Review written by: Marysol Jimenez (superiorconjunction@yahoo.com) Review posted on: 08/31/98 23:22:01 This was the first TOOL show that I've ever been to so let me just say that you guys ROCKED!!!! The show was awesome. My only regret was that I didn't ditch the people I was with to go mashing. My favorite song was "Hooker w/ a Penis". Again, great sho w! See you front row next time around.
Review written by: Tool Head (NA) Review posted on: 08/31/98 23:14:25 This was my 11th time seeing them . It was a nice performance . The soundmen did a good job as well but I was also disappointed with the crowd . I didnt realize camo was in fasion again . Hey did anyone see the nice performance in the parking lot as everyone was waiting to get in ? Some guy saw one too many war flicks and went Section 8 but it was very entertaining . Keep Your Distance !!!
Review written by: Nick (NickYall@aol.com) Review posted on: 08/31/98 14:14:22 Wow, all I have to say is very shitty town and very shitty place to see a concert. Fresno has nothing but idiots with IQ's that they could count with their fingers and tobacco chewing hicks. Both were at the Tool show. And this "amphitheatre" so to speak was a shit hole. It barely slants at all toward the stage so basically you can't see shit until you get over to the sides where there's little dirt hills to stand on. Of course the show was great. They played the re-worked version of Pushit which is a beautiful song but unfortunately no one seemed to like it at Fresno because you couldn't beat each other up over it. That is until the end of course. . .then it became a "good" song. This was my eighth time seeing Tool and they're great. It's almost unfortunate that they're being played on the radio because it's attracting a whole lot of white trash metal head idiots whose favorite song is "Aenema" because of all the times he says "fuck". But you can't deny a band you truly love the opportunity to succeed. Oh well. See you all in San Jose. Hopefully no one from Fresno will be there.
Review written by: Brian (bkelley@ultrix6.cs.csubak.edu) Review posted on: 08/31/98 13:03:58 This was the first Tool show I'd been to (since I missed every other one in or around Bakersfield). As I expected, Tool was absolutely awesome. The Melvins were ehhh... ok... I'd have to say that their drummer was probably the most talented out of the three, and the lead guitarist needs to learn something other than power chords. Maynard introduced the melvins at 7:30pm, who played for roughly an hour. We waited around for about half an hour for the roadies to setup the stage. Finally Maynard, Danny, Adam and Justin walked out and started off with Sweat. The crowd went wild and started a pit about 5-6 people in front of me... That sucked because about two songs later my friend amd myself got sucked into one... This crowd was REALLY angry ;( . Anyway the set list went like this (might be out of order): Sweat, Eulogy, Stinkfist, You Lied, Swamp Song, 46 & 2, very long version of Pushit (absolutely awesome!!!), _bad ass_ drum solo and guitar noises, Sober, Aenema, Opiate (encore). The set was really cool, with a video screen in the back, three pedestal-looking glowing globe things, and this cool symbol off-centered to the left towards Danny's drum set. Like I said before, most of the crowd (where we were at) was angry as hell and distracted me from the music about a 1/4 of the time... this sucked. Tool played for about 3 hours, ending at about 11:30pm. Fireworks went off at about 11:45pm (by this time I was trying to get out of the parking lot). Overall an awesome show, lousy crowd. --
