Legendary musicianship combined with mind-blowing visuals and some deep cut tracks for a signature Tool performance at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
For a band that’s been around for 30 years, Tool does not seem to have any problems keeping things fresh. Fans know that they can expect airtight musicianship, complex time signatures, and psychonautic special effect visuals that make for a complete experience unlike anything else on the prog-metal scene. They certainly got their money’s worth in Detroit.
Los Angeles-based The Acid Helps kicked off the show with heavy riffs that mixed fast-paced heavy metal with 90s grunge sounds. Guitarist Tim Dawson got his start as a guitar tech for Alice in Chains, and that influence shines through on several of their songs. The openers thrashed through a nine-song set that included their two songs you can find on Spotify, “This Thing Will Not Last” and “Sink Pisser” along with several others yet to be released.
Tool opened up to a near sold-out crowd at Detroit’s Little Caesars Arena with the title track from 2019’s Fear Inoculum. The band emerged on stage behind a laser-lit string curtain that made them appear as if they were playing inside a psychedelic prism.Guitarist Adam Jones and bass player Justin Chancellor were in the spotlight at the front of the stage with legendary drummer Danny Carey centered behind them. Lead vocalist Maynard James Keenan crouched menacingly on pedestals placed on each side of the drumkit throughout the night.
While Keenan has a reputation for shying away from fans during Tool performances, he allowed himself to be illuminated enough during the show for the crowd to get a good look at him as he intoned into the mic.
The band mixed in hits throughout their catalog, including 1992’s EP Opiate and classics “Pushit” and “Hooker with a Penis,” while still completing all but two tracks from Fear Inoculum. The surprise of the night came toward the end of the first set when the opening riff to “Undertow” unleashed passionate hollers from a fanbase that had not had the honor of hearing that song performed live in 20 years.
Following a brief intermission, drummer Danny Carey kicked off the encore with a pounding drum solo that led into “Chocolate Chip Trip” followed by “Culling Voices” and “Invincible” from Fear Inoculum. While Little Caesars Arena is known for its strict “no photo” policy, Keenan encouraged the crowd to take out their phones to record “Invincible” as their send-off song for the night as laser-illuminated confetti rained over the crowd.
Tool has several stops throughout the Midwest throughout March before closing out the U.S. leg of their tour in Cleveland, OH on March 20th. After that, you’ll have to catch them in Europe starting April 23rd in Copenhagen.
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