Review written by: Rebecca (BecBoo424@aol.com) Review posted on: 07/31/97 00:49:29 It is hard to explain in words how I felt when Tool came out and started to play. Seeing them live was something I had been waiting for, and now that it was happening I didn't know how to feel. The music will never be the same after seeing them play their emotions live. When a friend asked if i was happy about seeing them, I didn't know how to respond. Of course I was happy, but it also hurt. I felt more inside me at that moment that I will relive it each time I hear Aenima or Opiate or Sober or anything come out of my cd player again. It is truly amazing how a band can sound so altogether perfect when playing live. And more tham that, just knowing that there were people surrounding me who actually understood, who knew why this was so special who knew why I was crying who simply stood and gazed starry eyed at the stage. The emotion was so tense, the feeling so great that I didn't know what to do. I will remember that day as one of the most significant in my life. I overheard a boy behind me say ti himself, "Noone understands, they just don't understand." What this show did for me was make me realize that there are people who understand, we just each live in our own little worlds, alone. I've never felt more at home than I did on that day. I have never felt so much pain and happiness together at the same time. That is power of Tool, for me anyway.
Review written by: BRIAN (HERATIC396) Review posted on: 07/27/97 16:52:30 [Just look at this. This is why we have lowercase letters. --Kabir] I SAW TOOL AT LOLLAPALOOZA AND THAT WAS MY FIRST TIME SEEING TOOL.I THINK THAT TOOL PUTS ON SUCH AN AMAZING SHOW.THEY SOUND EXACTLY THE WAY THEY DO ON THEIR RECORDS AS THEY DO LIVE AND SOMETIMES THATS A BAD THING. BECAUSE YOU CAN JUST SIT HOME AND LISTEN TO IT AND NOT HAVE TO BOTHER WITH GOING TO THE SHOW. BUT TOOL IS DIFFERENT, FROM THE SECOND THEY WALKED OUT ON THE STAGE I KNEW IT WOULD BE GOOD. BECAUSE THEY ALL WERE'NT JUST WEARING JEANS AND T-SHIRT'S MAYNARD FOR EXAMPLE WAS WEARING A BRA AND WOMENS UNDERWEAR AND THESE BIG WHITE BOOTS HE LOOKED LIKE A STORM TROOPER AND HIS FACE WAS BRIGHT WHITE WITH THAT REALLY LONG W THEY OPENED WITH HOOKER WITH A PENIS AND THEY ROCKED. I RAN DOWN TO THE FLOOR AS FAST AS MY LEGS COULD CARRY ME. THEY DID EVERY SONG SO PERFECTLY AND THEY ALL HAVE SUCH AN EXCELLENT STAGE PRESENCE.AND THAT VIDEO SCREEN WAS SOMETHING I'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE AND I THOUGHT IT WAS COOL THAT THEY SHOWED THE VIDEO FOR AENIMA LIVE. I WENT HOME AND BRAGGED TO ALL MY FRIENDS THAT I SAW THE VIDEO LIVE TOOL WAS THE MAIN REASON THAT I WENT TO LOLLA I WAS JUSST PISSED THAT WE HAD TO SIT THREW SNOOPS SET TO WAIT FOR TOOLBUT IT WAS WORTH IT I'M 17 YEARS OLD AND IVE BEEN TO ALOT OF CONCERTS BUT IN MY 17 YEARS TOOL HAS TO BE MY FAVORITE THE NEXT TIME THEY COME TO NEW YORK MY FRIENDS AND I ALREADY SAID WE WERE GOING TO GET TICKETS.
Review written by: scott shortman (waynesplace@worldnet.att.net) Review posted on: 07/24/97 10:50:25 TOOL was fantastic,although they only played 75 minutes.Maynards voice wailed at Downing stadium and the light show was awesome.
Review written by: Jeremy Bunblasky (Bugis2@aol.com) Review posted on: 07/18/97 00:51:11 TOOL ROCKS! It was the best show i have ever seen. It sounded great and they really got the crowd pumped up. Better than Rage, Bush, No Doubt, and all the other concerts ive seen. Maynard, although wearing a bra and hardly anything else really rocked. Adam had the best live sound coming out of his Mesa Boogie setup. Best sounding concert. TOOL gets a perfect 10!