Review written by: Brian Putnam (T0oLGoD@aol.com) Review posted on: 08/31/98 00:27:28 The show on friday night was another ausome performance by TOOL. we got down to FSU at around noon hoping to get a glance at the band or even meet them... so much for that idea. we got to see them unload 3 truck loads of equipment ..... i think one truck load was just danny's drum set actually.. The only thing about the show that sucked was the fuckin crowd... i am so getting sick of the dumb fucks who come to a show just to fuck it up for those who have come to apreciate the music that was surrounding us. NO more than 2 minutes into the melvins set there was a huge ass brawl going on in the pit. Fuckers were just swingin at anything.. WHAT the hell is up with this bullshit??? why cant tool just play some clubs for the true fans that will go to all any extreames just to beable to watch a tool show with out having to worry about the biligernt(sp) fuck behind them getting ready to put a knife in there back.... but anyway.... maynard looked all sexy in his dress as usual.. i was sooooo happy they play PUSH IT remixed... it sooo ausome.. and the cover of u lied was sweet too... IN TOOL WE TRUST! ! ! T0oLGoD
Review written by: DAVID VALENCIA (ForT6in2@aol.com) Review posted on: 08/30/98 04:18:24 Well what can I say? This was the seventh time I've seen TOOL, and as always they never let me down, maynard came out in his usual yet unusual costume, this time drag, which made me happy since the last time I saw him he was the reverend. they opened up w ith sweat which is a great one as all of them are. The only complaint I had was the idiots that kept trying to fuck shit up in the pit. Come on people do you really think Tool is about that kind of behavior? and how could you possibly enjoy a concert when you're running around and dancing like a bunch of kansa city faggots? well sorry but you could'nt come close to fucking up the show for me,the term USEFUL IDIOT comes to mind when i think of you! other then that I have to say the melvins ripped shit up! I saw them in hollywood and they did'nt do so well, but i must say, I am now a melvins fan, Buzz was great!!! The only thing that would have made the concert greater would have been THIRD EYE!!!!!!! but all in all one of the best I've seen ROCK ON "][" [[]] [[]] ][_
Review written by: Ginger (redclay@sierratel.com) Review posted on: 08/30/98 02:43:45 As you see, High-aytus must be one of the fuckin assholes who was moshing and jumping ontop of people at the show. None of that even got close to happening, but typical ape he like the rest of them had to fucking ruin it for us all.
Review written by: Ginger (daisyberkowitzz@hotmail.com) Review posted on: 08/30/98 02:38:37 Well.. I couldnt enjoy the show like I wanted due to a rather large group of dumb fuck skin heads, some old guy, and some NIGGER.. Im not prejudice (however you spell it) But this guy truely was a nigger.. who kept moshing and beating the shit out of people. this is an actual conversation I had with a friend who was at the show (who luckily I did not see at the concert) £rī¢ TOOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11 Ginger hahaha.... what did you think??? £rī¢ YA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 Ginger did mark get to go? £rī¢ nope.... I LOVED THE PIT!!!!! do you go in it???? £rī¢ damn i was in the fucking front the very front!!!!!hanging on to the wall got to go... Ginger oh... fuck no i didnt go in it... i got sucked in once but that was it... it was cool though... i was with some chick part of the time >:) Ginger i had the secruity gaurds pull me over the wall £rī¢ you did? i helped this chick over the wall £rī¢ did not meen to but you know (I cut out a part here because..well.. it didnt have much to do with tool or my point, if you know what i mean...lol) £rī¢ i loved the pit!!! Ginger i loved getting smashed by a group of huge sweaty guys and having people fall on my head... £rī¢ YA I KNOW!!!! Ginger that fuckin sucked... my neck hurts so bad :( £rī¢ ya mine did 2:) Now what does this say? Lets go see TOOL AND MOSH AND BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF EACHOTHER?!?! yea fun..woohoo... but anyway, enough with ranting, since its pretty long.. they played an excellent show, the only disapointment was having to watch my ass from being killed instead of getting to enjoy the music. the set went Sweat, Eulogy, Stinkfist, You lied, Swamp song, 46 & 2, Pushit (slower version, which people were still beating the fuck out of eachother and moshing.. so mature), Ęnema, and the euncore was Opiate without fading into flood. (this may not be the exact order) But the crowd didnt deserve flood.. sadly they ruined it for the rest of us trying to enjoy the show.
