concert reviews firsthand, immediate, from the heart
05/30/2001
[all times Central Time; t.d.n is hosted in the midwest]



Review written by: Fucker (jurden80@hotmail.com)
Review posted on: 05/31/01 04:16:02

I love tool and i don't know how to start this review. Let's take it from the beginning. i waited for 1 hour out of the alcatraz and once i was inside i took the best place :i was in first line,exactly in front of adam. the opening act (cortizone) wasn't so brilliant but wo cares? i was there for tool! when they got in i couldn' belive it...i mean i waited for so many years and...they were just in front of me! adam played with glasses and kept the same expression for the whole show,standing there without moving.justin rocked as did danny and maynard played naked (only with leather boots and brief. the setlist was a little bit changed:we traded 46&2 and opiate for EULOGY!!!!!!!(hell of a trade!) the show was amazing. i think i will never go to a concert anymore.Maynard didn't say anything but "Milan,milan..." and just before lateralis "you have 9 minutes for taking off your clothes". That's all. Best concert of my life. Now i only wait for their return... Chinque avesse registrazino o foto mi contatti!!!

Review written by: Santiago Nasar (la_torre_nera@altavista.it) Review posted on: 05/31/01 05:42:50

questo è stato il mio primo concerto dei Tool, come se dovesse contare qualcosa... sono stato combattuto tra il perdermi e il ragionare, sentirmi portato via dall'emozione e cercare di capire. Movimenti, significati, fissità. Per primo ti colpiscono cose apparentemente distanti dalla musica: Adam Jones che non si muoveva di un centimetro, quasi un irreale impiegato della chitarra, Maynard praticamente nudo, scattoso, enigmatico e forse impenetrabile. La musica è stata grandiosa è i ragazzi del pubblico hanno recepito così tanto la nuova musica, da riuscire a intonare melodie e suoni anche di un disco così recente e difficile. Le vecchie canzoni sembravano acquisire un senso ulteriore dal vivo e Lateralus è riuscito un po' a spiegarsi. Forse a spiegarsi anche ai Tool stessi. Indimenticabile Disposition, ma forse per una mia naturale predisposizione, così come anche Lateralis ed Enema con la quale hanno chiuso. Bellissimo il video di Shism, anche se forse inizialmente è stancante, riascoltare la canzone. Dopotutto una scarica di brani di 6/8 minuti non è rilassante. Se devo essere sincero non mi sono piaciuti tutti i video, a parte quello sconvolgente stile Tomb Raider con il tipo senza testa che saluta e lo zombie con la bacchetta da direttore d'orchestra... un trip assoluto. Sono tornato col treno da un'ora più o meno e questo per adesso è tutto. I ragazzo meritano...

Review written by: Francesco (thirdeye@freemail.it) Review posted on: 05/31/01 05:44:44

An incredible experience, so long waited and now become reality...it was yesterday night that I saw the concert and now, from this morning, I continue to remember the emotion, the feeling, since I've opened my Third Eye...image, music, reflection, now I'm searching my Anima, my own spirit...thank you Tool.

Review written by: DisgustiBACOZZA (dottfabbri@libero.it) Review posted on: 05/31/01 06:01:05

I've known [met] Maynard.I can't believe.Untill 1:30 my girlfriend and i sitting in a room talking and drinking whit Maynard and Justin i thought it was a dream.i've asked him all my inners doubs about Tool.i haven't ever smoke so much and happiness go to the stars when Maynard offerd ma 2 free tickets for next tour in Milan.I'm just come back from there.2 days away.SONO BAGATTATO ma ne è valsa la pena.the same fukin songs in FAENZA without aenima,i don't know why.While in Milan i have been ecxtasited by EULOGY.I'm asking why they continues playing songs like DISPOSITION and REFLECTION instead of THIRD EYE or NO QUARTER or COLD and UGLY for example.I told it to Maynard,he didnt know.he was tired,devastated from tour.what can i say?he offered me red wine and i drrrrink e mi sono sbronzato come un peperone while Justin was smoking joints.Maynard in this two days has been perfet,nothing wrong .I would have met also DANNY and ADAM,moreover danny,but i 've been also too lucky.(Sorry for english) .1 delle cose che mi ha bruciato di + il culo è il fatto che la gente non facesse body surfing,componente fondamentale nei concerti dei tool,e a Faenza quei ciuccia piselli della sicurezza alzavano pesantemente le mani su chiunque provasse a farlo finche non è arrivato quel fenomeno che ha fatto finta di stare stare male,è salito sul palco e lo ha messo nel culo a quei figli di puttana dei butta fuori.Euphoria ragazzi!

