Embrace this moment

Remember

we are eternal

all this pain is an illusion

I count myself incredibly lucky that Vienna was included in Tool’s rather sparse fifteen-date European tour itinerary—a lot of the big acts have been skipping over us, and this is Tool’s first tour this side of the pond in thirteen years, 4581 days since they last played at this same venue. Despite them having made themselves scarce since, it wasn’t my first time seeing them, as I caught them in the US, two years ago—almost exactly to the day, in fact (that was June 4th, at the GovBall in NYC). Back then I went with a friend who wasn’t particularly into them but was kind enough to be willing to spend $125 on a day pass to go along with me, so I didn’t want to subject her to attempts at getting to the rail, and besides, there were other bands at other stages we wanted to catch, so we ended up seeing the show from further back—a blessing in disguise, since I had a fantastic view not only of the visuals and light show, but also of the closing fireworks! Still, I wanted to see the band up close this time, so I aimed for front and center, an that’s where I ended up.

The support act was Fiend, a stoner/doom metal from France; I liked the instrumentals well enough, but the voice wasn’t really my thing—they were a bit of a cheap Black Sabbath knock-off, I felt. Still, they played for 45 minutes, and the time passed relatively quickly! I was just glad to be entertained to be honest, there was an hour and a half of waiting between doors and the support act, which is unusually long for around these parts, and I just got really tired of hearing the repeated PSA reminding everyone of the photography ban.

After a change-over of another 45ish minutes, the lights started dimming almost imperceptibly, and then suddenly went out. The heptagram slowly rose to be the centerpiece of the stage with its points flashing to the heart-beat intro of Third Eye, which was awesome, I could feel it all the way in my bones. The band made their way onto the stage during it, with Adam and Justin standing in the foreground (the former still has a glorious head of luscious hair, the latter was looking very dapper in suspenders), Danny settling behind the drumset with a shirt that read “titties n beer”… and where do I even begin with Maynard. When I last saw Tool, he had gotten into the habit of playing shows in full riot gear, but this was a far cry from it, and reminded me more of a hipster-punk Beetlejuice-Joker? Plaid pants, a Puscifer leather jacket, rainbow mohawk, wearing his glasses for the first song or two, black Panda eyes and black Glasgow Smile drawn on. It was outrageous and all over the place, but I dug it. Others may find it cheesy, but I like his theatrics, they’re endearing in a ridiculous, self-deprecating way that lets everyone know that he doesn’t take himself seriously at all.

I’d looked up the setlist beforehand (out of curiosity and to maybe curb expectations a little), but for some reason I completely blanked, and for the life of me could not remember what the opener would be, so when Maynard started breathing into the mic and the guys launched into Ænema, it was almost as much a surprise to me as to everyone else who hadn’t spoiled themselves! When I saw them in NYC they opened with The Grudge, which I think works better as far as first songs go, but this got the crowd riled up immediately, they were not fucking around! My ears are still ringing a bit; I blame my spot more than the sound engineers, but his vocals were definitely mixed low where I was standing, so I had to pull my ear protection out a little or he just sounded muddy and drowned out by the instruments. This was my fourth time seeing Maynard live in one band or other, but the first that I got to see him up close, and I really love how involved he gets—it looks to me like he’s active because he wants to be, and not for show. I say that because it’s not like people more than maybe twenty rows back can really see him—he stands at the back next to Danny, and there’s never a direct beam of light on him, but the screens are bright enough to passively illuminate him often enough. He’s got some really cool moves that he’s definitely lifted from his jiu-jitsu practice, it was super fun to watch, and I never regretted my decision of going for the front row, despite the arguably worse sound (I did feel like it improved after the first song though, at least as far as vocals go, or maybe I just got accustomed to it) and missing out on some of the visuals and the full impact of the lighting show. They have curtain screens they project footage onto during some songs, which makes for a really cool effect… if you’re standing further back, that is. As it was, from our position we mostly enjoyed the insane lights and lasers show, the videos on the main back screens, and watching the band play their instruments.