Review written by: High-aytus (fuck yourself) Review posted on: 08/30/98 01:44:25 MAN, THE CONCERT KICKED FUCKIN' ASS!!!!!!!!! I don't know why no one mentioned the riots yet, but I might as well go ahead. During the fourth or fifth song, fans went crazy! I remember people pushing and shoving and punching through me. They did whatever they could to get on that fuckin' stage man! Everyone just started climbing over everyone else and passed security! They ran up on stage and started moshing around with Maynard and Justin and the rest of 'em! Man, they all just stopped playing and Maynard got mauled like a teddy bear! They started pushin and shovin and throwin' blows to his head. It was crazy! They had to take him back in a stretcher after security finally threw everyone out! Justin got his bass jammed into his back and was also taken to the hospital after the concert. Adam got away, but Danny was tossin' people left and right to get 'em off Maynard. He's one big mother fucker. Man, it was crazy as hell. After about half an hour, they came back out and said they'd decide to finish the set if "no more fuckin ass holes" come out (as maynard said). It was awsome, and I'm glad I got to be there. I haven't gotten to the best part yet. Maynard and Danny came out after the show to talk to the fans, and they did it again! They ran past the barracades and through the minimal security and started pickin' up maynard onto their shoulders and carryin' him around and stuff. I heard he got fucked up a little, but nothin' serious. All the crazed fans were taken to jail or kicked out and that was the end of it. I don't think there's every been a concert as wild as this one. I'm definitely glad I got to see it all happen.
Review written by: J.D. Stoner (searme@sosinet.net) Review posted on: 08/29/98 18:07:11 As it has been said earlier, fresno fans are fucking idiots. No doubt about it. I have known it for years, but the behavior at the tool show just takes the cake. The night started off pretty calm. But towards the end of the melvins set, the crowd began to get a little anxious and rowdy. Huge pits broke out with idiots moshing like there was no tomorrow (not cool friendly moshing either. several near fights and a few real ones) with crowd surfers kicking me in the head every 5 seconds (and not girls or small guys, mostly 180-200lb skinhead motherfuckers). There was even more during the intermission. Anyway, despite the crowd, I decided I would not let them bother me, and it actually worked, although you can't help but notice moshing during the slow pushit (what the fuck are they thinking). Tool just kicked ass in their performance though. All 4 of the guys were flawless and they seemed to be very energetic (I think I saw adam move once!) although maynard was pretty quiet. (although it was funny when he asked how many people actually attended the university). Due to the idiots that made up a mojority of the crowd, I was pretty surprised that Tool even played an encore. But it was only one song, Opiate, because Fresno's loud music cerfew of 10 requires all concerts to end by that point. But I am almost glad they didn't play flood. Sure, the more songs the better, but Opiate is such a great closer that it just kind of fits.
Review written by: Nick Misso (nickm@cdvinc.com) Review posted on: 08/29/98 16:07:31 After seeing 3 of the 4 shows this past that Tool played this past March, needless to say I couldn't hardly stand still while in line @ the fresno Amphitheatre. This venue would have kicked ass for the three show IF THEY WERE IN ORANGE COUNTY!!!! Fresno-ites must be under-fuckin' priveledged when it comes to seeing bands of this stature because most acted like a bunch of fucking idiots!! People pushing saying "1-2-3, push --yea, I played football," maybe in the '70 that man did, than a 40 yr. old man pushing girls aside at the rail. Yea, that's what Tool's about you fucking dickwads!!! But this is a review so sorry I've ranted this long. The setlist went something like this: Sweat Eulogy Suffocate (next 3 in some order) Sinkfist (w/ Buzz) You lied (I also think Buzz helped here too.) 46&2 Push-it (slow intro.) Danny solo into. to Sober Aenima Jerk-off The stage was oriented differently than I had previously seen w/ Danny, Maynard, Adam, & Justin from left to right. Maynard came out in the dress & wig and was himself; gyrating, piercing stares to those upfront and bleting out notes like no other!!! The sound was crystal clear and powerful to me. Just as expected. They through in some changes different then previous slow- versions of Push-it . Couldn't have asked for a better performance although it was a little short. Bottom line: They guys kicked ass as expected, but the locals fucks made it hard for those who wanted to be up front enjoy the show; that is until Tool came on and those who were in front by Danny's set know what I'm talking about!! A BIG FUCK YOU TO THE BALDING FORTY YEAR OLD BASTARD!
