Tag Archives: Tool

REVIEW: Tool‘s Epic Showmanship Takes Fans on a Sonic Odyssey for Night Two at Footprint Center (2-10-24)

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PHOENIX — On an unexpectedly brisk February evening, amidst the peculiar backdrop of lightning streaking across the Arizona sky, an eager audience gathered to experience the second night of Tool in Phoenix, accompanied by special guests Elder, on their simply-named “Winter Tour.” It comes as no shock that Tool effortlessly filled their hometown venue for two consecutive nights. These performances were a delight for fans of progressive rock, as both bands firmly reside within this genre’s realm.

Elder

Elder’s journey began as a trio in 2006, in a quaint seaside town in Massachusetts before eventually relocating to Berlin, Germany. Evolving into the present-day roster of 4 members, lead vocalist and guitarist Nick DiSalvo stands as the sole remaining founding member. The group boasts an impressive discography, including, but not limited to, six full-length albums. 

Comparisons abound between Elder and Tool, and while Elder tends to lean more toward the classifications of doom metal and stoner rock, there are undeniable similarities between the two groups. The 4-song, 40-minute set, which felt more like a mesmerizing jam session by a highly skilled and technically proficient ensemble, seemed to defy the passage of time. The band does not do very much that would be considered new, but what they do is done extremely well. 

Nick DiSalvo of Elder performing at Footprint Center
Nick DiSalvo (Vocalist, Guitarist), Elder
Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Even without the elaborate visual show that Tool brings to the table, Elder’s performance—accompanied only by their name on the screen behind them—was very enjoyable. It served as a compelling example of why you should show up early to witness the openers. In fact, DiSalvo thanked the crowd for coming early to see them. They are worth catching when they come to town, and one can only hope they will swing by again sooner than later.

Tool

Among the fans in the arena, there was a palpable sense of anticipation, steadily mounting as the clock ticked towards 8:30. Nearly every attendee had settled into their seats about 15 minutes before the lights dimmed, all eager for what was to come—and with good reason. The opening sequence offered a tantalizing glimpse of the extraordinary spectacle about to unfold before their eyes.

The lights dimmed, the crowd erupted into cheers, and a heartbeat from “Third Eye” began. As Tool’s widely-acclaimed drummer Danny Carey climbed behind the kit, a massive skull moved across the screen from right to left in an arc. A second pass gave the skull muscles and blank eyes, a third and final pass gave it skin, irises, and pupils. By this time, guitarist Adam Jones and bassist Justin Chancellor had walked out, taking up their places in front of Carey.

Maynard James Keenan (Vocalist), Tool
Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Tool sets the stage in an unconventional way: The bassist and guitarist stand in front of the elevated drummer, who has quite the legendary kit surrounding him. On each side, slightly set back, are platforms mostly shrouded in darkness. Behind Carey, there is a walkway, serving as the domain of vocalist Maynard James Keenan, who adamantly prefers not to be at the forefront of attention. He has been known to face away from the audience to immerse himself in the right mindset for certain songs, but he did not do so this evening.

As the notes for “Fear Inoculum” began, Keenan could be seen pacing in circles on the stage-right platform. Keenan rarely stops moving during the show, and can be seen frequently crouching down as if he is preparing for an unseen opponent he could employ his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu skills against, given his black belt proficiency. He also rhythmically slaps his legs or pounds his chest to the beat when not singing. In essence, Keenan is a spectacle unto himself, captivating the audience with his dynamic presence.

Maynard James Keenan (Vocalist), Tool
Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

There is an old adage that everyone knows by now: The only things certain in life are death and taxes. But nowadays, it seems almost incomplete without adding a third certainty: Maynard James Keenan’s disdain for all manner of cell phone usage at concerts. No matter which side you fall on the issue, there is no denying that as a concertgoer in these times, you are likely to partially watch the show through the lens of someone in front of you as they hold up their phone to record a video. Keenan has no problem letting you know how he feels about this, and in fact he insists that venues eject people who have their phones out. 30 or so people were reportedly kicked out during the prior night’s show for violating this rule, and at least 4 were spotted being escorted from the floor on this night. 

After “Fear Inoculum” ended, Keenan addressed the ban on cell phones by laying into the culture of addiction to false connections, informing people if they could not put their phones away for 2 hours, they should seek help. His reasoning was that he—and the band—wanted everyone to be present in the moment as they were taking the crowd on a journey. With the exception of the few who discovered that yes, it was still chilly outside, and yes, security was dead serious about enforcement of the policy, the audience as a whole respected the artists’ wishes. 

Maynard James Keenan (Vocalist), Tool
Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Keenan was not using hyperbole when discussing the journey to come. The show truly is a transformative experience, with visuals that sometimes evoke the sensation of a particularly intense trip on psychedelic mushrooms. A prime example occurred when the screen behind the band abruptly showcased towering, 40-foot-tall aliens peering out at the crowd. Overall, the visuals behind the band are absolutely incredible to see, and there is no denying that they immensely enhance the experience. It should also be noted that Jones is an accomplished makeup artist and set builder—including work on Jurassic Park—and as such, some of the visuals came from him. 

Adam Jones (Guitarist), Tool
Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Tool has a decent-sized body of work, with just over 50 songs in total, but the shows tend to have somewhat sparse setlists due to the length of their songs. This show was no exception, with just 11 songs, five of which came from 2019’s Fear Inoculum. There was a 12-minute intermission after the first 7 songs, where seemingly the entire arena made a mad dash to offload trash, visit concessions for some more food or drinks, and/or make a pitstop in the restroom. 

