From: Mack Kenamond (kenamond@lanl.gov)
Subject: March 14 Tool Concert Review

Kabir,

The Melvins were a kick. The guitarist/singer, pom-pom hair and all put 
on an energetic show. The bassist cracked me up with his inter-song 
one-liners like, "Sounded like that one had a little devil on it." or 
"I'm gonna drop to my knees and raise my right hand." He was dressed like 
a "Far Side" cowboy/amish guy with brown slacks, suspenders, white shirt 
and plane, brown, farmer hat. When the band finished, the drummer got up 
and was wearing a pair of speedo pants (must've undressed while behind 
the drums). As he walked off stage, he picked up shirts that had been 
thrown on stage, wiped his ass with them, blew his nose on them and 
chucked them back into the crowd.

There was some group-pushing and shoving near the end of the 
intermission. The intensity built as the lights dimmed and the "smoke 
box" began to play on the two, symmetric video screens above the stage. 
Dark grey, Stinkfist-video-like mannequins, three or four, were posed in 
contorted positions on and between the equipment on stage. Other than 
them and what was playing on the video screens, there were no on-stage 
indications of who was even going to be playing. The moshpit was boiling 
as the intro windlike and heartbeat sounds of Third Eye swelled. The band 
just kinda walked out on stage and everyone went nuts. Maynard was blue 
with boxers and red quarter-sized spots down the middle of his chest and 
from the crown of his head down to just over his right eye. At first, he 
looked entirely blue, but lighting changes illuminated the bright red 
spots. Justin had peach/pink/mauve/blue pale colored quarter-sized spots 
trailing around his body and had the devil's horns hair. Adam was dressed 
normally and unpainted (from what I could tell) as was Danny (but 
shirtless).

Maynard introduced their new bassist and claimed (as with other shows) 
that Justin was from New Mexico (missed the exact city). 

Adam remained virtually motionless the entire concert - just staring into 
space and nailing the riffs and chords perfectly. 

They played Stinkfist second but no one but me yelled chickenweasel 
afterward.

I briefly lost touch with reality during Swamp Song. I just stared at the 
video screens during the almost-calm instrumental section with a smile on 
my face - that I was where I was, hearing what I was hearing. 

The crowd (well, those of us front and center, anyway) intensity almost 
doubled for 46+2 and didn't let up until the end of the show. 

In the middle of a song (forget which one), someone tossed a plastic 
water bottle about 100 ft and hit one of Danny's cymbals just above and 
to the right of his head. He snapped his head to the side in surprise but 
played on with only the slightest hitch in tempo. 

Sometime in the concert Maynard started a little speech about religion 
and sex. He finished with something like "When I die I want to die 
fuckin'."

Much to my delight, they seemed to play every song that I wanted them to 
play. One very lucky fellow snuck up onto the stage and dove into the 
masses, and everyone cheered and made jealous remarks. 

At one point I realized that the video screen was showing two camels 
getting it on. Brought a smile to my face, anyway; it appeared that the 
female camel was moaning.

Again, there was an extended, instrumental intro to Sober. Adam sat on 
stage and made guitar sounds, Maynard crouched center stage and stared, 
Justin provided eerie deep resonant bass sounds, and, all the while, 
Danny pounded out the rhythm with the Sober "feel." 

Maynard said that he had heard people requesting that they play Hooker 
with a Penis. Lots of cheers (including me). Then he says he is going to 
give us the short version and says "T-shirts and posters can be bought 
over there (pointing to the shirt booth)," and laughs. Ha ha, Maynard.

They announced their last song and played Opiate. Although they would 
play one more afterward, nobody knew that and everyone moshed harder than 
ever. I know I was pretty wasted by the end. They began to leave stage 
and huddled near the right side. They finally came back onto stage and 
Maynard said something like, "This one's about water . . . and California 
sinking into the ocean. Hey Hey Hey Hey Hey Hey . . ." Appropriate to end 
with that song, I guess :) 

Setlist was:

Third Eye
Stinkfist
Swamp Song
46 + 2
Eulogy
Prison Sex
H.
Pushit
Sober
Opiate
Aenema

A guy and his girlfriend were walking behind me between songs and the 
girl said, "quit it!" and the guy said, "well somebody pushed me." I 
turned around and said, "Imagine that."

What a concert.



Mack