Weaving through intricate compositions, ever changing time signatures, and a unique sit in by bluegrass guitarist Billy Strings, Tool left the Nashville crowd in awe. The headlining show at the Bridgestone Arena was a welcome change for fans as the band typically finds themselves just south of town headlining Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival.
Continuing to tour in support of 2019’s Fear Inoculum, the set leaned heavily on that release. This leg of the tour found the band digging deeper into the catalog with a few tracks from the more aggressive sounding Undertow. “Flood” returned to the setlist this year for the first time since 2011.
“Stay with us, stay connected, leave your phone in your pocket”, vocalist Maynard James Keenan quipped between songs. Relaying the importance of joining them in this musical journey with no outside distractions is a sentiment that more bands should pickup on and enforce.
If you’ve seen Tool in the past, the following is no surprise. As we previously covered, drummer Danny Carey was displayed prominently in the sound mix putting him in the spotlight, quite literally, multiple times throughout the evening. Most noticeably in tracks “46 & 2”, “Pneuma”, and of course the Danny led song “Chocolate Chip Trip”. The elaborate show production put those moments into a dazzling lighting and visual showcase for the ultimate compliment to his world class playing.
Maynard can be found in his usual positions towards the back of the stage, bouncing from risers on each side of the stage with minimal front lighting. Guitarist Adam Jones paces gently back and forth across the stage, occasionally venturing towards bassist Justin Chancellor. Chancellor is the hype man, so to speak, pushing the crowd to erupt with screams during key parts of the show. This is the not the typical metal or rock show you would see with focus on individual members, but with a focus left to the music and top notch visual production.
Danny’s friend Billy Strings would make his second appearance on stage with Tool in just under a few months. Strings joined the band on an extended cut of their track “Jambi” last year at a show in Salt Lake City. Strings, who lives in Nashville took a stab at “The Grudge”, with an extended section letting Strings solo over the band jamming before a smooth transition back into the track.
Leaving a crowd of fans and fellow musicians (as you often find in Nashville) in awe is quite a feat for any band, let alone a band entering it’s 34th year together.
