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The Tool Page: An Article

Publication: Variety

Date: August, 2001

Transcribed by
Genghoid Flippiant (penis@marijuana.com)


  page: 
 title: Tool in terrific form
author: Troy J. Augusto 
Tool in terrific form


Tue 11:42 PM 

Tool (Wiltern; 2,238 seats; $48.50) 

By Troy J. Augusto 

HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - Tool's multisensory performance at 
the quaking Wiltern on Monday, the first of two Koreatown 
sellouts and the band's first local show since 1999, was 
nothing short of spectacular. 

With evocative and sometimes disturbing short films and 
other images swirling and flickering on screens behind the 
four players, the band played tightly wound, highly dramatic 
interpretations of songs from its three studio albums, with 
emphasis on the current "Lateralus" (Volcano) collection. 

With a marked attention to detail that Frank Zappa would 
have been proud of, the players stayed true to the recorded 
versions (seven new ones, five older) while adding enough 
live energy and contrast to bring fresh life to each number. 


Opener "The Grudge," the first song on the new album, built 
slowly from a simmering start and exploded into a wicked 
climax that drew thunderous response from the crowd, which 
remained standing throughout the nearly two-hour show. 
(Meanwhile, outside on Wilshire Blvd., desperate fans were 
offering hundreds of dollars for a single ticket.)

"Stinkfist," the lead track from Tool's superior 1996 
entry "Aenima," was accompanied by the song's jarring, 
inhuman video. Shadowy singer Maynard Keenan performed 
the entire show perched, rear stage right, on a platform 
behind guitarist Adam Jones and directly in front of the 
smaller of the two video screens, making it nearly impossible 
to see his face, which was further hidden by a wide dark stripe 
of black paint down the center.

After an hour, Tool left the stage and guitarist Robert Fripp, 
from veteran progressive-rock group and opening act King 
Crimson (a huge influence on Tool's style), played some 
atmospheric six-string music for a few minutes while the 
headliners and the audience caught their breath.

Tool wrapped the awesome show with a crowd-pleasing four-
song run: "Sober," from 1993's "Undertow," featured its 
infamous "eye surgery" video; new song "Parabola" grew 
from quiet early passages to explosive power-chord 
fury; "Aenema," one of many Tool songs with water as lyrical 
inspiration, envisioned the swallowing of California by the 
Pacific; and 10-minute prog-rock closer "Lateralis" brought 
the extraordinary show to an end with a final display of the 
band's grace under pressure.

Presented by SFX. Band: Maynard James Keenan, Adam 
Jones, Justin Chancellor, Danny Carey. Also appearing: King 
Crimson. Opened and reviewed Aug. 13, 2001, closed Aug. 
14.

Reuters/Variety


Posted to t.d.n: 08/20/01 15:17:06