Happy Birthday to Me!!

On my birthday, I was given a fantastic gift. Josh and I went to the Tool concert at the Gorge.
Now Josh has been a Tool fan for a long time. I'm more of a newbie who has only recently begun to listen to Tool and appreciate their amazing musical talent. I was never allowed to listen to “secular” music when I was younger, so I missed out on some of the amazing music that happened in the 80’s and 90’s. I knew little of the wonders of Pearl Jam or Nirvana or Tool. Although these bands shaped the genre of music I love now, I am only recently discovering my appreciation for them. Since I have begun listening to Tool, I have been amazed by Maynard’s vocal talent. The vocals in a band have always been the selling point for me. If the vocals are good, I love the band. If I don’t like the vocals, the band has a slim chance of making my favorites list. Maynard’s vocals are amazing and his control over his voice is fantastic. This is what the man has dedicated his life to and boy does it show.
The concert began with three hours of waiting in line and two hours of sitting in the bowl of the Gorge. It was hot, but nothing that a few super-humans, like Josh and I, couldn’t handle. When Tool came on stage, the crowd of over 20,000 people began to scream uncontrollably. The stage was all white with a white backing that extended behind the band members. As the music started, the crowd began to sing the first song with Maynard and the white background and floor exploded in a myriad of undulating colors that didn’t stop for the next two hours. All that could be seen of the band (from where we were anyways) was the outline of the band members and of Maynard as he danced sporadically to the music and the sound of his own voice. It was entrancing. One of those scenes which requires pure willpower to peel your eyes away from. When they ended the first time (before the encore), 20,000 people stood screaming for more. Then out came thousands of lighters as the fans chanted the name of a band they love. It was amazing.
This concert ranks up on the list of best concerts ever…in fact…it might take the top spot. The music was captivating, Maynard’s voice was captivating, and the videos were captivating. When it was all over, my first two thoughts were, “Talk about sensory overload,” and “That was fucking awesome!!” My next thought was…”Happy Birthday to me!!!!”