Spring 1997 Tour Reviews

Date: April 5


From: "MacCarthy-Morrogh Family" (gumble@ihug.co.nz) Subject: Tool Auckland concert Hi just want to say that Tool was excellent. I had my doubts about the venue, being a venue for basketball (three courts wide I think?!) and even as I hopped in maddly, intoxicated on the excitement of seeing Tool (not alcohol), about its size. As we sat there on the carpet(?!) we noticed the stage with two great screens, a drum kit, and a mass covered with a black sheet which turned out to be the 30 piece drum-kit! Images on the screen were often mezmorising and Maynard's voice,WOW! I tought he used some sort of pedals or effects in the recordings for his huge range and sustain but I dont think you can do that live. Worth every dollar. Also Had many comments from friends that it was as good as Michael Jackson, Which was some big act to be rated with.

From: grant taylor (gtaylor@iconz.co.nz) Subject: Review of Auckland show - 5th of april We got to the events centre at 5:00pm, just in time for sound check. Maynard was shouting "satan...satan...." in to the microphone. Then procede by saying "this is called Hooker with a penis" and the band play stinkfist. The doors opened at 7:00pm and we were first through through the doors, Propellor were pretty boring and i couldn't hear the vocals in their first two songs. Tool came out around 9ish, and i proceded to get crushed from all directions as they started Third Eye, or "Turd Eye", as was written on the play list my friend was lucky enough to get hold of. I then made it to the mezzanine where i got a better view and could bask in the glory of tool. The set list was as follows: *not quite -ions, didn't have the electricty, more like a constant rumbling. *Third Eye *Stinkfist *Forty-six and Two *Prison Sex with the extra verse/or (B)Prison Sex(B), as on the play list. *Eulogy *H. with extended "I don't mind"'s (like 5 extra times) to throw the audiance off. *Pushit *drum solo/guitar feedback/fucked up noise fest/maynard meditation session *Sober *Opiate *Aenima People before me have explainded the dress. In the bit between Pushit and Sober, Adam was waving something over his pick ups to make a wailing feedback type noise, perhaps it was a huge magnet? My friend got to feed tool as he got a job catering. growl.....I haven't talked to him about it since the middle of the concert, except he said maynard wouldn't make eye contact, and he was reading a really thick brown covered book. Oh yeah....there were too big projection screens behind them, where the videos for the songs were played if there was one, or other wierd things, such as elephants mating, people jumping up and down and turning into flag poles(?), cogs turning, and mental paterns. it would have to be the best concert i have ever been to, and i am now regreting not going to wellington as well.

From: James Culleton (jamesc@ihug.co.nz) Subject: Auckland NZ tool show review Well, here I am bruised and battered, some 30 hours after the show. I'd just like to say that the band played damned well, I just couldn't believe the quality of the sound and the strength of Maynard's voice (especially at the end of Pushit - "But it will end no other waaaaaaaaay" - amazing!). The other review gives most of the details about the show but before Pushit Maynard went something like "I'd like to clear up some misconceptions about the band. Many people think we are about hate and violence but we are not. We are a band about love and togetherness and emotions and anger. About forming thoughts and having other's thoughts forced on you. This song (pushit) is a little about that". It was unfortunate that the crowd was so wild. I was centre-stage third row for the first three songs before it was just too much to handle and I have hardly ever had to leave the front area at concerts before. Too much pushing! ("You're pushing and shoving me..."). But all credit to the band who did a damned awesome show! They used some cool looking equipment and Maynard had something like three different microphones. Adam had this huge board on the ground with all the pedals for his guitar. The lighting was very cool and atmospheric and two projector screens behind them conjured up a variety of images for some of the tracks. And I must also say that the long Sober intro was an experience never to be forgotten. And yeah the set-list in the other review was right (I could read Maynard's set-list from where I was right in front of the stage). And yeah... that's about all So have I got some A-dvice for you little buddy... go see tool live if you can!

From: John Trenwith (leafboy@ihug.co.nz) Subject: Tool in Auckland I don't think this review will differ much from the Christchurch one, and I'll try not to be repetitive, but here goes anyway... The concert was at the North Shore Events Centre, (not the stadium, as in the concert list, but anyway). Propeller were on first again, and they're a pretty good band to be fair to them. The 8000+ crowd were pretty loosened up by the time Tool came on stage at 9:00pm. They looked remarkably well, considering their fatal bus accident on the 1st of April :-) - Maynard was in his blue body-paint w/ glowing red dots and white boxers, Adam was in a plain old t-shirt & jeans, Justin with green body-paint and little devil's horns, and Danny in a pair of jeans as well. The set-list (from memory, it's the same as the Christchurch one) * Third Eye * Stinkfist - extended section after "I'll keep digging" "Auckland...? Auckland...?" * Forty-Six and Two Maynard: "I want you to reach down right inside you and give me a 'yes'. Can you do that...? Audience: "YES!" Maynard:"Just say yes..." *Prison Sex - with that extra verse *Eulogy - with the cool voice-changer thing *H. - "This is a song about choices" Rant about something...I didn't quite catch it, it sounded quite philosophical...:-/ *Pushit *Sober - with the very long intro incorporating the drum solo. Adam fiddled with his pedals and guitar, Justin mucked about with his bass and Maynard sat there as if there was a TV taped to the bottom of his microphone and something really good was on... *Opiate - "This is our last song...off our first record..." Rant about how Catholicism has taken the femininity and intuitiveness away from sex, how it's better to die fucking than smoking, "Wouldn't you all rather have some hot, passionate sex...?" Band huddle after the song. *Aenima - The "fuck" lines might have been changed round, but I couldn't hear them to be sure... It was a very good concert, although the crowd was pretty violent and people were throwing up and getting carried off by stretchers all over the place. Never mind. I'd pay to see it all again...