concert reviews firsthand, immediate, from the heart
06/19/2001
[all times Central Time; t.d.n is hosted in the midwest]



Review written by: Mluxus (mluxus@interia.pl)
Review posted on: 06/20/01 00:41:32

Welcome, to start off here is the setlist: The Grudge Ions (!!!) Stinkfist 46&2 Prison Sex Schism Pushit Disposition Reflection --------------- Schism Video --------------- Sober Parabol Parabola Opiate Aenema Lateralus The whole show was ment to be in a club called 'Stodola', which I found a good place for a Tool concert, because Stodola stands for Shed - and it fitted the website's name. But sadly the organisers moved it to a bigger hall, to sell more tickets. IMO there was something about 4000 people which was way too much - especially because it was ment to be a tour for small shows like 2000-2500 people as Maynard said. But I'll start from the beginning. We hired a coach especially for the show from Gdansk (the northern coast of Poland) which is situated something about 300km away from Warsaw. There were 50 of us - maniac-Tool-fans inside. We were a little late because of some technical problems so we got under the Mera Hall at 6pm just when the ticket said the show would start. Unfortunately we had to wait another one and a half hour till they let us in. After few control points (no metal detector!) we were finally in! People were gathering and gathering and at 8:15pm the lights went off and the support band went on stage. Cortizone consisted of 3 guys - drummer, bass player and guitarist from which the last two did something which sounded like singing. It was a 35 minute show, but noone was even having a good time. Everybody looked bored, some yawned... So it was 8:50pm and most people felt tired so they decided to sit for a second, thinking that TOOL would show up in 30 minutes or so. But suddenly after a while people from the first row started clapping and yelling with joy so everybody got up to see what's going on. It turned out that they removed the courtain from the drums. The drums were just enormous - something about 3 times bigger than Cortizone's. From that time noone wanted to sit again trying not to miss anything. But they did... Only few people saw Adam and Justin walking alongside thgouh the corridor on the upper level. They looked calm. After 30 minutes of waiting Maynard & co. showed up and the best show of my entire life had started. I unconciously moved under the scene to the pit. I just ravagged in the pit doing the crowd surfing several times and once while intermission between the songs I had a little dialoge with Maynard! It went like this: Me: MAYNARD! Maynard: What? Me: Show us the tattoo! Maynard: Hmm... He must have either not heard the last one or just didn't wanted to show us that. Anyway I managed to stay in the pit till Pushit because it was starting to get really hot. The Hall had no climatisation, so I had to get out for a few minutes during Pushit to catch some air. Sorry for the comparision but it was so hot like in some fucking concentration camp's incinerator. The sweat was pouring of my whole body - hair looked like after the rain, and my Lateralus T-shirt had no dry spot on itself. That was the time when Maynard started to put off his things. First he put off the top his leather outfit. And after one of the another songs he just remaind in his leather pants. The microport from his microphone was attached to his pants, and it pulled them a little bit down so we could almost see Maynards ass (no, not the dick :P) I could see the sweat covering his entire body. The rest of the band just stayed in their places not walking at all. They looked like the stone figures from the distance, while Maynard was shaking his body like in epilepsy. But he wasn't as talkative as in the other shows. Maybe he thought that most Poles don't know english at all, but he was wrong. He spoke several times: about the reception of the Tool - he didn't know they were so popular in Poland and something about the part of the show that would stay in every one of us... But he didn't joke at all :-( Fortunately we weren't there for his speeches but for their music and his voice - and that was as always great. Thrilling animations filled the music. I remember one - the zooms on a TOOiLete. Just tromendous feeling. IMO the best songs performed live were Parabol/Parabola and Opiate. They blew our heads off. The show lasted more than two hours (2:15). Before, during and after the show people could buy some original T-shirts (one of them had a bad date of Warsaw's concert (sic!) - it said 17th of June not 19th...) and other gadgets. The T-shirts cost 20$, long sleeves - 25$, baseball caps - 20$, key rings 5$. I saw many people bought them but I had no money left... in fact I didn't like them, I had my own Lateralus T- shirt. I think those are all highlights of the show I remember now. From the end of the show I only had 3 hours of sleep during the trip back home. I'm going to sleep now. Oh... and one more thing. Did I tell you that it was my best concert live - with best voacl, best bass, best drumms and best guitar. If I die now I would die happy... I saw TOOL. Thank you for your music. Special thanks for [undertow-ml]

