Review written by: David Bryant (buddha@g-net.net) Review posted on: 07/29/97 10:31:26 Alright here's how it goes, I've seen a number of concerts in the past few years ranging from small bands that play the club scene to the big bands who play arena. Ranging from Stuck Mojo in small club to White Zombie at Lakewood, and the Civic Center in Savannah. I must say that when I saw TOOL at this show it was the best 1 hour show that I have ever seen. I know that with Lollapalooza there are time restrictions dealing with how long a band can stay on stage, but TOOL did everything in the hour that they were alotted to make the show an excellent concert experience for everyone present. I would just like to say thanks. I also saw TOOL on tour for the Undertow album, and that was also a great show. I couldn't have been happier with the show that TOOL put on, and again I would like to express my appreciation to each member of the band and the road crew because all of you do an excellent job, and thanks for the music that you give us.
Review written by: KId From MN (bradley@northernnet.com) Review posted on: 07/25/97 15:51:38 Well I went to this concert and i was so pumped because it was my first concert ever and I had never ever heard Tool before that, but I had heard that they kicked-ass! Well anwase i wish i could have taken pictures with my camera but it fell out of my pocket when i was crowd surfing to Korn! alright here starts my tool reveiw! I was in the very front row right in front on the guitarist and all i can say is that they ruled! i had no idea that they were that good! My favorite part of the whole tool set had to be the AENIMA video it was so trippy!
Review written by: Master Reviewer (regzkatin@aol.com) Review posted on: 07/18/97 00:35:31 Well no big deal but i saw them in atlanta and it was quite good. They started off with thrid eye and that was great... Maynard for the whole show was standing in one place crouched down stomping his foot, it was odd because he wasnt jumping about or anything but the energy still showed hard core... The sound there was also amazing all the songs sounded like i was listening to them with headphones on, extremely suprising because when korn played the P.A. system was terrible but that was my first time seeing tool and it was great besides tool lollapalooza was kinda bunk..o well i got my moneys worth... lata KaTiN
Review written by: anonymous Review posted on: 07/08/97 19:32:29 It has been almost two weeks since this show took place. In that time, I have been trying to sort out exactly what I saw that night. My initial attitude towards the Festival was mixed, as the lineup seemed a bit odd. Overall, I was surprised and entertained by EVERY act that took the stage. And then came Tool.... Before I continue, please allow me to say a couple of things: Keeping in mind that live music is my drug (to be without it would mean certain death, or at least great,great pain), I have seen a great many live acts of all kinds, who incorporate all kinds of tricks and gimmicks to try and win a crowd. A relative few do this successfully; many, however, do not. Even fewer are interesting enough to warrant attention. I have had a couple of chances to see Tool live, but had not, until June 27th...... Now, on with the review: It is a rare occurrence when one can attend a show having certain expectations of what one will see, only to have these expectations completely blown away by what actually occu rs. This is what happened to me on that night, and I have not been the same since. My conscience has been in a constant turmoil since the show, unable to distinguish the profound from the bizarre and disturbing. I can count on one hand the number of times my senses have been attacked in such a way as they were when Tool took the stage. This band's set was one of the most brutally powerful, awe-inspiring, engaging, hypnotic, bizarre and unsettling performances I have ever witnessed. When I purchased my ticket, I was somewhat nauseous when I found out the price. Now I know that price was a bargain for the experience it brought. It would have been worth it if Tool had been the only act there. That is all.
Review written by: Kevin Benedict (grayshayde@aol.com) Review posted on: 07/07/97 21:39:06 Tool is the greatest band ever. I have seen them twice, and there is nothing like a Tool show. Bring hallucinogens. Great laser show, and good scrim video. Danny Carrey was absolutely incredible. Leading the band through every song, he was full of en ergy. Maynard's vocals were especially on. It rocked.
