By Dave Rosen

Let's get one thing out of the way first: There is no concert like a Tool concert. Pink Floyd is nothing short of amazing, The Flaming Lips brings multimedia to new levels, and Nine Inch Nails brings an unparalleled level of intensity, but when it comes to the total package, Tool is the official high mark for all concerts.
That being said, it’s no surprise that Friday, April 27 (and I’d assume the second show on Saturday) was a special night. Tool was originally set to officially open the new venue, The Pearl, at The Palms earlier in the year, but were forced to cancel when drummer Danny Carey tore his bicep during practice. Those lucky enough to even get their hands on tickets for the original dates were happy to hear that the shows would be rescheduled for late April.

This was actually my fourth time seeing Tool. I saw them at the Thomas & Mack arena (excellent), in the Hard Rock Hotel parking lot (not a great venue, but it was still Tool), and last year at Coachella in Indio, California (also amazing). This time around, at the all-new The Pearl venue was easily the best.

Since this was the first time I got to go to a concert at The Pearl, I thought it would be appropriate to say a few words about the new venue. Aside from a bit of a poorly planned out entrance (if there was ever a fire I can’t even imagine getting out through all those stairs), the venue is quite excellent. It’s a mix between The Joint’s sound system and pit area with the seating arrangement of the Aladdin Theatre. I honestly can’t imagine a better way to see Tool, or any other band for that matter. It’s small enough that there are no bad seats, but big enough that it can still attract major acts like Tool.

I’m sure no one wanted an opening act, and appropriately, there was none. Tool started only about a half hour late, and then wasted no time tearing right into “Jambi” off their new album, “10,000 Days.” The set included lots of hits from their entire catalog, minus the first EP, “Opiate” (the lack of early songs was the only real problem with the show). Overall, the majority of the set came from their new album, but surprisingly, lacked the new single, “The Pot.” It was replaced, however, by plenty of excellent other choices.

The band for the most part was spot on, minus a few notable mistakes, common to a lot of Tool shows, but never a real problem (while they don’t appear to be from this world, they are human). The fan-favorite, “Stinkfist,” drew a sing-along from the crowd loud enough to fill the entire Pearl venue and the epic “Rosetta Stoned,” was even better live than on the album. Also, during the hit-single, “Lateralus,” System of a Down drummer John Dolmayan came out for a drum-battle interlude, a truly amazing treat for rock fans.

Singer Maynard James Keenan was great, as usual, but does seem to be having some trouble hitting some of the higher notes lately. Message board chatter seems to think that this is the reason for the band skipping out on some big fan-favorites, but hopefully he’ll be back to his full range by the next tour through Las Vegas. Either way, Maynard can do no wrong in the eyes of the rabid fans.

Aside from the music itself, the best part of a Tool show is the multimedia experience. This is what set apart this show from the rest of the time’s I’ve seen Tool. Guitarist Adam Jones pulls double duty as the band’s effects and artwork guru (he also has done all of the band’s videos and special effects in Hollywood films). The setup of the stage creates a multicolored silhouette of the band members with ever changing backgrounds. On the sides of the stage are 2 giant monitors with some of the craziest, most creative artwork and animations you’ve ever seen. One moment we’re watching a snake continually eating its tail until infinity, the next is a giant eyeball moving to the music. One of the most amazing animations was a winding spiral made up of men and women in a constant state of penetration (for lack of a better phrasing). It’s all continuously changing, and from what I’ve seen, it’s never the same in two shows. Add to this entire visual overload a lightshow (obviously inspired by classic Pink Floyd) and there really isn’t any need for me to describe further how amazing this experience was.

I’m really happy that Las Vegas has a great new venue for concerts. While the tickets to the Tool shows sold out entirely too quick (they could have probably sold out a week of shows at Sam Boyd Stadium, let alone two nights at The Pearl), I was lucky enough to get to see them again… If you haven’t seen them yet, do whatever you have to do to catch them next time they’re in town.