Despite misgivings about 10,000 Days, one really can’t deny the chance to check out Tool in a live setting. I’ve seen Tool twice previously, the first time on September 18^th, 2001 at Toronto’s Air Canada Centre, followed by August 25^th, 2002 at Copps Coliseum in Hamilton, of which visuals I previously described. For July 9^th, 2007, I headed back to The Hammer to see them after an almost five year hiatus.

For pre-drinks with friends, we hit up Hess Village at Gown & Gavel (I enjoy how the site’s logo is in Comic Sans). On the way out, I noticed the Leafs’ Brian McCabe and his entourage exiting the patio. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to be that Typical Hockey Fan and make a loud (but distant) accusation of suckage. Next time.

We were in section 122, row 4 which were the best seats I’ve ever had for a Tool gig. I don’t think my frame will ever want to deal with the physical realities of general admission. The stage had four 10′ high screens, with two larger screens to the side of the stage. There were three circular-structured lights above the stage that rotated and laterally moved about while later in the show, green laser lighting was introduced. Alex Grey’s large-scale Sacred Mirrors curtain was also revealed behind the short screens, similar to how the Lateralus tour setup was handled.

Nearing the end of the show, singer Maynard repeatingly requested for no flash photography, to which you could see a dozen flashes in the crowd within the next minute. It’s not like security really searches people anymore, due to the pint-size of mobile phones. Then the fans wonder why he performs whole concerts turned away from the crowd.

Aside from ambient segues (including “(-) ions”) and the instrumental extensions to a couple songs, here’s the setlist:

1. Jambi
2. Stinkfist
3. 46 & 2
4. Schism
5. Lost Keys/Rosetta Stoned
6. Flood (intro)
7. Some Days It’s Dark (cover of a Death Lurks song from Kids in the Hall’s Brain Candy)
8. Flood
9. Wings for Marie
10. 10,000 Days
11. Lateralus
12. Vicarious

Overall, yeah, I pretty much go to see Danny Carey drum like a motherfucker.

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