Review written by: Justoned (justice@esper.com) Review posted on: 07/04/97 07:10:16 A weird low pitched hum escaped from the stage under construction. The crowd was still and it made it's own eerie insect like buzz. The girls beside us looked like virgins eager to get pagan. As the hum went on, bits of track 69 and baselines began to form only to submiss to the hum and the buzz. Quietly a rythmic sound could be heard, almost like breathing but as it went on more like hissing. The audience began to push towards the stage. People were running by screaming in their haste. I was aware of the many purple hair do's around me and they swirled in an angry army of Barneys. Just as I stood on my chair a scream arose from the front and a figure walked out onto the stage, the hissing called out to the air. It was a call to move, the figure was bending around and its tortured white face glared out at the mass of excitement. The figure had tight black pants and heeled platform shoes on. The rythym grew feverish and the swolen torso of the figure swayed as a spell of perverse reptilian chaos unmasked the stunned crowd. Tool stepped on and the bassline for ThirdEye. Trans-Maynard had me ready to fuck, fight, cry, live, and die. I was disoriented for the first song and at it's climax I had wandered up to the grassy hill. I was charged and staring at Maynard who was now teasing the crowd with some wicked wailing and I mimicked his movement as a pit formed. About the fourth song - 46&2 - I was swept into the middle with a flash of fury and balance. I swear I just danced round & round reflecting aggression like Jesus reflecting critisism! The peak of it all was OPIATE. I was peaked anyways, and that song and an occasional glimse of Maynard writhing had me seeing angels & devils & love & aggression & most of all I felt like a eal in a tank with pirahnas! After OPIATE Maynard said, "Seeing you cute sweaty boys pushing eachother around up there reminds me of something to say, it's not about hate and violence...we are about anger and enthusiasm but not hate and violence." I truly felt that way and being in that pit was too cool when he said that. But I could finally get out and my heart felt like it would explode before I did, because then they started Aenema. I made my way up towards the stage and had an intimate delusion that Maynard was a ceramic faced, big breasted, high heeled love child of God and the Devil. The song ended suddenly and the crowd wailed aloud one last time as Maynards pony tailed siloette walked into the shadows.
Review written by: Master Reviewer corey falterman (Corey@CajunNet.com) Review posted on: 07/03/97 15:59:32 A REVEIW FOR ONLY THE TRUE TOOL FANS. We sat back staring intensely as the stage set up unfolded before us. The early background sounds consisted of rave type mixes ofbits and pieces of tool songs followed by tripped out sections where the wind started blowing, and our minds started racing. Finally Third Eye started and I became overcome with happiness and excitement. TOOL ok the stage with a background light show of bright colors of red, Purple, green,etc. Maynard paced on stage wearing highheel type shoes,striped pants, a female top complete with fake tits, a long chinese looking hairpiece, and a white and black mime face painted over his. The image he presented was very feminine and dreamlike, and overall more tripped out than anything I could have ever imagined.I believe the mime face was a definite message saying what TOOL is all about.TOOL'S set list;THIRDEYE,HOOKER,STINKFIST,46&2,EULOGY,SOBER, OPIATE,AENEMA. Maynard spoke calmly between songs and stressed how TOOL was built on emotion and love, not hate and anger.Third eye's sound was off a bit early, but was quickly restored.Hooker was rushed along to the insane in the crowd with background lights glowing and pulsating.The effect made Maynard appear like a hologram dancing and floating on good acid.Stinkfist the song that is a drug was once again beautiful and meaningful.During 46&2 more than 36%of the crowd stepped up a few levels.Eulogy, enough said. Sober, not me not today. Opiate still managed to bring together all the OGT's to sing along like it was the new Skee-Lo single. And finally, the ultimate climax from lysergic land, Aenema along with Adam's new video masterpiece which appears to have even topped Track #1. TOOL proved once again they are the best and most photogenic to all their fellow hallucigenic.
Review written by: HIV (inabigtree@hotmail.com) Review posted on: 07/01/97 15:10:27 This was my 1st concert. KoRn kicked ass fist but then TOOL came on and rocked the world The lights were shineing bright everything was great. I couldn't get in the pit but I wanted to When I saw everybody rush the pit it was cool I was right next to it but I didn't want to get my ass kicked by some big guard. Every body was standing on there chairs screeming there heads off so I my words IT KICKED ASS
Review written by: Seale66 (Seale66@aol.com) Review posted on: 07/01/97 14:19:05 Well, my buddy and I traveled al the way from Panama City, FL to see a kick ass show, and that is what we got. Every single band that played entertained me (even Snoop Dogg). Korn fans will be Korn Fans. The whole show was terrific......and then Tool came. Aaaahhhhhhh. Maynard was his typical messed up self. He had white face paint on and he looked like a woman. He was awesome. The first song, Third Eye, was a terrific opening. Maynard's voice was awesome as always. Tool rocked the house. Justin 's bass lines were by far, the best in the whole show. Adam tore up the guitar like a madman. And Danny Boy is one of the best drummers in the world for a reason. The only complaint that i have is that the band did not play PRISON SEX. I was very angr y. But there are so many bands on the tour, they didn't have time. Well, they were the best on the show, and I will definately see them again. THEY KICKED ASS.
