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2024.01.10 - Baltimore, MD, USA @ CFG Bank Arena
No Known Recordings
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2024.01.12 - New York, NY, USA @ Madison Square Garden
Source A: Solid State – Audio-Technica 853 > Sony PCM-A10
Taper: zeegrizzle
Location: recorded from lower bowl section 107, row 10.
Notes: Real nice recording. Very “live” sound which would make sense as this was recorded live at a concert. Crowd is decent about screaming incessantly. I tend to find issues with recordings which annoy me to no end, my own included, but this source is something special. Straight-up, this is a solid audience recording free of any BS. Guitar, bass, drum and vocals are essentially perfect. Wish more recordings sounded like this one. As for the performance and set, the two Madison Square Garden shows basically outlined Tool’s set list for the rest of the tour, give or take sickness of a band member/s.
Time: 2:01:05
Fear Inoculum
The Pot
Rosetta Stoned
Pnuema
Intolerance
Descending
The Grudge
Intermission
Chocolate Chip Trip
Flood
Invincible
Schism
Source B: Solid State – Google Pixel 8 (internal)
Taper: nkLottery
Location: Taped from the floor, section C, right of center, 20 rows back.
Notes: Blah. Noisy, no middle and mild distortion throughout at the ‘Google Pixel 8’ overloaded. Phew. Are phones taping devices? They can be but this is not a good example of that. Lots of crowd. Hurts my ears. This is reminiscent of early unknown analog Tool shows from 1992. Oh shit, my ears are bleeding… Collectors only.
Time: 1:57:15
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2024.01.13 - New York, NY, USA @ Madison Square Garden
Source A: Solid State – Audio-Technica 853 > Sony PCM-A10
Taper: zeegrizzle
Location: recorded from lower bowl section 107, row 10.
Notes: Zeegrizzle showing up with teeth for the second of two nights @ MSG! Another excellent recording which sounds a lot like the capture from the previous night. Nice job. Vocals are prominent, DC’s drumming just killin’ it the entire show, JC’s bass slaps and AJ was totally focused. Definitely a fantastic recording of a wonderful performance. Much respect.
Time: 2:00:55
Fear Inoculum
The Pot
Rosetta Stoned
Pnuema
Sweat
Descending
The Grudge
Intermission
Chocolate Chip Trip
Culling Voices
Invincible
”Happy Birthday”
46 & 2
Source B: Solid State – Danish Pro Audio 4061 > Apple iPhone 13 Pro
Taper: j.mart
Notes: Although there is an audible amount of either the taper or friend/s (or randoms) singing along throughout, that is not really a criticism as it is hard not to sometimes but at least it is not overtly detrimental to the recording as a whole. Speaking of which, in discussion of IF phones are legit sources for tapers, let this source give testimony that phones can be realistic taping instruments — when done correctly. Solid capture. The taper must have used an iPhone toggle to connect the DPA’s microphone box to the lightning port as I do not see any other way. But then, why not just use a dedicated recorder like a Sony A10 or something like that? We may never know.
Time: 1:58:56
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2024.01.18 - Hollywood, FL, USA @ Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood
Source A: DAT – Core Sound Binaural / omni > Sony PCM-M1
Location: Orchestra - Center
Source B: DAT — Sony PCM-M1 / m
Source C: Solid State — SonyA10 / p
Source D: Solid State — Sony A10 / d
Source E: Solid State — Sony A10 / a
Source F: Solid State — Sony A10 /j
Source G: Solid State — Zoom F1 / mon
Taper: The Collective: “MItaper78, RJB, ITS1954, JB, Anon”
Gen: Master
Notes: Slightly incomplete CSB > M1 recording due to logistical issues such as multi-tasking alternative sources, airlines, congestion of Florida roads and the overwhelming prevalence of alligators. Missing FI. You can hear the taper, exasperated, trying to get to his seat in-between FI and Jambi only to be told by staff that he needs to go to “the other section 114”. Nice. Overall, this is a basic and accurate representation of what would be expected from CSB mics with a 22+ life would sound like. Omni’s from a distance sound like, you know, omni’s from a distance as the sound is picked up from all directions - the main reason why stack tapes are the best for omni microphones. Not the case here. Sound is clean enough and balanced for the most part but I am positive that there will be better overall recordings out there. This is a fun little audience recording though it is certainly not a Front of Stack recording. These microphones were last used at other Tool shows since ~2002. The performance of this show was wonderful although Adam seemed to miss a few notes but only an entitled tool would note that fact. MJK did not hit ‘the scream in Rosetta Stoned’ but nailed it on ‘The Grudge’. The version of Stinkfist performed has mild differences than other such as a nuanced intro. What MJK whispers into the mic is: “spend my dollar, spend it, listener, spend my, dollar, spend your dollars, keeno, keeno, keeno” (referring one would assume to the Casino that adjoins the Hard Rock Live venue). At the end of the song he says: “take my, take my, take my advice about Stinkfist and gambling and dollar lobster sandwiches”. Speaking of which, beautiful venue and amazing acoustics wonderful place to see a concert.
Time: 1:55:16
Fear Inoculum
(missing)
“All right then. Ready to take a little trip? You sound fucking uncertain., Jesus Christ. Florida!? Justin? Sound like New Orleans. Or Alabama. Florida? You need to work on that.”
