Why does Tool play the same setlist?

musicismylife78

Its not like they have a TON of back material like a Pearl Jam or Chili Peppers who have songs galore to pull out and play live, but 4 albums isnt bad.

So why do you think since 10,000 days was released, and the tours that followed, have they stuck with playing essentially the same setlist night after night?

I find it hard to believe someone like a Maynard or an Adam could be happy, not trying out new things. One gets the feeling through merely listening to a Tool record, that the band is made up of people who are highly creative,

I have heard rumors of a Portland stop in fall 2009, and will try and make my way up there, havent seen them live ever, but, you would think they wouldnt be challenged by playing the same setlist night after night!

They played at a ballet/symphony concert hall in Eugene for the Lateralus tour. One of those many concerts that I missed that will continue to haunt me...

SVRDhand13

It may sound weird, but it might be because of the crazy lighting they have and how it all fits together. Or they could just be lazy. I'm seeing them once this weekend and if I like them (and I'm suspecting I will), I'll wait until their next album to see them again.

DewieCox

The lighting is the main issue that people point to, but in this day and age I wouldn't imagine it's much more than flippin on a preprogrammed light show for each song.

I think they are really just a bunch of rock star fucks.

musicismylife78

DewieCox wrote:

The lighting is the main issue that people point to, but in this day and age I wouldn't imagine it's much more than flippin on a preprogrammed light show for each song.

I think they are really just a bunch of rock star fucks.

I disagree. I think there are bands one can point to who love to be in print and on every blog and on MTV and all that. u2. Alot of the pop stars, the britneys and madonna back in the 80's and 90's.

But tool? You really think they are egotistical? Seems a strange route for a band who is posh and only cares about fame, for them to take. I mean, no one knows much about the bands personal lives. They have been around since the early 90's and have only released 4 albums. If you want to get major exposure and radio and tv play, I dont think writing songs about genetics or carl jung or being enlightened is the way to do it. I also dont think creating songs that are long is helpful in that path. Or the odd nature of their videos, their are no half naked women, their isnt flashy images, and the band itself isnt in them. Additionally, to refuse to grant many interviews and to be evasive and angry at journalists or fans when they ask you "what does this song mean", thats again not the road to stardom typically.

Are people really that cynical that bands like Tool can be called "rock stars" in the negative sense? I get the sense the band could care less if the new album sells 200 copies or 2 million.

mookeywrench

efficiency and predictability.

Sound checks are a don't take nearly as long when you do the same thing every time.

Lighting is a breeze.

stage monitors are easy when you know how the artists like their mix for each song.

preformance is much tighter.

JOEJOEJOE

Having known people who have worked with them, the band members do live-up to the band name!

musicismylife78

reguardless of how the personally act, as I said, if you are a band wanting to become famous, Tool went about it the most backwards way and unconventional way any band has I can think of. You dont go around making 10 minute songs, videos with odd metaphysical concepts and refuse to do interviews and press in order to sell 10 million cd's.

If the band are full of themselves fine. Same thing is often said for Dylan. Band members have said people cant even talk to him, literally that its verboten to talk to him. But that doesnt mean he isnt the best songwriter in music history, which he is in fact.

Or damien rice. One of the best up and coming songwriters of our generation. This is a guy who is pretty low class. He fired one of his band members 5 minutes before a gig. Pretty low down. yet, that doesnt mean his music isnt amazing, which it is.

I think the refusal to play the game, is often seen as arrogance or being jerks or being full of yourself. Remember people accused Ed of this very same thing in 1996. Radiohead are often accused of it.

Whats interesting is, none of these bands are in it for the money. There are plenty of crap bands out there, racing to write songs that are commercially successful, and are tripping over themselves to be the next American Idol. But there are also bands who create art. I am interested in the latter.

musicismylife78

and I dont think it has anything to do with my original question., When you talk about the Radiohead and Tool of the world I think you are talking about some of the most original and experimental bands ever. Bands that arent simply pleased with creating "good" albums. They want to create music that breaks boundaries, that challenges audiences, that inspires.

So the paradox of them playing the same songs night after night, rarely altering their setlist, is puzzling in that respect.

