Ten years ago TOOL fans wondered if they would ever see the band live again or hear new music. In 2022, TOOL has returned for another arena tour supporting Fear Inoculum, the band’s 2019 return album. Maynard James Keenan made sure to get St. Louis alert and active. When telling the crowd they sounded like Kansas City at first, he proved he knew how to get Enterprise Center attendees to react.
Hearing many songs from Fear Inoculum live reinforced my belief that the group’s latest album is an experience meant to be heard live. Closing the night with the amazing “Invincible” as well as performing “Fear Inoculum”, “Pneuma”, and “Descending”, these songs hit harder live and the expression in the performance was deeper. This is something that few bands can keep over time, but here is TOOL proving they have no issue handling it all.
It was later in the set that Maynard James Keenan disappeared behind the stage while the rest of the band performed. It was during that time that MJK performed his next bit. Amping up the ridiculous behavior from playing Jenga or Operation, the singer gave drummer Danny Carey an assist to bang the gong.
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As is every TOOL performance, the visuals added to the wire curtain and back screen were phenomenal. The capacity crowd in downtown St. Louis were in unison enjoying the show and in some ways, it felt like a bigger connection together since TOOL’s return to Enterprise Center in 2019. Possibly because of a big concert finally happening after the pandemic, possibly because of the tightly precise and engaging set. Regardless, everything about last night’s show was memorable.
We’ve heard several confirmations but no dates or timelines of new music from the band. The bright side is showing however that we will be graced with new more new music soon. TOOL has recently made Opiate² and released the band’s first music video in over 15 years. A clip of the video can be found below.
Despite so much happening over the past few years, it appears that the band is ready for the future. New music, touring, cheeky backstage shenanigans, and everything else TOOL can think of. 30 years in and TOOL are showing different generations of music fans how a live music experience can be just that: an experience. I’m looking forward to hearing and seeing what the band does next.
Click on any photo below to open the gallery during TOOL’s performance of “Fear Inoculum”, which opened the set.
Setlist:
Fear Inoculum
Opiate
The Pot
Pushit
Pneuma
The Grudge
Eon Blue Apocalypse
The Patient
Descending
Hooker With a Penis
Chocolate Chip Trip
Culling Voices
Invincible
Photos of TOOL at Enterprise Center.
All photos were taken by Luke Spencer
March 18, 2022, in St. Louis, MO.
