Last night I went to see one of my favorite bands in concert at the Molson Amphitheatre in Toronto. This would be the third time I have seen them in concert and anyone who knows anything about Tool, knows that they love their fucked up art work. The floor of the stage was set in white, and there was a back wall about maybe 6 or 8 feet high at the back of the stage that was all white. From left to right facing the stage you had the bassist, Justin Chancellor, in the front left of the stage followed by the singer, Maynard James Keenan who was standing in the back left-center and beside him on his right was, the world class drummer Danny Carey and finally guitarist Adam Jones on the front right. This stage set up was for the most part the exact same as when I had seen them the other two times before a couple of years back (see below)



During their performance they have images projected on to the stage similar to the style of their music videos and sometimes the music video itself for songs such as Schism.



However about half way though the set the high powered lasers where put on and where used to shine up against the roof of the venue in different circular patterns. The lasers where also used to reflect off the white surface of the stage. During the faster parts of songs they would do this in a random order to create some very kool effects. While the fog machines where on high pumping out bellows of smoke along with the lasers and the images projected on the stage it created at great visual atmosphere. If you where high this would of probably melted your eyes.



These visuals where at its best during one of Tool’s longest songs off of the 10,000 days album: Rosetta Stoned. For anyone who hasn’t heard the song its about a person on a some kind of acid trip and during his high time, E.T. reveals to him that he is unique person that has to deliver a message to humanity. During the climax of this song it was revealed that behind the stage, right at the back was a piece of cloth that they used to project images. Unlike the usual Tool images that you would see you where greeted with gameplay from one of the oldest Video games: Asteroid. As the little ship was flying around shooting rocks and collecting points, Maynard was yelling at the top of his lungs the lyrics to Rosetta Stoned.



I love this band and I like video games so when these two things come together like this, it’s like Trent Reznor making a soundtrack for Quake....hmmmm...If only.