2009.08.05 - Toronto, ON, Canada @ Molson Amphitheatre
Source A: Solid State Recorder --- DPA 4061> MPS6030 > Edirol R-09 @ 16/48
Source A1: DAT — Sony PCM-M1 / m
Source A2 DAT — Sony PCM-M1 / p
Transfer: Master (file) > USB port > Goldwave (resample, EQ) > CD Wave
Location: Left Seating, Section 201, Lower Bowl
Taper: Galen + The Collective
Gen: collectiveunconscious.org Master Recording
2024 Notes: Although this is an incomplete recording from the beginning of Flood to the end, full story at collectiveunconscious.org, what was recorded came out quite well. Retransferred the file and spent some time EQ’ing the show in 2024 which was worth it to bring out some of the highs. Working on this show all these years later made me remember how annoying some audience members at a Tool show are or were. As it is, enjoy.
Notes from 2009: The performance from Tool this evening was, to me, the best from the trio of shows I attended. MJK seemed to put more into it than he did in Kingston & later in Cincinnati, OH as he screamed a bit. Of notable interest was the addition to Stinkfist (vocals). Remember this performance took place rather recently after Michael Jackson went to the preschool playhouse in sky. I've not heard MJK do the following on any other recording/performance; during the breakdown or 'extended' part of Stinkfist he put in "A-B-C easy as 1-2-3, A-B-C or simple as do re mi, A-B-C, 1-2-3, Baby You & Me Girl". Now, you may not find that to be very interesting but to me, to me, that is just like a little treasure hidden. Like an Easter Egg? During 46&2, Adam left the stage & someone else played his guitar part - I am unsure who; sounded spot-on. So, cool performance & the band was really on this night. Now, the crowd, on the other hand, was simply terrible... I will not be discussing Tool's performance from here on out but discussing the rationale for mass sterilization of Tool fans at this performance. For the greater portion of the Cheney/Bush Presidency I entertained the notion of renouncing my American citizenship & move to Canada as I do enjoy Tim Horton's, visit a few cities regularly & believe in Universal Health Care as a right. Well, the folks by my buddy RJB & I were awful. Either the entire stat of Kentucky took a trip to the Molson Amphitheatre or else *gasp* Tool fans in Canada are no better behaved than the knuckle draggers in the States.
All of this leading to why this recording is incomplete @ Flood (I have two theories about what happened/when):
Theory 1) The kids behind us. At one point they shouted something to the effect of people not moving (dancing, gyrating, screaming) throughout Tool songs (i.e.: RJB & I). This is funny as here we are literally hundreds of miles away from home after spending loads of cash for gas, hotel, tickets, beer, whatever & these kids attempt to give us shit? We've seen more Tool shows both individually than these kids have been cognizant. Second, a drunk/stoned/fucked-up kid fell on me! I could not believe it. My seat was on the aisle & obviously I stood throughout the show. This kid, during Flood, walks down & I think to myself 'he looks wasted' and about a minute later *boom* he passes right on me. I could not believe it. So, this limp kid falls & I catch him. I put him in my seat & a woman across the aisle gives him water; this kid is just out. I tell one of the kids to go get security & for some reason this kid does. Security comes & hopefully got the kid some medical attention. I did not notice this until after the show but when that happened it pulled my microphone out of the Edirol thus the recording is incomplete. That is theory 1.
Theory 2) The ‘enforcer’. This dude. Wow. An annoying element of this show, a dope I label the 'enforcer'. The 'enforcer' fancied himself a security guard; sort of. He screamed throughout the show (T-o-o-o-o-o-l), smoked weed & proceeded to get shit-faced drunk. Now, when someone would try to get past him (he had an aisle seat), he would physically push then & attempt to start a fight or at least intimidate people. If memory served, he almost fought 5-7 people throughout the show but no one else was going to lower their IQ to engage him. This guy acted just like a bully; a slightly overweight loser attempting to find comfort in intimidating others. So, since I was behind him throughout the show I was basically invisible. During Vicarious, however, he turned around and gave me a playful little shove to 'get me dancing' I presume. Unfortunately I do not like to play let alone enjoy a little shove. When he lightly shoved my right shoulder, my left hand shoved his. This fella did not like that & wound up like he was going to physically punch me which he did and took a swing. I leaned back and he fell forward onto my right knee and hand… Landing squarely on the ground. At this point, we moved position to away from the seats we were in to the lawn area…. I refer to this because all this happened before/during Flood… when this DPA 4061 recording went dark as the stereo plug came out of the jack which rendered this source incomplete which is kind of a bummer as the recording came out real nice. Lots of context.
Time: 1:04:46
Jambi
(-) ions
Stinkfist
(Jackson 5)
46&2
Schism
Lost Keys
Rosetta Stoned
Flood
Ænema
<intermission>
Lateralus
Vicarious
(DPA 4061 > R09 source missing part of Flood to End)
Source B: Mini Disc — Audio-technica 853 > Sony MZ-R900
Taper: Bobcat
Position: Front of Stack
Notes: I do not know how this taper pulled off such a high quality recording with the equipment used. Vocals are clear, guitar cuts, bass hits and Danny Carey’s phenomenal drumming is on display. Beautiful, even. This is a prime example of not just what can matter in real estate and taping concerts: location, location, location!
Time: 1:54:01
Source C: Analog cassette — Sony TCM-353V > Sony TCM-353V
Taper: JM
Notes: Whew. Although I do appreciate and adore vintage equipment, this recording is not an example of the vintage feel, per se. This is a mumbled, jumbled recording with speed issues which should be best left for the most OCD collectors only. That’s it.
Time: 1:55:16
Source D: Solid State - Sound Professionals SP-CMC-8 > M-Audio MicroTrack 24/96
Taper: Dru
Notes: A solid recording. Sounds a lot like the capture from the previous performance in Kingston, Ontario by the same taper. If anything, this particular recording has perhaps a couple swirls of wind as this was an outside amphitheater whereas the previous evening the show was in a hockey arena. The vocals seem, to me, to be a bit distant. That said, this is a solid recording.
Time: 1:52:17