Review written by: hash (hash@cbplanet.net) Review posted on: 07/24/97 22:19:28 Finally..... I have waited three years to see Tool, and it was worth it. The lounge version of Hooker was great, but the way MJK made fun of most the audience by playing Hooker and telling them where to buy stuff was wicked. I personally thought Flood was the best song of lola. Korn sucks. They are some kind of COC without the nads to back it up. Snoop sucked, he's living off Tupac's death. Wish Snoop would go visit him. MJK did not lie about Devo being Very (x4) special.
Review written by: Master Reviewer (village_idiot) Review posted on: 07/23/97 10:57:24 Tool, I paid $39 dollars for the good seats at Starlake Ampitheater in Pittsburgh, PA, just to see them. Well I wanted to see Korn too but Tool is what I really had a craving to see. I had heard thast they were an exciting band to say the least, but I went in with no pre-concieved notions. Anything that I thought about Tool's music was changed. Anything I thought about Maynard changed. Anything I thought about seeing any band live changed too. Tool is not just a liveband, Tool is an experience of a life time. The go-go dancer outfit, the white kabuki face paint, and the hair extensions on Maynard didn't disguise the fact that he is awesome. To see hime scream is to feel him scream. To see Justin play bass is to feel him play bass, red stage paint aside. You cannot believe the power of Danny's drum rolls during H. It felt as if my skin was being peeled away by the shear power chords on Adams vintage Gibson Les Paul. I have been a huge fan of Tool since Opiate. I love their videos, and for all of you who are Mtv illerate, thank God there are some, you do not know what you are missing in the Aenima video. I was mesmorized by how they coordinated the live song with the video. About Maynard, he lurched and danced in a pulsating rythmn as the band rocked through most of the latest albumn, including a revamped version of "Stinkfist", a pit driven "Hooker With a Penis" that was making fun of most of the crowd. When "Sober" was played I thought that Maynard could, if he chose to, not to sing, cause the crowd was doing a damn fine job. Also they played "Undertow" and "4 degrees" off of Undertow and they played "Opiate" off of the Opiate albumn. It was great. I am not a big huge fan of Lollapalooza ever since Metallica and their hair headlined, but I would have given my left arm to see Tool if I had to, and I would have had fun doing it......later. the village idiot.
Review written by: Joy (cliched@earthlink.net) Review posted on: 07/22/97 15:04:55 Well, I'd seen Tool only once before, but this show was incredibly intense, and I was completely caught up in the performance throughout the show. MJK was dressed perfectly, grotesque and beautiful at the same time...he looked incredibly focused and intense, almost as if * he* was the subject of "Eulogy," not some other near-mythical persona. I know Tool doesn't want its fans to engage in rock star idolatory, but it's difficult not to get caught up in the amazing rush of being surrounded by thousands of people, all swaying to a singular beat, almost marching, all staring at a singer on the stage projecting both ugliness (his costume) and beauty (his voice). The band, as usual, looked incredibly serious, and nary once did any of them crack a smile, (or God forbid) say anything funny. In that sense, I felt a little alienated. Sure they fuckin' rocked and "Stinkfist" blew my soul into ecstacy, but there's this weird thing whenever I see Tool (which admittedly has only been twice)...I don't connect with the band. Because they don't seem real. Real people act stupid, real people are fallible. Everything Tool projects on stage is meant to project a sense of invulnerability...nothing is left to chance....it's like a massive fuckin' tank coming down the freeway directly towards you. So if alienation in performance is what they want, then they succeeded. In that sense, when Maynard said before "H." that "having kids will change you," it was weird. MJK was trying to be all sappy and shit to a bunch of testosterone young boys out to see Korn rock. Strange. Didn't see Korn (no loss). Eels did the Stones' "Dead Flowers," didn't see Snoop, didn't see Devo, didn't see James, didn't see Marley. Seeing Tool...I got my money's worth. GO SEE THEM!!!! Oh the video for A/enima: same type as the earlier ones...this one with humanoids with tentacles. Grotesque and beautiful, just like their stage show. Joy
Review written by: MstrOfRlty (MstrOfRlty@aol.com) Review posted on: 07/22/97 00:05:14 I had gone to Lollapalooza to see KoRn, but was totally blown away when Tool started to play. I always knew they rocked, but not that much. I especially liked the movie screen above the stage. That was cool. I'd advise any Tool fans out there to see Tool live. Because of that show, now I am a huge Tool fan, and probably always will be.
