concert reviews firsthand, immediate, from the heart
05/14/2002



Review written by: newsonic (bird.must.sing@caramail.com)
Review posted on: 05/14/02 20:13:21 ET

This was this reviewer's 1st Tool show

Return to home and write you how the show was incredible.....During two hours of pleasure, I have seen one of the best band in world playing and doing a wonderful show...That's just a good thing that Pablo have not a long set (30minutes) because I don't find them good, that's a shame that it's no Fantomas or The Melvins!!!(Sorry if my english is bad but I am French) I will send you the setlist, I am not sure at 100% but for me, it was : 1- The Grudge 2- Stinkfist 3- 46 & 2 4- Parabola 5- H. 6- Schism 7- Sober 8- Disposition / Reflection 9- Intermission with clip of Parabol Parabola 10- Triad with the man of Pablo 11- Aenema 12- Lateralus They finished the show by huging themselves and trowing stuff in the public... And for all people who are going to saw them, Enjoy!!!

Review written by: Patrick (pwinsheimer@aol.com) Review posted on: 05/14/02 22:12:35 ET

This was this reviewer's 16th Tool show

Hi again, to the Luxemburg people, this show must have seemed like a very special event. To me, after having been to the shows in Groningen and Paris, it was another good Tool show, but not the best one. The venue was kinda like a place where normaly small planes are parked, so there was just a floor and no balkony or something. Most fans had to stay away far from the band, so, other like in Paris and Groningen, there was no intimate atmosphere at all, and a lot of people didn´t see much than others people´s backs and heads. The setlist already posted seems the same that i can remember. Maynard did some Grandmaster Flash in Stinkfist ("White lines ... going through my mind...") like he already did in Paris. During the second part of the show, he was onstage just in his shorts, like he did last year and in early years. Just when they got together for the group hug, Danny seemed to have good fun trying to pull down Maynard´s shorts. One can never say whether a Tool show will be good, great or fantastic before, it depents on the venue very much. Soon i am going to know what the festival shows will be like on this tour, and i´m looking forward to it very much. Till then Patrick

Review written by: crunch (davepunk@hotmail.com) Review posted on: 05/15/02 04:04:07 ET

This was this reviewer's 3th Tool show

hello all the setlist is right. the show was not bad but the sound was great. If I start a band, I want Maynard for the guitar. We recorded it. Germans are too tall. Luxburg is nice but lost. I'm fucking tired. The songs from Aenema are not the same with the "Lateralus live sound". enjoy the next shows. dave

Review written by: Jamie (rawk@iinet.net.au) Review posted on: 05/15/02 04:27:34 ET

This was this reviewer's 20.5 Tool show

how Number 20 hay, who would have though, and I still dont seem to be getting jaded. I got into Ettelbruk after a decent train ride over from Lonodn, ran into a couple of yanks and headed out to the venue to meet leon. It was set in a very quiet part of town, I mean the whole fuking countrys pretty quiet as a rule, but it was nice never the less. The venue looked like it was of importance in WW2 or somethig, maybe to house some planes or give the kids a place to play basket ball . The sound system there was nothing to brag about and the accoustics were nothing special but the overall general size of the place was kool. The band seemed to lapse back into last ears EU setlists a bit, coming out the the spiral eye intro, as oposed to the 2 london shows the prevous nights. 46+2 was defintaly a missed crowd adition but I would have rathered 4. but Im not going to winge about setlistzs :) Well, maynard seemed to be really getting inot the swings of things, after stinkfist, he told some americans off, made the crowd hush before disposition but other wise was him usaul mute self. Execpt for a few bogans down the front trying the get circle mosh going the crowd was repsonsive. Ok, now I think I go have a feed and a sleep C U in Vienna!!!!!!!! And JIM , if your out there DROP ME A LINE !!!, WHERE THE FUK R U HERMIT BOY pps Kabir Ette(l)bruck :)

Review written by: Danny G (dlgrabko@stthomas.edu) Review posted on: 05/15/02 07:29:49 ET

