Review written by: Scott (out4insight@yahoo.com) Review posted on: 08/22/98 16:42:41 I just got done reading most of the reviews on July 18th's bash in somerset, and what i want to know is did any of you fucking people actually go??? I'd say over 75% of your reviews are flawed in multiple areas. To the one idiot pissed off because they only played one song from undertow--were you drunk? Their opening song was flood, and in addition to that, they added a lengthy intro to the much loved song sober. Lastly, to all you pansies out there giving the concert a bad rap because you couldnt see very well, what the hell did you expect? It was an outdoor concert. True fans, like myself, endured the large crowds, the pressing heat, the crushing bodies, and everything else associated with a typical concert, and was able to get a great look at Maynard himself. I could see the pupil in his eye, and even count every section of the unique tatoo he had crawling up his spine. In layman's terms, so all you idiots can understand, you could get a good view if you wanted it.
Review written by: Blake Fitzgerald (fcali@means.net) Review posted on: 08/16/98 15:56:03 To tell you the truth I thought Ozzfest was the best. my favorate part of the concert was when Maynard came outl. He was wearing a grey suit with a grey wig on. In the middle of Tool's show Maynard took off all of his clothes except his boxers. As soon as Tool went up there on stage I ran. I made as close as five feet from the fence. Finally I got sick of being crushed so I out of there about five minute before they were done. After the concert it ook about three hours to get out of that town. When we wet up to the sore there was someone overdosing on drugs. Then the ambulance had to come that just made it harder to get out of there.When were pulling out some guy hit us but we didn't care. All we lisened to that night was Tool. They put on the best show but it was too short!! I really hope they play at sommerset again next year! I'll go again! TOOL RULES-Blake
Review written by: bJ (wmckay@baynet.net) Review posted on: 08/06/98 14:15:17 For all you whinny little bastards: Yes, it was hot & crowded......itz a concert, what the fuck did you expect....tea & biscuitz at noon??? I can understand the people who've seen them a few timez before and who know that ya, maybe it wasn't TOOL's best preformance....but still..... Personally, because it was the first time i've seen TOOL live, I had like multiple orgasmz. I was very pleezed to know that Maynard sounded like Maynard....The set was short,but sweeeeeet!!!! I couldn't see all that well, but I still managed to sing along and freak out all the burnz that were sitting around me -;) So all in all, I had a kick ass time....met sume really cool people, drank sume half-assed keg and had the best time i've had in a long time!!!!! My one and ONLY complaint: They wouldn't pierce my nipple. Check Ya Later>>> bJ, grrrl, 19yrs, Ontario Canada. p.s.- no offence to you yankeez, but you really gotta stop letting yer Gr.3 students name yer townz....."Dinky Town"???
Review written by: One of them (?) Review posted on: 08/05/98 20:51:06 The whole OzzFest experience for me sucked ass. I saw all the bands I wanted to see EXCEPT TOOL. We made the awful mistake of going backstage which was harder than hell cuz security was soooo tight - Although we ran into Maynard. Then they (security) wouldn't let us out during Tool. We ended watching what we could through a fence while standing on a chair. Couldn't see Justin, Adam, Danny or even Maynard....Then and again Maynard would pop up into the picture then disappear again. I couldn't even focus on listening to Tool cuz we were so damn fixed on getting out on the side stage or something. But there were some 50,000 people there damnit. All in all this show was the most unorganized thing ever to happen in history. Warped tour and OzzFest? Whos the *genuis* that thought of that. Screw you all who got to experience Tool this summer...ESPECIALLY ALL YOU WEST-COAST BASTARDS THAT GET TO SEE THE BAND ON THEIR OWN!!! ROT IN HELL ALL OF YOU!!!!!!!!
