Tool on Tour
Nothing about Tool's dark, prog-leaning music is orthodox — and neither are the rock band's concerts. Unlike most vocalists, Maynard James Keenan prefers to hang back away from the front of the stage. Sometimes he's shrouded in darkness, and other times he's illuminated by colorful, immersive videos — and lets his bandmates take center stage. That frees up Tool's instrumentalists to let loose. Drummer Danny Carey pounds away with both finesse and aggression on a massive rig, while guitarist Adam Jones and bassist Justin Chancellor thrash and slash in mesmerizing ways.
Tool are no strangers to the road. In fact, they've learned from the best. In the 1990s, the band toured with groups like Corrosion of Conformity, Rage Against the Machine, and White Zombie, but grew popular enough to headline Lollapalooza 1997 and even do gigs with heroes King Crimson in the early '00s. These days, Tool are known for headlining festivals like Epicenter and Chicago Open Air — that is, when they're not headlining (and filling) arenas on their own tours.
Tool in Concert
Tool have their roots in Los Angeles. Frontman Maynard James Keenan moved to the city in the late '80s and, after a stint playing with costumed rockers Green Jellÿ, linked up with drummer Danny Carey and guitarist Adam Jones.
Together, the newly christened Tool made enigmatic rock music that incorporated elements of metal and prog and tackled somber subject matter in their lyrics and with elaborate, artistic music videos. The group's music resonated with audiences: Breakthrough songs such as "Sober" and "Stinkfist" were Top 20 rock radio hits, while 1996's Ænima LP peaked at No. 2 on the charts and included "Ænema," which won the 1998 Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance.
Tool took home another trophy in that category in 2002, when "Schism" won the prize. This win reflected that, unlike many of their '90s contemporaries, Tool saw their popularity only increase in the ‘00s. Both 2001's Lateralus and 2006's 10,000 Days hit No. 1 on Billboard's album charts, while "Schism" and "Vicarious" topped out at No. 2 on the rock charts — paving the way for Tool's first chart-topping tune on rock radio, 2006's "The Pot."
