This show was my fourth time seeing the band, my last time seeing them perform was in Hamilton in 2002, the band had improved since then.
I'd heard nothing but raving reviews from my friends about how great Tool's new tour was, their performances being tighter, and using mind blowing light shows, so I was stoked to see what they were going to do.
This show was originally going to be their only performance in Hamilton, but the show sold out in 20 minutes, so a new show was added for an earlier date ( June 24th)
I was fortunate enough to have snatched up a floor seat, and I'd heard from my friends that Tool had issued a " No Moshing" policy, so I thought I was going to actually be able to just stand/sit and watch the show.
I get there in time to catch the opening act "Big Business", and I'm in (what I counted) to be the 10th row.
I could feel this excitement through the arena, a feeling that this was going to be one of those great performances from a band.
Tool hits the stage, the whole place goes nuts.
The sound is incredible, the floors are vibrating underneath my feet from the bass.
People are standing next to each other, front to back, hardly room to move around, and it starts to feel hot and sticky inside the arena,the smell of marijuana is everywhere, huge clouds of smoke hover over peoples heads.
I see a few people pass out from the heat quite early into their set.
Around the time they start to play " 46 and 2", someone in the row ahead of me, starts taking off his shirt, then another one follows, and then another, soon enough the ninth row is full of people with no shirts on.
This one concert patron though loks as if he's stripped down to his boxer shorts, and starts slam dancing with other people, soon the ninth row becomes a circle for him to get his slam dancing out of his system.
He's ruining the experience for one person in the row I'm stationed in, he's picking a fight with a very muscular man, and he's retaliating back by pushing him into the circle, tripping him a bit, and it doesn't phase him, the guy seemed to enjoy the punishment.
The band were in incredible form, and the audience is so receptive to them.
Both are feeding off each other during the show, they're playing material they haven't done in years like " Flood", ( I remember the screens behind them using these incredible water images) and even covers like The Kids In The Halls " Brain Candy".
Lighters go on for " Lost Key's ( Blame Hoffmann), and for " Wings For Marie"/10,000 Days", and so do the lazers.
When it's all over, the group does their traditional group hug, and stays out on the stage for a while, tossing out bottles of water, drum sticks, and other items into the audience.
At the end of the show, I was covered in sweat, legs were killing me, and I was dehydrated.
I didn't get home until maybe 1:00 A.M