For those who managed to return in time, they were treated to the sight of Carey—sporting a personalized Phoenix Suns jersey and basketball shorts—standing before a colossal gong. After gently massaging the gong’s surface with his drumsticks, Carey took a mallet, pointed back toward the crowd, and delivered a resounding strike. Following this striking display, he settled behind his drum kit and unleashed a multi-minute drum solo, captivating the audience as it was magnificently showcased on the towering screens behind the stage.

Danny Carey (Drummer), Tool
Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Carey’s drumming prowess is unparalleled, a true maestro behind the kit. It’s not only enthralling to watch but also a delight to listen to him weave his rhythmic magic. 

Next up was Chancellor, who delivered a relatively swift bass solo. Despite its brevity, witnessing him coax sounds from the bass that seem impossible was incredibly impressive.

Justin Chancellor (Bassist), Tool
Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Lastly, but certainly not least, was Jones, who effortlessly shifts between styles, making it a bit more challenging to emulate him. However, witnessing someone defy “traditional” styles in such a remarkable manner is truly awe-inspiring. It’s a sheer pleasure to observe this trio craft music in ways that most can only dream of replicating. 

Adam Jones (Guitarist), Danny Carey (Drummer), & Justin Chancellor (Bassist) of Tool
Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

There would be a total of 4 more songs, including “Flood,” which saw confetti dropping from the ceiling during the intro. Right before the final set, Keenan informed the crowd – almost resentfully – that since they had been good, they could film the final song. He also brought up the fact that he would be touring with A Perfect Circle and Puscifer, with a return to the valley in April. He then told the audience that they could take out their “stupid” phones, but warned that if they used their flash while taking photos or had their light on while filming, he would come down and “kick them in their vaginas.” As if on cue, someone immediately held up their phone with the light on, which drew Keenans’ wrath, as well as the attention of security.

What other song is better to close the show with than one of the most recognizable songs in rock, “Schism”? The opening notes may not be quite as recognizable as the riff, but almost any rock fan is immediately going to recognize those notes. It is fun to watch Tool live; every facet of the show is nothing short of entertaining, and the journey that Keenan promises to take the fans lives up to his word. As the final notes faded, Keenan left his perch for the first time, fist bumping each of his band mates before exiting the stage and allowing them to take the final bows they deserve. Keenan is an anti-star, if you will, and yet he certainly has the gravity of one. 

Maynard James Keenan (Vocalist), Tool
Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Do yourself a favor and go see Tool next time they come to town. And if you are able, go see Puscifer and A Perfect Circle with Primus in Phoenix on April 16th or 17th (SOLD OUT) as well. Especially considering it will be Keenan’s 60th birthday celebration, we have every confidence they will not leave you disappointed. More Tool and Sessanta tour dates on Live Nation.

View Tool’s Phoenix Setlist (Feb. 10) on Setlist.fm

Photo Gallery

Photographer: Katherine Amy Vega

Tool & Elder – Footprint Center 2-10-24

Photography © Katherine Amy Vega, Kataklizmic Design
All Rights Reserved.

TOOL Announce North American Tour with 1st Canadian Dates Since 2019

LOS ANGELES – TOOL return to the road this Fall, expanding on their recently announced festival appearances (Power Trip, Aftershock and Louder Than Life) with an additional six weeks of performances, including the band’s first Canadian dates since 2019.

Tool admat for Fall 2023 North American tour
Tool tour dates

The tour announcement follows TOOL’s debut live performances of 2023, headlining both Welcome to Rockville and the Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival in recent weeks.

Tickets for all non-festival shows are on-sale this Friday, June 9 at 10 am local time. In advance of the forthcoming on-sale, TOOL Army has opened additional memberships, with pre-sale tickets available exclusively to members on June 8 at 10 am local time. A limited number of VIP packages will also be initially available to TOOL Army members, with remaining options, including premium tickets, soundcheck access, exclusive merchandise and more, available to the general public as the on-sale begins on June 9.

TOOL Tour Dates

  • September 22 – Louisville, KY – Louder Than Life Festival
  • October 3 – Loveland, CO – Budweiser Event Center
  • October 6 – Sacramento, CA – Aftershock Festival
  • October 8 – Indio, CA – Power Trip
  • October 10 – Salt Lake City, UT – Delta Center
  • October 12 – Idaho Falls, IDMountain America Center
  • October 14 – Nampa, ID – Ford Idaho Center
  • October 15 – Spokane, WA – Spokane Arena
  • October 17 – Eugene, OR – Matthew Knight Center
  • October 19 – Portland, OR – Moda Center
  • October 20 – Tacoma, WA – Tacoma Dome
  • October 22 – Kelowna, BC – Prospera Place Arena
  • October 23 – Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena
  • October 25 – Edmonton, AB – Rogers Place
  • October 27 – Calgary, AB – Scotiabank Saddledome
  • October 29 – Winnipeg, MB – Canada Life Center
  • October 31 – St. Paul, MN – Xcel Energy Center
  • November 1 – Milwaukee, WI – Fiserv Forum
  • November 3 – Knoxville, TN – Thompson-Boiling Arena
  • November 4 – Charleston, WV – Charleston Coliseum
  • November 6 – Rochester, NY – Blue Cross Arena
  • November 7 – Allentown, PA – PPL Center
  • November 10 – Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Arena
  • November 13 – Manchester, NH – SNHU Arena
  • November 15 – Boston, MA – TD Garden
  • November 16 – Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center
  • November 19 – Montreal, QC – Bell Center
  • November 20 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena
  • November 21 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena

Since the 2019 release of TOOL’s critically-acclaimed album, Fear Inoculum, the band has won a GRAMMY Award® (Best Metal Performance for “7empest”), completed sold-out tours of both the U.S. and Europe, and headlined Bonnaroo, Welcome to Rockville and the Sonic Temple Arts & Music Festival. TOOL marked the 30th anniversary of the Opiate EP with the 2022 release of “Opiate2,” a re-imagining of the EP’s title track, released in tandem with a breathtaking, 10-minute short film crafted by Adam Jones and visual artist Dominic Hailstone (“Alien: Covenant”, “The Eel”).