Review written by: Joe P. (joe_polk@hotmail.com) Review posted on: 07/21/97 12:34:35 I am not going to waste anyone's time putting any information in here about the other bands that played. But what I REALLY want to know is how Snopp Doggy Dogg got away with smoking pot on the stage? Anyways...I have been waiting 3 years to see TOOL..and they were definitely worth the wait! I had read other peoples reviews, and the only disappointment I had was that they didn't play "Prison Sex". The entire set rocked! I love the new video as well. (I just hope the jerks at MTV will play it). It really surprised me to see that the same people that went nuts for Korn were totally quiet for TOOL - when we all know that TOOL is a MUCH better band. By the way, my favorite song that they played was H.
Review written by: Curt C. (connoll7301@duq3.duq.edu) Review posted on: 07/21/97 11:00:45 Sun. July 20 Still going over the show over and over - as a whole this wasn't nearly as irritating as lola 92 at Starlake and i think the lineup performed better. eels - proved again that it sucks being the first band in on the mainstage. the audience AND the eels both couldn't have been more disintrested. Marley brothers - proved that most white people think Bob Marley is the only artist from Jamaica worth note. JAMES - didn't prove a thing other than they write much better songs than most alterna clap trap out there. KORN - lowriders, hubcaps, sequins, and the crowd went wild thrash thrash thrash....fight fight fight, KORN proved they had the most juvinile fans...though their set did rock. SNOOP - proved he sucked. TOOL - My first shot at a TOOL live show! Had heard a lot about their sets, but have only had my albums to judge them by. They are simply the best live performance i have ever witnessed. Ok, MJK comes out on platforms, red socks, tight boxers, and baby doll t with falsies, his makeup was somewhere in between Japanese Kabuki and Woody Allens sleeper, and his voice was more mesmerizing thn it is on their albums. Hooker with a penis wewnt into Stinkfist and the show only got better as it went on, closing with the video of aenima. I could go into the set list, but someone else is sure to have covered it, so ill just keep it simple - get yourself to a TOOL show as soon as is humanly possible. your sanity may depend upon it. (and sentimental favorites) DEVO - my first devo show as well, though ive been listening to them since 79 (10 years old, and i didn't even get the message yet!) their film intro with General Boy was a treat as was the whole show which included stage diving guitar solos - not bad for some 40 somethings from ohio. As a whole, TOOL made everyone who saw them realize that they earned the headlining spot on the tour and played with a skill beyond that of any of the other bands. kudos to Lollapalooza for putting together a great show.
Review written by: Jason Haramic (j400mpsu@hotmail.com) Review posted on: 07/20/97 23:47:29 well, you've read all the other reviews, so i'll make this short (well, maybe not). The show was great. I also drove to Poughkeepsie in march to see them, so i kinda had an idea of what to expect. They didn't pkay hooker... in NY, so i was extremely happy to hear that song as the opener (not to mention the lounge version of it prior to their appearance). Once again, as you know, the show rocked and Tool is the best live band i've seen, ever. There was only one bad thing about this particular show. It wasn't the show that was bad, though, it was the mosh pit. The venue was set up so there were seats at the front, then the lawn section started behind the shelter. The mosh pit was in the front/center of the lawn. It was the most distracting thing ever. I was standing right in front of the fence/chain in front of the pit. If i wasn't getting bumped from behind by a pit member, i was turning to look at the kid whose head was busted open. It also seemed to me that many people around that area were paying more attention to the pit than to the show. I was kinda hoping MJK would say something about it like at the other shows, but he didn't. You could tell these were the kind of "tuff guys" who didn't come to see Tool, but to show off their muscles instead. I would have enjoyed the show much more had it not been for that, but Tool is still the best band i've ever seen.