Review written by: Bartman (davej@ilinks.net) Review posted on: 06/30/97 22:15:30 Yet again, a great live show by TOOL. I was in the front and center. They rocked, although it was too short (only one hour) and we only got to hear one song of of Opiate and Undertow. The International Ballroom and Masquerade shows blew it away. Maynard did kind of look like a fag, but it was shocking. He really did look like a woman. Regardless, he's a hell of a singer. The new bass player rocked too. There were some really cool movies playing on the screens behind the stage. Can't wait to see them again when they are headlining.
Review written by: ajc (acohen3@ua1vm.ua.edu) Review posted on: 06/30/97 15:56:20 I won't repeat what others have written. The show was great because the crowd was into Tool and the band seemed to be enjoying playing. The only disapointment was that the sound was not that good. Maynard could not be clearly heard over the rest of the band. The show lasted 65 minutes. To clear up any dispute, Maynard had a white drama mask painted onto his face. Maynard was very talkative but did not move around as much as he did at the other concerts I've been to (Atlanta in December & Austin in March). This was probably because of those huge platform shoes. The set list: Third Eye, Hooker, Stinkfist, 46 and 2, Eulogy, Sober, Opiate, and Aenema. The crowd seemed to be at Lollapalooza to see Korn, Snoop Doggy Dogg and/or Tool. The other bands had few fans, although many people seemed to enjoy Orbital. MTV's coverage of Lollapalooza was terrible. They pandered to Snoop Doggy Dogg fans and even James got more coverage than Tool did. It's criminal how little attention Tool gets from the music press, espcecially since they just released the best hard rock album of all time. Most bands are not worth seeing more than once per tour but Tool is not most bands.
Review written by: brad tucker (bradt@mmgc.com) Review posted on: 06/30/97 09:10:50 fantastic show --- sound was high quality---- maynard is mental thanks!
Review written by: Jeff Blau (jeffb@ineonet.com) Review posted on: 06/30/97 07:57:42 Marley Bros, Trickey, Snoop -- One word -- Uck! Korn kicked ass. Sound was decent. Riot was ON! So I figured, if we could rush to the pit for Korn, the same would be the case for TOOL. Uhhhhhhhh. When Maynard came out, the crowd finally made some n oise. The prelude to StinkFist was like a volcano beginning to erupt in me! There were about 50 or so people around me about to rush the stage. Maynard starts in. We rush the stage. I get planted by some really huge security guard. I got up and dusted off my head and tried again. This time, I got pushed into the seats head first. Three other guards came over to help the first.They carted me off on quarters (one man per one of my limbs). I was kicking and screaming the whole way through the res erved seating table area. I kept screaming "TOOL RULES" and the like. I wonder why they never let me go?????? I went to Lolla' and all I got were these little (big) bruises! : If you saw this incident or saw me yelling and screaming, send me mail. Otherwise, I'll see my fellow TOOL freaks again in Nashville! :> :>
Review written by: SuperFly (squawk_squawk@hotmail.com) Review posted on: 06/30/97 02:05:43 I was looking forward to a really good, if not outstanding, show, but I kinda feel let down. I had seen them last December at the International Ballroom, an indoor venue, without seats, and a superb sound system. That show was unreal. Best big concert I've ever seen. But at the Lakewood Amphitheatre, the ambience wasn't the same. I had reserved seats, with a chance to get down on the floor during Korn's set. The crowd stampeded through the reserved-floor aisles during "Chi." I tried, as Korn is probably my favorite band, but the damn security threw my 220lb ass back over the railing. I was pissed. I won't go on about how Maynard was dressed, or their setlist. The sound, IMO, was above average. Tool sounded much better than Korn did. I wasn't too interested in any of the other bands, but I was pleasantly surprised by Snoop Doggy Dogg. Unlike most other Tool fans, I keep an open mind towards all types of music. I had only heard that one single from Tricky (forget the name, but it has that funky bassline and a catchy hook) and I was expecting similar drum-and-bass funk, but I was let down with his performance. To sum it up, I'd grade Tool's performance a 9 out of 10. Considering the circumstances and time constraints, a 9.5 out of ten, only deducting for the subpar sound. The whole Lollapalooza show is a 8.5 out of 10, as only Korn, Tool, and Snoop really left impressions on me.