Review written by: Jeff Nicastro (nicastro@sprynet.com) Review posted on: 07/17/97 16:18:17 Tool's performance at the July 11th Lollapalooza show in New York was fuckin awesome. Maynard came out with a brasier and full breasts and the crowd, mostly there just to see Tool, went completely nuts. They started out with Hooker With a Penis and kept the energy level at a maximum throughout the whole set. Some of the highlights included stirring renditions of Sober and Forty six and 2 and the debut of the Aenima video. Tool singlehandedly saved this Lollapalooza. They kicked ass!!!!!!
Review written by: Master Reviewer (Triple Gut@aol.com) Review posted on: 07/15/97 23:39:30 All that needs to be said is if you are even lucky enough to try and conceive what TooL is about or what you should expect frome them don't cause nothin, absolutly nothig can prepare you.You will be engulfed in Maynerd's aura. Few people know what HE is about me not being one of them. but i can say this HE is .....I dont even want to describe it with words, i can't even describe it with words, just eat a few mushrooms and open your mind and it will all fall in to place.
Review written by: Erik Schermond (TxsHrdCore@aol.com) Review posted on: 07/15/97 20:13:42 July 10 was a hell of a night. I couldn't fall asleep until 3 AM and knowing that I was meeting everyone at 8 was gonna suck. The next thing I know it's 7 o'clock in the morning, and I'm eating Cheerios. I called up Jimmy and told him to wake up. He s aid he was, so I finished my Cheerios, and made a couple thermos' of coffee. I pick up Jim and Bethany, then it was over to Belford to get Jimmy and Jer. We got to the Diner on time, and were disappointed to find out that we had to wait for people. 11 extreme Tool fans packed into 3 cars was gonna be rough. Blah Blah Blah, yackety-schmackety, lost in NY, blah blah. Finally were in New York, and greeted by some sort of Krishna guy selling books. MJK would have loved it. Finally, we get inside, walk to all the drug booths, "For tobacco use only." Go to the main stage, and sit down. Blah Blah Blah, Marleys, James, Blah Blah Blah, Korn, Tricky, Snoop. Then, having saved our energy, we made our way off the bleachers and as close as we possibly could towards the stage for the one and only. As we heard Bill Hicks, all of us awaited the opening of Third Eye. Then Danny appeared, looking like his normal self. Then it was Justin, in his blue polka-dots, (oh God I can't believe this is actually happeni ng); Adam in his blue hair, which I thought was cool seeming that mine was pink. Now with all this blue, I had expected MJK to come out in his blue face. So I was expecting any sort of big shock on the MJK front. Then it happened, the sexiest man/woman to ever appear in front of my undeserving eyes came out on to the stage. And it was HIM, in all his FUCKING glory. The one and only Maynard James Keenan. I had planned to keep my eyes on Adam and Justin during "Hooker witha penis" because I love the strum pattern in that song. But as soon as MJK manifested on stage, there was nothing but him and a 3-foot aura around him. My eyes never left his as they ripped through HWAP. Then, when he did the candle trick, I was probably the only one awestruck e nough to not be shouting "YES!" When he told us lucky people that they had something special for us, i thought it might be a new song, but I was even more pleased to find out it was the video to "nema." As Maynard and Adam were both watching the video, I didn't take my eyes off the screen. Then, when he dedicated a song to his brother Erik, it made me happy. Then I realized that it was "Opiate," so I kinda figured that maybe he and his brother didn't get along that well. By the end of that I was way too fucked up to understand or even begin to comprehend Orbital, so we left. Sorry guys. But, whilst sitting in a long line of cars leaving the lot, i heard some kickin' bass, so if you're reading this about to go to Lollapalooza, give 'em a chance, I wish I did. I love you, Maynard James Keenan, wherever you are.
Review written by: Russell Sanders (lunartic@telenet.net) Review posted on: 07/15/97 19:47:03 JULY 11 - I drove three hours from upstate, and man was it worth it. I've waited five grueling years to see TOOl. What can I say ? From start to finish, it was a climactic experience. The raw energy and intensity TOOL portrayed was extremely breathtaking! I've seen alot of bands, but these guys take the cake! The pit was ferocious. just as intended. NY pits fucking hard. 46 and 2, OPIATE, and PUSHIT, were my personal favorites, but the whole set smoked. The show was so good in fact, I wish it never had to end. Maynard is GOD! My hat is off, a brilliant performance. Try to hit Upstate next time ?! Time for my daily TOOL fix.