Review written by: Nick Westgate (nw@cashbases.co.uk) Review posted on: 08/01/98 06:45:46 Have just returned to the UK after a short while working in Atlanta. A bonus from my employers was a paid for trip to Somerset to see the Ozzfest. After reading some of the reviews in this section I have to agree that Somerset was a hole and the concert as a whole has to be the most unorganised event I have ever been to. We landed at MN at 11.00am, left the Interstate at 12.00 then spent 5.5 hours in a traffic jam - but what an experience that was; a real festival atmosphere. I have never seen any group live in USA and was very surprised at how held back everyone was - I guess the English drink more and then do not care what they do. My initial response was that it was like a bomb waiting to go off - most people just standing listening to the music. I even managed to get to the front to see Motorhead. But then on came Tool! They changed the whole event. I had vaguely heard of Tool, but never heard their music - I'm glad I did. To say they were the best band there is a bit too much - who can beat Ozzy - England's finest! - they were close though. The first thing I did on my return was to buy Aenema - I would recommend it to anyone. If Ozzy had been the only 'big' band there I may have called the event a waste of time - Tool being there made the event. I look forward to seeing them again. Does anybody know if they will be touring the UK in the near future? Nick
Review written by: LeadPill (npanke@athenet.net) Review posted on: 07/27/98 15:07:28 I must say first that seeing Tool was a spiritual experience for me. I was mainly disappointed by the venue. Float Rite park in Somerset is nothing but a lopsided dirt bowl with a stage. There was almost nowhere to go if you wanted to see the band. I tried the front row, believe me I tried hard, and I'm a big guy. After nearly being killed several times I got the hell out. The ground slopes upward toward the stage so you have to go waaayy back to see anything but the backs of heads. I eventually found some high ground, but the view was still pretty poor. Tool played during daylight - so much for those cool lighting effects. Also, they didn't seem to be real inspired. Their set was short (only 7 songs ?!?!), and they seemed in a rush to get done. On a positive note, the band sounded AWESOME. They were by far the best band that showed up. I picked up on a couple of small alterations that they made to some of the songs, which I thought was a nice treat. The 7 songs they did play were well chosen too, They got every one I wanted to hear. I will never go to Somerset for another show of any kind, but I will be wet-dreaming until the day Tool tours by themselves. I would die to see them play for 2 or 3 hours at Milwaukee's Riverside Theatre.
Review written by: force feed (hark@hotmail.com) Review posted on: 07/27/98 13:30:23 k. seems like everyone loved this show. everyone but me. i have some serious complaints. 1. the show was WAAAY too short. 2. they didn't play prison sex 3. What the fuck is up with this ozzfest crowd? 50,000 stupid fucking kids wearing the same baggy pants and t-shirts. This was my second time seeing tool, both times at large "rock festivals". This is definately my type of crowd. see, there are some of us in the world who find that tool is best experienced with the aid of controlled, uh, substances. The only problem was, unless I wanted to dive into the pits (which i was not in a state to do) the closest I could get to the stage was approx. 300 feet. Almost close enough to see the fucking band that i drove 7 hours and spent 200+ dollars to see. Some 7' tall drunk fuck stood next to me the whole time and sung all of the wrong words at the top of his lungs. What ever happened to the intimate concert? just you and 3000 of your closest friends packed into an arena to see a great band. no paying $2.50 for a cup of pop, no waiting 45 minutes to go to the bathroom. sorry, i just had to get this off my chest since everyone else I know that went had a great time. Mabye it's cuz I was too passed out to go see the deftones. still a fan, r o r y ps i did like hearing flood, hush and that really cool jerk-off.
Review written by: Jerry The Avid Loveable Tool Fan (tomjoad26@aol.com) Review posted on: 07/24/98 14:37:40 I started the day off realizing that this would be my first Tool show...well most excellent was the only word that came to my head. As I waited impatiently for there set time to arrive I took in other shows such as Unwritten Law, Cherry Poppin` Daddies, Soulfly (which completely kicked my ass, and anyone who survived that pit desereves a purple heart for bravery), Limp Bizkit, System of a Down and Deftones(who, if any of you are dynamic in your music listening, are all worth the attention you give them). Tool came on as enigmatic as I had ever heard...I tried to move up closer for a better look so that I may just see this great band in action. They flew through their set playing several songs from Aenima and Opiate but Sober was the only song to make it from Undertow...Maynard livleyed(sp?) up the crowd with his wit asking us questions like "You seem nervous is everything all right?"...and introducing Sober as "...a love song about water sports" the crowd was into it...I am in the market for some new sunglasses becasue some girl fell on my head and proceded to snap them in two...plenty of body passing and mad pushing for a spot near the stage. Not much else can be said for my first live preformance except "I can't see how they could ever play a better show"
Review written by: christina Eggermont (eggs@seattleu.edu) Review posted on: 07/21/98 23:56:16 This was my second time seeing Tool perform. Last year at Lollapoluza I was looking forward to seeing Korn, they cancelled so ever since I have been listening to Tool 24-7 and loving it. Last year at East Troy I was dissappointed that I could not get t o the front so this year that was my goal. I stayed in the front during the entire show. I was kicked in the head twice and could barely breath but it was worth it. I sang right along with Maynard. After Aniema I had to get out so security pulled me ov er the gate, I was right their, and before walking away I turned to Maynard and yelled, Maynard I love you! and he looked at me. It was so awesome. Now some of you may say oh he's just an ordinary person like you and me or that I should have not disrupt ed his act. I didn't make any attempt to go on or by the stage like some asshole earlier in the set. besides everyone their including tool knew that the place was dead with heat exaustion, I was just liveining it up. and yes Maynard and Tool are normal people but they make great music and perform wonderfully. that is something not all human beings can do, so they are special in their own way so for that they deserve and I love you from me!!!