Review written by: john flemming (flemmingjohn@worldnet.att.net) Review posted on: 06/30/97 00:22:56 greetings fellow tool fiends ! i just got back from atlanta from lollapalooza '97, and it was hype! TOOL was the band of the day most definetely, kicking ass louder than any other show i've been to. the play list was, if i can remember correctly: my third eye, aenima, opiate, sober, foty six&2, hooker with a penis, eulogy, and maybe one more, im not sure. i got all the way down to the pit, and i got some cool as hell pics! if i can anyone i know who has a scanner, i'll try to get 'em on to kabir (one hell of a human being). maynard had tits on, they looked pretty damn real, the skin on his chest would pull when they bounced, i thought they were real, but then again, i'm not 100% sure. i never heard o f him getting breast implants, so it kind of freaked me out. the sound though was incredible, so intense and powerful, the whole way through, flawless. the pit didn't really get going until hooker with a penis, then it went psycho, it was truly awesome! o h yeah. the only reason i got all the way up to the stage was because some guy in a green shirt gave me a v.i.p. box ticket, and the stoned usher let me all the way up! so if you're that guy, reading this, man you really made my day and i would like to th ank you earnestly. anyway, the show was loud, with screen backdrops with all kinds of fucked up stuff, it was cool to sat the least. overall, i give this show a 9.5 out of ten. the only reason i took off half a point was because my ears are still ringing two days later. till next time............................
Review written by: Dave McGlocklin (gt4527a@prism.gatech.edu) Review posted on: 06/28/97 19:34:17 Well, I got there just in time for Korn and they put on a great show. Then we had to sit through the most shitty band I have seen in a while : Tricky. Then Snoop came out and he was great. I normally don't like rap, but Snoop has some good stuff going on. Then came the wait for Tool, which I didnt mind at all because apparently the bands got to pick what was between set changes and Tool had some Bill Hicks snippets interspersed between some cool songs. Then they started the rumblings of (-) ions. The band then came out and Maynard of course was the most entertaining. He was decked out in platform shoes, checkered 70's style disco pants, a halter top with fake breasts, his face painted white and a Hare Krishna pony tail. Then the setlist is as follows. Third eye, Hooker with a Penis, Stinkfist, 46 & 2, Eulogy, Sober, Opiate, and Aenema. The new video for Aenema was awesome btw. I wont elaborate because someone already has. They stopped Hooker with a Penis in the middle just long enough for Maynard to say "and we have some nice boxers, stickers, and lots of candy for sale over there". After Hooker, Maynard said "Seeing all the cute, sweaty boys down here pushing each other around reminds me of something I wanted to say. Tool isnt about Hate and Violence, we may be about Anger and Enthusiasum.....but never Hate and Violence." The other quotes have been stated in the others reviews. It was a short show, but by far the best Tool performance I have seen. I can't wait to go to the Lolla in Nashville.
Review written by: nick (aricon@geocities.com) Review posted on: 06/28/97 19:27:31 yes I do know I spelled korn wrong and yes I did call all of you wearing 311 shirts whiggers and rednecks cause you fucking acted like it.
Review written by: Josh Hancock (smokebox@juno.com) Review posted on: 06/28/97 19:26:12 As expected, Tool stole the show from the other Lolla performers. Thier set was right after Snoop, who managed to get the crowd a little excited. As the crew began to roll out Danny's massive drum kit, they played some of what I assumed to be Bill Hicks' comedy over the P.A. The crowd actually appeared to be paying attention to what he was saying and actually appluaded several statements he made. Shortly after that the smoke started pouring out and Tool hit the stage. Danny came first shirtless as usual, followed by Adam in an orange T-shirt and jeans. Then Justin came out with pants and his new checkered hair. Last was Maynard with his fake ponytail, stuffed girddle complete with nipples, tight striped pants, platform shoes, and the mask painted on his face. They opened with Third Eye and closed with Aenema. There is a complete set list at the end of the review. Maynard spoke several times during the show. First thing he said was" At-lan-ta" right after Third Eye was over. Another time he said "Looking at all the people beating each other up in front of me reminded me of something. There are alot of misconceptions about this band. We are not about hate and violence. We are about emotions and anger. We are about compassion and loving and understanding f eelings and about change but not hate and violence" He also told the story of how Danny went to get his colon cleaned and was taken by angles back to ancient Egypt and to the Geeza plateau and into the pyramids and how he was given scrolls to read but did n't have time to read them because he had to go pay the doctor. Some other highlights of the show were the new video for Aenema, an extended version of Stinkfist, a longer ending to Eulogy, and an extended version of Sober. Overall, the show was incredibl e even though the venue and the P.A. system sucked. Maynard's dancing and vocals captivated the whole audience and held thier attention through the entire set. Although the show last year was better, it was still worth my $35. One funny moment from the sh ow was right after they finished Eulogy and were about to start Opiate, Maynard started telling the story about Danny and the pyramids. He then realized that he was one song ahead of himself and said "oops neve,r mind wrong song." I guess even Maynard mak es mistakes. 1.Third Eye 2.Hooker with a Penis 3.Stinkfist 4.46&2 5.Sober 6.Euology 7.Opiate 8.Aenema
Review written by: Nick (aricon@geocites.com) Review posted on: 06/28/97 19:19:21 The tool show in atlanta that was the second on the lollapalooza tour was very good. The band did not seem at all tired as they played a long set of about 10 songs from opiate, aenima, and undertow. Full video was used durind the performence with added to teh effect of the show and it was met with a large lighting display that complemented the band's costumes. The only down side to the preformance was that about 5,000 red necks and whiggers wearing 311 shirts who had been jumping to snoop earlier kept yelling out tool all the time so it was almost imposible to ignore them. But the show did lead up to their preformance with other great preformances by kron and tricky. I would recomend seeing them while on the lollapalooza, because this show was far better then their last in atlanta when psychotica opened for them in the fall of 96.