Review written by: Russell Sanders (lunartic@telenet.net) Review posted on: 07/15/97 19:43:23 JULY 11 - I drove three hours from upstate, and man was it worth it. I've waited five grueling years to see TOOl. What can I say ? From start to finish, it was a climactic experience. The raw energy and intensity TOOL portrayed was extremely breathtaking! I've seen alot of bands, but these guys take the cake! The pit was ferocious. just as intended. NY pits fucking hard. 46 and 2, OPIATE, and PUSHIT, were my personal favorites, but the whole set smoked. The show was so good in fact, I wish it never had to end. Maynard is GOD! My hat is off, a brilliant performance. Try to hit Upstate next time ?! Time for my daily TOOL fix.
Review written by: John DiVuolo (jdivuolo@monmouth.com) Review posted on: 07/14/97 21:40:34 Consult the other reviews on this page for set list/stage show/maynard's tits... It must be said here that I just recouperated from the extacy that was TOOL. I saw them at Roseland in '96, Convention Hall '97, and I must say that they outdid themselves @ Lollapalooza! Blew my mind! I'm glad they took out the Third Eye opening- Hooker with a Penis is the greatest opening song in the history of all concerts(even broadway). Maynard was in good humor, and knew full well that a stadium full of people were there to specifically see him. Adam had a look of amazement on his face like-"Are we really this popular?" And I was finally close enough to see how much ass Danny kicks on drums(didn't even lose time when he was hit in the head with a frisbee). The new video for Aenima is so twisted, I don't see how they will get it on MTV, but let's hope so. And we got a little of Bill Hicks' monologue on selling out before they came on, and a jazzy version of hooker. As far as the audience- what a bunch of cocks! Way too violent. I am getting so pissed off at the peckerheads who think they are at a BioHazard show. If you're reading this... Get lost, and go fuck yourselves! One more bad thing: Maynard said "Stick around for Orbital, you won't be disappointed." Maynard lies.
Review written by: V.A. Lopes (mtfern@bellatlantic.com) Review posted on: 07/14/97 21:23:39 The July 11 show of Lollapoloza was awsome the highlights were Korn and of course Tool. The first band to play was Julian and Damian Marley and the Uprising Band, then the flamboyant members of James retreated second. Then Korn come one. When the members of Korn took the stage and strumed a few cords a mad riot broke out. Jon paraded around in his kilt with a bag-pipe wich was quite entertaining. After Korn, Tricky took the stage, then Snoop Doggy Dog and Finally Tool. Maynard took the stage Dressed as a women, He has a very nice body I could never look as good as he did in the clothes he was wearing. Adam had his hair died a nice mid-night blue, which really looked cool, he also had his usually red chin line. Justin came out painted in blue poka-dots. Dan was just looking sort of normal. They played awsome it was so intense, Everyone was like in a state of awe ad they shouted out the lyrics to Eulogy, Stinkfist, Aenema, Undertow, and Sober(those are the only ones I can remember right now). They also showed the music video to Aenema, it was the unofficial premeire I guess. It was pretty cool. They show several animals mating on the large screen they had set up, it was very interesting! When tool left the stage every one left the stadium. Unfortunately Devo and Orbital were playing to like 100 people.
Review written by: Latnlou (Lou@bitsmart.com) Review posted on: 07/14/97 16:39:05 All I have to say is two words (FUCKING AWSOME)! I have read and heard that tool's performances were spectacular, but nothing I mean NOTHING perpared me for what I saw that night! The moment I saw Maynard come out with the gear he had on I knew It was going to be good! As the band ripped into Hooker with a penis the whole crowd transformed itself into one whole collective mass of chaos! I loved ever minute in the pits. I for one have never mashed but being tool I HAD to go and experience this ri tual. Well I LOVED IT! I was overcome by the raw power of maynard's voice. The highlights of the show was Pushit begin such a long song I had no Idea that they could've pulled it of the way they did! The other two songs had to be aenma (which feat ured the video) and of course forty-six & 2. The only song that they didn't play was prison sex, but I had no complaints. As for the show here's and quick overview 1.Marley twins:SUCKED 2.James:Alright 3.Korn:They ruled (too much dust) 4.Tricky:Cool 5 .Snoop doggy dog: WHY? 6.TOOL:THEY OWNED LOLLAPALOOZA!!!!!!!!!!!! 7.Orbital:Didn't stay (All TOOLed out) Honorable mention Swamp song and Stinkfist Ruled! I fucking Love these guys!