Reviews from TOOL’s sold-out 2022 tours praised the four-piece, with Loudwire dubbing the performances as “a masterclass of immersion, sound and stage design, musicianship… and levels of ungodly tightness.” The Austin Chronicle described the incomparable live experience as an “unbridled exchange of catharsis between performers and fans.” More recently, Revolver, covering Welcome to Rockville 2023, said “TOOL delivered a stunning… set featuring classic fan favorites, newer Fear Inoculum standouts and choice deeper cuts … the striking visuals also included a psychedelic laser and projections show bar none.”

TOOL formed in 1990, releasing five studio albums: Undertow (1993), Ænima (1996), Lateralus (2001),10,000 Days (2006), and Fear Inoculum (2019); two EPs: 72826 (1991) and Opiate (1992), and the limited-edition boxset Salival (2000). The band has won four GRAMMY Awards®: Best Metal Performance (1998, “Ænima”), Best Metal Performance (2002, “Schism”), Best Recording Package (2007, 10,000 Days) and Best Metal Performance (2020, “7empest”). TOOL is Danny Carey (drums), Justin Chancellor (bass), Adam Jones (guitar) and Maynard James Keenan (vocals).

Featured photo (top) by Travis Shinn

Tool Announce Extensive 2022 Tour Dates for U.S. & Europe

LOS ANGELES – TOOL have announced a mammoth 2022 tour, with the Los Angeles-based band spending 3 months traversing the U.S. followed by a month of European dates.

TOOL elected to kick off the highly-anticipated trek in Eugene, Ore. as a nod to the abrupt halt to their 2020 Fear Inoculum tour. Slated to play the Matthew Knight Arena on March 12, 2020, the show, along with the band’s remaining tour dates, was canceled as nationwide lockdowns began to take effect that evening.

“It is with great pleasure I get to announce our return to the road,” said Danny Carey. “These past 18 months have been trying to say the least but from great trials come great lessons and great rewards. We are genuinely looking forward to sharing them with you.”

Tickets for all dates are on-sale this Friday, Oct. 1 at 10 am local time (UK and Irish dates are on-sale at 9 am local time). TOOL Army members can purchase pre-sale tickets for European dates on Sept. 28 at 10 am local time (24 hour pre-sale window), while U.S. pre-sale tickets are available on Sept. 29 at 10 am local time (36 hour pre-sale window). A selection of exclusive packages, which include a pre-sale ticket, will also be made available to TOOL Army members on Sept. 29 at 10 am local time.

TOOL’s 2022 U.S. & European Tour Dates

  • January 10 Eugene, OR Matthew Knight Arena
  • January 11 Tacoma, WA Tacoma Dome
  • January 13 Boise, ID Ford Idaho Center
  • January 15 Sacramento, CA Golden 1 Center
  • January 16 San Francisco, CA Chase Center
  • January 18 Anaheim, CA Honda Center
  • January 19 San Diego, CA Viejas Arena
  • January 21 Phoenix, AZ Footprint Center
  • January 22 Las Vegas, NV T-Mobile Arena
  • January 25 Salt Lake City, UT Maverik Center
  • January 27 Denver, CO Ball Arena
  • January 30 Tulsa, OK BOK Center
  • January 31 Dallas, TX American Airlines Center
  • February 2 San Antonio, TX AT&T Center
  • February 4 Houston, TX Toyota Center
  • February 5 New Orleans, LA Smoothie King Center
  • February 8 Orlando, FL Amway Center
  • February 9 Tampa, FL Amalie Arena
  • February 10 Miami, FL FTX Arena
  • February 19 Boston, MA TD Garden
  • February 20 Philadelphia, PA Wells Fargo Center
  • February 22 Washington, DC Capital One Arena
  • February 23 Belmont Park, NY UBS Arena
  • February 26 Newark, NJ Prudential Center
  • February 27 Buffalo, NY KeyBank Center
  • March 1 Pittsburgh, PA PPG Paints Arena
  • March 3 Detroit, MI Little Caesars Arena
  • March 4 Louisville, KY KFC Yum! Center
  • March 6 Columbus, OH Nationwide Arena
  • March 8 Grand Rapids, MI Van Andel Arena
  • March 10 Chicago, IL United Center
  • March 12 Omaha, NE CHI Health Center Arena
  • March 13 Minneapolis, MN Target Center
  • March 15 Kansas City, MO T-Mobile Center
  • March 17 Moline, IL TaxSlayer Center
  • March 18 St. Louis, MO Enterprise Center
  • March 20 Cleveland, OH Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse
  • April 23 Copenhagen, DK Royal Arena
  • April 25 Oslo, NO Spektrum
  • April 26 Stockholm, SE Avicii Arena
  • April 28 Hamburg, DE Barclaycard Arena
  • April 29 Frankfurt, DE Festhalle
  • May 2 Manchester, UK AO Arena Manchester
  • May 4 Birmingham, UK Resorts World Arena
  • May 6 Dublin, IE 3Arena
  • May 9 London, UK The O2 Arena
  • May 12 Paris, FR AccorHotels Arena
  • May 13 Antwerp, BE Sportpaleis
  • May 15 Berlin, DE Mercedes-Benz Arena
  • May 17 Cologne, DE Lanxess Arena
  • May 19 Amsterdam, NL Ziggo Dome
  • May 21 Krakow, PL Tauron Arena
  • May 23 Prague, CZ O2 Arena
  • May 24 Budapest, HU SportAréna

Blonde Redhead opens on dates from Jan. 10 to Feb. 10.
The Acid Helps opens from Feb. 19 to March 20.

