Tool & Killing Joke @ PNC Arena

After the boys last game of soccer this season I made the 2.5 hour drive up to Raleigh to see Tool.  I was meant to leave early in the day, enjoy the afternoon and have some dinner, but rescheduling of soccer meant I couldn't leave until 2.30pm and barely had time to drop my bags at the hotel before heading over to PNC Arena.  I decided to Uber because it was $30 to park and Uber should be the same price.  What a mistake that was!

The ticket says show starts at 7 and I wanted to check out the Killing Joke so I was on time.  However they didn't take the stage til closer to 7.45pm.  Their job was unenviable.  Playing a large arena probably doesn't suit their sound and style.  And then to play in front of people who are there for Tool and nothing else can't be easy.  Eighties was the standout song for me.  Killing Joke played at Punk Rock Bowling earlier this year.  While it would have been interesting to see how their show translated in a venue like the Bunkhouse, I'm glad we chose Pennywise and Sick Of It All instead.

Tool's stage set up was pretty elaborate with curtains and video screens and the band was met with a thunderous reception as Maynard took up on risers beside Danny Carey's drumkit.  Predictably they started with Fear Inoculum, the new single, but it was Aenema that sent the crowd into a frenzy.  Once the shear curtain dropped it was time for the Justin Chancellor show.  Tool's bass player is having the time of his life on stage and while Maynard hides in the shadows, Danny is stuck behind his drums and Adam concentrated on the technicalities, Justin becomes the focal point and is the driving energy of the band.  I was on the floor 14 rows in front of Adam Jones and love watching do what he does, but I kept getting distraction from Justin's sheer enthusiasm.  The set was fantastic Parobol, Schism and Jambi all great, but seeing them do Intolerance "a song they wrote on the railways during the Depression" was my highlight.  Undertow is my favorite Tool album and it's rare to see them perform anything from that album (not since I last saw them in Australia in 1997).  Forty Six & 2 was a brutal end to a great set.

It's unquestionable that Danny Carey is a phenomenal drummer (he'd have to be to be in Tool) but Chocolate Chip Trip seemed to go on a little too long (especially for me - only 14 songs filled the 2.5 hours - a Bottom, Prison Sex, Hooker With A Penis or Opiate could have been thrown in). One of the things I also loved about this show was that cell phones weren't allowed to be used throughout the performance.  I was so satisfying not to be obstructed by some dickhead holding up a phone to tape a video he's never gonna watch again.  While these rules were lifted for the last song, Stinkfist was still incredible.  The icing on the set's cake.

It sounds like I didn't have a great time, that is so far from true.  It is just the curse of seeing a band that has so much material to choose from and don't select your exact favorites.  I'm glad I made the trip up to Raleigh to see them and hope I get to see them again soon (it's hard to believe the Charlotte show was over 3.5 years ago).  I will, however, not Uber to a large venue again.  I had to wait over an hour due to demand and the price was astronomical.  Should've just forked out the $30 for parking.  Lesson learned.

The Crap Facts:
This is my 464th concert.
PNC Arena is the 127th venue I've seen a concert in.

This is my 2nd concert in Raleigh.

This is my 99th concert in North Carolina.

This is my 267th concert in the USA.
Killing Joke are the 537th band I've seen.
This is my 6th Tool concert.