Review written by: Azhar Khan (fortysixandtwo@geocities.com) Review posted on: 06/28/97 14:33:03 Tool was awesome as usual. This was the second time i've seen tool but i think this performance was better than the last one i went to even though the set was only about 8 songs. The mosh pit was going crazy me and one of my friends had to out run the security to get down to the pit but there was no way i was staying in a fucking chair to see tool. Maynard talked about how their music isn't about pain and violence but about anger and love and converting anger into compassion, and he also told a story about how Danny was getting his colon cleansed and had an out of body experiance that took him to eygpt where he found some scrolls but couldn't read them because he had to go back to his body to pay the doctor, yeah and maynard was wearing the same outfit he wore to the first show, a ponytail with his face painted white,some people thought it was a mask but i'm pretty sure it was paint, with a girdle and a stuffed bra and tight stripped pants and platform shoes. Adam and Justin had on no shirts and a pair of jeans. The best part of the show was when they played Aenima and had the new video playing in the background. Here's a long description of the video: it started off zooming in on a crystal ball that had the smokebox in it then the the camera went through a forest and ended up in a box looking room with a fat guy wearing a black suit walking down a hall. The guy went up to one off the wall's and started pushing on it, then the wall cracked and water starts pouring out. Then you see guy holding something in his arms, which seems to be a baby thats wrapped in cloth with string tied around it. He takes the thing over to a small box looking table in the middle of the room and and unties it and walks off. Then you see the thing move it gets up like frankenstein or something and takes off the cloth its a alien looking creature kinda of like the alien on those iron maiden covers. The alien gets up in the water which is up to his knees and pulls an umblical cord out of his stomach and gets the string off the table and cuts the cord with the string. Then his legs start getting longer and water is getting up to his chest. Then he starts dunking his head in the water like he's trying to drown himself. And starts rubbing his stomach. Then he walks over to a another table that has a cylinder looking thing on it. He starts looking down in it and sees something that looks kinda like a stomach or something and at the bottom he sees a little baby in a womb. The next thing you know he got a big ass needle and stabs himself or herself in the stomach, i guess to kill the baby then the starts mutating, and you see this two headed iguana looking creature with a head on both ends. Finally it ends when you see the alien waiting at the corner of the room growing four arms while the fat guy is walking toward the down a hall toward the room, it looks like the alien is waiting to kill him but then it ends,fuck! i guess you'll just have to use your imagination to find out what happens to he fat guy. Well that was the tool set in atlanta i hope didn't spoil it for you guys that haven't been to lollapalooza yet.
Review written by: Jim (indipunx13@aol.com) Review posted on: 06/28/97 00:30:43 During Korn there was a crowd riot which busted through all security allowing me to get to see both TOOL and Korn from about 10 feet away, which was incredible. Maynard was dressed in tight black pants, he had tits, white face paint with a wig of a pony tail. The set list goes like this: 1. Third Eye 2. Hooker with a penis 3. Stinkfist 4. 46&2 5. Sober 6. Eulogy 7. Opiate 8. Ænema. Maynard spoke of how their music was not about pain and violence, but rather about anger and love, and converting anger into compassion. Then he told us a story (don't quote me exactly) "Our drummer Danny went to the doctor in '91 to get water shot up his ass to clean out his colon. During this operation he had an experience in which a spirit guided him up and around Orion and finally back to earth underground below the Temple's in Egypt. There he was given many scrolls to read. But then he remembered he was having his ass flushed out, so he went back into his body and paid the doctor." TOOL was by far the best performer, and it's definently the best live show i have ever seen by any band.