Honestly, I thought I would be all stoic and apollonian about this show...
But I think they were about three bars into the first song and I already had tears in my eyes.
It rawked. But in the real "rawk" sense. not just a high-fivin', beer drinking, headbanging kind of way. This was the kind of rock that saves lives.
The stage was set-up in all white... white floor with minimalist design... drums on a high-rise, then guitar on one side of the stage and bass all the way on the other... very spread out, clean lines... maynard stood just a bit to the right of the drum kit... not out in front, but not totally hidden either. There were three big white screens against the back of the stage, and one hanging on either side of the stage as well. Because the stage and screens were white, they were able to use a different color theme for each song. For example, for one song (I can't remember if it was 46&2, or Pushit, or Schism, or Lateralus... or maybe Rosetta Stone... that's right... they played ALL those and then some). Anyway, the entire stage was washed in bright orange and the images that came up on the screen were very minimalist but striking at the same time, and all played into the predominant color. Nothing detracted from the music. For another song, they washed everything in blue, etc... But THEN, towards the end they started shooting out these green lasers over the audience... I'm not talking about rinky dinky little Pink Floyd & Led Zeppelin laser light show at the Greensboro Coliseum back in 1998... I'm talking about lasers that were bought directly from whatever other life form there may be in our own or neighboring galaxies who happen to be more "pyrotechnically" advanced and have a direct line to the Tool roadies and sound & light people. Ridiculous. They would shoot out in strips but then spread into planes and I don't think I should bother trying to explain this further... no words. But all of that is the fluff and icing... the greatest thing about it was that they tease and pull and push with the music and especially the intros, so you don't always know what's about to happen. I did almost stab one guy that was behind us and kept clapping. Not celebratory clapping at the end of the songs... incessant clapping THROUGHOUT the songs... clapping to keep the beat... like the musical geniuses on stage needed his help. It was a good thing they searched us on the way into the stadium b/c I was one more scotch drink away from fashioning a shank knife and sticking it right in his neck. I also don't like that everyone sings along and tries to anticipate those moments when the fucking bottom is about to drop out and the neck snapping bass or drums are about to kick in... everyone thinks they've got the rhythm on lockdown, so they'll stick out a fist or bang their heads really hard, but what they seem to forget is that if tool wanted to kick those really powerful parts in at the exact same time and in the exact same way for each playing, then they wouldn't be the phenomena of a band that they are. Am I right??!!!!!! This is not to be anti-social (more anti-moron) but if I had my way, I think I would want everyone to be sitting down and I would want mandatory quiet until the songs are over. Is that so wrong? Anyway, once I got comfortable with all the "tools" in the audience, I really really really really was happy to be there.
My only disappointment was that I really wanted to hear "Right in Two" from 10,000 Days... no dice. I would say "next time" but I'm not sure that I'll ever need to see them again. It would depend on the venue, I guess. I think listening to them is such a personal thing for me that I get a little freaked out when I'm doing it with a bunch of other people. I'm already not comfortable with crowds. Not because I get scared or because of any kind of social anxiety. But I despise vehemently anything resembling a herd. And when you have that many people in one place, all facing in one direction with arms raised, with all focus and attention on a particular entity (in this case, a band) it's hard, in my mind at least, to not immediately conjure images of worship... idolatry... submission... prostration. And those are all the things I find most despicable when considering the tendencies of the human race.
As you can imagine, that's a lot to get past. There's a lot I have to overlook in order to let myself enjoy a situation like a concert. But in this case, I'm glad that I did. It's an experience that won't be soon forgotten.
"Angels on the sideline,
Baffled and confused.
Father blessed them all with reason.
And this is what they choose.
Monkey killing monkey killing monkey.
Over pieces of the ground.
Silly monkeys give them thumbs.
They make a club.
And beat their brother, down”
If you had a CD or album coming out, who would you thank in the liner notes?
I've been wanting to play music for as long as I can remember... and for as long as I can remember, I've been the one standing in my way. If I ever get to the point where I have liner notes in which to thank someone, I will know that I finally gave myself permission to be who I've been wanting to be for so long. I would have given myself the gift of freedom. That's the ultimate gift.
I would thank myself.