I dont know if I buy the lights excuse. Radiohead spent as much time on the last tours worried about the lights and construction of them, as they did on the planning of the shows and booking of the shows. They put on one of the most environmentally friendly lives shows in terms of their touring structure but also the light show as well. And they are still touring.

catefrances

TOOL, rockstars??? bwahahahahaha.

mookeywrench

musicismylife78 wrote:

and I dont think it has anything to do with my original question., When you talk about the Radiohead and Tool of the world I think you are talking about some of the most original and experimental bands ever. Bands that arent simply pleased with creating "good" albums. They want to create music that breaks boundaries, that challenges audiences, that inspires.

So the paradox of them playing the same songs night after night, rarely altering their setlist, is puzzling in that respect.

I dont know if I buy the lights excuse. Radiohead spent as much time on the last tours worried about the lights and construction of them, as they did on the planning of the shows and booking of the shows. They put on one of the most environmentally friendly lives shows in terms of their touring structure but also the light show as well. And they are still touring.

tool...original???

Ever heard of Pink Floyd?

catefrances

you know people... the point is TOOL are playing the songs they want to play. its as simple as that. i imagine if you want variety, if you want to hear part of me during a tour to support 10000days then stay home and spin opiate. i dont care why they dont feel the need to mix it up.

musicismylife78

mookeywrench wrote:

musicismylife78 wrote:

and I dont think it has anything to do with my original question., When you talk about the Radiohead and Tool of the world I think you are talking about some of the most original and experimental bands ever. Bands that arent simply pleased with creating "good" albums. They want to create music that breaks boundaries, that challenges audiences, that inspires.

So the paradox of them playing the same songs night after night, rarely altering their setlist, is puzzling in that respect.

I dont know if I buy the lights excuse. Radiohead spent as much time on the last tours worried about the lights and construction of them, as they did on the planning of the shows and booking of the shows. They put on one of the most environmentally friendly lives shows in terms of their touring structure but also the light show as well. And they are still touring.

tool...original???

Ever heard of Pink Floyd?

Are Pink Floyd still a band and still touring? Tool is, and they are, one of the most original bands currently and of all time. My statement stands

Ledbetterman10

that sucks they play the same set all the time if you were a hardcore fan who wanted to see them muliple times.

catefrances

Ledbetterman10 wrote:

that sucks they play the same set all the time if you were a hardcore fan who wanted to see them muliple times.

i am and it doesnt suck for me.

dont you all ever play an album over and over again????

mookeywrench

musicismylife78 wrote:

mookeywrench wrote:

tool...original???

Ever heard of Pink Floyd?

Are Pink Floyd still a band and still touring? Tool is, and they are, one of the most original bands currently and of all time. My statement stands

riiiiight....keep listening to what you only want to hear.

tcaporale

Tool sound nothing like Pink Floyd, though.

SVRDhand13

catefrances wrote:

Ledbetterman10 wrote:

that sucks they play the same set all the time if you were a hardcore fan who wanted to see them muliple times.

i am and it doesnt suck for me.

dont you all ever play an album over and over again????

Yea but you pay for the album once, here you pay $50+ for each performance and should get something a little different each time.

mookeywrench

tcaporale wrote:

Tool sound nothing like Pink Floyd, though.

doesn't have to "sound" alike

but it's the exact same schtick

DewieCox

Are people that naive?? The fact that they shy away from the press is part of their image. They did a fuckload of interviews and press for 10k Days.

I have no doubt that Tool is playing the set that they wanna play, but it's out of sheer laziness that a band plays the same set for 4 consecutive tours.

I'm a big fan, but they seem to be pretty big douchebags.

Hell, they're last album was about as lazy as it gets. I think there was only 1 song that didn't have some rehashed parts from old Tool tunes.

dcfaithful

SVRDhand13 wrote:

catefrances wrote:

Ledbetterman10 wrote:

that sucks they play the same set all the time if you were a hardcore fan who wanted to see them muliple times.

i am and it doesnt suck for me.

dont you all ever play an album over and over again????

Yea but you pay for the album once, here you pay $50+ for each performance and should get something a little different each time.

Exactly. Otherwise, I'd be happy just listening to the album over and over again...

Tool tickets arent' exactly cheap either. I'd be pretty bummed if I saw PJ two nights in a row and the set lists were the same each night.

Stephen Flow

DewieCox wrote:

Are people that naive?? The fact that they shy away from the press is part of their image. They did a fuckload of interviews and press for 10k Days.

I have no doubt that Tool is playing the set that they wanna play, but it's out of sheer laziness that a band plays the same set for 4 consecutive tours.