Review written by: Torment0r (trebla777@onet.pl) Review posted on: 06/20/01 02:28:23

It's not a review really, I just wanted to point out some things. The venue: Company that organized the show changed the venue in the last moment (to sell more tickets). It was a bad choice: way to much people (over 3500) and with no air conditioning it was hell. Cortizone: complete waste of time... Pre-show music: They played Download's "Muscaria", "Bucephallus Boncing Ball" (sp?) by Aphex Twin and some other track from Pi soundtrack. It was nice to see all the metalheads pray for a quick end of Aphex Twin's wonderfull piece :) They also played Rammstein "Links 234" and it plainly sucked comparing to musical excelence of previous tracks... The show: They took a stage about 9:30 pm (almost two hours late). Maynard&Co. played their regular setlist: The Grudge - great opener. Maynards scream lasted for 24 seconds (I think is the longest during this tour, they had 3 days off so maybe that's why...). Visuals to this one where cheesy :( Stinkfist preceded by (-)Ions - the crowd went mad... 46&2 - I never expected this one to be such a powerful song live. Maynard starts getting his clothes off :) Prison Sex - same as Stinkfist, everybody seemed to try to jump on my head. Maynard says "Hi" to the people in "Hala Mera" (the venue) Schism - not being their best song got a really nice welcome. Pushit - one of the best parts of the show Disposition/Reflection - the crowd didn't like, everybody was just standing and they started claping their hands in the middle of the song and later, during great "slowdown" outro. Fantastic visuals... and excelent song Intermission/Schism video - they should stop doing that: everybody already saw that, very few seemed to enjoy Sober - Maynards voice always gets so energetic during this one, we got a regular album version but it was really an unforgetable experience Parabol/a - another "hitsingle" from Tool for everybody. I really don't dig this song that much as crowd did. As many of you know Danny is seating behind his drumkit like Robocop (just moving arms) all the time but during Parabola he really got involved - banging his head and stuff... Opiate - not being a great fan of that one I must say that it was something special, like an extened version Aenema - another good one. Maynard gave us something like "blessing" - he said to take all that this show gave us and to create something positive out of it Lateralus - great final! The crowd didn't apreciate it at all, but to me it was strongest moment of the evening. I just wanted it to last forever... yeah, a toolgasm... So the show was great. It lacked of Maynard's communication with crowd and some of my favourite songs, but it's one of the best live performances I saw. I waited so long for this... Thank you TOOL. Torment0r

Review written by: Master Reviewer EoN (eon@iq.pl) Review posted on: 06/20/01 07:49:10

Well guys, what can I say, the show left me speechless. The thing is that maybe not immediately after the gig, but much more right now. My ears are still ringing and I can't resist dropping a few lines about the concert. The setlist has already been posted so basically you are getting na idea what it was like. Personally, the most exciting, irresistible and goosebumps-inducing moments were: Stinkfist as a whole (the first song to drive the hall wild), MJK's yell at the end of Opiate and the serene, yet unbelievably powerful end of Aenema. The visual effects reinforced by videos were awesome sa well. There was at least one song without one snippet of film and it showed how important for the entire show they were. The greatest impression for me was the image of a couple "dancing" underwater, the image that was constanly merged in and out of silverish blurred shilouettes. _Very_ attractive and comforting. If it hadn't been for the impossible heat, the show would have been totally flawless. MJK said something about a warm reception they were getting, I wonder if the band had any idea about where they were actually going to play. Hope they liked it as much as we did. The only thing that makes me wonder right now is whether it's possible at all to create a better concert. As a whole. Tool are clearly proficient in what they do, do it with passion and I'm very glad to see that Tool are not as much popular among people w ho don't realize that for some of us music is not only a pleasant addition to life; it is both life's foundations and quintessence . I'm curious if they will ever play in Gdansk. If you can, tell'em they are invited.

