2006.09.11 - Woodlands, TX, USA @ Mitchell Pavilion
Source A: Hi-Mini Disc --- Danish Pro Audio 4061 > Sony MZ-RH10 (HiSP mode)
Location: GA pit, center/leftside of stage, directly in front of Justin
Transfer: Sony MZ-RH10 > SonicStage (USB cable) > Wavelab 3.04a (EQ, compression, normalize) > CD Wave Editor
Taper: Adam
Gen: 0 from Master
Notes - by: Taper:
What a stroke of luck to get this ticket through Ticketbastard... for face value, no less. Security was rather tough at the door, as they had you place all the stuff in your pockets on a table, then made you step back so they could look you over, and finally scan you slowly and deliberately with a wand. No sweat, right? Once in my spot at the front of the stage, it wasn't any easier. I basically started taping in the bathroom before Isis came on, and then didn't take my recorder out of my pocket until I was out of the venue at the end of the night. That's about 4 hours of tape... I decided to include several of the intro tracks that they've been playing this year on tour, since I managed to get such an upclose and clear recording of them. Easy enough to skip through them if you so choose. The sound was incredible from my location, but unfortunately Maynard was sick. He admitted it to us, apologized, and thanked us for being considerate with him. That struck me as a very open and vulnerable moment for him. I was actually impressed. He definitely seemed to be disappointed in himself, and worried that he was disappointing the crowd. I actually didn't even mind that he didn't sing at times. What I did mind was that they decided to drop Wings Pt.1 and 2 from the setlist. It was on the setlist, Justin had his stool ready on the side of the stage, but Maynard called an audible at the last minute, changed the play so to speak, and they skipped right to "Right in Two." what a disappointment... though hearing "Right in Two" as a closer was definitely a treat. I'd guess they chose to do that because of the anniversary of the WTC attack. Anyway, Maynard couldn't manage to sing the final lines in "Right in Two" either, which was a big disappointment too. Ah well, what can ya do? I should also mention that Danny's kick drum is slightly distorted at times... specifically when he rolls on the double bass. I'm not sure where this came from, as my recorder had PLENTY of headroom. It didn't clip. The mics should have been able to handle the SPLs, as it didn't even seem that loud to my ears, so I'm tempted to say that the distortion was in the speakers, and my mics just picked that up. Also I should mention that, during the beginning of Vicarious, a bat appeared onstage and flew around for about a minute or two. It was doing laps around the stage, about 1 foot off the stage. It would fly behind Adam, around him, over behind Justin, back over towards Maynard, and then loop back around Adam again. Adam and Maynard were both very entertained, and I'm sorry to say that it might have been the highlight of the show for me. I wish I could have caught video of it on my digital camera, but I would have been thrown out of the venue before the bat even left the stage, I think. Enjoy!
Notes - by: Galen:
One of the things I really like about this source is that the taper, wisely, taped the GCGWSCP intro. This is something that most tapers, myself included, did not tape during this era of the tour. Looking back, this is actually part of the 'show' - if you choose to accept it that is. I believe that this performance has gone down as the worst of the this particular leg of the tour... although this is an interesting set list, at least in my opinion. MJK sounds weak & powerless, pervasively, throughout this set. Where there should be screams there are mere whispers (it seems). The musical muscle of Tool flexes their combined might, however, it is hard to be at 100% when 1 out of the 4 is not even at 25%. Now, from a collector's point of view, this is actually a rather interesting performance due to the fact that the performance itself suffered this night. It is speculation but there may be some truth when I say that performances like this one is why Tool does not promote live recordings. However, even when the band is struggling as this night demonstrates - it is extremely easy to hear how concise, sharp, talented & focused they are as a band... even when they are not even near their peak. I am quite sure most collectors would agree that most bands could not even get to the passion that Tool delivers this night when band X is having the orgasm of their career. The recording itself, to my ears, sounds wonderful. I do not hear the clipping of the bass drum that the taper mentions. In fact, this is one of the better recordings from this leg of the tour. And it is all that more interesting due to the fact that it is possibly the weakest performance.
Maynardism: "If you got naked it would help.... Apparently you don't want to help"
CD 1
Time: 70:14
01. Gangster Computer God Worldwide
Secret Containment Policy pt 1 (5:48)
02. Evil Joe (4:53)
03. G.C.G.W.S.C.P. pt 2 (0:59)
04. techno intro (9:36)
05. droning intro (2:10)
06. Stinkfist (6:56)
07. Jambi (9:08)
08. 46 and 2 (7:47)
09. Schism (8:12)
10. Lost Keys (3:05)
11. Rosetta Stoned (11:33)
CD 2
Time: 48:10
01. Lateralus (10:04)
02. moment of silence for 9/11 (2:07)
03. keyboard interlude (2:51)
04. Vicarious (8:04)
05. Ænema (10:29)
06. Intension - version (3:25)
05. Right in Two (11:08)