Review written by: andrew joseff (anewcomb@kconline.com) Review posted on: 07/21/98 17:06:31 another awesome tool show is a totally different set list as the concert at indy i saw just days earlier. the crowd definetely didn't get into it as much as indy. they seemed to like tool but just didn't have the adrenaline like they did at indy. it was s till an amazing show. the sound was perfect. so was the whole day
Review written by: Mike Donnelly (mdonnell@blue.weeg.uiowa.edu) Review posted on: 07/21/98 15:15:49 This was my first TOOL show of 7 this summer. I must say I was not disapointed. the sound system sounded great and it got turned up right before Eulogy. I was disapointed in the crowd in Somerset. They seemed to rock and get into many of the bands earlier in the day and was pretty much lifeless/burned out in the evening, (except right up front) You could tell Maynard noticed and wasnt into it as much as he could have been. It took til the 4th song for Maynard to undress his preacher outfit. Still TOOL completely blew away all the bands. Ozzy would have been right there but the crowd sucked so bad you could tell OZZY wasnt too happy about it. Sunday at Alpine he was much more happy and fun. The only other band that seemd to really catch my eye was the Deftones. To me it seems like a perfect fit for a 99' TOOL tour. Deftones opening up for TOOL!
Review written by: brose (rhetta@digital-repro.com) Review posted on: 07/20/98 14:11:03 this was my first time seeing tool live so i thought i would make the best of it and get up front. i managed to get flat up against the barrier before the megadeath set. i thought it would lighten up a bit after that but the crowds managed to compress even more. motorhead played... then tool came walking out. maynard with the white wig, suit & tie, lipstick & beauty mark, and his velvet brown platform boots. justin with blue eyes, adam with some kickin shades and nearly hawaiian shirt, and the giant danny who was pretty much hidden behind the largest drum set i have ever seen. they rocked every song. maynard pulled the knock knock, fuck joke and before sober mentioned "this next song is about water sports". they all seemed to enjoy it. i was impressed. i hope to see them at red rocks in august for a set of their own (w/the melvins). by the way, melvins kick butt. tool kicked my butt. tool. has a nice ring to it, tool.
Review written by: SayOw (sayow1@yahoo.com) Review posted on: 07/20/98 11:31:38 I thought this concert was awesome. The only bad thing was the 2 hour wait in traffic to get to the concert, but it was to be expected...and for those who bitch about the people, if you didn't think there would be this many, your not very smart, this lineup was stellar...and besides it's a fucking concert, there's suppose to be people, I say the more the merrier! Dispute all the people, I found it very easy to get up front for Tool, and the only bad thing about Tool's performance was that it wasn't long enough, but I would say that if Tool played for 3 minutes or 3 hours. I think their song selection was good with not a bad song played; and I had yet to see them do Jerk-Off live, and was truly pleased when it came on! Anyone that bitches about seeing Tool live obviously isn't a true Tool fan. Their music sounds as good, if not better live than it does on the CD, and since so many lame bands can not even do that, for Tool to play their music with such intensity is only a treat for true Tool fans. In closing: TOOL RULES!
Review written by: SoulDeath (souldeath@hotmail.com) Review posted on: 07/20/98 01:47:27 I want to start by saying that I really felt sorry for Motorhead due to the fact that they played right before Tool. In between every song I heard the endless chant of "Tool, Tool, Tool" which I find to be the equivalent of "Baa, baa, baa". Even though I am a Tool fan, I am also a fan of many other bands and I don't think some people have been very fair to the other bands at Ozzfest. If you're not one of those people than ignore that last statement. Tool didn't necessarily rule the show and I think that they're set wasn't as good as it usually is at all. Tool was piece of the larger puzzle that brought everything together. I was another one of the people in the "squish pit" that was almost killed during the first two songs. Then I managed to break free and listen to the rest of the set from the outskirts of the fray next to the stage. What had began as a seemingly endless time of anticipation during Motorhead reached it's peak during the playing of the extended version of Jerk-Off... It was great, but I agree with a the others that said that there were too many damn people... Warped tour ended during Megadeth or even before Megadeth I believe, so all the people from Warped came over to the amphitheatre. Also, I don't know where that one guy was, but I seem to recall hearing quite a few people singing along with Maynard on the older songs. A few from Opiate left people with questioning looks (especially Jerk-Off), but the Undertow songs were pretty well-known by everyone. Tool fans aren't an elite small group anymore and just because some of us know practically every little detail about the band doesn't make us better than the others who don't. I loved the concert. It showed everyone that every single one of these bands, including Tool, are comprised of human beings like you and I. The only difference between us is that they're up on stage and we're not. That doesn't make them any better than us though... maybe that's what some of these bands are trying to get us to realize... Most of us just don't listen....
