March 12, 2020 will be a long time remembered day for music fans. It was the day when artists started canceling tours due to the pandemic. And those who were supposed to be attending a show at the Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, OR were crushed. That night was going to be huge. That night was supposed to be fondly remembered. Instead, that night was filled with sadness for the show and tour that was canceled. The artist for that night was Tool for the Fear Inoculum tour. Fast forward to September 27, 2021 when the press release hit my email that Tool would be re-starting the Fear Inoculum tour and in 2022 and it would start in Eugene, OR. To pick up right where they left off. I can tell you the internet was buzzing that day over this announcement and the media was quickly looking to see if they were coming to their city. I should know, I was one of them. Fast forward again to February 8, 2022, where I was heading to the Amway Center in Orlando, FL to photo and review their performance.
It was a rainy day in Orlando when I arrived at the garage across from the Amway Center. I was there early to avoid the crowds and ran into a friend who was also photographing the show. When it was time we headed over to the media entrance and was greeted very warmly by Tanya their Marketing Manager. I realized it had been about 2 years since I last photographed a show there so I hadn’t seen her since then. It was a great feeling to be back as the Amway Center is a beautiful arena for concerts and is also the home of the Orlando Magic. We were guided to their Media Room where we waited until the opener was ready to go on stage. It was nice to catch up with the other media members from the Central Florida area before we headed out to photograph the opening band.
The opener for the show was Blonde Redhead a rock band out of New York City. The band formed back in 1993 and released their debut self-titled album in 1995. In that same year they also released their second album La Mia Vita Violenta. They continued working on more music and releasing more albums and in 2004 released their sixth album Misery is a Butterfly that ended up charting on the Billboard 200. Their next three albums also charted onto the Billboard 200. The band is comprised of Kazu Makino (bass), Amedeo Pace (vocals, guitar), and Simone Pace (drums). Amedeo and Simone are twins.
The band stepped out onto the stage to applause from the crowd and opened with their single “Falling Man” from their 2004 album Misery is a Butterfly. The song was very somber and slow-paced. It felt a little like a sad jazz song but had a slightly more upbeat tempo. Amedeo’s vocals were beautifully clear and high-pitched. It was a quick one song and done for media that night so we didn’t get the opportunity to see the rest of their set. If you want to learn more about them you can find their music and merch HERE.
Their setlist from that night was:
- Falling Man
- Spring By Summer and Fall
- Doll Is Mine
- Dr. Strangeluv
- Dinner 1 / Dinner 2
- 23
- Loved Despite of Great Faults
And then we came to our headliners of Tool. The Grammy Award-winning rock band out of Los Angeles, CA. The band met in 1989 and two years later released their EP 72826. They followed up with another EP in 1992 titled Opiate. The music from Opiate received rave reviews and they were brought on tours with bands such as Rage Against the Machine and White Zombie. It didn’t take them long to find major success with the release of their 1993 album Undertow. The hit single “Sober” exploded over the radio airwaves and the video was a marvelous masterpiece of stop-motion animation. Their follow-up album Ænima was released in 1996 and continued the momentum they started. Their next albums would be a gap of a few years with Lateralus in 2001 and then 10,000 Days in 2006. And it wouldn’t be until 13 years later when Tool would deliver Fear Inoculum in 2019. But, the one thing Tool has proven to their fans is their music is worth the wait. And this tour was definitely worth it as well. Tool consists of Maynard James Keenan (vocals), Adam Jones (guitar), Justin Chancellor (bass), and Danny Carey (drums).
We waited in front of the stage and when the lights dimmed down the arena roared in approval as Tool came to the stage. They kicked us off with the title track to Fear Inoculum, which is a 10-minute masterpiece. Between the rhythmic drums from Danny, the smooth guitar from Adam, the solid bass from Justin, and Maynard’s beautiful vocals, it is just a fantastic piece of music. We were ushered out to put our gear away after the one song and then I got to watch and enjoy the rest of the show from my seat. I was sad to see that I missed “Opiate”, but made it just in time for “The Pot” from 2006’s 10,000 Days. It is such a wonderful song and Justin completely rocks the song with the bass through it all. It is such a good song and completely gets you into the groove of what Tool delivers.
The one thing about a Tool show is the band wants you to experience what they offer. And a Tool live show is just exactly that, an experience. Beyond the music and vocals, Tool uses lighting in such a unique way and the imagery they display on their back screen is just something to behold. During this tour, they used a curtain that looked like a thick thread to surround the stage. And while we were in the photo pit, we could photograph underneath it easily enough. But, when I was at my seat watching the show, they had images walking on the curtain that provided an incredible 3D-like effect. I was literally blown away and it made me wish the media could have photographed at least one song from the soundboard to capture some of these wonderful scenes.
And Tool is very serious about wanting fans to sit back and experience their show. That means no cell phones out and recording during their show. Amway announced that at the beginning of the show and they were serious about it. Security was strictly enforcing the no cell phone rule and you know, I was OK with this. No cell phones blocking my view and distracting me while I was watching the performance. So many people are focusing on trying to capture the moment instead of enjoying it. And I was absolutely enjoying every minute of Tool that night.
It was a wonderful selection of songs including “Pneuma” from Fear Inoculum. Justin and Adam blend their bass and guitar notes so wonderfully through the song. “The Grudge” from 2001’s Lateralus laid down the beat with Justin and Danny that immediately had you bopping your head to the song and settling into the groove. And the fans were thrilled to hear “Hooker With a Penis” from 1996’s Ænima. The show had a 12-minute intermission before coming back for the conclusion of the show. After intermission, Maynard, Adam, and Justin were all front and center stage sitting on chairs as they performed “Chocolate Chip Trip” from Fear Inoculum. Tool finished the show with “Culling Voices” and “Invincible” also from Fear Inoculum.
Between Maynard’s lyrical genius and truly talented vocals to Adam, Justin, and Danny’s tremendous musical crafting, Tool delivers a live performance like no other. It’s the reason why they headline festivals and such big tours like this current one. The Amway Center was a filled arena that night and the roar of the crowd after every song shows how much they appreciated their performance. The Fear Inoculum tour is still going in the U.S. until March 20th. If you have the opportunity to see them, do it. This was an amazing experience I will cherish.
You can find tickets for the tour, music, and merch for Tool HERE. Their setlist from that night was:
- Fear Inoculum
- Opiate
- The Pot
- Pushit
- Pneuma
- The Grudge
- Right in Two
- Descending
- Hooker With a Penis
Intermission
- Chocolate Chip Trip
- Culling Voices
- Invincible
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