Do you remember concerts in the early 2000s?  Sure you do.  Those were the days right.  The vibe of rock shows then was just different.  Was it the music?  Was it the youth?  Or, was it that we were focused on the show and not on our phones.

Last Thursday Tool came to the TaxSlayer Center and, like Tool and A Perfect Circle does, they did not allow photos or video during the show.  And they mean it.  The dude next to me got kicked out.  It's one thing to try and sneak one...but 4 of them with the flash on.  Come on buddy.  Now on Friday, we'll be at Korn at the TaxSlayer Center and things will be different.  Phones will be up and taking pictures and recording.

If you were at Tool and you go to Korn, you'll notice the difference.  If you are a picture taker, you'll love it.  If you aren't, you'll be even angrier at the person in front of you with the phone up after enjoying 2 hours of no phones in front of your face.

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For me, I think the videos are dumb.  They are going to sound like crap and don't really capture the moment.  I am however good with some pictures here and there.  Of course, I have to get them for our social media and website, so I need them for that.  But after I get my couple of each band, the phone is back in the pocket.

A letter from a longtime member of the I-Rock Hard Unit

While I was thinking about this, Matt, aka The Dawg, sent me his perspective and I thought it would be great to not only share my view but his as well.  So here you go.

From Matt, aka The Dawg.

Thursday, March 17th, 2022 I attended the Tool concert with my wife at the Taxslayer Center. If you ever had that band where you have a few CDs because of hit songs and songs you like. Well, that was me with Tool which for my wife was a bucket list because she's a huge Tool fan.

Tool and Maynard have a strict no camera or video recording equipment that includes your own personal phone. This was going to be interesting because I know pretty much every concert I've ever attended since I have had a smartphone I have used it to either take pics or videos to have memories of that concert so I could relive it. So this was going to be a new experience for me.

The lights go dark and the band comes on then Maynard is the last of course as the music comes alive. Again, as I said, in the beginning, Tool is just a band I listen to and know great songs from them. So I just get in the grove of everything going on with them and the crowd. At this point at any other concert, I would have pulled out my phone to either go live, take a video, or some photos. But it stays in my pocket. Hell, I didn't even think about my phone.  I just listened to the amazing music coming from 3 musicians and an incredible vocalist.

1 or 2 hits they played then my favorite song by them Pneuma came on and I went nuts.  I know if I was able to have my phone would have recorded it and taken some pics maybe even Facebook live. But instead, I really was able to get into the song and let loose with them playing it live in front of me. Instead of holding my phone still enough to take the video and not sing it so people don't hear my voice in the video. It was totally opposite I really got to vibe like I do when it's on the radio but only live where it was more awesome which was an enriching experience for me.

This happened to me the rest of the show. I was so involved in everything they did more than I ever have been in other concerts and I could see it around me too. With how everyone was getting so hyped with every song they played taking us on music extreme voyage and not a voyage where telecommunications go with and take away from the band.

Their encore came and that's when Maynard said alright you all can take out your phone prisons is what I thought he said and record, take pics, or both. Well, I didn't immediately bust out mine. They played another song where I brought out my phone to snap like 6 to 8 pics with my wife just watching them. Put my phone back and enjoyed Tool till they walked off the stage for the night where I was just simply amazed that I actually enjoyed a concert without being attached to my phone.

Now I know why and what the song The Human Radio by Shinedown was written and produced for. Brent Smith said when it comes to the human spirit, I don't want people to forget how to talk to each other, face to face, and not through text or video.  We are the Human Radio, not technology. This is what my wife has been telling me at every concert we go to.  Why must you get your phone out?  Just enjoy it without it. Tool just wants their fans to enjoy their concert and music the way that it's intended without distraction from technology. So for my next concert, I'm going to try to put down the phone and enjoy the music of the band in the concert that I paid for with hard-earned money from work that isn't cheap at times.

So when you go to your next concert challenge yourself to fight the urge to pull out the piece of tech that's always by your side you may be more entertained without it than you think. I know I will for sure.  Thank you Tool.

Keep Looking at Photos of Tool at The TaxSlayer Center

It was an amazing night of sound and visuals at Tool at the TaxSlayer Center in Moline. Everyone in the building wanted to take pictures during the show, but with the Tool no photo rule, only the final song was really captured. However, with a photo pass, we were able to get more pics for you to remember the night. Of course you know how dark it was, and that they had a curtain up during the photo time but our photographer still captured some amazing pictures from Tool.

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