This was this reviewer's 2nd Tool show

This was my first Tool show outside of the United States. It had a very different feel than the Arena Tour shows, even though the format was very similar. The only thing missing was the naked performers hanging from the rafters...not that they would have fit. The venue was, as stated, like an old hnager, only really small. It was probably the old banquet hall for the football club that must own the building as there are pitches surrounding the hall on two sides. I met a couple of Yanks before the show, a local who I happily bought some Mushrooms from, and then I met the exact definition of asshole that Tool always talk about. Yes, it was you three, the Aussie, the New Zealander and the German. They are the roadies who follow Tool around the whole time and want to steal Tool's shows by sneaking in thousand's of Euros worth of recording equipment and trying to pirate out copies. This is exactly what Tool has always talked about...protecting themselves from the few assholes out there that ruin it for everyone. Of course they don't think they are doing anything wrong, they just don't get it. No respect for the band, and they claim to be devout supporters. What better way to stab Tool in the back. Well done, assholes. Enough of that though, on to the show. The opening band, Pablo, were actually pretty good, considering that they were given no consideration soundwise, and the bass player had to keep telling the sound guys to turn up his mate's vocals throughout. They had a few good tunes, and potential is there, I wonder what their recorded versions sound like. But in any case, nobody was there to see them, which of course they knew. Hard to impress people who aren't listening and aren't open to hearing anything besides Tool. After Pablo left to a lesser applause than they deserved, there was about a 20 minute wait. During this time, Danny's drum set was revealed, and because of the tiny venue, I got to see the new thing up close and personal for the first time. It is very intricately worked, with all of the elctronic pieces intertwined in the normal snares and what have you, and topping it off with that massive gong behind it. The various background music started to form together into a sort of dark ambient background noise...very Lateralus-like and then the hall darkened and the video began with the Lat. eye circle. Another five minutes pass, and then the dark ambience shifts and Mantra begins, accompanied by Danny, Adam, Justin, and Maynard. The crowd roars...how much of an event must this have been for the majority of the people there, myself included. THe venue was so small that it felt like you were getting your own personal show! The band members were so close!! You could see them sweat, their facial expressions, everything! Very cool. Maynard came out in black trousers and a black leather motorcycle jacket with sleek black sunglasses. He slowly shed garments throughout the show until he was just in his shorts by the end. Danny was wearing a sleaveless LA Lakers top throughout. Adam and Justin were their usual nondescript selves. As I had expected, they opened with The Grudge, and then right into an extended Stinkfist followed by 46 & 2. Then they paused for breath, Maynard taking the opportunity to say welcome to everyone as is his want, and then slagging off some silly Yanks, telling them to, "be a lot cooler than you are being, you are embarrassing us." I couldn't see what was going on though. Then came Parabola without the accompanying Parabol, so no intro, and then I was happily surprised to hear H. as well following. Very good choice. This was followed by Schism with an extended lull in the middle, and then Sober. All the while the mirror image video and Maynard's own personal screen were powering out the deeply artistic and enthralling videos that would send a tripping man to tears and wondering astonishment. As it was, it was still mind blowing. Then they did their typically emotional performances of Reflection/Disposition, the final rif being played by Adam for about five extra minutes as the band slowly went off stage one by one until Adam himself hit one last chord and went off. This was followed by the Studio version of Parabol/Parabola with the new video accompanying it. Then the Band came back on stage with the Drummer from Pablo, and I knew what was coming. Triad began with a drum solo turned duet as Danny and the Pablo drummer went at it for a few minutes before the rest of the band came into it. Maynard's not quite comfortable with the guitar in his hands it seems, but he knew what his boundaries were and everything sounded great, so it was a very good performance of Triad. Then Maynard thanked "John from Pablo" warmly, and did his "Take this feeling and create something positive" speech to the crowd before they finished evening with Ænema and Lateralus. They hugged, and threw out stuff for the crowd before leaving the stage. Very nice. The show was a good one, because the Band were able to keep genuine emotion and depth of feeling in every song they played, everyone managed to stay in it and be up for it. I think this is what Tool are trying to do, is give every fan the experience that the last crowd got, give them the feeling they want to portray given the mood of their new album. They don't go touring for the Aussie and New Zealand assholes (What can you expect from a penal colony) who travel around and criticise them for playing the same stuff every night, but still try to steal their shows anyway. Those are the few who always go on about Tool not caring anymore...I personally think they care more than ever before about trying to connect with people. Maynard says it best when he cautions the crowd, "I hope you've come not only equipped with open minds, but open hearts as well." For all those in Vienna who have never seen a show, I hope you thoroughly enjoy the experience. And all you penal colony bastards, leave your gear at home, and pay some respect to the band you claim to love.

Review written by: Michael (pie_man@hotmail.com) Review posted on: 05/16/02 00:25:56 ET

Why are Americans so insular? I'm just pointing out that the above reviewer who states that New Zealand started life as a penal colony is completely wrong. Research your facts first you wanker. These types of comments are typical of a person hailing from a country whose beginnings started as a haven for puritannical rejects.

Review written by: Hello (hello@hello.hello) Review posted on: 05/20/02 00:32:20 ET

This was this reviewer's hell Tool show

Fuck yanks luv the sound of their own voice!!! Check out Danny G's review!!! What a fuckn septic!!!

Review written by: Another New Zealand degenerate (dontthink@sobuddy.com) Review posted on: 05/20/02 08:27:23 ET

This was this reviewer's 3rd Tool show

What the hell? Could you tell me what the Fuck New Zealand has to do with any of this? Some guy whinges about a New Zealander and another gimp start telling me (A New Zealander) the history of my country. (false narrow minded gibberish) Then you have the nerve to tell us about how the concert openned your mind up. I could start off on the whole Hitler / Mussolini crap. Start talking about the concert instead of how damn sexual fustrated you all are.

Review written by: Danny G (dlgrabko@stthomas.edu) Review posted on: 05/20/02 15:35:53 ET

This was this reviewer's 2nd Tool show

First of al I would apologize to all those I offended in my review. I would like to point out that I am not American, but Ukrainian, and also that my words were written in bitterness at the abuse and rapage I saw at the show. I did not mean to imply that all Aussies and Kiwis were ancestors of murderers and thieves....only a majority of you ;) Just Kidding. Anyway I didn't mean anything by it, I just got carried away, and am sorry...I humbly accept all the flaming I got over what were crude and heedless words. Sorry for getting New Zealand's history wrong...again just bitter words...cheers to all an

Review written by: spiralout (marprice62at hotmail.com) Review posted on: 05/21/02 06:56:46 ET

This was this reviewer's 9 Tool show

hey not much time to review it, but the show was the most intimate of the european tour as of yet, set in what appeared to be a ymca gym of some sort. the crowd was calm and i was on the rail center. the band was so easz to see from anywhere and maynard was moving and dancing as normal, minus lots of clothes. saw both shows in london, and rock im ring, and this was the best, or at least parallel to the first night at the brixton. awesome, spiral out, see them now, because the hugs at the end of every show and the fact they have toured for two years off lateralus means something.....spiral out, keep going...... matt, in munich now.....states soon