Tool review Perth 2025: Californian quartet wows capacity crowd at RAC Arena

The English language only has so many superlatives to describe Tool.

Spectacular. Stunning. Unparalleled. Mind-blowing. Otherworldly.

I could go on, but at the end of the day only the 14,000 people at RAC Arena on a warm Tuesday night in Perth will really know what I’m talking about.

Early in the night, Byron Bay rockers Headsend proved themselves a worthy support act, providing a glimpse into what life may have been like in a parallel universe if Kurt Cobain was still alive.

The trio’s brand of heavy grunge draws influence from Nirvana, Silverchair and Soundgarden but their ability to make themselves sound so big is what endeared them to the crowd.

Punters were repeatedly warned while waiting for the headline act that there was a no-tolerance policy on smartphone use at the event, a stance well known to anyone who has attended a Tool gig in recent years.

It’s a controversial policy for some, but the truth is that it ultimately leads to a far richer concert experience and is something that should be embraced by more acts.

As the house lights dropped and a heaving RAC Arena roared in delight, the quartet took to the stage and the spectacle began.

Frontman Maynard Keenan took up his usual spot at the back of the stage next to the drum kit, while the rest of the band — guitarist Adam Jones, drummer Danny Carey and bass player Justin Chancellor kicked off with Fear Inoculum.

The title track to Tool’s 2019 release was a perfect start to what would be an aural and visual feast for the senses.

A massive screen behind the band displayed some breathtaking imagery — from sea volcanoes to alien autopsies and intergalactic journeys — that elevated the musical experience.

After the epic 10-minute opening track, Keenan showed some rare crowd interaction, stirring up some classic anti-Melbourne sentiment while prompting the punters to show their appreciation.

He also addressed the phone ban, urging the audience to “do something different for a change” and be present for the entirety of the show.

“It’s only two hours,” he said.

And he told anyone yet to be convinced that if they couldn’t put their phones in their pockets to “stick them up your a..”.

The second track, The Grudge, was a hark back to the band’s classic album Lateralus, complete with stunning album-themed visuals.

Rosetta Stoned, Pneuma and Jambi were set highlights, each one demonstrating the range and raw power of the band.

Make no mistake, this show was one for the hardcore fans, with a number of deep cuts and very few singles in the setlist.

Keenan even joked that if there were any 22-year-olds in the audience they “weren’t even sperm” the last time they performed H. (off the 1996 album Aenima) on tour.

After a 12-minute encore (complete with a helpful countdown timer) Tool returned to the stage for the epic conclusion to their show.

The intermission started off slowly, with the drum solo-infused Chocolate Chip Trip and their cover of Black Sabbath’s Hand of Doom both impressive but a little flat in the context of the rest of the show.

But finishers Invincible and Vicarious were thunderous conclusions to the two-hour musical journey that left fans in raptures with memories that will be more real than any smartphone footage could be.

Tool Perth setlist, RAC Arena, 2025

• Fear Inoculum
• The Grudge
• Disposition
• H.
• Rosetta Stoned
• Pneuma
• Crawl Away
• Jambi
• Intolerance
• Chocolate Chip Trip
• Hand of Doom (Black Sabbath cover)
• Invincible
• Vicarious

Rating:

4.5 stars out of 5