Review written by: forgetit (dorotaj@biker.com.pl) Review posted on: 06/20/01 10:17:17

What kept coming back in reviews I had read before Tool's concert in Warsaw, ware praises on sound. Indeed it's, though expected still unforgettable. There was also an objection, that guitars didn't got through the bass and drums - true, Justin-Danny "plot"entered the rythm into heads almost unperceptible but without remorse. Adam's guitar definetely works different than on records but has moments of glory .What about in-between-song-parts. It need to be admited. Whatever concert it is I try to find some taste in musician- public interaction and communication. Well, Maynard hardly talked. But some occasional "thanks" and neat "nice to meet you" didn't say much in first part of the concert. Maybe just wasn't sure what to expect here being for the first time. Or maybe the pressure was to be put on trascendental level so purely artistic and emotional communication. This was offered and worked smooth , I daresay. There was, to be mentioned, also fluids exchange, that is sweat of bodies - hard working and rubing against eachother. It was hellish hot inside the building and those few waterdrops that falled down the crowd wasn't, I'm afraid, enough. More wellcomed would have been rather something like solid shower...... a tidal wave maybe ..... After Reflection -how sad they didn't complete it with Triad ,the trilogy D-R-T, either on CD or in concert version is like invitation: " let's meditate for a while"- Tool left us bathed in ligths and spilled with words (sic!) to chew it all up in our minds and fathom Tool's power sort of. More simple - they took a break .Without saying a word so some people left - too bad for them. I guess it was also the chance for bandmembers to share first impressions about the state of things. Verdict seemed to be in crowd's favour. As The Four eventually came back onstage Maynard said something like they're quite surprised with the reception. Hope one reason more to come back to Poland. Ref video-art- the moment which stuck in my head is that op-art backgroud for Pushit. Left me speechless. The theme actually came back later but cooperation with this patricular song was stunning. There were a lot of what's now a kind of Tool's trademark: all junk-sculpture-like stuff and a dose of surrealism on screens. Noone like to be compared to anyone ar anything and indeed Tool are unique in their artistic ways but what came as first to me it was much as mixture of Lang's Metropolis and 20's 30's vimpire movies with Francis Bacon's emotional pictures. What's left? As Maynard said, almost at the end of concert- the feelings to take, explore, and exploit on ...and a hope Tool will come back here A.S.A.P. Oh, and picture of Danny's smile while throwing his stiks into the crowd. A kingdom for a chance to see it alive once more. I'm so glad I was there. Thanks Justin, Maynard , Adam, Danny !

Review written by: Tom Gop (tomgop@go2.pl) Review posted on: 06/21/01 04:43:41

He said: “I have a mission for you tonight. There¹s something I want you to do. Whatever your feeling tonight is, whether it¹s good or bad, I want you to take it home with you, and during theese coming weeks I want you to use it to create something positive. Ok.?². I kept listening, as he was talking to me... 1. Oganisation sucked baaad. Everybody knows that, so I'll just go on. 2. There was this guy, giving out passes for aftershow party. He seemed not to notice any guys. Said "Girls only - that's what the band said". So i withdrew from asking him anything, since the band had apparently wanted only female audience (the girls that got 2 passes couldn't actually speak english !!!) 3. Ok, ok they went on at last. Adam - wearing white shirt with short sleeves, gray, nicely cut trousers, and geeky shoes - very thin, or maybe those was just his socks? Usually big jaw :) And there was this impression i got about how easily he played the tunes... Justin - black shirt, and dark trousers. Long, curly hair, beard, so on,,, Danny - whatever it was he weared... welll whatever. I couldn't see from behind his barricade :))) MJK - well not really much to say, since you got it on the front picture of this site. Pose? Usual - bald, crying Maynard. 4. THE GRUDGE. Rear Maynard, maybe because of the cameras. Quick and energetic. Proper. 5. (-)IONS. Little shock here, but they came so gently to STINKFIST, that it almost came as a suprice. 6. 46&2. Ok - if I hadn't known the words, I wouldn't have heard a single letter, nor understand a word. Intuitious song it was :) 7. PRISON SEX. I can't recall this song beeing ever so powerful and emotional to me anyway! 8. SCHISM. Guess obligatory one... 9. PUSHIT. Damn good song, but it lacked the characteristic powerful guitar kickout after "keep my feet down on the ground". Missed that :) 10. DISPOSITION. All the time I got the feeling, that MJK was ONLY holding the black guitar. One might say: "he looked cool though...". REFLECTION, ending the first part. Did they extend the beggining anyway? 11. The break seemed shorter due to the Schism video... 13. SOBER. They surely planned the song for that moment, but it was like the listener's choice, since some guys screamed the title just before they started. 14. PARABOL/A. A kickout. Proper, outstanding kickout. The sound was simultaneously damn powerful and beautifully clear. Right. 15. OPIATE. Extended a bit. AENEMA seemed like the listener's choice again, so when he started groaning (moaning?) through the microphone, the situation was absolutely clear. Oh! And he misplaced the two pieces: “Fuck retro anything...² with “Fuck L Ron Hubbard...². On purpose? 16. LATERALUS. Pictoresque. The band focused, gathered together near the drums. Adam starting off. Adam finished OFF the song with very long, lasting, continuing, exciting, ten-minute-long-and-brilliant-though outro. 17. Me caught Danny's stick, but had to share it with the guy next to me, as he caught it as well. Fuck, Hallelujah!

