonight?!" then you'll likely be disappointed as his tone is really that of a speaker at a seminar, calm and docile and then they play. The Salival version of Push*t is a perfect example; if you listen to Keenan's introduction, it's nothing you'd certainly hear from Dream Theater or Metallica, and that's exactly what I dig about Tool . . . but that's me.
I understand you weren't terribly devastated, but all I'm saying is you can't hold that against Tool, as it's their way. So long as their performance musically didn't leave you with bitterness, then you had a great show concerning Tool's aim at it. And again, you're the luckiest one I know today.
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"We'd be fools not to ride this strange torpedo to the end."
- Hunter S. Thompson, "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas."
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