Last time I saw Tool (Nov. 2019) I thought the band had reached the pinnacle of its evolution. Boy, was I fuckin wrong.

These motherfuckers blew through the stratosphere and into another dimension.

It’s hard to put into words what it was like at the 2023 tour but I’ll try (sorry if I fuck it up).

Not-so-frontman, Maynard, started out the show by inviting us all on a journey. In his usual, playful yet almost condescending tone, something Tool fans have come to love about him, he asked, no- told us to put our phones away. 

“It’s two hours. Just put the phone in your pocket. Don’t worry, it’s still there.”

– Loud mouth on stage

He was right. It was still there.

The band was phenomenal as always. Hard hitting, and as a friend of mine put it – face melting.

But the hard focus was Danny Carey playing the role of ringleader. It was emphasized by the fact that he was most brightly lit, forcing you to hone in on him and let the show blur into your periphery. By doing so, it ceased to be a standard concert and became its own living, breathing entity.

Every song punched you right in the soul with the combination of otherworldly lights and 3D graphics, not just feeding off the music but more so a visual representation of its essence.

Audible exhales after each ride- I mean song, could be heard all around. Without much time to process what the fuck just happened, Tool unapologetically escorted onlookers through the ensuing roller coaster of thoughts, feelings, sensations, and discovery.

While the entire show was a mind-blowing joyride of insanity, a few tracks stood out.

Descending | Rosetta Stoned | Invincible | Jambi because it’s both a killer tune, and Canadian rock legend Alex Lifeson of Rush joined in on guitar.

For the last track, the phones came out. Maynard even called out some of the rule breakers that decided their shitty cell phone quality videos were worth the risk of getting their asses booted out the door. Normally, the phones would’ve been a distraction, but somehow the glowing screens like twinkling stars in the obsidian sky managed to add to the atmosphere.

All-in-all I went in knowing I’d get a great show. But I didn’t think I’d end up with a near life altering experience.

Thanks, Tool. You did it again.