Tool Winter 2012 tour

[Mr.Whippy]

Blipvurt and I caught the current Tool tour in Philly last night.  If anyone is on the fence about making the trek to Hampton on Friday, I highly recommend doing so.  There are likely tons of tickets at face value or less on the secondary market.

It's a very different show than they played when they were last in this area in 2009, and even very different from the 2010 tour that Thatguy and I got to see at Red Rocks.  There are some really nice setlist surprises of older songs, too.

[StoneTheCrow]

The setlist is different but aren't they playing shorter shows now?  90-100 minutes?

And from what I've heard Maynard comes across as either not prepared or not taking it seriously.

Love the band but I think I'll wait for new material before checking them out again.

[wml7]

I'll wait till they play all the festivals again    It looks like they are playing the same 10 songs for each show, no?

[Mr.Whippy]

Regarding Maynard, I've seen Tool about 15 times starting in 1993 and he seems very engaged and into it at the moment.  Also seems like he's having more fun with it now than in recent years.  His voice was clear and very present in the mix last night.  He clearly can't do some of the things vocally that he used to be able to do, but still is a jaw dropping vocalist.

The shows have shortened a bit, I think about 90 to 100 min, but it felt very adequate and satisfying to me.  I wouldn't have minded a longer show.

I think the selist is pretty static, which is what they usually do for a tour.  It makes sense because each song has a different visual emphasis and it unfolds and builds throughout the show.  Again, there are some really nice picks of older songs this tour that probably won't get played after this tour.

[StoneTheCrow]

That's good to hear - just in contrast to what I'd read about some of the other shows where folks claimed he was mumbling or messing up the lyrics.

Shame they didn't hit the DC area.