The second song was one I hadn’t heard live before—The Pot. He didn’t distort his voice with that odd falsetto-like delivery on the opening lines, which made it so much better live! It’s an awesome song to sing along to, as well, and I definitely found myself wishing I’d been high, the visual presentation during the whole show would’ve melted my face off even more. The Parabol/Parabola duet followed, and I was thrilled—they did Parabola on its own at my other show, but I really think that the slow mellow build-up of Parabol climaxing into the Parabola intro is something everyone should get to experience live, it was incredible and so satisfying! Parabol on its own doesn’t do much for me and it felt even longer live, I could feel myself getting a bit antsy from tense anticipation, and when the hard riffs kick in it felt like the sweetest release. I love the song a lot, and the lyrics are so uplifting to me—it repeatedly came to me when my grandma was on her deathbed, just by popping up on shuffle more often than it had any right to. It was there during a tough time, and now I always think of her on the final lines whenever I hear or even just think of it, which is nice. Tool was always a band I liked because they’re awesome, not because of any emotional attachment I have to the music, but it’s funny how these connections just happen sometimes.

The first of the new songs played followed—Descending. This was interesting to me, because I got to hear it live when it was still an unfinished instrumental, but I haven’t gone back to listen to it since then. I feel like I recognized some parts from back then (mostly towards the end of the song), but that could perfectly well all be projection on my part. It’s a long and sprawling piece that feels like it keeps building, and building, and building… then it climaxes half-way through, and keeps going as an instrumental, as Maynard disappears and hunkers down behind the drumset. There was a second climax during the latter instrumental half, but my impression was that it loses a bit of steam and keeps going for longer than it should. I don’t feel like I can judge it based on just the one listen though, like all prog epics it’s a layered track that will need repeat listens to fully unpack, and I couldn’t really make out much as far as lyrics go, but it seems to me to be about humanity’s road to self-destruction. Considering that Right in Two is my favorite Tool song, that should be right up my alley! The visuals during it were great, with a huge black pyramid projected at the back and swirling lights in warm colors, until the lasers make their first appearance as the instruments swell. That was so well done, they started as single beams that just kept multiplying out, it was a really cool effect. Honestly, I’m just so proud that I managed to hold out and resist all recordings of the new songs—I got to hear new Tool, and I got to hear it live first. How incredible is that?

They followed up with Schism, which I’ll never get tired of, it’s quintessential Tool to me, and I adore everything about it still. The video they used was both fitting and deliciously disgusting, the bass line is monumental, I love the extended bridge they add live, and after some rocky months in my personal life that are only now starting to smooth out it was pretty damn cathartic to scream “I know the pieces fit” over and over and just let it out. It turns out that it was sandwiched between two new offerings, Invincible being the second new song played, another ten+ minute epic, and this one was love at first listen. My God, I can’t believe how incredible this new album could turn out to be—so far it sounds like all good things actually do come to those who wait, and that there’s no rushing art. The lyrics made me think that it might be about a personified America and the sad state of affairs over there, and the next song was, quite fittingly, Intolerance (a personal debut for me, and my personal show highlight)—a song I’ve associated with Trump ever since he got elected, so I really loved the transition. Intolerance sounded even better than on the record, if I may say so—it still had the raw anger of the song and Undertow‘s production, but it felt more polished, and while it’s an unpopular opinion, I think his vocals have gotten better with age. Honestly, he may not overtax his vocal chords with extended screams anymore (he can still do them well when he wants to though), but where he really shines are his clean vocals—the APC show I saw back in December is the lushest I’ve ever heard him sound.

A riff-heavy banger was next up: Jambi, a song I always think I’m kinda over because I’ve listened to it ad nauseam, but whenever I actually listen to it I fall in love all over again. It was cool to be close enough to see the guys for this one especially, because the talk box effect Adam uses on the solo isn’t something I see much, so that was quite fascinating to me. The main set then ended with Forty Six & 2, a song I think is up there with Schism among the songs that will likely always remain a staple at a Tool show. That riff is out of this world, and this was definitely an audience favorite.