Review written by: Vito (joepalma@li.net) Review posted on: 07/14/97 09:58:33 I felt that it was important to first talk about the review I just saw in Newsday for Lollapalooza at Randall's Island. It was overall negative, and the reviewer said that Orbital was the best part of the show. This person also called Tool a Violent Hard-Core band. To say Orbital was the best is fine, opinions are allowed, but calling Tool Violent Hard- Core shows this person is not was not qualified to review this type of concert. With that out of the way... Tool was great, and the atmosphere during their set was suprisingly mellow. The first song or two were a little wild, but no were nere Korn, and they died out quickly making the show easy to enjoy. The highlight of the show for me was Pushit. This song demonstrates the range of Maynerds voice. The rest of the set was solid and tight. A great performance. If I may though I would like to address the rest of the show. First I thought it was great that toolshed.down.net got a listing as tool web sight in the program. Now the other acts. Marly: didn't see. James: lame. Korn: great. Snoop: Entertaining. Porno for Pyros:hypocritical. At one point Perry Ferral held up a bottle of booze, maybe a 40, maybe something hard. It would have been nice if he held up one of those 5$cups of beer everyone else had to buy. Just cause your a big rock star doesn't mean you have to rub in the fact that you can B.Y.O.B and we can't.
Review written by: vicky (AENEMA1@aol.com) Review posted on: 07/13/97 21:55:06 ok, i was a little disappointed with the setup at downing stadium. i didn't expect to see dust instead of the bands, so that pissed me off. ok the review: the marley people (whatever they're called) were boring. i think james was after that. they were like u2 ripoffs, so i didn't like them much. when korn, total chaos broke out. i almost was trampled to death in the mosh pit. i hate people wh o start mosh pits. they ruin the show for people who want to listen to the music. i agree with the dude who said that mosh pit starters suck. or whatever he said. tricky was ok, but a little boring. snoop was fuckin funny. no one answered him when he said "alright everyone say beiotch" and no one said shit so it was funny. then the moment i was waiting for - tool. they fucking ruled lollapalooza!!! you already know about maynard in drag so i won't get into it. but people forgot to mention that he had a boner. so it was cool... maynard was mesmerizing. the way he danced and sang....it was definitely worth my $40 bucks. tool was awesome, i loved when they did pushit. totally better than the albulm version. tool is definitely the best band alive, and i hope they do another show after lollapalooza.
Review written by: Mike G (gerk99@bu.edu) Review posted on: 07/13/97 13:41:11 I have never seen Downing Stadium in worse situation than it was for this show. The place was so filled with dirt the pit felt like a crackhouse that just got raided with tear gas grenades. It was really bad. Well, the band came on and M.J.K donned a white mask/makeup that covered the top half of his face, a tan bra, and a pair of white hotpants. What a sight. Only a rock star could get away with this and the general consensus be that it rocked. They started with Hooker... and rocked from there. Some of the highlights of the show were Pushit fuking rocked!, the Aenima video was really cool(the band played with their backs to the crowd and played to the video screen, and a killer version of Opiate went out to MJK's brother. It was a really short but kick ass show. No encore just about 1hour 15 min of unrelenting ass kicking music. No complaints.
Review written by: Sal (eecummings@hotmail.com) Review posted on: 07/13/97 07:58:45 Wow....whew! As I got shoved closer and closer to the stage, I became ever so mezmerized by the sights and sounds, in spite of the slamming and body surfing all around me! Maynards stares of concern further hypnotized my mind, altered only by the genious that is Tool. I'll never love another band!
