For two back to back nights, the black magic of one of today's most uncompromising, mysterious and intelligent bands descends on Brixton.
For two back to back nights, the black magic of one of today's most uncompromising, mysterious and intelligent bands descends on Brixton.
Such is the enigma, awe and down right desperation of catching this live spectacle, touts are willing to hang around in torrential downpour selling tickets which are easily snapped up for between £40-50.
Opening act Pablo arrives without a reputation and certainly leaves without imposing one too. Their take on bland, stadium rock comes and goes without them really being noticed.
From the moment Tool's stage set-up is unveiled it is apparent that this is not just a gig but a hugely unique performance, with the stage shadowed by two giant video screens, overseeing two risers, one for Danny Carey's drums, another for leather clad, face painted, vocalist, Maynard James Keenan who stands in front of a smaller video screen.
Guitarist Adam Jones and bassist Justin Chancellor take up positions at the front of the stage and, as the lights dim and the band launch into their opener the screens illuminate with surreal images of an eye pressed against a keyhole. Throughout the whole show the band remain in almost complete darkness, with Keenan only visible as a silhouette whilst he screams, murmurs and bellows through the set.
The video screens portray films mostly conceived by guitarist, Jones. An eclectic and fascinating mixture of layers; veins, tissue and bone in the human body, mutated humans, writhing larvae and water scenes. While his graphic designs may bear no obvious direct conscious link to the songs, they seem to connect on a more subliminal level.
The relative anonymity of the band allows both an aural and visual sensory bombardment with the focus shifted away from the personnel, creating an eerie atmosphere which the crowd duly fall into whilst refraining from the mundane moshpit so common now at rock gigs. The band serves up an extremely intense emotional palate of songs. Drawing mostly from their latest album, Lateralus they create a foundation of achingly beautiful and immensely powerful songs, which are impossible to describe in words. Tracks such as 'Schism' and 'The Grudge' are just totally unlike anything else you will here today in a rock music scene which is now so bloated and mundane that it is likely to implode any time soon.
Tool have been accused of being arrogant and pretentious but this is largely down to the fact that they are such good musicians - and they know it. They preach a wholly truthful and hopeful philosophy with the ability to take you on a spiritual journey, arriving at the other end feeling both educated and overwhelmed.
In both the design and execution of the songs, they manage to drag you deep into the darkest recesses of the soul and let you revel in what they reveal about man's sorry and at times sordid condition.
Dipping into their back catalogue, huge cheers are released for old favourites such as 'Stinkfist' and 'H' and with the rain lashing outside, the apocalyptic vision of Los Angeles falling into sea as portrayed in '®nima' seems all the more haunting
Tool conclude with 'Lateralus' a ten minute epic that draws you into the spiral that the lyrics, music and visual describe and spits you out gasping for more. The band gathers for a group hug and descend back into the darkness from which they and their music comes from.
Maynard James Keenan once noted that 'Art saves lives'. After two hours of profoundly superior musicianship and creative visuals it has saved a good few more.
- MJL