Jambi
Rosetta Stoned
(Lost Keys abridged)
Pnuema
Sweat
Descending
The Grudge
Intermission
Chocolate Chip Trip
Culling Voices
Invincible
“Thank you very much. See you again tomorrow night? You guys are great, thank you.”
Stinkfist
Post Show
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2024.01.19 - Hollywood, FL, USA @ Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood
Source A: DAT – Core Sound Binaural > PCM-M1
Location: Row N, Floor - Dead Center
Source B: DAT — Sony PCM-M1 / m
Source C: Solid State — SonyA10 / p
Source D: Solid State — Sony A10 / d
Source E: Solid State — Sony A10 / a
Source F: Solid State — Sony A10 /j
Source G: Solid State — Zoom F1 / mon
Taper: The Collective: “MItaper78, RJB, ITS1954, Anon, JB”
Gen: Master
Notes on CSB Recording: This is a mildly brickwalled recording due to bass overload and the taper not checking proper levels. Is it terrible? I do not think so but as are many things in life, it is in the eye of the beholder. Had the levels been not so darn hot, I think this could have been a relatively slick recording. It’s not that bad though. Any source better than no source, right? What is interesting, you can hear just how f-ing close it was for ITS1984 to make it to the seat on time. Literally, as he leaves the bathroom, you can hear the heartbeat intro start. That is really, really close. A simple adjustment in bass roll off would have fixed this issue, however, the taper was held up by extraneous factors effecting entrance into the Hard Rock including at least six other fanciful rationale. Thus, the act of activating this source was a rapid process from quickly gearing up and rapidly rushing to the seat. The taper had the levels set a wee bit too hot and did not check the levels due to the presence of security proximity. For various reasons, this show as the first time some of these tapers had actually ever seen the full performance of Fear Inoculum despite recording Tool numerous times during the FI era. This particular performance of Flood is beyond cool; probably the best rendition I’ve ever heard. MJK nails ‘the’ screams on Rosetta Stoned as well as on The Grudge. In fact, we were watching MJK before the scream in The Grudge and it was quite amusing. Right before the scream, he takes a step back away from the microphone, goes to the side, takes a sip of water, looks and points at someone stage-right, pretends to have a conversation while gesturing like “hang on a second I gotta answer this phone call” type of energy then calmly steps to the microphone and just belts out a scream straight of 2001.Video above is my video of Schism… Yeah, I know, not very steady but I gave it a shot - I do not know how stealth filmers do it. I really do not. Kudos, to y’all.
Notes II: Being so darn close to Tool this evening, we realized something; Danny Carey is the heartbeat of the band. There is no Tool without Danny Carey, yes, you could say the same thing about any member of the band as that is an accurate argument, however, there simply is no Tool without Danny Carey. Both Adam and Justin look to him for the rhythmic timing and support. This may seem so basic but actually being cognizant and watching for the cues Carey provides is what propels the band on a sonic level. Danny Carey is simply the greatest drummer alive. He may even be the greatest of all time. Not an opinion but based on fact.
Fun story: Second of two nights in glamorous Hollywood, FL @ The Hard Rock Live venue which is a 7,000 person capacity venue which meant the tickets were expensive (i.e.: intimate, not a bad seat in the house) and the smallest venue for this tour leg if anything it was reminiscent to seeing Tool on their 2006 Small Club Tour. Through the benevolence of a kind friend from the land of the ice + snow and a healthy splash of Lachrymology (and after a nominal donation to the Florida Chapter of the Church of Satan, obviously) members of The Collective received after show passes as well as upgraded seats to dead center main floor, considerably better than the purchased tickets. As such, for a brief moment after the show, two members enjoyed a Stella Artois from the cooler in the afters-how flanked by friends, family(?) and Tool crew; these guys met Danny Carey, shook his hand and were able to say “thank you for your art, mastery, music and kindness” which, apparently, was a dream fulfilled. It was reported that an alternate member said “love your titties and beer Frank Zappa shirt, man.” Yes, we all aim for greatness.
Time: 2:12:19
Fear Inoculum
“Second chance. Shall we? Florida? Florida? Ready to take a trip? Here’s the deal. We are going to go on a little trip together. Stay connected - here. Stay here. Be present. You put your fucking phone in your pocket and leave it there, dickhead. Leave your phones, stay present with us Jesus Fucking Christ. At the end of the show, at the last song and if you are good and I don’t see a half dozen of you dickheads pulling your shit…. (so on and so forth)”
The Pot
Rosetta Stoned
(Lost Keys abridged)
Pnuema
Intolerance
Descending
The Grudge
Intermission
Chocolate Chip Trip
Flood
Invincible
Schism
Post Show
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2024.01.21 - Charlotte, NC, USA @ Spectrum Center
Source A: Solid State – Apple iPhone 13 Pro
Taper: shynomi
Location: Taped from Section 227, Row J, Seat 17 (8 rows back on Justin
Notes: Oh FFS. This sounds like it was recorded in someone’s pocket on a whim. Is it better than nothing? People hooting and hollering. Yelling. Beer cans being opened/crushed. It’s bad.