Review written by: Brendon (sirdarquehart@icqmail.com) Review posted on: 06/21/01 08:08:08

Damn good show!! Actully it was my first concert so I have nothing to compare it to but it will be hard to top this. I flew all the way from the states for this(joke actully im just happened to be here) The show rocked as hell, The visiuals were cool though some didn't seem to mesh well with the song, especially GRUDGE. The concert orgainizers totally screwed up. first by moving to a larger venue to make themselves more money then by making the show late everyone missed busses, i had to shell out 45 zl on a taxi compared to 5 for a damn bus...FUCKERS The crowd had a terrific vibe going and there could have been lots more jumping if the place wouldn't have been hellishly hot. i was pouring sweat and i stood in the back the entire time. I hope to catch another concert when TOOL swings back through the states. Ah well...i guess this is more a rant then a review but TOOL ROCKS!!!

Review written by: Stink (stink@panda.bg.univ.gda.pl) Review posted on: 06/21/01 09:22:28

Amazing experience. What Tool did with us during these show is in most parts totally something out of this world. The best thing to do is to say that they took us into another dimension. Dimension of Tool. And i was one of about 4000 people who were lucky to get there :) I decided to not write here much about the venue, just to say that no more show is going to happen there. And let it be a warnig to another organizers who are gonna try to take more money out of fans just for the fuck of it. Alma art screwed. They should be thanking god that there were no people killed and that the venue didn't burn with all of us. That would be a great message to the world form Poland. THANKFULLY we didn't go there for the venue but for Tool and they dind'tlet us down. In Warsaw they played their standart tour list, begginning with The Grudge, with great songs like my emotionally personal Stinkfist, incredible energetic 46&2, favourite Pushit, hypnotic and very extended Reflection, kicking ass Opiate and Parabola and great for ending Aenema and Lateralus. There was more songs, many of them were preceeded with some kind of special eefect/improvisation by band and to my great suprprise we heard (-) Ions just before Stinkfist :) And to think taht just before the show we were talking about how great it would be if we could hear that impulse going through our heads from one side to another :) The band was as usual on their places - Adam on the left standing like a statue ond playing his great riffs, justin on the right doing amazing things, MAynard dancing with his shadow in the back of the scene, and Danny over all of them in his enormous and powerfull drumset doing things that could start a heart attack to a most of drummers [inlcuding me:)]. The band at first seemed a little uptight, maybe because it was the first show in Poland and they didn't know what to expect. But we didn't dissapoint them, giving a huge amount of applause after every song and during them... The more show went on the more powerful it was. Maynard thanked us for the great show. And we thanked him and rest of the band for the great music and visuals [genious !]. THANK YOU AGAIN TOOL. -Stink

Review written by: comankh (c0manch3@amigascne.org) Review posted on: 06/22/01 04:48:50

I'll be short. Comparing two show in Poland this one was 'worse' :). More people, more sweat, more dirty sound. Maynart threw a bottle into audience in the end... You can see it at www.tool.3d.pl it will be available at ebay soon :D. Once again thanks go to the band for show raping all my senses.

Review written by: QcharZ (czareba@elka.pw.edu.pl) Review posted on: 06/23/01 17:59:43

Some kind of magic.