Fear Inoculum arrived in August of 2019, following years of anticipation. The album debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Top 200, shattering sales and radio records while also earning widespread critical praise. NPR said, “Fear Inoculum was worth the 13-year wait,” The Atlantic declared the release “precise and devastating,” Revolver dubbed the 10-track album “a masterpiece that will be dissected for years to come” and Consequence of Sound said Fear Inoculum finds “TOOL in peak performance.”

TOOL formed in 1990, releasing five studio albums: 

Two EPs: 72826 (1991) and Opiate (1992)

and the limited-edition boxset Salival (2000)

The band has won four GRAMMY Awards®: Best Metal Performance (1998, “Ænima”), Best Metal Performance (2002, “Schism”), Best Recording Package (2007, 10,000 Days) and Best Metal Performance (2020, “7empest”).

TOOL is:

  • Danny Carey (drums)
  • Justin Chancellor (bass)
  • Adam Jones (guitar)
  • Maynard James Keenan (vocals).

TOOL Online:

Feature photo (top) by Travis Shinn

TOOL Statement on Postponed Concerts

LOS ANGELES — TOOL has issued the following statement regarding their postponed concerts (original dates listed below):

“As so many music lovers have come to realize over the last several weeks, there is no playbook that artists, promoters and venues can pull from in these unprecedented times.

When we played what would be our final show of 2020, March 11 at Portland’s Moda Center, we believed we would be back on the road sometime this Fall. As we worked towards that goal we’ve come to realize that there is absolutely no certainty in re-scheduling dates for this Fall or 2021. State and local ordinances vary widely and no one can predict when high capacity events will safely return.

At the same time that we were working to reschedule this tour, we read your messages. Messages of job losses, illness, emotional and financial pain. We could continue to postpone or reschedule dates for some time into 2021 but ethically, we do not think this is the right course of action. In our opinion, tying up our fans’ money for months, if not a full year, is unfair. With that in mind, we have made the very difficult decision to cancel the tour so we can help support the people who have supported us for years.

Please know, we want nothing more than to return to the road, to play these songs for you and to celebrate our shared recovery. When the time is right, we will do just that.

In the coming days you will receive an email from the ticketing service you purchased tickets through notifying you of the event cancellation and when to expect your refund.”

Impacted Dates:

  • March 12 Eugene, OR Matthew Knight Center
  • March 14 Boise, ID Ford Idaho Center Arena
  • March 16 Salt Lake City, UT Maverik Center
  • April 16 Miami, FL American Airlines Arena
  • April 17 Orlando, FL Amway Center
  • April 19 Tampa, FL Amalie Arena
  • April 21 Charlotte, NC Spectrum Center
  • April 22 Charlottesville, VA John Paul Jones Arena
  • April 24 Baltimore, MD Royal Farms Arena
  • April 25 Uniondale, NY Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
  • April 28 Montreal, QC Bell Centre
  • April 29 Quebec City, QC Videotron Centre
  • May 1 Wilkes Barre, PA Mohegan Sun Arena
  • May 2 Buffalo, NY KeyBank Centre
  • May 4 Toledo, OH Huntington Center
  • May 5 Grand Rapids, MI Van Andel Arena
  • May 29 Tacoma, WA Tacoma Dome
  • May 31 Vancouver, BC Rogers Arena
  • June 2 Edmonton, AB Rogers Place
  • June 4 Winnipeg, MB Bell MTS Place
  • June 6 Minneapolis, MN Target Center
  • June 7 Sioux Falls, SD Denny Sanford Premier Center
  • June 9 Madison, WI Kohl Center
  • June 10 Moline, IL TaxSlayer Center
  • June 13 St. Louis, MO Enterprise Center
  • June 16 Wichita, KS INTRUST Bank Arena
  • June 17 Oklahoma City, OK Chesapeake Energy Center
  • June 19 Colorado Springs, CO Broadmoor World Arena
  • June 22 Sacramento, CA Golden 1 Center
  • June 23 San Francisco, CA Chase Center

TOOL Online

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Featured photo (top) by Rodrigo Izquierdo

Puscifer Returns with Timely “Apocalyptical” Video

Maynard James Keenan-fronted Band Releases First New Music since 2015

Jerome, AZ — Puscifer, the Arizona-born, “exceptionally groovy” (Entertainment Weekly) band that Revolver dubbed “Maynard James Keenan’s… indescribable musical/performance-art collective,” release the eerily topical “Apocalyptical” single and video:

A message from Keenan arrives alongside the track: “Manipulated information disseminated by kings, queens, dictators, so called leaders, supposed professionals or outliers and conspiracy theorists living underground, or in basements, is not new or unique to this generation. Misdirection is Power Struggles’ conjoined twin but the speed at which it now travels in this digital age is dangerous and destructive on many levels. This rapid distribution of poison and its immediate impact will be the hallmark of our generation. Even In light of all this, and all the noise the digital landscape generates, all I keep asking myself is ‘what is it with the whole hoarding toilet paper thing?’”