Time: 2:15:50
Fear Inoculum
Jambi
Rosetta Stoned
Pnuema
Intolerance
Descending
The Grudge
Intermission
Chocolate Chip Trip
Culling Voices
Invincible
Flood
Schism
Source B: Solid State – Zoom H1n
Taper: UncleT1974
Location: Recorded from Section 117 Row R Seat 6
Notes: This recording is not going to win any beauty contests based on clarity of audio but it sure as shit is way better than Source A. Being internal microphones most likely obfuscated by a pocket, this source is decent overall. Begin roughly chest-level on an adult male w/o the microphones raised a bit has limitations in audio clarity as the lower frequencies tend to be more prevalent throughout based on microphone placement.
Time: 1:54:02
Source C: Solid State
Source D: Solid State
Source E: Solid State
Taper: The Collective (-)
Notes: Various elements loosely aligned with CU.ORG.
Time: ~
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2024.01.23 - Nashville, TN, USA @ Bridgestone Arena
Source A: Solid State – Danish Pro Audio 4061 > Tascam DR-2d
Taper: geordy
Location: Recorded from 14th row floor, center.
Notes: Yes, Billy Strings jammed with Tool on The Grudge. What? Imagine being a fly on the wall at that sound check :o) Haha - if you know, you know. Right about the 5 minute mark, Billy Strings just fucking goes off for roughly 2 minutes on a total jam… This is where you hear the professionalism and pure musicianship of the folks in Tool just shine. So cool. Would’ve loved to have been at and/or taped that team-up. Recording, fantastic recording by none other than Tennessee’s own, PimpDawgs! Excellent recording. This dude knows how to tape Tool, is better at it than most and is also one of the biggest fans of Tool you would ever be lucky to meet - and, yeah, I’m talking about you. Smooth recording with clear vocals, clean highs/mids and great low-end. Recordings like these make you second guess DPA 4088 microphones and for that matter, Schoeps MK4. Nice job, dude.
Time: 2:01:55
Fear Inoculum
46 & 2
Rosetta Stoned
Pnuema
Intolerance
Descending
The Grudge
”This fucking guy, Billy Strings. What’s up, Michigan?”
Intermission
Chocolate Chip Trip
Flood
Invincible
Schism
Source B: Solid State – Schoeps MK4 > Sony PCM-A10
Taper: Tj
Location: Recorded from floor, section 6.
Notes: Superb recording. Arguably, the cleanest and clearest source around -even if you are preferring GD’s DPA 4061 source- this is one of those recordings where if there was a flaw, somewhere, you would need to try to pick it out with a pair of tweezers for a mouse. Excellent all around. Vocals are in your face as are the rest of the instrumentation. Just fabulous.
Time: 2:02:18
Source C: Solid State – Apple iPhone 14 Pro MAX
Taper: dscott3866
Location: Includes soundcheck as track 0, taped from eighth row on Justin's side of the stage.
Notes: So the ‘soundcheck’ is the VIP experience (~$500 or so) and is The Pot + Fear Inoculum (3/4 of it) instrumental, sans MJK. The ‘taper’ absolutely would’ve been thrown out of the VIP experience had anyone known, so, kuddos for taking a chance but for $500 you should nab a copy of the setlist too, at least. Overall, the quality is what you would expect from an iPhone 14 which is better than a lot of other sources. This is, decent, at best. Must give the taper some more street cred for pulling audio for the VIP soundcheck, only have heard a handful of AUD recordings of soundchecks. At least this does not sound like it was recorded from the armpit inside a plaid sweater.
Time: 2:19:22
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2024.01.24 - Atlanta, GA, USA @ State Farm Arena
Source A: Solid State – Schoeps MK4 > Sony PCM-A10
Taper: Tj
Location: Recorded from Terrace T15
Notes: If one were a taper who, clearly, likes to take risks by bringing gear inside venues, geaking out about microphone modifications and attempt to consistently pull fantastic recordings then the work behind this source would be highly recommended. Schoeps MK4 are big shotgun mics but stealth tapers tend to modify the length in order to provide phantom power which makes these amazing microphones more versatile. As it is, this is another fantastic recording from the taper referred to as Tj. Excellent. Hands down, the most complete and clean source of this performance available. Minimal crowd noise even though some folks speak around where the microphones are. Excellent capture. If you see Tj at a Tool show, do not tell security but do buy him a beer.
Time: 1:59:56
Fear Inoculum
Jambi
Rosetta Stoned
Pnuema
Intolerance
Descending
The Grudge
Intermission
Chocolate Chip Trip
Flood
Invincible
Stinkfist
Source B: Video — Panasonic Lumix ZS100
Source: YouTube (uploaded by filmer)
Taper: TJ
Notes: I cannot even imagine filming a Tool show. But here we have this taper, TJ, just showing all the fakers how to do something and do it right. In addition to pulling a MK4, he simultaneously filmed a very clear, clean, focused and crisp recording of Tool @ State Farm Arena in Atlanta. Having been to this venue for a few shows, it is a hike to walk to and expensive to park at. My point, if you ‘geared up your taping stuff’ prior to going into the venue you would be in for a hike and depending on your method it can be a walk. Regardless, excellent audio recording (and audio on the video) and clearly one of if not the best video of Tool in 2024. This guy still needs a beer… not any been but a $20 concert beer, at minimal. Come on.
