TOOL - Gig Review & Photo Gallery 28th November @ Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adel SA

TOOL
Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide SA
‍November 28, 2025
‍Support: Headsend

“Here from the wild dream come true.” – ‘Jambi’, Maynard James Keenan, TOOL (2006).

What a flawless combination of words for the return of the progressive ULTRAlternative metal luminaries, California’s TOOL. The quartet have been absent from one of the Great Wine Capitals of The World, Adelaide, for a gargantuan 12-years. Unquestionably though, South Australia’s heavy music adorers’ “wild dream” had finally “come true”, as a duo of capacity concerts at the astonishing Adelaide Entertainment Centre were to incredibly invigorate, and awaken the ‘Third Eye’ from its distinctive dormancy. Percussionist Danny Carey, guitarist Adam Jones, bassist Justin Chancellor, and vocalist Maynard Keenan were back, and above impelled to have their Australian devotees left with “eyes full of wonder”.

For Byron Bay’s Headsend, their introduction to Adelaide on this night was assuredly, a “wild dream come true.” The desert-grunge-stoner-rockers have been rapidly thrusted into the spotlight, and to the trio’s courageous credit, they have undertaken this venture graciously.
‘Stove’ immaculately combined the scintillating swagger of Queens Of The Stone Age, with early Daniel Johns’ vigour. Vocalist/guitarist Rasmus King charmingly manoeuvres between Craig Nicholls’ famed fierceness, the husky harmoniousness of Fightstar’s Charlie Simpson, and an air of mystery similar to Evan Weiss.

“We never thought we’d be doing this, it’s fucking CRAZY!” Mr. King exclaimed, in a delightful utterance of disbelief.

The three-piece thrilled the evolving audience with musical movements from Black Sabbath’s brilliant doom undertones, Nirvana’s grunge dynamism, Doomriders’ adventurous riffage, and even moments of earlier Deftones’ fervency, as well as The Kinks’ classical rock moxie. ‘Chugg’ boasted some eloquent lionheartedness with Oleander driven suaveness, including Sungazer’s fantastic ferocity. Irrefutably though, it is apparent that Headsend have an eminent chemistry, and the soon-to-be-released EP (plus “another, and an album” as promised by Rasmus) is one rock music aficionados should be very enthusiastic for.

After a number of experiences with the art-metal virtuosos known as TOOL, this writer has come to understand that the four-piece devote themselves more to the shadows, than the spotlight. With approximately 35-years as a musical-art-collective, the Californian’s have only five sensational studio albums to their name. However, each full-length is crafted with tremendous tenacity, and impossibly divine mysticism. So much so, that their cloaked virtuosity becomes an all-encompassing euphoria of adrenaline and exquisiteness – yet there is a darkness that is undoubtedly, a vital part of the shadows. This is also an essential characteristic of their live ritual.

On this first night of two ceremonies, Adelaide entered “the wild dream”.

Haunting skulls lit up the enticing back screen from the borderline lightless room, a piercing siren sound then reverberated blaringly indicating the long-awaited arrival of the Angeleno outfit. Deafening cheers erupted, especially when the (mostly hidden) frontman Maynard escalated to his platform, whirling around in ecstatic circles of exhilaration. He then crouched, ready to attack – the assault became ‘Fear Inoculum’; undeniably, fear had been discarded altogether. From this point onwards, it was TOOL’s illumination.

“ADELAIDE!”
“Fucking embarrassing me, sounds like Melbourne – ADELAIDE!”
The resounding roar from the thousands in response to Mr. Keenan within the venue elevated the energy to immeasurable levels – this was assuredly going to be monumental.

“Tonight, we are going on a trip together. Put your fucking phone in your pocket.”
“Better yet, shove it up your ass. STAY PRESENT! Are you ready?”