Review written by: pete (chuwii@aol.com) Review posted on: 07/13/97 00:15:21 i have to say that its was an intense day, from begining to end. tricky was very good and his dancing and rocking motions reminded me much of maynard. then my friends and i stayed for snoop. he was fun and he got the crowd pumped which truned out to exciting but towards the end so f his set the pits were severe and i got pulled into the outskirts of them...i hate pits and i believe that the people that start them and participate in them ruin the enjoyment of the music for others. as soon as tool came on on the whole crowd went nuts, pits opened up every ten feet...it totally ruined the entire show for me and all of my freinds... SHIT all i wanted to do was watch tool from close up and just take all their energy in...but no a bunch of DICKHEADS have to fuck it all up and call if moshing or some shit like that. hell, im 6'3 210lb guy and i had trouble keepin my head from gettin hit by some surfer of some asshole mosher or pitter what ever they call their stupid selves...2 of my friends were gettin crushed and I damn near passed out from all the dirt and smoke and heat and crushing bodies DID IT EVER OCCUR TO THOSE ASSHOLES OUT THERE TO ACTUALLY LISTEN TO THEIR MUSIC WHILE THEY PLAYED...or would it be easier to beat the piss out of each other and crush OTHER fans? so yeah my night was ruined...and my head is still aching...i cant believe that we all made it out of there safely...it was chaotis and animalistic at best... i went to the show in new york back in march when they were tourin over here and there wasnt anything like this.... people...they fuck everything up.... later and fuck u to all u assholes out there, u know who u are -pete
Review written by: Matt Young (Phenoik@aol.com) Review posted on: 07/12/97 17:26:21 As Maynard took the stage in Drag with his face painted in mime fashion, I knew I was getting what I'd paid to see. As they broke into thre first song of the set, the nastiest Moshpit I've ever enjoyed erupted near intantly. Such songs as Sober, 46 & 2, And AEnima drew such a response from hard-core fans As I have never before seen. Also featured by the group was their bebut of the AEnima video, yet another Haunting sto[p motion masterpiece. I'm looking forward to possibly seeing the band again on Aug. 6th in
Review written by: Matty Ass (habitman@hotmail.com) Review posted on: 07/12/97 16:54:52 ... .... ..... Damn, I sat through a couple hours of bullshit excluding Korn and tricky.. but it was worth it. TOOL ruled Lolla. From the first second he steped out on stage to when he said Thank You.good night He controlled the audience. Every twist every turn he was amazing. I was really looking foward to seeing Third Eye, but I have no complaints. One of the most amazing songs that I think they did was Pushit. I had no clue that they could pull that off live. Well it was an amazing show and they better tour the east coast after their lolla dates... MJK for pres...
Review written by: Mike Fenster (patrick@villagenet.com) Review posted on: 07/12/97 12:08:36 WOW!!!!!!!!! Thats about all i can say for Tool. It was incredible!!! The sound was so good. Of course Maynard was dressed in his tight biker shorts fake breasts and biege tank top. His face was painted white and he had his ponytail. When he walked out, he gave the audience a very long stare and we went wild. Nobody really cheered for Danny but i did. Adams hair was blue and Justin had blue dots painted on his body. Here's the set list(not correct order) Hooker,stinkfist(extra shit),46&2,eulogy,sober,swamp song,pushit(yeah!!!),opiate,and aenema. During Hooker he told the audience about tee shirts,during stinkfist there was the extra shit to live it up . Before 46&2 maynard said that this song was about gradual changes,before opiate he said that this song was dedicated to his brother and befor aenema he said"we have something special for you tonight,remember,you saw it here first"We also did the yes!!!!! thing That was it no encore after aenema. It rocked!!!!!!!!!
Review written by: Cinnamongrrrl (cinnamongrrrl@hotmail.com) Review posted on: 07/12/97 05:04:34 Like most people there, probably, I waited all day to see Tool, and joined the mad exodus after they were done. They rooled Lollapalooza . But as much as they rocked that place with some of my favorite cuts off their last cd (Hooker with a Penis, Aenima, Stinkfist), and the older one (Intolerance, and what, no Prison Sex?), here was my favorite part: Maynard wore some kinda bodysuit thingy, the bra part of which was stuffed. I'm certainly not claiming to know what meaning he was going for, but I sure know what I inferred from it. Anytime someone can take a genre as machismo-l aden as speed metal, for crissakes, and force his audience to deal with its own homophobia. ..hey, that's genius in my book. That's why Tool rool as far as I can see. Their music kicks ass, and they've got important shit to say. What more can anyone ask from a rock band?