Time: 1:59:19
Source C: Solid State – Danish Pro Audio 4061 > Tascam DR-2D
Taper: geordy
Location: Recorded from stage right
Notes: Unfortunately, Geordy’s fantastic DPA 4061> DR-2D source cuts out right as the song starts to boil @ Flood thus the rest of the show is lost on this source. Like, right as Flood goes from the long opening to the main riff… Oof. That sucks, sorry man. That is a tough battery fail. Has to be battery fail? Or else, the taper was busted but I don’t think so - there is a little spot right before the ending of the song where it seems like the recording misses ~a few seconds then begins again (i.e.: an edit in post, before the recording stops). That’s a bummer as , otherwise, this is a nice recording albeit the vocals are by and large buried in this mix for the most part; unlike the MK4 source but then again that is a Cardioid source thus it behaves differently than Omni microphones do (obviously). All in all, if you’ve been a taper long enough, you’ve been there. All of us have. It’s best to celebrate accomplishments rather than the unforeseen and realistic challenges. Hey, if you choose to never do something, you will fail 100% of the time. You take a risk and do your best, sometimes things don’t work out how you wish but-you-still-did-it. So, nice job dude.
Time: 1:42:08
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2024.01.26 - Birmingham, AL, USA @ The Legacy Arena at The BJCC
No Known Recordings - which is strange as, in the past many tapers would congregate to LA for their progressive takes on access to abortion, civil rights and teaching inclusiveness to children in school. Oh wait, this State has the Ten Commandments in each school room as of 2024? Ah, yes, just kidding AL is a trash dump except for NOLA as that is at least fun.
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2024.01.27 - Biloxi, MS, USA @ Mississippi Coast Coliseum
No Known Recording
Members of CU.ORG recall driving through MS after the 2020 Memphis show and, damn, what a wasteland of Christisn Nationalism and fear. I took this photo driving towards just a super sketchy Motel 8 we all booked in the middle of nowhere, Mississippi. I’m sure many could argue MS has some amazing spots but, ugh, did not see any. The photo is from after the Tool show of crosses on the side of the highway… Hey, at least they weren’t burning on an innocent minorities front lawn as the State had done in the past. Not trying to hate on Mississippi but even trying to grab breakfast at a Waffle House, if you were say someone from a non white background, some people treated you differently as was the case of Anon. So, it is what it is and being professional, educated members of society, this was not surprising. However, it does still suck. A conversation we had involved the fact that “if” Jesus existed at the point of time - he would have been a dark skinned man with non-blue eyes and probably without long hair. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________
2024.01.31 - Austin, TX, USA @ Moody Center
No Released DPA4060 Recording
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2024.02.02 - Dallas, TX, USA @ American Airlines Center
No Released DPA4060 Recording
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2024.02.03 - Oklahoma City, OK, USA @ Paycom Center
Source A: Solid State – MBHO KA 200N > Sony PCM-M10
Taper: specialk
Location: Taped from Section 202, Row C.
Notes: Yet another absolutely fantastic recording from Tool taping extraordinaire, specialk. This taper absolutely understands the importance of superb microphones and has bagged some entirely amazing recordings; this is one of them. We should all be so lucky to pull a recording of this caliber and specialk can do this without real effort. Clean sound overall. Less than superior microphones, you would complain about some echo/delay but that is simply not the case here. If one were to nit-pick on a variable which the taper had zero control over, you could say a couple people close to the taper were chatty almost throughout. Is this one of the best recordings of this leg of the tour? I would say yes but don’t take my subjective opinion, go listen to it yourself.
Time: 2:02:24
Fear Inoculum
Jambi
Rosetta Stoned
Pnuema
Intolerance
Descending
The Grudge
Intermission
Chocolate Chip Trip
Flood
Invincible
Stinkfist
Source B: Solid State –Edirol R-07 (built in mics)
Taper: specialk
Location: Taped from Section 202, Row C.
Notes: Nothing spectacular here; just a built-in recorder in someone’s pocket. I get it, I’ve done it as well it’s easy and fun. When you consider the other source this taper pulled, this was clearly just because. Nothing bad about this but it is as good as the source information is.
Time: 2:00:00
Source C: Solid State – Schoeps MK4 > Sony PCM-A10
Taper: Coleson Dilbeck
Location: Taped from Section 113, about 4 rows from the stage.
Notes: Bro. Recording is incomplete, ends after Intolerance. Lot s of movement throughout the incomplete recording. The microphone-into-smartphone ran into a snag here perhaps for multiple reasons. Crowd is vocal throughout. There is a strange phenomena particularly doing FI where it sounds like one channel was ‘out’ and it was later adjusted in post. Or it could be something different. Audio fidelity sort of sounds like a Sonic Studios source from the 1990’s. So why is this recording incomplete? Towards the end of Intolerance you can hear someone/security say something about a “phone” and “hat” then “come with me”… And that is where the recording ends. Having been busted at gig/s and a Tool show, that feeling sucks but am glad the taper left it on the released recording. Good for you for trying your best but if you were taking a picture, ooh, that’s a no-no at a Tool show until the last song. Hey, taper, if you ever read this and want to comment, email me under the contact section.