Review written by: Steve (WlfWinston@aol.com) Review posted on: 07/20/98 01:36:56 I hadn't heard that someone had been killed in the pit until I read it here. I can't really confirm it, but it doesn't surprise me. I started the show about twenty feet from the stage and by the end of the first song I was a lot farther back, the crush was intense. To be honest, I've never seen so many people bail out of the front so quickly. Maynard was on as far as singing goes but I couldn't see shit after they started playing, all I could see was what I think was Adam Jones' head, I couldn't even tell if he was playing rhythm or bass guitar. The people there were really cool for the most part, it's just the assholes in the crowd that ruin it for everyone. When I was back a ways during the middle of the show a guy was carrying a girl over his shoulder, pretty obviously passed out. Her legs w ere over his shoulder and the rest of her limp body was hanging over his back. It was bad enough that people weren't getting out of the way, but there were guys grabbing at her ass. I'm not exactly a moralist, but I do believe that there's a better time to cop a fucking feel. I had a really good time even if the set was short, though if someone was killed, I can see where they wouldn't feel like playing. I made a run to the front when they left after AEnima, getting to feet from the stage and from what I could see, none of th em looked especially happy, or especially anything for that matter. I'm just hoping that next time I go to a TOOL show I can actually see the band.
Review written by: Chris Mazurk (CMazurk@Vermilionnet.com) Review posted on: 07/20/98 00:21:34 Setlist(mostly correct): ~Flood ~Hush ~46 & 2 ~Stinkfist ~Sober ~nema ~Eulogy ~Jerk-Off (with extended bridge) Maynard was wearing a grey suit, and a white wig when they came out. He looked like Robert Schuller(A preacher on "The Hour of Power"...a TV church show). I'm not sure if he intended to look like Robert or not, but it was amusing. They had a large oriental gong-like circular banner on the stage. It was black with a red T type thing, and some green line art. It wasn't a gong though, just a decoration. The show was excellent. As usual, Maynard said very little. The most interesting thing that he said was "This is a love song about water sports." He was introducing Sober. You'd think it was for nema, but apparently it wasn't. It was a great show overall. The version of Jerk-Off that they played was awesome. The only dissapointment was that it was so short.
Review written by: Howard James Keenan (truckstop@nebraska.com) Review posted on: 07/20/98 00:12:52 Allrighty then. 1. Flood - awesome. 2. Hush 3. 46 + 2 4. Stinkfist 5. Sober 6. Eulogy 7. Jerk-off -extended with cool bridge. Yes, the floatrite amphiteatre was not an amphithetre. Tool's set was too short. Traffic was hell. There were too many people. And let's get one thing straight, Tool's performance was lacking. I've seen them 5 times now and thought that this performance was a little flat, not to mention a few fuckups here and there. Relative to any other band it was a great show however. To everyone seeing the Ozzfest: See System of a Down. These guys remind me of seeing Tool play the second stage at Lolla in 1993. Everyone is like, who the fuck is this?! The singer is insane, and he's flanked by these little fuckin gremlin mutants on guitar and bass. The music is original and good, just like when I first saw Tool. Rolls of toilet paper were being thrown while they were on, and the singer exclaims " I am the king of toilet paper !!" after one song. Hilarious. THIS is what seeing Ozzfest is about. Enjoy the other bands, you might be surprised. You never know, you might see System of a Down headlining Ozzfest in 2003. To everyone seeing Warped: See the Deftones. Best performance of the day by far.
Review written by: Stauff (sstauff@hotmail.com) Review posted on: 07/19/98 21:02:07 ...After an 9 hour drive and a 12 hour drunk Tool can be nothing other then the best. Maynard gave a stellar performance.. I've never seen Tool live before and I must say that Maynard has the best concert voice of any band I've heard live before. By saying that I mean that it's really Maynard singing and not all distorted through recording. A real downer of the show was the crowd, the expensive beer and the fact that tool didn't get a chance to show me their kick ass light show that I've hear so much about. When their set was done, the friggin sun was still up. I do have to say that if the next album comes out tomorrow, it will still be too long to wait... For all Tool fans.. keep supporting the group and of course t.d.n..
