I've seen Tool twice and A Perfect Circle twice. Most recent being Tool only 2 weeks ago at the gold coast big day out. To me the concept of "rocking" is largely moot as music withstanding, the more money there is for production the better and more epic it can feel. Its not really hard to get sucked into the show when you've got multi storey video screens and lighting out of this world.
Tool are a fantastic band and they have a vocalist who impresses me by actually being able to sing like he does on the albums. Infact, in rock and metal it is very uncommon to get bands who really replicate their stuff well in the live situation atall. Thumbs up to all those who play tight and can really play.
There isn't that much difference between U2 in a bar under shitty lights and an average PA and tool in the same circumstance. Simply consider whether you appreciate the music and you have your answer. In the headlining bands production and "budget" do mean a lot. Tool have come a long way and in 20 years if they are still going they are likely to be held in the same awe as U2 touring with the same huge scope. I'm willing to bet that despite the fact I have no interest in U2 whatsoever I'd be quite impressed with it all if I saw it in person.
Much of what Tool do is simple to replicate, I think its fantastic from a composition point of view and it suprises me to hear that people think their music sounds the same (though I suspect that its a common thing for there always to be someone who thinks along those lines). In the realm of "rock" they are about as far from formulaic or stale as I've seen really. None of their albums have sounded the same, they've all been extremely different from each other. I think its pretty hard to be a guitar oriented band and make 4.5 albums that are vastly different.
Technicality is a pissing contest. Bands like Dream Theatre are cool but they bum me out when I listen to someone like Portnoy talking about making music like its maths rather than something soulful. Fok it. Thats like saying Dragonforce solos are more better than David Gilmour's work because he doesn't show off supremely stupid speed fretting. Put away your cocks gentlemen.. either you get it or don't. I don't mind that some bands model themselves on technical excellence but I think its wrong to use that to justify Tool as those guys never have claimed to be masters, just that they're doing something a little different.
As for using odd timing. I will say this, the concept of doing it for the sake of it doesn't impress me but it does impress me that tool can write songs that can interest halfwits who normally wouldn't be able to resonate with anything but 4/4. That in itself is more of a "technical" achievement than showing off.
Anyway, 2 days and I'm seeing Roger Waters.. personally I'd rather see Gilmour but I know Roger tours with some very accomplished musicians so I'm looking forward to it. Plus they are going to play the entire dark side of the moon 
Its been a good month or so of music.. saw tenacious D a little earlier - good for a laugh.
Some good points here dear Busey follower.
Remember: ones musical taste changes when you are a musician.
When one learn to play technical stuff, shredlike music becomes better.
Many people can not stand jazz. Yet, when they learn more music theory, and grasps the concepts + learn to play some jazz, jazz becomes great music.
And dear Rocket: Music IS math. Portnoys drum video is excellent. So shut the f**k up.
Technique can be abused (Dragonforce, Herman in one son of a slut, and he is not that great at shredding either), or it can be used to improve the music: Dream Theater, Holdsworth, Shawn Lane, DiMeola, Symphony X. Even good old Django and Stocelo did some "shredding" back in the day. Even Paganini was a fucking shredder.
Think of technique as an added dimension to musicianship, it enables the player to express him/herself in more ways than without it. In certain styles, it is mandatory. What would classical piano be without extreme technical ability?
Pink Floyd = great as well. They are true legends.
Debussey do not say that Tool = a shitty band because they avoid technical playing. Debussey simply responded to this little bitch "Scooters" stupid posts. It is all a matter of taste, and Debussey can not stand Tools music. For those that like them, fine.
Besides that, Dream Theater = the best music. And this comes from Debussey, a person that Gary Busey put on a classical and jazz diet many years ago.
Awsome post rocket, I agree with everything you said. The shredding thing gets boring after a while and unless your trying to learn an insturment or have learned to master your insturment, no one really gives a shit about Vai's string skipping, sweeping, etc.. technique. They just wanna hear good music.
Vai has a lot of soul to his music, and he uses technique to express some of it. He has some funny ones (read: Freak show excess
, his tribute to Bulgarian wedding music), but you can not claim that Vai lacks expression or soul. Listen to "Sisters" or "For the love of god".