Review written by: Adam Butler (abutler@hardballsw.com) Review posted on: 07/20/97 23:17:05 The first Lallapalooza in 4 years, was definitely worth it. Had to drive three hours from the mountains of WV to see them. Good concerts don't make it this way too often. TOOL was faboulous. The do sound great on stage. A lot of energy. The crowd wasn't to into them though. They mostly seemed to be there for Korn. Sigh. Previous reviewers have mentioned the techno version of "Third Eye" played before their set, but I haven't seen any one mention the lounge lizard rendition of "Hooker with a Penis" that was played. VERY FUNNY! Are either of these altered TOOL songs going to be released?!? TOOL played some great music. I wish they had played "Pushit", but was happy with "4 (insert degree symbol here)", and "eulogy". The video for Aenima was wonderful, I hope I can catch it on MTV one day. Adafish PS. DEVO was great. They were having a blast on stage. They played a really funny movie before their set. If they play at your Lallapalooza stick around.
Review written by: Bud (ozz@sgi.net) Review posted on: 07/20/97 21:15:53 this was my first lollapalloza, and my first tool show, and i must say i was very impressed. tool is by far my favorite band in the world. set list: been there, done that... maynard was dressed as THE "hooker with a penis". did his shirt say " free frances bean"? somebody tell me. is that a reference to cobain's daughter? anyway, tool fucking blew my mind. the power and the energy that they put off is amazing. and so w as the sound, and i was two feet from the speakers next to justin...and i cant hear out of my right ear, and I LOVE IT!!! i dunno what show everyone else who posted a review saw, but i think that every band i saw rocked throught their set. this includes eels, marleys, korn, snoop and TOOL on the first stage, and summercamp the eels (again), and artificail joy club on the se cond stage. i missed james (oh no...) because i was meeting E from the eels, and fieldy from korn. and yes, tool is THE best live band i have ever seen, their set was very tight.
Review written by: Ian (ijbst@pitt.edu) Review posted on: 07/20/97 21:04:52 I had been waiting for Tool to play for about four years now... I guess it was worth the wait... Under a full moon Tool slammed through their set opening with Hooker... during a break in the song, MJK pointed us all to where we could get boxers and t-shirts, they then played Stinkfist with the beginning portion of Eulogy... Then, they happened to please the biggest fan in the audience when I heard Adam strumming the beginning to 4 degrees... next was 46 & 2 "about subtle changes" MJK told us... H. was next... MJK asked the crowd to raise your hand if you have children... then he told us how it will change your life... Eulogy with the extended ending was next... then a very cool bass heavy version of sober.... God was with us when they decided to play undertow next... I caressing my already hard.... uh bicep... yeah... then opiate and finally... MJK told us they had made a short film for us.... ?!?! /Enema.... A few other notes... before they started they played like a techno version of third eye... sounded nothing like the song, but it had the "prying open my third eye" sampled in it... the beginning had timothy leary saying "turn on... tune in... blah blah...." you know... there were a bunch of other samples from movies and such and afterward they kept looping the itchy and scratchy song... and had like a fake control screen on the screens... the only reason I knew it was fake was cuz it started to move around and turn upside down and stuff... it was actually pretty funny... anyway... that is an overview of my first and hopefully not last tool experience... I turn 20 on tuesday, and that is the first time I have gotten to see my favorite band... how shitty... (turning 20 I mean)
Review written by: oscar (oscar@execnet.net) Review posted on: 07/20/97 20:08:19 ok heres the revew tool kicked ass snoop was tokin james sucked eels ???? i dident even pay attention korn kicked-i met them too second stage sucked to you see the set list from all the other reviewers so im not repeting umm maynard came out with a huge set of titts and lepord skin tight ass shorts on with his face white and FAKE HAIR gooch justin was red adam and danny were normal TOOL kicked all ass but it was so ironic that all the wanna bee tool fans with there shirts and hats ect dident know any tool songs???? haha seeya oscar
Review written by: Jody Hazy (jodyhazy@microserve.net) Review posted on: 07/20/97 19:12:53 well lets see Tool was the best of all the bands there they definatly played the best out of anyone else. James didn't have a bad set but they were just too calm for the crowd, i felt myself start to yawn. Snoop and the marley thing were both very lame along with the eels. Although i did enjoy devo's set a lot. well back to Tool lets see, setlist:(not sure on the order) Hooker with a Penis Stinkfist 4 degrees 46 & 2 H. Eulogy Sober Undertow Opiate nema I was really quite amazed at how good their set was, everyone played very well, Maynard didn't talk to the crowd a ton but he did a little bit of talking which has already been listed in one of the other reviews, i liked how most of the people there didnt just mosh and beat the crap outta everyone near them, most of the people including me just stood their and let the music do its stuff. well thats about it for my review, so basically just go and see Tool they are worth the cash.