Review written by: Chad Keith (gingerfishy@hotmail.com) Review posted on: 08/29/98 15:06:52 Last night i saw tool in fresno, it was my first concert..holy shit.. i dont think ill ever go to a better one, unless tool comes by again sometime. i started out with the melvins, yea you all know that. but they were fuckin awesome. about half way threw their set a small mosh pit started right behind me.. but it wasnt anything really. when the melvins finished, there was about a half an hour until tool started. i guess everyone got bored because they kept jumping on top of everyone and beating the shit out of eachother and people kept fucking landing on my head. im a fuckin small guy too..compared to everyone else there.. (i had to get pulled out by the security gaurds during the third song.) but after all that tool finally came out and the crowd went ape shit. maynard was swearing a brown dress and short brown wig. they started with sweat, then played eulogy (maynard took off his wig) and so on, probably their normal set with the giant screen behind them. i think the fifth song maynard took off his dress and had his bra and short jockies on. it was amazing to say to least. when they were done they just kinda sat there on the stage talking.. during pushit everyone kept screaming expecting it to pick up any second.. it was funny watching people try to mosh during the slowest song.. i dont see why people would mosh at a tool concert though... it doesnt make sense to me. but anyway, everyone kept yelling for them to keep playing, so maynard came back on stage and adam and justin went over to their side of the stage and danny got behind his drums. then they played opiate, and everyone kept screaming and yelling.. it was the most incredible, painful, loneliest, amazing experience of my life.
Review written by: Taylor (papadotas@hotmail.com) Review posted on: 08/29/98 13:45:12 What a show! I'll try to keep this short and to the point. The Melvins in my opinion (and many others') weren't very good, just a lot of noise. However, people should not have taken to throwing stuff up on stage (including a trash can). They should have at least respected them because they are who Tool chose to open up for them. Anyways, here's the setlist for Tool: (in correct or close to correct order) Sweat-great opener w/ extended bridge Eulogy-played to perfection Stinkfist-w/Buzz, extended bridge....really cool You Lied-excellent Swamp Song-a pleasant suprise 46&2-great live song as always Pushit-new slow version...GREAT!! Sober-w/ long drum solo intro Aenema-very heavy, played perfectly Danny & Justin sat on the drum platform for a few minutes talking; Maynard & Adam had left the stage. After a little while Maynard and Adam came back out and played: Opiate I was expecting them to go right into Flood after Opiate, but they did not. I think Maynard was upset with the crowd because of the fights and so forth. Maynard was dressed in drag, Justin was shirtless, Danny and Adam looked normal. Some Mynardisms that I can remember: "What bright, shining examples of common sense."-first words before introducing the Melvins. "How many of you freaks are actually going to this school?" "Welcome to the Wynona Ryder angry lesbian chic show"-at the beginning of the show. "Well, it took you guys long enough to get here. We've been waiting for like TWO years." Maynard looked hilarious. At the beginning of the show he just stood there with his hand on his hip, staring at the audience. He didn't dance around as much as I was expecting. Mainly he just stood there in the parts where he wasn't singing. Well, that's it. All in all a wonderful show; they did not disappoint (could they ever?)
Review written by: kathy & scott (sheakat@madnet.net) Review posted on: 08/29/98 12:49:20 Cool concert all the way around. The Melvins did a great lead-in and Tool was awesome. The concert setting was in the Fresno State outdoor amphitheater, hot and humid at first, but breezy near the end. Perfect setting. Tool ROCKED! They played all the best from Aenima and Undertow, with the finale from Opiate, "Opiate." The performance was high energy and true to the CD versions, and the sound was crystal with Tool's always creative videos playing behind the band. The one drawback: The jerk-offs in the crowd that insisted on creating a crowd-wide mosh pit. The grass and cement seating is in levels, which made a dangerous dance floor. Too many fights, too, with one guy getting his nose broken and laid open. Moshing's a blast but getting beaten to hell isn't. Tool was incredible. The testosterone-hyped jack asses trying to prove their badass selves at everyone else's expense SUCKED.
Reviews posted before 11:15 PM California time the night of the show were lost due to a server error. Sorry folks.