TOOL Assaulted the Senses With a Stellar Show Friday in Saint Louis.

TOOL returned to St. Louis Friday at Enterprise Center to make good on their 2020 Covid cancellation show (like everyone else what had plans that summer).

The wait was worth it for long-time fans as the band stuck to deep cut (but live favorites like “The Grudge” and “Opiate”) and songs from their latest album Fear Inoculum. This was a concert for long-time fans, not the casual fans looking for familiar songs like “Stinkfist”, “Sober”,”PrisonSex”, “Forty Six and 2, or “Scism”.

TOOL (Maynard James Keenan-vocals, Adam Jones – guitar, Danny Carey – drums, and Justin Chancellor – bass) began the show with “Fear Inoculum” from behind a gigantic stage-wrapped curtain of hung nylon string, which reflected the visual effects that were playing on the giant screen behind the stage. It created a 3D surround effect that wrapped the band in the visual creation.

With images ranging from psychedelic to graphic, a TOOL show is an immersion of the senses that mesmerizes with sight and sound to a ravenous fanbase who approach a Tool concert almost like a religious experience.

From the hanging nylon string curtain (which the band played behind for four songs) teach segment of the show from that point on had the stage edge draped in a curtain of purple light poles and dancing lasers, to concussive spotlights on the crowd acting as an assault of the mind for sensory overload. All this was much to the delight of the audience.

(I do love the flat-lined lasers piercing the smoke high above the crowd. It’s an effect I miss and with more bands would bring back.)

Keenan danced and swayed in the shadowy background on a pair of risers flanking Carey, switching sides with every song. His voice, as strong as ever, showed no signs of damage from his battles (twice) with Covid-19 which ended him up in the ER.

Carey was the usual mastery behind the drum kit, and Jones and Chancellor were stellar on guitar and bass, respectfully. With a volley of odd time signatures and rapid-fire passages the band didn’t miss a note.

After a short 12 minute intermission Carey came out to perform “Chocolate Chip Trip” a 7 minute version of the drum and sample instrumental from Fear Inoculum. Afterwards, TOOL performed “Culling Voices” which began as a sit down acoustic-style piece from the front of the stage, with Carey even playing guitar as well. It was spectacular.

Then Keenan told the crowd “Congratulations! Since You’re all little meth-heads with you cell phones and you’re Jonesing to take them out, you can record this last song.” Oh, the roar of the crowd was probably heard to an empty nearby Busch Stadium. Happily they obliged.

A little something to tide them over until the next time they return.

The Acid Help opened the show.

Check out the gallery after the setlist.

TOOL’s Setlist:

Fear Inoculum

Opiate

The Pot

Pushit

Pneuma

The Grudge

Eon Blue Apocolypse

The Patient

Descending

Hooker With a Penis

Intermission/Encore:

Chocolate Chip Trip

Culling Voices

Invincible

Maynard James Keenan of TOOL performing Friday at Enterprise Center in Saint Louis. Photo by Sean Derrick/Thyrd Eye Photography.

Maynard James Keenan of TOOL performing Friday at Enterprise Center in Saint Louis. Photo by Sean Derrick/Thyrd Eye Photography.

Maynard James Keenan of TOOL performing Friday at Enterprise Center in Saint Louis. Photo by Sean Derrick/Thyrd Eye Photography.

Maynard James Keenan of TOOL performing Friday at Enterprise Center in Saint Louis. Photo by Sean Derrick/Thyrd Eye Photography.

Justin Chancellor of TOOL performing Friday at Enterprise Center in Saint Louis. Photo by Sean Derrick/Thyrd Eye Photography.

Danny Carey of TOOL performing Friday at Enterprise Center in Saint Louis. Photo by Sean Derrick/Thyrd Eye Photography.

Adam Jones of TOOL performing Friday at Enterprise Center in Saint Louis. Photo by Sean Derrick/Thyrd Eye Photography.

Justin Chancellor of TOOL performing Friday at Enterprise Center in Saint Louis. Photo by Sean Derrick/Thyrd Eye Photography.

Danny Carey of TOOL performing Friday at Enterprise Center in Saint Louis. Photo by Sean Derrick/Thyrd Eye Photography.

Justin Chancellor of TOOL performing Friday at Enterprise Center in Saint Louis. Photo by Sean Derrick/Thyrd Eye Photography.

Maynard James Keenan and Justin Chancellor of TOOL performing Friday at Enterprise Center in Saint Louis. Photo by Sean Derrick/Thyrd Eye Photography.

Justin Chancellor of TOOL performing Friday at Enterprise Center in Saint Louis. Photo by Sean Derrick/Thyrd Eye Photography.

Maynard James Keenan of TOOL performing Friday at Enterprise Center in Saint Louis. Photo by Sean Derrick/Thyrd Eye Photography.

Adam Jones of TOOL performing Friday at Enterprise Center in Saint Louis. Photo by Sean Derrick/Thyrd Eye Photography.

A fan anxious for TOOL to perform Friday at Enterprise Center in Saint Louis. Photo by Sean Derrick/Thyrd Eye Photography.

TOOL performing Friday at Enterprise Center in Saint Louis. Photo by Sean Derrick/Thyrd Eye Photography.

Justin Chancellor of TOOL performing Friday at Enterprise Center in Saint Louis. Photo by Sean Derrick/Thyrd Eye Photography.

Maynard James Keenan of TOOL performing Friday at Enterprise Center in Saint Louis. Photo by Sean Derrick/Thyrd Eye Photography.

Adam Jones of TOOL performing Friday at Enterprise Center in Saint Louis. Photo by Sean Derrick/Thyrd Eye Photography.

Maynard James Keenan of TOOL performing Friday at Enterprise Center in Saint Louis. Photo by Sean Derrick/Thyrd Eye Photography.

Adam Jones of TOOL performing Friday at Enterprise Center in Saint Louis. Photo by Sean Derrick/Thyrd Eye Photography.

Maynard James Keenan and Justin Chancellor of TOOL performing Friday at Enterprise Center in Saint Louis. Photo by Sean Derrick/Thyrd Eye Photography.

Adam Jones and Danny Carey of TOOL performing Friday at Enterprise Center in Saint Louis. Photo by Sean Derrick/Thyrd Eye Photography.