Review written by: veech (jvess9@labyrinth) Review posted on: 07/20/97 18:38:16 I have one thing to say about the show, TOOL FUCKIN' KICK ASS. THE SHOW THEY PUT ON WAS FAR BETTER THAN ANYONE ELSE THERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Review written by: Gooch (gooch@execnet.net) Review posted on: 07/20/97 16:38:03 Tool started at about 8:15-8:30 and they fuckin rule. Setlist: Hooker Stinkfist 4 (Maynard:"This...is...a love song" said like "This...Is....Neccesary" crowd said it like that) 46&2 (Maynard:"This songs about subtle changes" Sober H (Maynard:"Anyone here have children??....They change your lives." Eulogy (Maynard:"I love this Crowd Undertow Opiate neima (Maynard:"I'd like to show you a short documentary on Lachrymology. I hope you like it.) (neima Video "Ruled") End (Maynard:"Stick around for Devo or you'll miss something very very very very special") I heard that they only played a 9 song set??? we must be special The whole thing was awsome...Korn was heavy...James sucked...Tricky was sick....Marleys were lame....Snoop Swore and Smoked Pot...eels were funny??...second stage rocked nothing....The Crowd was lame (and drunk) they were all jock to see Korn....the staff & cops were ignorant, rude, vicious, and arrogant. well since i seam to be the only person in Pittsburgh who has technology and loves Tool, i made this a little longer :) later...gooch
Review written by: Nipsy (PlAyMalkEr) Review posted on: 07/20/97 16:25:52 The day started out with getting up early in the morning which was pretty stupid since all the good bands played last. Korn was alright with all the shit they had up and how they rode out on there little bikes. The best was when Jonathan Davis brought out the bag pipes. Thats when everyone totally started too kill each other. Im glad I got to sit in seats next to the stage because once the good bands started playing we moved where ever we wanted too. The next band too play was Snoop. I thought he would suck but he totally kicked ass. He got too the crowd and really made us scream. At the end of the act he even lit up a joint and stated smoking it. I was pretty impressed. Then we all knew what was coming up next and were all going nuts. I seen TOOL before in Poughkeepsie, NY and they where unbelievable and kicked so much ass. When Maynard walked out it was like everyone worshipped him like a god. He had tight ass shorts on with a fake pony tail on his head, a white shirt on with a fake bra and tits, and a face painted white. Adam was normal except for his knew haircut, and the same with Danny Carey. Justin's upper body was painted red. They had the screen up as well but instead started out with Hooker with a Penis instead of Third Eye. The songs seemed too be played different then they where at Poughkeepsie but where still unbelievable. Also Maynard had the moves going up on stage again like usual. At the end they gave us a little glimpse of there new video while playing Aenema. It was fucking awesome. Songs where: Hooker with a Penis, Stinkfist, Aenema, Opiate, Sober, etc.