The ”Apocalyptical” release follows social media breadcrumbs hinting at imminent moves amongst the Puscifer camp. As had been speculated, and can now be confirmed, the band’s fourth full-length studio album will arrive this Fall via Alchemy Recordings, a partnership with BMG. Alchemy Recordings is a new record label created in partnership between Dino Paredes, former American Recordings Vice President of A&R, and Danny Wimmer, the founder of Danny Wimmer Presents, the premier production company for rock music festivals in the United States.

Vocalist Carina Round sheds light on the darkly prophetic timing of the song: “’Apocalyptical’ was one of the very first musical ideas for the new record that we put our voices on out in Arizona in late 2019. It was simultaneously very fresh and also felt like we had never been apart.”

For the initial writing process of ‘Apocalyptical,” we relied heavily on a Fairlight IIx (an early musical computer using 8 bit samples), and a Synclavier II (another early digital workstation that relied on FM synthesis),” explains guitar player and co-producer Mat Mitchell of the behind-the-scenes creation of the song. “These were heavyweights in early digital music productions and defined a generation of music. We decided to set modern computers aside by working within the limitations of these early computer technologies. This created a unique space for us to explore and the results can be heard throughout this track.”

Puscifer has released three full-length studio albums: “V” is for Vagina (2007), Conditions of My Parole (2011) and Money Shot (2015). Maynard James Keenan initially used the moniker in a 1995 episode of “Mr. Show,” bringing the band to life in 2007. Keenan’s companions in the electro-rock outfit have been Mat Mitchell (guitar/production) and Carina Round (vocals/songwriting). The band brings a unique mix of recorded output and on-stage theatrics, pairing each release with a conceptual live show, from a “Hee Haw”-infused performance featuring recurring Puscifer characters Billy Dee and Hildy to 2017’s luchadores-themed outing.

Puscifer Online

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Tool Announces Spring Tour Dates 

LOS ANGELES – Tool, who recently took home the GRAMMY Award® for Best Metal Performance for the song “7empest,” has added an extensive Spring tour for North America.

The tour news arrives as the Los Angeles-based band wraps up a sold out Australasian tour, with the final two shows of the trek, back-to-back sold out performances at Auckland’s Spark Arena, happening later this week. The Sydney Morning Herald described the live offering as “an immersive art-rock experience that forced you to feel a little of everything. It was an intricate collage of light, sound and imagery.” The Fear Inoculum tour, which has seen the band performing in some cities for the first time in over a decade, has received widespread accolades with the Los Angeles Times calling it “impeccable,” the Chicago Tribune describing the performances as a “twisting multimedia rollercoaster of a concert” and The Arizona Republic describing the shows as “a visually breathtaking night of dystopian art-rock spectacle.”

Newly Announced Tour Dates

  • April 16 Miami, FL American Airlines Arena
  • April 17 Orlando, FL Amway Center
  • April 19 Tampa, FL Amalie Arena
  • April 21 Charlotte, NC Spectrum Center
  • April 22 Charlottesville, VA John Paul Jones Arena
  • April 24 Baltimore, MD Royal Farms Arena
  • April 25 Uniondale, NY Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
  • April 28 Montreal, QC Bell Centre
  • April 29 Quebec City, QC Videotron Centre
  • May 1 Wilkes Barre, PA Mohegan Sun Arena
  • May 2 Buffalo, NY KeyBank Centre
  • May 4 Toledo, OH Huntington Center
  • May 5 Grand Rapids, MI Van Andel Arena
  • May 29 Tacoma, WA Tacoma Dome
  • May 31 Vancouver, BC Rogers Arena
  • June 2 Edmonton, AB Rogers Place
  • June 4 Winnipeg, MB Bell MTS Place
  • June 6 Minneapolis, MN Target Center
  • June 7 Sioux Falls, SD Denny Sanford Premier Center
  • June 9 Madison, WI Kohl Center
  • June 10 Moline, IL TaxSlayer Center
  • June 12 Manchester, TN Bonnaroo Festival
  • June 13 St. Louis, MO Enterprise Center
  • June 16 Wichita, KS INTRUST Bank Arena
  • June 17 Oklahoma City, OK Chesapeake Energy Center
  • June 19 Colorado Springs, CO Broadmoor World Arena
  • June 22 Sacramento, CA Golden 1 Center
  • June 23 San Francisco, CA Chase Center

Tickets for the above dates are on-sale this Friday, Feb. 28 at 10 am local time, with the exception of Sioux Falls and St. Louis which are on-sale at 12 noon local time. A limited number of VIP packages are available exclusively to Tool Army members here this Wednesday, Feb. 26 at 10 am local time. Blonde Redhead opens April 16 to May 5; The Acid Helps opens May 29 to June 23 (except Bonnaroo performance).

Fear Inoculum arrived on Aug. 30 following years of anticipation. The album debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Top 200, shattering sales and radio records while also earning widespread critical praise. NPR said, “Fear Inoculum was worth the 13-year wait,” The Atlantic declared the release “precise and devastating,” Revolver dubbed the 10-track album “a masterpiece that will be dissected for years to come” and Consequence of Sound said Fear Inoculum finds “Tool in peak performance.”