They left the stage in utter darkness at this point, and an encore break so long it was more of a proper intermission followed. As soon as they stepped off stage a countdown that started flashing at around the 11:46 minutes mark (if there’s any deeper significance, I haven’t figured it out) was projected onto the curtains, at the end of which an Alex Grey style arm holding a flaming eye torch was projected on each side of “August 30th”, the day the new, long-awaited, and yet untitled album will finally drop. Danny had come back on stage on his own (he’d changed into a Lakers jersey), and played a drum solo which featured quite a bit of electronica synth elements. It was fine live, but he supposedly said that it would end up on the album at some drum clinic earlier this year, and in that context, sorry to say, it’s just yet another filler intermission track no one needs and that I’ll likely be skipping most of the time, just like all other interludes. He’s a beast at his instrument though, no doubt, and he makes it seem so effortless, too.

The other guys came back for Vicarious, which had a really long, ambient, borderline boring intro, but when they finally launched into the song proper it was fantastic. Maynard used the megaphone on it, which I expected to be a bit of a bummer (I was taken aback and disappointed by the vocal distortion at my first show, I didn’t know it was a thing then), but I didn’t mind it at all this time, it actually works pretty well and is kinda meta, if you think about it. Before the final song he addressed the audience for what was virtually the first and only time, saying “I think this could be my new home… and since I like you so much, you may now take out your phones and film this last song. Security, stand down. Take pictures, play on it, it’s cool“. Said with all the disdain and sarcasm he could muster. Thanks gramps! I realize that I haven’t really gotten into it because I mostly didn’t find it distracting (APC in NYC a few years back was a whole other story), but throughout the entire show there’d been a security supervisor who walked up and down the pit looking into the audience, and whenever he spotted someone taking pictures he’d talk into his headset and direct the other security guys in the crowd to the person in question so they’d be warned and/or removed—I don’t know how strict they actually were. In any case, I knew it was coming, and pulled my phone out as soon as they started Stinkfist, and one of the securities right in front of me hadn’t listened or understood what Maynard had said, because he all but hurled himself in my direction. Luckily another one was crossing the pit just then, physically restrained him from snatching my phone out of my hand, and told him that it was allowed for the rest of the show.

People have been saying that Maynard’s heart doesn’t seem to be in this band anymore, but after this show, I couldn’t disagree more. I think having new material to play blew new life into the band, and he seemed to be having the time of his life up there. When the show was over, he was the first to disappear, but not before acknowledging the audience with thumbs-up, as well as bumping fists or doing a more elaborate secret handshake with each of the guys. Danny, Adam, and Justin stayed on stage longer, waving at everyone, and giving away their drumsticks and picks. Justin was the last to leave… to the sound of ABBA’s Dancing Queen. They’ve still got their sense of humor, that’s for sure! That really made me crack up and shuffle out of the venue with a big grin on my face.

I’m glad I got to hear two Opiate songs at my first show, because they seem to have phased that EP out of the setlist completely—I didn’t really miss those, but I would’ve loved to hear Lateralus, which has eluded me so far. I’m not complaining though, because I don’t even know what I would’ve willingly traded for it—perhaps Jambi or Vicarious, but I felt that the set as it was had a great flow to it. The visuals for this show were really impressive, probably the best I’ve ever seen along with Massive Attack’s. It was a super tight show and it’s succeeded in making me properly stoked for the new album—European Tool shows were a rarity for over a dozen years, but I’m pretty confident that they’ll swing back around these parts after the album’s actually dropped. Spiral out!

Setlist Ænema

The Pot

Parabol

Parabola

Descending

Schism (with extended bridge)

Invincible

Intolerance

Jambi

Forty Six & 2 » E n c o r e «

CCTrip

Vicarious

Stinkfist (extended)