From: ILUVTOOL@aol.com


TOOL
The Warfield, San Francisco
October 28, 1996


This is the second of two shows, the first at the Warfield the preceding 
Monday (see that review first) 

Introducing the Cows, Maynard opened the show with "Boy, are you guys in 
for a treat tonight. This is The Cows." I've never heard the Cows before. 
I was pretty ambivalent through the first couple of songs, I then I 
finally started to really hear what they were doing. I now have a great 
appreciation for the Cows, and I will seek their album. They're good, 
trust me (and if you can't trust me, Maynard likes 'em). 
Wholly prepared to see a repeat of the previous week's show (see review), 
I wondered where the projection screens were. The lighting was different, 
too. I had a fucking heart attack when the house lights went down and 
Maynard followed the band out painted blue from head to foot, clad only 
in boxer shorts. The heart attack became a stroke when they blasted off 
with Third Eye, which I never expected to see live and is much 
differently arranged live than on the album. Third Eye is absolutlely 
stunning, and it became clear that the boys were in top form tonight. The 
energy was supercharged and the crowd consisted almost entirely of 
devoted Tool fans. The intimacy somewhat lacking from the first show was 
present and alarming at the second. Something set them off within the 
last week and whatever it was prompted an intensity I've never seen 
before, at least not as urgent as this. This was better than New Year's 
Eve. They continued with Forty-Six & 2, which Maynard announced to be 
their next single. This was followed by a welcome Swamp Song (Maynard 
flailed his new toy, some sort of aliem lgiht on a wire that he swings 
around over his head; look for it, it's cool), and an even more welcome 
H., which was mssing from the first show. Eulogy was the best I've ever 
seen it, and jimmy became a classic that night. Then the screens were 
unveiled, and the clips started running. They lighting remained different 
from last week, but with the blue paint, Maynard mixed with the lighting 
and looked at times to be a disturbing reminder of Kurtz from Apocalypse 
Now, which I'm sure was not the intention. I assume he was portraying the 
"Third Eye Guy" from the album sleeve. Anyway, the dude was fucking 
eerie, and the lighting at times made his eyes glow white, and 
occasionally red. Creepy. Again, these songs are not in perfect order, 
but close. Sober was great (it has a new intro), but a nice surprise came 
out of left field with a much-revised Sweat, which I wish they had put 
out for Escape From L.A. Hooker with a Penis was nothing short of 
violent, and then they wrapped up with a turbo Opiate and AEnema. They 
ended their set, and started walking off the stage but stopped halfway 
and started deciding what they should do. Finally they agreed and Maynard 
came back to say that we wouldn't quite be the first to see it (that 
would be the October 26 show), but we'd be the second and they'd let us 
see the new video for Stinkfist, which they played as we watched it on 
the screens behind them. It's beautiful. It's not all animated, there's 
some live action, but nothing at all conventional. This is staggering.
The first show was great, but the second was the best I'd ever seen. 
Ever. I walked out dazed and drained from the sonic pounding I'd just 
taken, and I know I was not alone in thinking so. I swear to fuck if I 
ever see them play that well again I'll be the luckiest motherfucker on 
the planet. Don't miss them, you bastards. It's your own fault if you do. 


- Cameron Keith