Review written by: Zeus (Luv and H8@aol.com) Review posted on: 07/19/98 20:13:26 The show was over all awsome I thought every band played killer and some better then ever. I thought Coal Chamber put on their best show and System of a Down put on a kick ass show. But Tool was the highlight of the night, it was intense. I would have to say that they didn't play long enough. Tool was probally the most anticipated set of the night. I was in the pit for the first 3 songs but it was more of a sqish pit* and it suck because I could hardly hear the music. So I just watch the rest of the show from the side. I would have liked have been in a real mosh pit for the whole show but there were to many people! To any one else that went to the show: they have to move the fucking stage away from those hills you can't see shit, wouldn't you have to agree. * a sqish pit is where everyone just crams them selves to the front and you can't move on your own and it sucks. compared to a real mosh pit where you have room to jump and move around.
Review written by: Peck (Toolrocked@Ozzfest) Review posted on: 07/19/98 19:12:22 Tool kicked ass. Anyone who said that the show suck must have been over at the Warped tour part and then they have no room to talk anyway. Man I still can't hear shit out of my ear. As far as the crowd goes most people seemed like good hearted pot heads.
Review written by: Jason (silverbrain@msn.com) Review posted on: 07/19/98 18:05:49 Who in the hell owns that da*n amplitheater. It sucked a*s and i drove over 5 hours to get there. it was hot, to many wierdos, and most of the bands sucked. my day was hell till Tool took stage. unfortunately i dare not get too close for the mosh pits were getting roudy. Tool of course was awesome. and from the back, it seemed like i was the only one alive till they played a more recent song, from aenima. i was totally upset when tool left the stage 10 minutes early. was not worth the 200 i shelled out for it. Well, i think i will have a better time tonight at Alpine Valley, a litlle better scence, i hope. Tool was surely the highlight of the night, and most likely tonight too. the accoustics need work there, and i dont recommend anyone go to that amplitheater!! not worth the time or money to do it.. till i post again.
Review written by: dan (PHATKORN 7@aol.com) Review posted on: 07/19/98 16:00:35 TOol was grate but it was to crouded and tool could have played longer but what can you expect from a festival. It was so hot and crouded in the pit for the first two songs you couldn't move so i clozed my eyes consentrating on the music and moved where ever the croud pushed me. Someone died in the pit. The staff cared him out on a stecher and his eyes where wide open and his puples where dialated. After the first two songs the crould got a little loser and a few moshpits broke out. In between songs maynered toled a joke that went something like this. MAYNERED (NOCK NOCK) CROUD (WHO'S THERE) MAYNERED (FUCK) CROUD (FUCK WHO) MAYNERED (FUCK YOU) Dearing the last two songs AENEMA amd jerk off the moshpi t really opend up and people went wiled. I got my ass kicked but i couldn't feal a thing. Then it was over and i want home. If any one knows what Aphex Twin song tool was looping right before thay started to play E-mail me.
Review written by: Heywood Jablowmee (nard@unitedstates.com) Review posted on: 07/19/98 01:06:34 ive seen Tool 3 times and have read all these reviews, and yet still have heard nothing of them playing 4 degrees... Anyone got any info on why this is, please let me know.. -and yes, this is a valid e-mail address- Thanx Laterz
Review written by: maurya (mkaut@bu.edu) Review posted on: 07/19/98 01:03:42 I thought it best to post my review while my ears were still ringing, so here goes. After seemingly endless hours of waiting through your standard thrash metal bands, highlighted only by Sevendust, Tool took the main stage at about 8 pm. Maynard had his full televangelist regalia on for the first couple of songs, and had a few verbal exchanges with the crowd, for example, introducing Sober as "a love song about water sports." The whole band seemed to keep everthing very tight throughout the set, but I was also watching for errant size 13 steel-toes coming toward my head and couldn't pay attention as well as I wanted. The set started with a truncated version of Flood, ended with Jerk-off, and in between was (in no particular order): an extended version of Stinkfist, Eulogy, Forty-Six & 2, nema, Sober, and Hush. It all sounded perfect to me; it was the crowd that was a bit undesirable. So, for brevity's sake, more time for Tool onstage and fewer assholes outside of the moshpit where people might actually want to see and hear the band.
Review written by: depressed boy (kea@uswest.net) Review posted on: 07/18/98 16:43:26 i was ready to go to ozzfest when all of a sudden my ride calls and says he cant go cuz if he does hes grounded until hes 18 and he loses his car, so im here ranting about bullshit when i should be there waiting to see TOOL... fuck the world...