Time: 53:02
2024.02.05 - Denver, CO, USA @ Ball Arena
Source A: Solid State – Audio-Technica 853 > Sony PCM-A10
Taper: zeegrizzle
Location: Taped from Section 124 Row 6
Notes: Kind of conflicted about this source. Vocals float above the mix which does not happen on every source but there is some muddiness in the lower frequencies but only sometimes, I noticed it a bit on Intolerance but, for example, Flood has a lot of low end but I did not hear the same low issue unclarity. Some movement at random times which is surprisingly noticeable. Solid performance by Tool and a solid capture by zeegrizzley-bear. Most likely, not a bear but maybe a guy with a big beard? The vocals on Descending are haunting but yet subtle; nice capture.
Time: 2:02:36
Fear Inoculum
Jambi
Rosetta Stoned
Pnuema
Intolerance
Descending
The Grudge
Intermission
Chocolate Chip Trip
Flood
Invincible
Schism
Source B: Solid State – Olympus LS-P4 (built-in mics)
Taper: bluejane99
Location: Recorded from upper balcony 1st row, mics on rail.
Notes: Unsure how ‘mics on rail’ is possible when we are talking about a solid state recorder with built-in microphones - maybe just another way of saying the taper put the unit on the ledge? How he or she worded it sounds cooler. The Olympus LS-P4 looks a lot like a cross between a Tascam DR-05 and a Sony A10. As it is, this recording sounds a lot like a Sony A10 recording with built in microphones. Almost think there could be some crossover on parts but that is pure speculation on my end. Not amazing but certainly not bad, this is what it is: a decent built-in recording.
Time: 2:13:46
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2024.02.09 - Phoenix, AZ, USA @ Footprint Center
Source A: Solid State – Aiwa CM-30 > Sony A10
Source B: Solid State – Core Sound Binaurals > Sony PCM-M1
Source C: Solid State – Giant Squid Audio Lab Omni > Sony UX570
Source D: DAT — Sony PCM-M1 / pr
Source E: Solid State – Zoom F1 / d
Source F: Solid State – Sony A10 / m
Location: Front of Stack - Stage Right, Floor, 1st Row and Mid Floor x 2
Taper: The Collective: “MItaper78, JB, ANON/RJB did this one, Mae, JB, LW”
Notes: If you listen real close, you can hear Adam do the slide @ the beginning of Intolerance. He abruptly jumps into Sweat. Most likely 99% of the people in attendance did not notice. But now you know and can you not hear it?
Notes on the image to the right: During Culling Voices, as many will recall, confetti would fall from above. Those in the know, knew that if you grabbed enough of these pieces, per show when they would drop (because not every show had this confetti), it was possible to complete a puzzle. This is the puzzle. That night, I was able to grab enough random pieces to make this puzzle three times - which I did, although, you can see I am not perfect at lining it all up correctly Did my best though. Was I grabbing pieces of paper off of a Tool show from the ground? I certainly was and damn proud of the capture.
Source A - Aiwa CM-30: Taper wanted to use some vintage microphones for the back-to-back Tool shows at Footprint Center in Phoenix, AZ which were used by other tapers during different eras of the band on tour, for example. S.D. used Aiwa CM-30 back in 1993 for his legendary Tool run in September and October throughout France. I am sentimental. That said, this attempt at pulling off anything on the level of S.D. is laughable; not even close. There is an issue one should take note of whilst using vintage microphones; there may very well be some technical issues if you use them in a stealth manner. The taper used these in an open environment and they were fine but they could barely handle a Tool show. Truth is, these Aiwa CM-30 microphones were last used for Tool in Grand Rapids, MI circa 7/2007. These Aiwa CM-30 mics apparently are very fussy; both channels do not ‘cut-out’ but there is a connection not being made, randomly, which brings the audio quality down a bit. When you multitask, there are always issues. To add, flew in to Phoenix that day and barely made it to the show with enough time thus we were considerably rushed as we were all late. My own biased and subjective opinion is that the Aiwa CM-30 certainly did not handle itself efficiently and effectively as the connection issues make it not great for the most part When it is good, it is good. Basically, FI is not included on this recording just for sake of completeness as it was really distorted due to something with the input, however, it was recorded. Old microphones. Part of Jambi is just ‘cchhhhhtttt’ for that period of time; this was edited to be as an enjoyable listening experience as possible but no one wants to hear static. Best to just skip over that part. Plus the beginning was taped in the bathroom stall. From Jambi to the second half of Pnuema, the sound is clear but very hollow as there was something with the connection to the recorder not being made correctly (but no static). Once the connection is made, and it takes some in/out to get the connection stable, the sound improvement jumps up considerably. I am not saying this is a collector’s only item but I can see how some would feel that way. There are some positives (feel free and check out the recording of Sweat - I think it sounds pretty rad actually) but the random channel issues and being in the bathroom for FI are a bummer and particularly to me, annoying. Intermission was cut on this source. More information at collectiveunconscious.org
Aiwa Time: 1:47:30
Source B - CSB > M1: Make this clear, this is a relatively severely limited and incomplete recording and I think that some would say this is best left for collectors even if the audio quality is, in my opinion, quite good as CSB mics can rule when they are @ Front of Stack. This source is missing Fear Inoculum and incomplete from intermission on. (i.e.: the taper made it to the seat right @ Jambi). Travel, am I right? The recording starts during the tail end of Fear Inoculum, in the bathroom. Taping can be such a glamorous thing. It is remarkable how well these battle-tested CSB mics have weathered years of use and abuse. Perhaps not the most accurate recording around in regards to picking up every nuanced note, but this certainly does the trick. This has the same deal with the Aiwa CM-30 source in regards to a modified opening FI track. All that said in one quick breath, I think this is a solid recording all things considered up until - total newbie mistake - the damn batteries died during intermission due to the taper’s error. Thus, this source is incomplete. It is kind of interesting to hear the taper walking down into the arena as MJK is telling everyone to keep their phones in their pocket.
