From: swamp (swamp666@concentric.net)

I had just attended the concert in Denver at the Mammoth Events Center. -
just a note - At the show they were selling great tee-shirts, such as the
Aenima tee-shirt, with a lot of the old one’s, and some personal made
one’s outside the show.  Anyway, I got there around 6:05 and the opening
act was a alternative/punk band entitled "The Cows".  I admit, the band
was not the right band to open up for Tool, but everyone was booing them,
saying harsh things, and being assholes.  I think to do that was bad
enough, it set the totally wrong setting for the show, and I felt that was
one of the many stupid thing about the show.  Anyhow, "The Cows" descended
and we all waited for about thirty-five Minutes, and Billy (the guitar
tech) was checking out things, and running the sound check. The stage
set-up was quite nice, there was Danny’s big Sonor set with his Paiste
cymbals. and Justin’s Mesa Boogie amps, and Adam’s best Marshall amp. They
had these model characters like they had on the video "Stinkfist" laying
on the stage amps. They also had projectors set up for the back drop
visions.  About after that thirty-five minutes, this weird synthesizer
shit comes on the speakers and lasts for about twenty-five minutes.  The
crowed was getting so mad and being stupid because it was taking awhile, I
saw a couple fights break out; and I didnt like that. 

So we all waited with great avidity for Tool to get on stage.  And
finally, after almost an hour, the lights dim, the projection backdrops
illuminate with the splashy square movement and the crowed was going wild. 
They came out, and Maynard was painted blue and he was in his boxer
shorts; Danny, Adam and Justin seemed pretty sane looking.  They went
ahead and opened up with "Third Eye".  I did not attest much because those
idiot mosh-pitters were beating the living shit out of each other; and I
got pushed all the way to the back.  So finding my way to safety I got to
the back, and got to see most of the end of "Third Eye".  It was very good
and a good opener.  The next song was "Stinkfist" and people loved that
song, being a very energetic and main-stream song, they had made the
crowed pumped.  And as far as I recall, these songs were played: 

Eulogy, Jimmy, Cold and Ugly, Sober, Prison Sex, Forty-six +2, Opiate,
Pushit, and as the dead encore: Aenima.

For the entrance for "jimmy" Maynard quoted "I’m not sure how many of you
are familiar with the meaning of ‘Prison Sex’, a cycle of abuse, and this
song is a sequel to ‘Prison Sex’, this song is called ‘jimmy’". 

And my very inspirational quote was before "Opiate" Mr. Keenan quoted "I
just wanted to clear something up.  I’m not sure if any of you study
mythology or not, or any world religions.  But- we get into small little
groups and now we keep on saying one religion is the better than the other
one; but why don’t we believe in unity and compassion?  I mean, your god’s
not going to fuck you over it." 

Some other quotes/sayings were

"Apparently, this is Denver"

"I was walking around in this area here and there is something wrong with
people’s eyes, is they water fucked up were?"

"Denver, very nice [crowed cheers]……wait, I’m not finished, your football
team shows.  And basketball, you have a very fine basketball team."

"OK, I want to try something, I want all of you on the count of three, to
dig down in to a big dark corner and say ‘yes’".  (I didn’t see his theme
on that one). 

Anyway back to the music, I think they all showed a lot of new sections of
songs here and there.  Justin is very different from Paul, he did a real
good job.  I think I was pleased to see them play, and I thought some of
those back drop projections were really neat.  The one for "Aenima" was
quite violent (a man getting his face wrapped in wires and bleeding). I
saw a lot of cool back drops for it, some clips from the videos. Being the
first time I saw Tool, I was amazed at sometimes and I basically trying to
get away from the mosh-pits and what not.  It was not a bad show over all. 


I just want to leave a note for those fuck head mosh pit morons:  I would
have enjoyed the whole fucking show if I was not pushed around the whole
time.  I could not be at a calm place, you idiots kept starting it
everywhere.  I saw teeth fall out, nipple ring and other exotic piercing
torn off flesh, somebody’s fifty-year old mother get hurt, security guards
get beat up, blood, and all the stupid shit you all do. What is this shit? 
All that was happening was flashlights going off and other violent
distractions.  There is people in the crowed that want to just hear the
musical group play, and enjoy, and not to hurt other human beings.  I
think a key term is to have fun, but don’t be an idiot, we are all here
for one thing and that is to watch a band play and have a little fun, and
I know this small paragraph wont say much, but we are all here to have
good time with our own purposes and there is humanity in hurting someone
when it is not the cause.