I'm a big fan, but they seem to be pretty big douchebags.

Hell, they're last album was about as lazy as it gets. I think there was only 1 song that didn't have some rehashed parts from old Tool tunes.

Yah 10,000 Days didn't really impress me much... Don't get me wrong, I love Tool, I really do... but I would not see them more than once a tour because of the setlist thing and yeah they do seem like big douchebags.

catefrances

dcfaithful wrote:

SVRDhand13 wrote:

catefrances wrote:

i am and it doesnt suck for me.

dont you all ever play an album over and over again????

Yea but you pay for the album once, here you pay $50+ for each performance and should get something a little different each time.

Exactly. Otherwise, I'd be happy just listening to the album over and over again...

Tool tickets arent' exactly cheap either. I'd be pretty bummed if I saw PJ two nights in a row and the set lists were the same each night.

well then if youre so concerned about being ripped off just see them once. simple.

if you know TOOL then you know how it works. if you see them multiple times just on the odd chance theyll pull something out of their arses, rather than cause you get off just hearing them do their thing regardless of whether you heard them the night before, then whos fault is that??? theyre TOOL not pearl jam.

pjfan021

i'm a huge fan and loved their albums but am at odds a little with this topic...the put on a great show every time but this is about the 4th or 5th tour since 10k days came out and mixing up the set would be nice. i thinkg they put on a stellar show but for a band of that caliber to not perform some other material kinda sucks.

rhcpjam1029

i actually just saw them last night and i must say, it was one of the best concerts i've ever been to.

and to be honest, i was expecting maynard to keep his mouth shut the entire time but he was actually very enthusiastic and nice to the crowd. "new york's nice," he said," but you don't fuck with jersey."

LotteryWinner

musicismylife78 wrote:

mookeywrench wrote:

musicismylife78 wrote:

and I dont think it has anything to do with my original question., When you talk about the Radiohead and Tool of the world I think you are talking about some of the most original and experimental bands ever. Bands that arent simply pleased with creating "good" albums. They want to create music that breaks boundaries, that challenges audiences, that inspires.

So the paradox of them playing the same songs night after night, rarely altering their setlist, is puzzling in that respect.

I dont know if I buy the lights excuse. Radiohead spent as much time on the last tours worried about the lights and construction of them, as they did on the planning of the shows and booking of the shows. They put on one of the most environmentally friendly lives shows in terms of their touring structure but also the light show as well. And they are still touring.

tool...original???

Ever heard of Pink Floyd?

Are Pink Floyd still a band and still touring? Tool is, and they are, one of the most original bands currently and of all time. My statement stands

Are you implying that Tool is even as remotely original or experimental as Pink Floyd?

Ledbetterman10

pjfan021 wrote:

i'm a huge fan and loved their albums but am at odds a little with this topic...the put on a great show every time but this is about the 4th or 5th tour since 10k days came out and mixing up the set would be nice.

wait, so they don't even change the setlist from tour to tour? I thought that they keep it the same throughout a tour (which is lame) but not it's not the same every year.

musicismylife78

From what I understand, since 2006 when 10,000 days came out, they have essentially played the same songs every single night. And from what I can tell, they have toured in 2006/2007/2008 and also in 2009.

The set list hasnt varied much at all from:

Jambi
Stinkfist
46 & 2
Schism
Lost Keys
Rosetta Stoned
Flood
Aenema
Lateralus
Vicarious

----

from what I can tell its been these 10 songs, and nothing else from 2006-2009.

musicismylife78

how long do they usually play?

With a normal band 10 songs is a pretty short set, but those songs listed are 7 8 and 9 minutes songs, and I would assume they stretch them out a little longer in a live setting.

Do they not play encores?

rrivers

JOEJOEJOE wrote:

Having known people who have worked with them, the band members do live-up to the band name!

Oooh!!!! Do tell!

rrivers

musicismylife78 wrote:

Do they not play encores?

I'm pretty sure they don't. I remember reading something from one of the band members explaining why, but I can't remember what it was.

pjfan021

they never played an encore when i've seen them. they play for about 1hr 45 min and they all just kinda sit down in front of the drum kit and chill out for about ten minutes. then they get up and play maybe two more songs. it's a great show..seriously..but i can see why someone wouldn't want to see them 4 times in a row and see the same 9 songs.