Review written by: Matteo Cipolla (closer78@galactica.it) Review posted on: 05/31/01 06:03:39

....once again a night with tool. i was still thinking about the previous night show when i arrived at the alcatraz... memories floating around, after all its here that i have seen the most beautiful and touching concert of my life (NIN)...at least until may 30 2001. tool were once again in great shape, i swear i could have cried during some songs...i fuckin' FELT those moments! it was unbelievable..emotions at 100%....something really hard to explain actually. anyway, they played Eulogy, one of my favourite ever songs...and that was great! another major change was the playing of "aenema", which they didnt play in Faenza. the crowd was really close to the band...and for the 1st time at a concert here in Milan, between songs there were no screams or "fuck you" said just for the fuck of it...SILENCE and admiration was all i could feel from the audience. at moments it felt like a movie...or trippin' on acid...all i know is it was so hard not to be moved by this kind of show. i got back home and listened to Lateralus starting from the last track..and somehow it all made sense to me. i wanna see em again....i'll definitely travel to the US as soon as a proper tour is announced. TOOL is definitely worth it....along w. yesterday's show, the 2 best concerts of my life. i was trippin' with no acid in me....that was great. thats what when music is definitely the BEST thingh in life!

Review written by: Valerio (valerio@wnet.it) Review posted on: 05/31/01 07:19:23

Grandissimi, semplicemente grandissimi. Non credo ci siano altre parole per definire quello che ho visto ieri sera. In effetti i presupposti non sono stati i migliori...il gruppo di spalla sembrava essere lì UNICAMENTE per posticipare ulteriormente l'attesa dei 3 o 4 mila fan accorsi all'Alcatraz (più o meno, difficile fare una stima stando nelle prime file!). Un'ora buttata via insomma. Fortunatamente, quello che è venuto dopo ha ABBONDANTEMENTE ripagato tutti della lunga attesa. Le canzoni hanno spaziato (in ordine sparso) dal più vecchio Undertow (Sober, Prison Sex) al (fin troppo) nuovo Lateralus ( The Grudge in apertura, Schism, Lateralis, Parabol-Parabola, Disposition, Reflection ) passando per Aenima (Stinkfist, la grandissima Eulogy, Pushit, Aenema). Se avevo dei dubbi sull'effettiva resa di alcune canzoni, soprattutto in ambito vocale, il concerto di ieri me li ha spazzati via completamente. Maynard (come anche gli altri) è stato superbo, cantando per quasi due ore consecutive in modo impeccabile. Il quasi è riferito al piccolo break di circa 10 minuti in cui è stato proiettato il video di Schism, cosa che ha fatto un pò storcere il naso a molti visto che Schism era già stata suonata in precedenza (si narra che nelle ultime file la gente si chiedesse "ma non l'hanno già suonata??", credendo che il gruppo fosse ancora sul palco, ma non posso confermare... :) . Il video era comunque bellissimo come sempre, in pieno stile TOOL (quindi per stomaci forti diciamo...), e sicuramente e' stato una bella sorpresa per quelli che ancora non avevano avuto occasione di vederlo (cioè probabilmente i tantissimi che NON si sono scaricati gli 80 mega dell'MPEG, tra cui purtroppo non io... :P ). Il buon Maynard si è anche improvvisato chitarrista in alcune canzoni di Lateralus, anche se in realtà ai più è sembrato che non abbia suonato neanche una nota...mah, misteri... Adam Jones è stato praticamente immobile sulla sinistra del palco per tutto il concerto, mentre Justin è stato sicuramente più attivo (c'è voluto poco...) del suo collega. Danny Carey era quasi completamente nascosto da una batteria ENORME, e dubito che qualcuno l'abbia potuto vedere...fortunatamente TUTTI l'hanno potuto sentire, perchè ha martorato il suo strumento in modo semplicemente divino (specialmente in canzoni come Aenema, che probabilmente è stata la più apprezzata dal pubblico insieme a Sober). Note negative reali non ce ne sono state, fortunatamente (a parte la lunga attesa). La cosa che mi aspettavo, e che è effettivamente successa, è che la maggior parte del pubblico non conosceva le canzoni di Lateralus (ad esclusione di Schism forse), e le ha accolte in modo leggermente più tiepido rispetto a quelle più note di Aenima e Undertow. Probabilmente questo era inevitabile, vista la data di uscita del cd che ha lasciato veramente pochissimo tempo ai fan di ascoltarlo e di apprezzarlo prima di sentirlo dal vivo. Un altro piccolo appunto che ho sentito da molti nel dopo-concerto è stato il fatto che abbiano suonato canzoni come Reflection o Pushit, che hanno delle lunghissime introduzioni o comunque parti strumentali che mal si adattano ad un concerto, e in parte sono d'accordo. Capisco comunque che un attimino per riprendersi a Maynard dovevano concederlo, visto che si è sfondato i polmoni per tutto il concerto! :) Bellissima la grafica proiettata sul maxi schermo dietro al palco, in pieno stile TOOL (come i video :), e quindi incomprensibile ai più, ma sicuramente affascinante e molto adatta alle canzoni suonate. Speriamo che tornino in Italia presto! P.S. Se avete foto, video, audio, strumenti o membri dei tool che avete preso al concerto, vi ringrazierei molto se mi contattaste!