CSB Time: 1:08:45
Source C - GSALab > UX570: Anon was seriously late, flight was delayed. This starts right almost directly with Rosetta Stoned. What he did not do is check the levels, IMO, but he says he did. The Giant Squid microphones are not known for handling bass very well and these were old ass microphones 25+ years old. He would’ve been fine had he turned the bass roll off on, however, he stated he did when he geared up so maybe it got flipped - I don’t know. I think, honestly, overall it is decent but it is both incomplete and slightly/mildly distorted as he was Front of Stack - Left on the floor. I’ve heard a lot worse recordings of Tool (there are a LOT of terrible Tool live recordings) and I mean I would not give this source anything close to 90%. If this recording was a test and it received a theoretical grade, it would be like a D or maybe a D+ passing the test but not by much. Still, better than nothing.
GSAL Time: 1:50:51
SETLIST
Fear Inoculum
Jambi
Rosetta Stoned
(Lost Keys abridged)
Pnuema
Sweat
Descending
The Grudge
Intermission
Chocolate Chip Trip
Culling Voices
Invincible
Stinkfist
Post Show
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
To Summarize The Collective’s omissions + issues this performance because no one did fantastic and, as much as experience as some of these fools have, it is rather embarrassing:
Aiwa CM-30 = Technically complete but FI and part of Jambi had a bad connection, static and further channel issues
CSB = Starts @ Jambi, ends @ Intermission but sounds pretty good
GSAL = Starts @ Rosetta Stoned, mild distortion but otherwise complete w/o channel issues rest of the show
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Source F: Solid State – Danish Pro Audio SKM 140 > Apple iPhone 13 Pro
Taper: j.mart
Notes: Without a doubt, the best AUD recording to come from this performance to be released or known to exist. Blows away any of The Collective efforts, hands-down. Great stuff. Clean, clear, concise and a treat to enjoy; this recording is simply solid. Problem I have is that the source info is not congruent. Could be and probably is a typo somewhere, however, DPA microphones did not make a SKM 140 - but - Neumann certainly did. To my ears, this certainly sounds like a Neumann. Still, fantastic recording. This very source would be evidence that you certainly can use phones as a taping device successfully.
Time: 2:01:04
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2024.02.10 - Phoenix, AZ, USA @ Footprint Center
Source A: Solid State – Marantz EM-8 > Sony PCM-M1
Source B: Solid State — Sony A10 / d
Source C: Solid State — Sony A10 / m
Source D: DAT — Sony PCM-M1 / pr
Source E: Solid State – Sony UX570 / me
Source F: Solid State — Zoom F1 / a
Source G: Solid State — Zoom F1 / j
Location: Suite
Taper: The Collective: “MItaper78, JB, Anon, Mae, JB, KG, Luke”
Notes - Evening: Although we had to split up, taping members of The Collective were focused on giving it the old College Try for Night 2. Was extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to spend the show in a suite; must give a big shout out to a friend and member of The Collective; thanks man - that was amazing! Ever been in a suite at a concert? It is literally how the 1% lives. Catered, fancy food. Free beer, wine. Your own bathrooms. The venue continually stocks the fridge. Want to take pictures at a Tool show? Be in a suite and not worry about the policy because, you know, you are in a suite. I walked by a suite and saw David Lee Roth snorting blow off of a hookers’ ass in the adjacent room… Maybe. Quite possibly one of if not the best concert watching experiences this Tool veteran has encountered. And somehow, it got even cooler as the artist, EMEK, was in the suite. If you do not know who EMEK is do yourself a favor and check out his website: https://emekstudios.com/ EMEK has worked with Tool on numerous poster-based projects including some of the most sought-after dates (for Tool poster collectors; y’all are a different breed). EMEK is one cool dude. Before the show, he started drawing on a napkin then on paper plates… He gave out his art. It was something else, I swear. As for the rest of the night, what a blur both literally and figuratively. For me, this was the most relaxed/chill Tool experience I had ever had. Just no stress and had a great time. One thing notable is that Tool debuted the alternate version of Descending for the first time (although I did hear a rumor that they practiced it during band soundcheck prior to VIP soundcheck). You can hear Descending (ALT) above.