Full List of Tool Tour Dates

  • February 28 Auckland, New Zealand Spark Arena
  • February 29 Auckland, New Zealand Spark Arena
  • March 9 Spokane, WA Spokane Arena
  • March 11 Portland, OR Moda Center
  • March 12 Eugene, OR Matthew Knight Center
  • March 14 Boise, ID Ford Idaho Center Arena
  • March 16 Salt Lake City, UT Maverik Center
  • April 16 Miami, FL American Airlines Arena
  • April 17 Orlando, FL Amway Center
  • April 19 Tampa, FL Amalie Arena
  • April 21 Charlotte, NC Spectrum Center
  • April 22 Charlottesville, VA John Paul Jones Arena
  • April 24 Baltimore, MD Royal Farms Arena
  • April 25 Uniondale, NY Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
  • April 28 Montreal, QC Bell Centre
  • April 29 Quebec City, QC Videotron Centre
  • May 1 Wilkes Barre, PA Mohegan Sun Arena
  • May 2 Buffalo, NY KeyBank Centre
  • May 4 Toledo, OH Huntington Center
  • May 5 Grand Rapids, MI Van Andel Arena
  • May 29 Tacoma, WA Tacoma Dome
  • May 31 Vancouver, BC Rogers Arena
  • June 2 Edmonton, AB Rogers Place
  • June 4 Winnipeg, MB Bell MTS Place
  • June 6 Minneapolis, MN Target Center
  • June 7 Sioux Falls, SD Denny Sanford Premier Center
  • June 9 Madison, WI Kohl Center
  • June 10 Moline, IL TaxSlayer Center
  • June 13 St. Louis, MO Enterprise Center
  • June 16 Wichita, KS Intrust Bank Arena
  • June 17 Oklahoma City, OK Chesapeake Energy Center
  • June 19 Colorado Springs, CO Broadmoor World Arena
  • June 22 Sacramento, CA Golden 1 Center
  • June 23 San Francisco, CA Chase Center

Tool Online

Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter


Featured photo (top) by Travis Shinn


TOOL wins GRAMMY Award®: Best Metal Performance (“7empest”)

LOS ANGELES – TOOL has won a GRAMMY Award® for Best Metal Performance (“7empest”). Danny Carey (drums) and Justin Chancellor (bass) accepted the awards at today’s Premiere Ceremony in Los Angeles.

“7empest” is from the band’s fifth studio album: Fear Inocolum (RCA Records). The 10-song collection arrived in late August, debuting at #1 on Billboard’s Top 200.

Critically, the album was met with equal enthusiasm. NPR said “Fear Inoculum was worth the 13-year wait,” The Atlantic dubbed it “precise and devastating,” Revolver declared it “a masterpiece that will be dissected for years to come” and Entertainment Weekly said the collection is “deeply satisfying, both as a distinct artistic statement and as accidental fan service to a base that expects nothing less than unflinchingly unique artistic statements.”

The Los Angeles-based band has previously won three GRAMMY Awards®: Best Metal Performance (1998, “Ænima”), Best Metal Performance (2002, “Schism”) and Best Recording Package (2007, 10,000 Days).

TOOL Tour Dates:

  • January 28 Atlanta, GA State Farm Arena
  • January 29 Nashville, TN Bridgestone Arena
  • January 31 Memphis, TN FedEx Forum
  • February 1 New Orleans, LA Smoothie King Center
  • February 14 Perth, Australia RAC Arena
  • February 17 Sydney, Australia Qudos Bank Arena
  • February 18 Sydney, Australia Qudos Bank Arena
  • February 20 Brisbane, Australia Brisbane Entertainment Centre
  • February 22 Melbourne, Australia Rod Laver Arena
  • February 23 Melbourne, Australia Rod Laver Arena
  • February 28 Auckland, New Zealand Spark Arena
  • February 29 Auckland, New Zealand Spark Arena
  • March 9 Spokane, WA Spokane Arena
  • March 11 Portland, OR Moda Center
  • March 12 Eugene, OR Matthew Knight Center
  • March 14 Boise, ID Ford Idaho Center Arena

TOOL Is:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Featured photo (top) by Travis Shinn

REVIEW: Tool Prove to be Sharp as Ever In Latest Comeback (10-23-19)

Glendale, AZ — Tool stopped to play the Gila River Arena to an ocean of patiently adoring fans that could not have been more excited to hear the band rip into their ear drums. However, little did everyone in attendance know that what transpired next would be far beyond even what their lofty expectations could prepare them for.

One might think after a 13-year hiatus from recording new music, that a band might be well past their prime but fortunately for Tool, they’re clearly an exception to the rule. With the release of their latest album, Fear Inoculum, this is a band that has proven they won’t compromise their artistic vision for the sake of putting an album out every two years or so. They take their time perfecting a raw, mysterious sound that fans have come to revere over the years.

UK veterans Killing Joke kicked off the night and proved to be an excellent opening act, getting the crowd pumped up with their whiplash-inducing brand of quasi-metal and goth rock sounds. They were definitely an interesting choice for the opening band, but Tool has always brought their friends and greatest musical influences along with them on tour. It was fascinating to observe and clear how Killing Joke’s unique take on music clearly influenced Tool’s own iconic sound as their set went on. Notably, Killing Joke has had many lineup changes throughout the years. But recently, all of their original members are officially back in the band. This brought an inspiring energy to the night that would only flourish in intensity as the time grew closer for Tool to take the stage.

Tool fans awaiting the band’s entrance.
| Photographer:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

Fans of Tool know very well the law of the land at their concerts: no photos or videos. One might find this to be disappointing, but in many ways, it enhances the concert experience as people allow themselves and others to become fully engaged in the moment. As the lights fell to black, the sounds of cheering cut in front of the ambient noise with the swiftness of a starving octogenarian jumping to the front of the line at an early-bird dinner buffet. You could reach out and touch the energy in the room, and just when it seemed like the arena would burst from the crowd’s anticipation, guitarist Adam Jones played the opening swells to the new album’s title track, “Fear Inoculum.”