Review written by: alice (alice_st@inwind.it) Review posted on: 05/31/01 11:41:32

Is not so easy to talk about something i'll never forget. I've been waiting for a long time and unfortunately that day has already gone. I would have wanted that the show was endless,it's so hard to restart ......The band looks so great on stage. I had no doubt into beeing really satisfied by the show. They are able to mix music and images in a pretty awesome way. Maynard is a great perfomer on stage,he's able to capture the audience with his unquestionable charism. His voice is surely one of the most awesome of the rock scene. They have played in such a wonderful way and i was totally dumb.Sounds the time doesn't pass while we are looking the band playing. It was such a big surprise for me to her the band start playing Eulogy.I like this song so much and it wasn't inlcuded in the previous shows. I have appreciated so much the video of Schism.This has been of of the most touching moments of the gig. I was nearly to cry. And while the band was playing Sober,alot of tears started to wet my face. Well,what can i say? I have seen Tool and my life will not be the same anymore.MUSIC ART and SOUL . My mind is not able to think and i can't put into words what my eyes have seen yesterday night. I'll nevr forget any single moment,any little detail. Tool is so fucking great. Four musicians who are able to create PURE ART.And the thing that counts is that they are not Rockstar,they are MERELY PERSONS just like me and you all.I know very well,today more than yesterday...I'll keep this amazing night stuck in my heart,my mind,my soul,my AENIMA................ Thank you guy,thank you Adam,Danny,Justin and Maynard you rock,you make my soul vibrate,you keep me breathing,you "..help me change my tired moment into pleasure. Luvya Alice

Review written by: Tons (tons3@hotmail.com) Review posted on: 06/01/01 10:29:41

I've just one word: great! I hope to see them soon. The setlist was: The Grudge Stinkfist Eulogy Prison Sex Schism Pushit Disposition Reflection Schism Video Sober Parabol Parabola Aenema Lateralus

Review written by: Weslo (penis@marijuana.com) Review posted on: 06/01/01 14:50:04

La musica della roccia paga fuori. La musica della roccia lo prende su un joyride. La musica della roccia lo mantiene fuori del bus della città di hell. La musica della roccia osserverà sempre fuori per me, ma non lascerò il mio demon di profanity di tortura spararlo giù.

Review written by: srsa (srsa@graffiti.net) Review posted on: 06/01/01 17:33:16

There're people who work hard for reaching what they desire. Working gave me the chance to get to TOOL concert in Milan after 7 h by train. I slept in Milan cause it was impossible to me to go back home after the concert and so I spent all my little possessions for do that. But obviously it was worth while. Basically I borned again. The concert sounded just like the cd and guys on stage were too professional and powerful that you could not not-love em. You could clearly see all their experience and skill in action with a hectic pace. I have no words for describe it. It happens all inside yourself. TOOL is the only band in the world that rapresent art and music in the same way I feel em inside me. I have got too much empathy for these 4 guys. I have never seen a concert like this one before. I am just a little sorry that Maynard did not talk too much with the odiens that probably would have loved some "extra-words" from him. But at least it doesn't matter. I also think tool-t-shirts were a little expensive but probably the reason is that lira sucks as coin. Anyway I bought 3 shirts as memory. I had to do that. Now TOOL are getting all satisfactions they deserve after such a long hard work in the years. This is the godlike justice that breathe among us. Good job guys! peace 1 srsa ps: for any question do not hesitate to forward your thoughts.

Review written by: elisa (there_snoloveinfear@hotmail.com) Review posted on: 06/01/01 17:54:18

it has been the best live performance of my life... I've never felt so deeply moved... so excited! thanks tool...

Review written by: Jay "maverick" (mavrik21@home.com) Review posted on: 06/03/01 07:05:06

Traveled from Zurich to Milan to see our boys without tickets....so I was a little worried. Once at the show - it was quite a different scene than the Zurich show. Vendors everywhere selling tees. Knowing very little Italian - figured out how to say "two tickets" and within minutes I was making the purchase. The scalpers totally raped us compared to face value but face value over here is 20 dollars...so it was fine. The venue was pretty phat. A large warehouse which is probably a dance club when not hosting bands. Alcatraz was a perfect venue due to the fact that it wasnt that big but big enough to enjoy the artistic concepts that Tool has to offer over video and lasers. The highlight was hearing "Eulogy" which came as a total surprise considering they have been sticking with a consistent set list from the states to here in Europe. Heading back to the states tomorrow. My vacation is complete!!!

Review written by: Claudia (campy@tin.it) Review posted on: 06/03/01 12:41:55

Tool music can really help us to transmutate lead into gold. they showed us this during their performance in Milan. It was the best concert I've ever seen. Thank you Adam, Maynard, Danny and Justin.

Review written by: ToolEurope21 (havok@rushmore.com) Review posted on: 06/08/01 04:38:32

Well I guess i'll start at the beginning. First I had to sit through Cortizone again, this time the lead singer knocked his microphone over and had to stop playing for a few minutes. But by the end of "The Grudge" all of those memories slide quickly away. For this show, like the others, Maynard dressed in all black leather. This time he left his pants on however, but did lose the shirt. This show was amazing, perfect could be the better word. They also added "Eulogy" for this show and cut out "Opiate". If you don't know, you must see Tool. It isn't too late to go on a European voyage.... I doubt you will regret it.