Tool at the Patriot Center review; 07/30/2009

July 31, 6:06 PMDC Live Music Clubs ExaminerMichael Bogart

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Polite. Friendly. Absolutely amped the hell up. All just a few words and descriptions that describe the crowd at the Patriot Center Thursday night to see Tool rock out with their um, mohawks out. Contrary to presumption, perceptions of the type of people who go and see a band like Tool were wildly different than expected. There were likely more manners used Thursday night than that which you might experience at a Peter, Paul and Mary show. But unlike a PPM gig, Tool refuses to let you sleep.

Maynard James Keenan managed to somehow take a side-stage (not literally) to the awesome strength of sound displayed at the nearly sold-out concert, their ninth performance this short tour full of festival appearances. Guitarist Adam Jones has to be considered one of the tops of this generation, abusing his instrument with contained rage throughout the hour-and-a-half set. Drummer Danny Carey's rhythmic focus kept every song punching at your chest long after it was over and well in to the next one. While bassist Justin Chancellor's bombs can not be ignored in this lineup of quality musical craftsmen.

The band opened up with 'Jambi' and in to 'Stinkfist',  the first of two AEnima songs. Maynard's position to the back left of the stage on a platform with Carey perhaps implied that he's taking a back seat to the rest of the band during live performances. Huge overhead screens and a stage back drop displayed the awesome visual of this song's video, like many others would throughout the night. An interlude guitar jam laid down heavy Jones riffs before 'Forty-Six & 2' careened off in to sonic dissonance where overhanging images displayed on a stage surface that resembled an ice rink. It's at this point you realize the show is not all about the music. Much is to be said about lyrical allusions, deeper philosophical meaning, and paranoid dreamscapes wrought in social satire. Visually, Tool's live performance is akin to anything Pink Floyd may have done in their heyday.

Fan favorite and evening highlight 'Schism' pummeled the audience next for an 8-minute journey of distortion and teeth-gritting aggression. The opening to this track will give you chills, and while a generally happy person might enjoy with mild content, someone like me had a shit-eating grin from ear-to-ear. That is to say, it made you feel strong and confident knowing that strength allowed any previously-held animosity to dissipate with the ease of a few chords. Carey's drum jam was nasty here.

A soaring 'Lost Keys (Blame Hofman)' ensued as Jones carried the crowed from one sinister track to another, using a clearly-audible slow string pick throughout the audio dialogue of an hallucinogenic-alluded dreamscape. This song segued seamlessly with another 10,000 Days recording in 'Rosetta Stoned'. Many couldn't tell you what Maynard was strangling out of his mic at this point, but it sounded damn good anyway. Chancellor shines here as well. The trippy green lasers filled the Patriot Center around this point and now the feeling was complete: a Tool performance is a good reason to stay as sober as humanly possible. Between the lights, lasers, video, and image work, there is no need to imbibe in anything to accelerate your experience besides that which surrounds you. 

'Flood', the only track played from the breakthrough album Undertow, rewarded the faithful before set closer 'AEnema.' At this point, the band members stood upright in the middle of the stage, soaking up the audience love but refusing to bow. We know you know you're good at what you do. A short break transpired before a second drum set was moved on stage and an incredible session of percussion and guitar work ripped during 'Lateralus'. At this point, you have to be content with everything you've soaked up. Except they haven't finished yet: Tool wraps up this artistic experiment in anger, lyrical depth, and some of the heaviest guitar work you'll ever hear with the 'Best Hard Rock Performance' Grammy-nominated 'Vicarious.' Yeah, even the angry and dark are applauded when they make music both simultaneously outrageous and phenomenal as this. "Welcome home."