LIVE: TOOL – Charlotte, NC, USA – January 21, 2024

Venue: Spectrum Center

City: Charlotte, NC

Dates: January 21, 2024

Review and Photographs by: Todd “Toddstar” Jolicoeur (www.toddstarphotography.com)

I love when I have the opportunity to see a band in a new to me venue, especially when it is a band that is diverse in its music and delivery.  Such an opportunity arose when I was in Charlotte, NC on business and I was able to see Tool take over another arena.  We were led to the pit for openers Elder and it was an exercise in getting your shots quickly while trying to dial in.  Sonically, it was a different band than Tool, but not too far off the beaten path and should please most of the packed crowd.  With no flashy stage show during our allotted time, the stripped down presentation allowed you take in the music and enjoy it for what it is.  After a short wait through the opening set, we were welcomed back into the venue and you could feel the anticipation in the air.  Having seen the band two years ago I was curious to see and hear what had changed from that tour.  Gone was a hanging LED screen but the music and energy was back and it seemed even more intense than before, but in a good way.  Starting with drummer Danny Carey and bassist Justin Chancellor, the band slowly took their places on stage while morphing into and through the opening track “Fear Inoculum.”  Soon enough guitarist Adam Jones joins the fray on stage both visually and aurally as his fretwork swirls into the mix with the anchored bottom end.  Before long the frontman and ‘face’ of the band Maynard James Keenan assumed his position for the opening of the show atop a speaker at the rear of stage left for the first half of the track.  As the music and vocals carried through the venue, you could see the intensity and seriousness in the faces of the band as well as the precision with which the song was delivered.  With the exception of a few songs, the setlist was different than the last time I saw Tool perform, making for a great evening.  While I love certain bands, it is hard to see show after show with slight to no changes in the setlist.  As always, it was an exciting evening with Tool and a handful of songs I either wasn’t familiar with or just enough to get into them a bit more when checking them all out in the days following the show.  Be sure to check the tour dates below and grab tickets when this killer show lands near you!

SETLIST: Fear Inoculum – Jambi – Rosetta Stoned – Pneuma – Intolerance – Descending – The Grudge – Chocolate Chip Trip – Flood – Invincible – Schism

[Show as slideshow]

COMPLETE SET OF TOOL PHOTOS

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Tags: featured

Category: Live Reviews, Photo Galleries