Uploaded March 2014 | Updated September 2026, 11 hours ago
The first time that I saw Tool live was in 1998 in San Jose. Tool has never toured very often, so this was a big deal for me as I had been a fan of Tool since around 1992. The intensity of that live performance took my respect for them as Musicians over the top. I have seen them four times since then. Each time they matured and progressed as people, and the skill and intensity of their performance was better each time.
But for all the awesomeness of their Music, there was one thing missing every other time I have seen them... Maynard. During that first concert, he had told us that San Jose was their last stop on a very long tour. The next time I saw them, was a small venue pre-concert for the Lateralis tour. Maynard came out on stage, thanked King Crimson (the opening act) for their performance and said "Those guys are us in 20 years". A statement of the progressive nature of Tools music. He then said that the music was all about his fellow musicians and that they were they real talent and that he did not want to take the spot light from them. He went to the back of the stage with no lights on himself, and sang the entire concert from there. He even did the same for a Perfect Circle. And near as I can tell every performance since then.
I have a video, from Scott, that was filmed at the concert before that first one I saw in San Jose. It is on VHS, and it is a Copy of a Copy of a Copy, and 15 years old. But the quality is decent considering that. Inspired by Tools recent performances, I decided to try and copy the VHS tape to my computer. The hardest part, was finding someone with a working VCR. My computer at work has a video capture card, so this is recorded direct from the VCR, no screen capture BS. This video is my first test. I should have the entire concert up on You Tube by the weekend.
The first time that I saw Tool live was in 1998 in San Jose. Tool has never toured very often, so this was a big deal for me as I had been a fan of Tool since around 1992. The intensity of that live performance took my respect for them as Musicians over the top. I have seen them four times since then. Each time they matured and progressed as people, and the skill and intensity of their performance was better each time.
But for all the awesomeness of their Music, there was one thing missing every other time I have seen them... Maynard. During that first concert, he had told us that San Jose was their last stop on a very long tour. The next time I saw them, was a small venue pre-concert for the Lateralis tour. Maynard came out on stage, thanked King Crimson (the opening act) for their performance and said "Those guys are us in 20 years". A statement of the progressive nature of Tools music. He then said that the music was all about his fellow musicians and that they were they real talent and that he did not want to take the spot light from them. He went to the back of the stage with no lights on himself, and sang the entire concert from there. He even did the same for a Perfect Circle. And near as I can tell every performance since then.
I have a video, from Scott, that was filmed at the concert before that first one I saw in San Jose. It is on VHS, and it is a Copy of a Copy of a Copy, and 15 years old. But the quality is decent considering that. Inspired by Tools recent performances, I decided to try and copy the VHS tape to my computer. The hardest part, was finding someone with a working VCR. My computer at work has a video capture card, so this is recorded direct from the VCR, no screen capture BS. This video is my first test. I should have the entire concert up on You Tube by the weekend.