Notes - Recording: Marantz EM-8 recordings are rather uncommon. Marantz EM-8 are quite difficult to use as they are touchy! Coupled with age, they have not been manufactured for a few decades (i.e.: definition of a vintage microphone) and are extremely vulnerable to low end interference (if too close to the speakers) as they are housed in an aluminum shell… you have to be careful is my point. The other side of the coin is that they can yield extremely cool results and this is one of those examples where it came together to deliver a solid AUD recording without being totally manhandled throughout which would lead to a massive amount of noise. There are a couple instances of minimal microphone movement during the opening of Rosetta Stoned, during the ‘Lost Keys’ bit, which is unfortunate but it is what it is. Some minimal, exuberant ‘Toooool’ yells from a friend in the Suite. Other than that, there is virtually no movement as no one touched the microphone as, here is a hint, it was underneath the hat in one of the photos. Marantz EM-8 microphones are extremely picky as if you breath on it weird, you will hear it on the recording. This microphone is of the same vintage as 1997-02-14 in Paris, France — widely considered a legendary recording. Although this is quite a decent recording, this is perhaps not of legendary status. It is amazing what an antique or vintage microphone is able to capture when used properly. No EQ was done to this recording and released, after resample to 44.1 kHz, as-is. This is not a Front of Stack recording and is from a distance however the Marantz EM-8 really performed well under these circumstances. Also, was told that absolutely no one in the suite knew that any recording was going on (this was verified by the host).
Time: 2:20:05
Fear Inoculum
The Pot
Rosetta Stoned
Pnuema
Intolerance
Descending
(Alternate Version; Debut)
The Grudge
Intermission
Chocolate Chip Trip
Flood
Invincible
Schism
Post Show
2024.02.12 - Fresno, CA, USA @ Save Mart Center
Source A: Solid State – Schoeps MK4 > Sony PCM-A10
Location: Front Row
Taper: TJ
Notes: Outstanding recording. Clear, clean and without hesitation a fantastic capture of your favorite band, Tool. The source info lists ‘front row’ as the location but generally when someone is actually front row there is some on-stage monitors being captured. Don’t hear that on this source, however, that means little as this is, overall, the best any taper could hope to garner. Minimal crowd noise, subtle at best. Excellent job to the taper.
Time: ~2:00:56
Fear Inoculum
Jambi
Rosetta Stoned
Pnuema
Intolerance
Descending
The Grudge
Intermission
Chocolate Chip Trip
Flood
Invincible
Stinkfist
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2024.02.14 - Los Angeles, CA, USA @ Crypto.com Arena
Source A: Solid State – Danish Pro Audio 4063 > Sony PCM-A10
Taper: dabbler
Notes: To be clear, DPA 4063 microphones are the same thing as 4060/4061/4062/4063 the difference is the sound pressure level (SPL) rating per the microphone. Myself, I chose DPA 4061 back in 2006 and have zero regrets. I will say, seeing a DPA 4063 in the wild is rather uncommon but nice to see. Like DPA’s in general, the recording is rather clear albeit perhaps a bit bass-heavy (as per the microphones not having the ability to change the input like you used to be able to don on the MMA 6000 battery box) but you have a nice coverage of the spectrum of sound. This fine recording does sound live with absolutely minimal crowd noise. Great capture of a Tool concert.
Time: 1:59:23
Fear Inoculum
Jambi
Rosetta Stoned
Pnuema
Intolerance
Descending
The Grudge
Intermission
Chocolate Chip Trip
Culling Voices
Invincible
Stinkfist
Source B: Solid State – Apple iPhone 14 Pro MAX
Taper: robert
Notes: Although not a complete sonic mess, this recording seems more like an afterthought rather than a planned execution. It seems that there was some audio modulation going on where the input volume changes based on the sound pressure level (SPL) of the audio - not a fan; this is a common setting on modern recorders and probably is like that with whatever software ‘robert’ was using. This is OK at best. Oftentimes, you get what you put into an effort and this recording follows such logic.
Time: 2:03:22
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2024.02.15 - Los Angeles, CA, USA @ Crypto.com Arena
Source A: Solid State — Danish Pro Audio 4061 > Roland R-07
Taper: Distortion
Notes: Distortion pulled off one hell of a clean DPA 4061 recording. Minimal crowd chatter, vocals are present-in-the-mix and the nuances of DC’s amazing percussion are not obfuscated at all. I have the same microphones and am wildly impressed with the overall sonic vibes throughout this stellar recording. Nice job man. One thing which is of some interest is the placement of Sweat in the setlist versus Jambi (they modified as a ye old switcheroo). Interesting. It’s cool to see Sweat as song #2.
Time: 2:04:39
Fear Inoculum
Sweat
Rosetta Stoned
Pnuema
Descending
(alternate version)
Jambi
The Grudge
Intermission
Chocolate Chip Trip
Flood
Invincible
Schism
Source B: Solid State — Danish Pro Audio 4081 > Unknown Recorder
Taper: faninor
Notes: Quite honestly, if you did not know better, a thoery could be that this is an AUD source mixed with a nice IEM from the band. However, the subtle movements by the taper, the slight swish of the cymbals give credence that this is, in fact, just a great DPA 4081 recording. As a note, DPA 4088, a favorite microphones of mine, is essentially the same thing as the DPA 4081 just slightly different with SPL tolerances. As such, this recording is hands down a wonderful listen and an asset to your Tool collection.
