By Jase Walker
There’s seldom a chance that a band like Tool tour often these days, even less that they end up playing an arena just up the road from your newly adopted home and even less of a chance that I’d miss it! So here I am at the Ziggo Dome for the first time ever!
The last time I saw Tool was a fair while back at Download Festival 2019, and was unfortunately freezing my tits off, soaking wet, and not really comfortable despite the great show. But this time, I’m nice and comfortable in my seat waiting for the show to start. Bliss. And opening this run of shows is a favourite of mine, Night Verses, a trio of incredible musical skill.
I get chills just as Night Verses start their set, I’ve been waiting years for this! The moment their reverb laden saturated sound fills the arena up and the bassy elements boom through my chest, I get a real flutter in my stomach that this is really happening! You’d never think that a three piece could fill up an arena with noise in this manner but this is exactly what Night Verses are doing and I could never have expected this level of spectacle.
Night Verses’ artistry of their music is sublime in the extreme, with minimal reliance on backing tracks as they’re used almost exclusively for effect at specific moments. Each member of this band is a virtuoso at their role, each grooving in such a way that the end result of their sound is far greater than the sum of its parts. Also I’m spying an Abasi concepts guitar there too, very nice!
It’s astounding how their guitarist seems to be getting a similar sound to the signature double thumb sound of Animals as Leaders with just a plectrum though, astounding skill. Bands like Night Verses, along with Animals As Leaders, Polyphia, and the like raise the bar for the standards of instrumental prog to dizzying heights. God if this is how their heavier bits sound with just a three piece and barely any extra layering I feel like Tool are going to blow my eyelids off into the North Sea! They’re not just one dimensional “play a lot of notes real fast” type act though, easily as capable of doing the odd ballady type song with slow, wailing guitar playing reminiscent of David Gilmour in the Pink Floyd days. I’m a little bummed that I didn’t get my wish to hear them playing ‘Copper Wasp’ but there’s always ArcTanGent innit? Stunning opener, and I’m so happy to have finally seen these after so long!
The excitement for Tool climbs ever still as the time for their beginning draws near. The arena is now almost full with people, the dull roar of thousands of people talking is present in the background. The room darkens and a heartbeat noise appears as the band takes the stage, almost forcing my own to beat along with it. The massive screen behind them lights up with a crimson red fractal as a star lowers itself from the ceiling. Tool is now in session, and they demand your fullest attention. Nevermind that we were all supposed to be sitting in chairs on the arena floor too, oh well, guess we’re all standing now, it didn’t last long!
The overall sound of the band is incredibly crisp, it’s not overpowering by any means but it is very strong. The unmistakable bass tone is there, the guitar is loud and clear and carries its own weight regardless of the bass and the drums punch through spectacularly well, Maynard’s vocals remain very central despite his darkened position at the back of the stage. The cinematics for the show are even more fantastical than the last time, which were generally just the original music videos.
Saturated colours and gorgeous various fractal art glossed across the gigantic screen behind them, this isn’t just a projection either. There is a true level of art in Tool’s live shows, they’re not overly keen on the actual members being focused on more than they need other than being able to see what they’re doing. The music and experience alone speaks for the performance more than anything else and given the very thing I’m witnessing right now, it’s incredibly unique. The low end of the show continuously pounds my chest while more fantastical and twisted visuals flash across the humongous screen, I’m actually at a bit of a loss for words at this whole production. It’s so stripped back yet so unbelievably effective, there’s nothing really “flashy” about it and the lighting isn’t blinding but it is tremendously effective with its use of brief moments of lasers, cones of matte colours and flood lighting from the back.
The lights most definitely do focus now and then when it comes to members playing key parts of different songs although Maynard remains shrouded in darkness. A brief moment of guitar noodling while Danny seems to be trying to fix something until the crowd goes silent and a whisper of “Danny, what the fuck are you doing?”, gets a quick shrug before moving on with the next song.
We get a brief intermission to break the sets up and in the middle of describing them to my mate I break off mid-sentence with “is that a fucking gong?”. Oh, of course Danny is going to play it with regular drum sticks, interesting groove though, but not leaving it without an almighty thwack from the mallet. Now we’re in the middle of a drum solo with first person camera? I might get travel sick off this, uh-oh.
Another camera switch sees Danny now having a mess around with a modular synth and I have to admit I wasn’t quite expecting this sort of bizarre start to part two. Now he’s combining the two of leaving the synth playing it’s unusual bleepy bloopy melody and rhythm while playing a drum solo over the top of it with the first person camera going again! Justin returns to the stage and starts making all manner of noise with a massively overdriven bass tone and I’m just hoping this leads into “Schism” but I’d be surprised if I get my wish. Adam also returns to the stage and seems it’s not my wish but we’re in the home stretch now!
While focused on the band I find myself showered by confetti, probably the most subtle ejection of it I’ve ever seen at a show, normally preceded by an almighty bang. I’ve managed to grab a piece with the Tool logo on it and decided that’d make a nice keepsake in my phone case. The subtle control over the rigged lighting above the band is absolutely sensational, it’s so subtle but the choreography of it all adds such a wonderful dynamic to the production.
As we hit the final song of ‘Stinkfist’, Maynard gives his okay for people to film and photograph as long as there’s no flash so I take this moment for a quick video and few snaps. Tool once again have shown why they are considered among the giants of progressive metal, having inspired so many that came after them and after so many years are still showing how it’s done. I might be a little sad about no ‘Schism’ being in this set but it’d be boring if bands played the same songs every time eh?
Truly a force to be reckoned with, Tool are truly, truly magnificent.
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