Maynard James Keenan (Vocals), Tool
| Photographer:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

This was a very good choice for the opening number, not only because it’s the first song on the new album, but also because it represents the first example of new music they presented to the world after a 13-year drought. The song was recreated beautifully in the live setting, and it was accompanied by some of the most impressive Alex Gray-inspired visuals to date. Incredibly long threads formed around the stage in a circular formation as intensely colorful images were projected onto the screen towering behind the band. These threads also allowed the images projected on stage to glide across them in a pseudo-3D effect that was nothing less than spectacular for  lucky enough to capture it firsthand.

Danny Carey (Drums), Tool
| Photographer:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

Familiar clay aliens and faceless men in business suits adorned the screen as fans were treated to the corresponding music videos for each of the band’s older songs. One particular highlight included a full live rendition of “Parabol/Parabola” in all of its 9-minute glory, to the uncontainable delight of many fans in attendance. The drums punched through the mix with a primal fury not seen from many other bands around today, thanks to the incomparable Danny Carey behind the monstrous kit. His effortless playing and ad-libbing enhanced the songs without it sounding too busy or as if he was showing off. Every single drum strike was as tasteful as the last, which is no small feat when you have such a large kit at your disposal to tempt a less stoic individual into overplaying.

Adam Jones (Guitar), Tool
| Photographer:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

Guitarist Adam Jones and bassist Justin Chancellor were also both in exceptional form throughout the night, proving their playing only continues to improve. The ear-piercing squeals of Jones’ dark Les Paul mixed with Chancellor’s thunderous yet melodic bass lines are truly a match made in heaven.

Justin Chancellor (Bass), Tool
| Photographer:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

Other notable highlights of the night included the second song of the set “Ænima”, introduced by singer Maynard James Keenan happily declaring “Alpha Omega. AZ. It’s good to be home. We just got back from LA.” Immediately followed by the familiarly breathy “hey” repeated throughout the intro of the song about a great flood of biblical proportions consuming the entirety of Los Angeles in all of its perceived decay and decadence. This was followed by excellent performances of “The Pot”, “Jambi”, and “Schism”, with the latter incorporating an unexpectedly sped-up bridge section that had to be heard to be believed.

Maynard James Keenan (Vocals), Tool
| Photographer:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

Tool have achieved what so many other bands who have been together for as long as they have only dream of doing successfully: standing the test of time. So many bands of yesteryear lapse into obscurity or worse yet, self-parody, as they make their comebacks. Tool is not one of them. They continue to deliver unprecedented, phenomenal live shows and mind-blowing visuals that only get better as time flows onward. If you get the chance to see them live, do yourself a favor by not missing out, because they deliver every single time.

Photo Gallery

Photographer: Rodrigo Izquierdo

Tool – Gila River Arena 10-23-19

Photography © Reagle Photography
All Rights Reserved


Tool Claims #1 Spot on Billboard Top 200 as Fear Inoculum Reigns Over Worldwide Charts 

Los Angeles – Tool celebrates their third consecutive #1 debut on Billboard’s Top 200, with Fear Inoculum (RCA Records) reigning over the U.S. sales charts, selling 270,000 units.

The news of Fear Inoculum’s impressive debut comes amidst news stories of the album release being met by lengthy lines at retailers as music lovers clamored to get a copy of the limited edition, physical version of the CD. The spectacular, groundbreaking packaging boasts a 4” HD rechargeable screen with exclusive video footage, charging cable, 2 watt speaker, a 36-page booklet and a digital download card.

The Coalition of Independent Music Stores (CIMS) released a rare statement, describing the event-like album release: “Several stores had well-attended midnight sales on Thursday (it was my store’s first midnight sale in 10 years). When we returned to work on Friday morning, there were lines at the door… the Tool release was the biggest thing to hit retail in years.”

The success wasn’t isolated to the U.S., with the album debuting at #1 in Australia, Norway, New Zealand, and Belgium, as well as Top 5 debuts in the UK, Germany, The Netherlands, Ireland, Italy and Finland.

Critically, the album was met with equal enthusiasm. NPR proclaimed Fear Inoculum was worth the 13-year wait,” NME awarded the 10-track offering a perfect 5 star score, The Atlantic dubbed it “precise and devastating,” Revolver declared it “a masterpiece that will be dissected for years to come” and Entertainment Weekly said the collection is “deeply satisfying, both as a distinct artistic statement and as accidental fan service to a base that expects nothing less than unflinchingly unique artistic statements.”

News of the Fear Inoculum’s impressive debut follows the announcement of Tool’s first North American tour in support of the album.

Tool North American Tour Dates:

  • October 13 Sacramento, CA Aftershock Festival
  • October 15 Denver, CO Pepsi Center
  • October 16 Denver, CO Pepsi Center
  • October 18 Salt Lake City, UT Vivint Smart Home Arena
  • October 20 Los Angeles, CA Staples Center
  • October 21 Los Angeles, CA Staples Center
  • October 23 Glendale, AZ Gila River Arena
  • October 25 San Antonio, TX AT&T Center
  • October 27 Houston, TX Toyota Center
  • October 29 Tulsa, OK BOK Center
  • October 31 Milwaukee, WI Fiserv Forum
  • November 2 Indianapolis, IN Banker’s Life Fieldhouse
  • November 3 Chicago, IL United Center
  • November 5 Cincinnati, OH US Bank Arena
  • November 6 Cleveland, OH Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse
  • November 8 Pittsburgh, PA PPG Paints Arena
  • November 9 Detroit, MI Little Caesars Arena
  • November 11 Toronto, ON Scotiabank Arena
  • November 12 Toronto, ON Scotiabank Arena
  • November 14 Boston, MA TD Garden
  • November 16 Newark, NJ Prudential Center
  • November 18 Philadelphia, PA Wells Fargo Center
  • November 19 Brooklyn, NY Barclays Center
  • November 21 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Casino Arena
  • November 22 Atlantic City, NJ Boardwalk Hall
  • November 24 Raleigh, NC PNC Arena
  • November 25 Washington, DC Capitol One Arena
Tool By Travis Shinn
Tool | Photographer: Travis Shinn