Time: 2:04:30
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2024.02.17 - Ontario, CA, USA @ Toyota Arena
Source A: Solid State — Danish Pro Audio 4081 > Unknown Recorder
Taper: faninor
Notes: Wow. Yet another stellar DPA 4081 recording by the taper going by the moniker of fanimor. Clean, clear and concise (almost too concise to be believed), this is a wonderful recording which captures the band at the top of their game… Almost. You can hear that MJK struggles a bit throughout the show as he was not feeling great. Don’t get me wrong, he killed it throughout but, still, you can tell. Jumping to the recording, why oh why is there not adequate source information for the recorder the taper used? Seems rather straightforward as per information. Take note that the band eliminated a song from their set list.
Time: 2:04:39
Fear Inoculum
Jambi
Rosetta Stoned
Pnuema
Descending
Schism
Intermission
Chocolate Chip Trip
Culling Voices
Invincible
Stinkfiist
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2024.02.18 - Las Vegas, NV, USA @ T-Mobile Arena
Source A: Solid State — Danish Pro Audio 4081 > Unknown Recorder
Taper: faninor
Notes: This is a fantastic recording, absolutely. To be clear, this taper hit the last three dates of this leg of the tour. Nice job, dude. There is a bit of movement particularly during FI which arguably no one would notice but it is indicative of the taper either walking to the seat or is on the aisle and has to move for other patrons. Or not and was just movement. As it is, great recording of the last 2024 performance by Tool in North America. MJK and/or the band may have been basically done as they eliminated the variable song with Schism but totally cut-out The Grudge. Technically, The Grudge is quite a complex song to pull off and as MJK stated, he was feeling terrible and had “shit coming out of every hole, literally” which is probably a visualization best left for people who are into that sort of thing.
Time: 2:04:39
Fear Inoculum
Jambi
Rosetta Stoned
Pnuema
Descending
Schism
Intermission
Chocolate Chip Trip
Culling Voices
Invincible
Stinkfiist
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2024.05.25 - Hannover, Germany @ ZAG Arena
2024.05.27 - Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Ziggo Dome
2024.05.30 - Birmingham, England, UK @ Resorts World Arena
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2024.06.01 - Manchester, England, UK @ AO Arena
Source A: Solid State — The Sound Professionals SP-CMC-8 > Edirol R-09HR
Taper: ?
Notes: All in all, quite the decent capture. Vocals are in the mix, drums are crisp and the guitar is in your face while Chancellor lays the low end down. A bit of movement particularly through FI to RS but it’s manageable. As of 9/2024, very few EU 2024 recordings have been released. Those who have the gumption/drive like I used to, check out taper lists such as etree.org, search under Tool and see what deals you can make with a Tool taper - there are quite a few dates recorded and listed which means that even more were recorded.
Time: 2:02:58
Jambi
Fear Inoculum
Rosetta Stoned
Pnuema
Sweat
Descending
The Grudge
Intermission
Chocolate Chip Trip
Flood
Invincible
Ænema
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2024.06.03 - London, England, UK The O2 Arena
No Released Recordings? Come on, ITS1984 - we already made it through 1984. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________
2024.06.05 - Paris, France @ Accor Arena
Source A: Solid State — Soundman OKMII-Rock Studio > Tascam DR-07
Taper: Franck B.
Notes: One of the best, if not the, best Tool tapers heralding from France (and yes I am invoking S.D’.’s legendary 1993 recordings), we have Franck B.’s superb capture of Tool from Paris, France @ Accor Arena. Clear, clean and concise this is a solid recording. Beautiful, really. Now, do we have the depth of say Schoeps MK4 or DPA 4088, no, however that technical specificity does not negate the overall quality of this recording/capture. Very minimal crowd noise and nothing intrusive, this is one solid capture of a legitimate OG Tool fan (i.e.: he taped his first Tool show in 1997). Having met Franck in person back in 2008, literally a lifetime ago, I am exceptionally proud that he pulled this off fantastic recording. Being a member of The Collective for many years., FBZ has cemented more home runs in so far as superb recordings than Babe Ruth and is without a doubt a certified legend.
Time: ~2:11:34
Jambi
Fear Inoculum
Rosetta Stoned
Pnuema
Intolerance
Descending
(Alternate Version)
The Grudge
Intermission
Chocolate Chip Trip
Flood
Invincible
Stinkfist
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2024.06.08 - Berlin, Germany @ Parkbühne Wuhlheide
2024.06.10 - Wien, Austria @ Wiener Stadthalle
2024.06.11 - Kraków, Poland @ Tauron Arena
2024.06.13 - Budapest, Hungary @ Laszlo Papp Budapest Sportaréna
2024.06.18 - Köln, Germany @ Lanxess Arena
2024.06.20 - Dessel, Germany @ Graspop Metal Meeting
2024.06.22 - Copenhagen, Denmark @ CopenHell
2024.06.25 - Stockholm, Sweden @ Tele2 Arena
2024.06.27 - Oslo, Norway @ Tons of Rock