The third eye opened, both on the screen, and for the entire viewership’s spirits. ‘The Grudge’ was a momentous alt-metal journey, with bassist Justin Chancellor grooving, headbanging, and entering full body fits of radiant rapture. This is the enhanced beauty of TOOL, every member shines, but doesn’t require the limelight.

Adam Jones’ wondrously wicked guitar slides incited an eerie ingeniousness during ‘Disposition’, as Maynard repeated the strikingly relevant four words: “Watch the weather change”. Considering the natural disasters that have occurred since the band’s last visit, there was an abundant gravity felt from this tantalising track.
A prominent image of the Ouroboros from the cinematic backdrop brightened the arena as ‘h.’ transported Adelaide to seemingly, another deathly dimension. Keenan’s prodigious bellow of: “I DON’T MIND” was fantastically frightening, the same way shivers crawl up one’s spine, or goosebumps flush over one’s body, and in turn, affect the soul in entirety.

‘Lost Keys (Blame Hoffman)’ melted into ‘Rosetta Stoned’ immaculately, the 15-minute magical monstrosity was not of this Earth, literally. Danny Carey proved to be some form of extraterrestrial Rocktopus, annihilating his drumkit with superhuman capabilities, as the ceiling glowed with lasers in some form of Alien code.

Truthfully, it was scarily spectacular, in the best way possible. Perhaps if we need to research the outer universes, we should just transmit TOOL’s discography throughout the entirety of space. Maybe, life as we don’t know it, would be “overwhelmed as one”.

‘Pneuma’ was an artistic rebirth onto Planet Earth for the spectators, after the prior enthralling intergalactic venture. The Doors inspired keyboard interlude by AJ brought a sense of captivating calmness, before the escalation to theatrical metallic post-metal bliss.

“Hands up if you are 22-years or younger? You weren’t even sperm yet when we played this last time on tour, let that soak in.”

What a WILD way to introduce ‘Crawl Away’. However, for countless fans in the venue, we had only dreamed of this moment. The caTOOLclysmic explosion of thrash, groove, and post-metal in one rockin’ ruinous earthquake was profoundly bedazzling. ‘Jambi’ was the following storm of psychosis, how the walls and ceiling did not cave-in, was beyond comprehension. At this juncture, we were undoubtedly immersed in TOOL’s shadowy “wonderland”.

‘Intolerance’ instigated that oceanic movement of unified headbanging from the thousands below the quartet – fundamentally, an enamoured presentation of worship. Admirably, this was a remarkable thanksgiving to present to the outfit, especially after their lengthy absence.

A digital clock was then depicted upon the screen, and after a necessary break, Mr. Carey returned to enrapture the concertgoers with a solo of powerfully perplexing percussion and modular synthesizer tones, otherwise known as 'Chocolate Chip Trip'. The band then returned for a poetic cover of Black Sabbath’s ‘Hand Of Doom’ that was simply, breathtaking.

“Rest In Peace Ozzy!” Maynard declared, in a beautiful acknowledgment that the heavy metal universe more than appreciated.

‘Invincible’ was a historic crusade of rock-orchestra that exhibited soundscapes above that of four artistic musicians. Referring back to the outfit’s “divine mysticism” described earlier in this review, this near 13-minute opus epitomises that very motif. It is spiritual in a sense, and MK became practically amphibian, or reptilian in his presence, while the remaining members grouped together in a forcefield of metallic magnificence.

“Well, aren’t you fucking awesome! Adelaide? Fuck’s sake, ADELAIDE! One more so Sydney can HEAR YOU!”

The only outburst that exhibited more volume than the crowd’s booming vociferation to Maynard's demand, was the devastatingly mind-bending and marvellous delivery of the pièce de resistance and closer, ‘Vicarious’.

What a “wild dream come true”.

Gig Review by Will Oakeshott. Insta: @teenwolfwill

Setlist

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

Photo Gallery by Dave Rubinich Insta: @dave.rubinich Please Credit & Tag Wall of Sound and Dave Rubinich if you repost photos.