Tool formed in 1990, releasing four multi-platinum studio albums: Undertow (1993), Ænima (1996), Lateralus (2001) and 10,000 Days (2006); two EPs: 72826 (1991) and Opiate (1992) and the limited-edition boxset Salival (2000). The band has won three GRAMMY Awards®: Best Metal Performance (1998, “Ænima”), Best Metal Performance (2002, “Schism”) and Best Recording Package (2007, 10,000 Days).

Tool Is:

Danny Carey (drums)
Justin Chancellor (bass)
Adam Jones (guitar)
Maynard James Keenan (vocals)

​​​​​​​Tool Online:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Tool Releases First Album in 13 Years, Fear Inoculum; Announces North American Tour

Los Angeles – Fear Inoculum, Tool’s fifth studio album, and 2019’s most anticipated release, is available now. Listen HERE.

Tool’s Fear Inoculum is a masterpiece to be dissected for years to come.” – Revolver

The news arrives as the band announces a six-week North American tour, launching the trek on Oct. 13 at the Aftershock Festival. Tickets are on-sale Sept. 6 at 10 am local time, with a limited number of tickets will be available to Tool Army members on Sept. 4. Tool Army information, as well as VIP package details, can be found HERE.

Fear Inoculum is a beast of an album” – Consequence of Sound

Fear Inoculum’s release caps off over a decade of speculation and anticipation, with confirmation of the release arriving in May as the band flashed “August 30” from the stage as they performed two new songs: “Descending” and “Invincible.”

absolutely gobsmacking” – Kerrang!

As August arrived, Tool released their back catalog via digital service providers, seeing Opiate, Undertow, Ænima, Lateralus and 10,000 Days rack up in excess of 20 million streams in the subsequent 48 hours and occupy the top five spots on iTunes’ Top 10 Album Charts. 23 years after its initial release, Ænima re-entered Billboard’s Top 200, arriving at #10, with Lateralus (#16), 10,000 Days (#18) and Undertow (#19) landing in the Top 20. Tool’s debut release, 1992’s Opiate EP, made its Billboard chart premiere, arrived at #59. The band also broke records that week: taking four of the top five spots on Billboard’s Hard Rock Albums chart (the first act to achieve that feat upon digital release) and claiming 15 (of 25) spots on Billboard’s Rock Digital Song Sales chart.

A languid and blissful work.5 Stars NME

The title track arrived as details surrounding the collection surfaced, including a limited-edition CD version of Fear Inoculum. The collectible offering, which was conceived by and directed by Adam Jones, features a 4” HD rechargeable screen with exclusive video footage, charging cable, 2 watt speaker, a 36-page booklet and a digital download card. A list of retailers who have remaining stock of the groundbreaking package can be found HERE. A vinyl release will be announced soon.

TOOL’s Fear Inoculum is a transcendent return” – SPIN

Tool Fear Inoculum Cover
Fear Inoculum Cover

Tool North American Tour Dates:

October 13 Sacramento, CA Aftershock Festival
October 15 Denver, CO Pepsi Center
October 18 Salt Lake City, UT Vivint Smart Home Arena
October 20 Los Angeles, CA Staples Center
October 21 Los Angeles, CA Staples Center
October 23 Glendale, AZ Gila River Arena
October 25 San Antonio, TX AT&T Center
October 27 Houston, TX Toyota Center
October 29 Tulsa, OK BOK Center
October 31 Milwaukee, WI Fiserv Forum
November 2 Indianapolis, IN Banker’s Life Fieldhouse
November 3 Chicago, IL United Center
November 5 Cincinnati, OH US Bank Arena
November 6 Cleveland, OH Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse
November 8 Pittsburgh, PA PPG Paints Arena
November 9 Detroit, MI Little Caesars Arena
November 11 Toronto, ON Scotiabank Arena
November 12 Toronto, ON Scotiabank Arena
November 14 Boston, MA TD Garden
November 16 Newark, NJ Prudential Center
November 18 Philadelphia, PA Wells Fargo Center
November 19 Brooklyn, NY Barclay’s Center
November 21 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Casino Arena
November 22 Atlantic City, NJ Boardwalk Hall
November 24 Raleigh, NC PNC Arena
November 25 Washington, DC Capitol One Arena

Tool formed in 1990, releasing four multi-platinum studio albums: Undertow (1993), Ænima (1996), Lateralus (2001) and 10,000 Days (2006); two EPs: 72826 (1991) and Opiate (1992) and the limited-edition boxset Salival (2000). The band has won three GRAMMY Awards®: Best Metal Performance (1998, “Ænima”), Best Metal Performance (2002, “Schism”) and Best Recording Package (2007, 10,000 Days).

Tool Is:

Danny Carey (drums)
Justin Chancellor (bass)
Adam Jones (guitar)
Maynard James Keenan (vocals)

Tool Online:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram


Featured photo (top) by Travis Shinn