EntertainmentmusicTours and Concerts
Tool performs rare live deep cuts in New Zealand after 20 years.
The hall in New Zealand was electric, a cathedral of sound where the faithful had gathered not just for a concert, but for a communion. After two long decades, Tool, the progressive metal titans known for their meticulously crafted setlists and near-ritualistic performances, decided to crack open the vault.This wasn't just another night on the Fear Inoculum tour; this was a deliberate act of archaeological excavation into their own formidable discography, a gift to the disciples who have followed the band's labyrinthine musical paths since the beginning. The air shifted palpably as the opening strains of 'H.' from 1996's 'Ænima' washed over the crowd, a track so rarely played live it had attained near-mythical status among the fanbase. This was followed by the visceral, grinding fury of 'Crawl Away' from their 1992 debut, 'Undertow,' a raw reminder of the band's more aggressive, unpolished origins.But the true seismic event was the re-emergence of 'Prison Sex,' another 'Undertow' cornerstone that had been largely absent from setlists for over twenty years, its complex time signatures and harrowing thematic weight delivered with a chilling precision that belied its long hiatus. For a band often perceived as cerebral and distant, this setlist was a surprisingly intimate gesture, a nod to the deep-seated connection they share with their audience.It speaks to a band confident enough in its current artistic trajectory to fully embrace its past, understanding that these songs are not mere relics but living, breathing parts of their sonic DNA. The decision to unearth these tracks in New Zealand, far from the relentless scrutiny of the American and European press, feels intentional, a special offering to a specific part of their global congregation.It raises fascinating questions about the band's future direction. Is this a one-off deep dive, or a sign that Tool is becoming more comfortable with the entirety of its back catalogue, potentially hinting at a more varied and unpredictable live experience to come? The performance was a masterclass in dynamics, with Maynard James Keenan's voice navigating the delicate melodies and guttural cries with undiminished power, while Adam Jones' textured guitar work, Justin Chancellor's pulsating, otherworldly bass lines, and Danny Carey's polyrhythmic drumming sorcery wove a complex tapestry that was both intellectually demanding and viscerally overwhelming.In an era of streaming and shortened attention spans, Tool’s commitment to the album as a complete art form and the live show as an immersive event is a defiant stance. This concert, with its deliberate resurrection of forgotten anthems, was more than a nostalgia trip; it was a reaffirmation of their artistic integrity, a powerful reminder that their music exists on a different timescale altogether, where a twenty-year wait only makes the eventual payoff more profound. For those in attendance, it was a night seared into memory, a shared secret in the vast, echoing narrative of one of rock's most enigmatic and enduring acts.
#featured
#Tool
#Maynard James Keenan
#live performance
#deep cuts
#New Zealand
#setlist
#concert
