A Look Back At The Official Unofficial Tool Album Release Party @ YMH

Photo by: Sophia Gabrielson (SharedViews Media)

They say patience is a virtue, but we all know it’s one of the hardest things to implement into our lives. That being said, what is the longest thing you’ve ever had to wait for, willingly or not? In my case, as well as thousands of duteous fans, it was the highly anticipated Tool album...13 long years we patiently waited. Rumors had circulated more than once that it might never happen. However, I like to think that Maynard and the rest of Tool’s members had cultivated their masterful vision for Fear Inoculum long, long ago.

Mari Bonhomme and the team at Your Mom’s House, located in Denver, Co, whipped into gear as soon as the release date was announced. The initial idea was almost too obvious, an album release party. A perfect opportunity to revel with fellow members of the community and soak up the near hour and a half long record in a commemorative way. Mari took the idea for a release party and expanded it to the farthest extent of her imagination. The event turned into an all-night affair with live bands, an array of performers, DJ’s, and lots of comfortable seating. Everyone who participated turned the evening into a ramped up success by showcasing their own talents and being a part of the only release part dedicated to Fear Inoculum in the city, possibly even state.

The funtivities began at eight o’clock sharp with Los Tom’s, 4-piece band from Fort Collins, kicking off the music. Each band was given the task of sprinkling in songs from one of Maynard’s three bands into their set. For those who are unaware, Maynard’s three bands are Tool, A Perfect Circle and Puscifer. Los Toms came on with a surprising and unique feature, two drum kits and twice the amount of drummers as most bands employ. They eased in with their own psychedelic rock and escalated into their covers of A Perfect Circle. Los Toms played The Pet, Judith and The Package, which they all learned specifically for the event. DREAMspace Database, an electro-jam duo from the Front Range, came on for the second slot and projected music that reflected the trippy ornaments of the venue. The Duo turned into a trio during their TOOL covers when Jon Sharp joined the stage to provide vocals. They admirably played one of the most iconic Tool songs of all time, Sober. Both bands were certainly up for a challenge, it’s no wonder that you can’t find many decent Tool covers anywhere…not many people even want to attempt it.

Once the bands came to a close, everyone spread out across the venue; sitting at high-tops, perched on the comfy couches or forming a pow wow on the ground. Your Mom’s House is not a huge space but it provides a festival-like experience because it is so immersive. Throughout the night there were live painters, artists providing face and body paint, a woman applying hair stenciling, and several performers who were a source of visual stimulus during the ‘auditory hot tub party’. Each performer had their own style or variation of dance; Ray Harper and Najean Thomas used expressive and illusory techniques with buugeng; Aaron Oeschle appeared as a stage magician, masterfully juggling his glowing poi; and Monica Reed gracefully flowed around the stage aerial hooping along with beautiful silks. Performances were improvisational and instinctual, moving in accordance to the music’s rhythms. The locale was dimly lit, a huge screen mounted at the back of the stage projected beautiful geometric images, and everyone around me seemed truly present, although all in our own little worlds.

An added bonus to the night, provided by the ever clever and humble hostess Mari Bonhomme, was The Dab Bus. Now, you might be wondering what exactly a dab bus is or if it’s as amazing as you probably just imagined. Well, it is. Parked right across the street from Your Mom’s House, The Dab Bus crew was chilling and waiting to facilitate anyone’s recreational marijuana needs. The Dab Bus was, in my opinion, the secret ingredient that made the entire event a recipe for success. Anyone who has listened to Tool before has surely sat back, smoked some reefer and contemplated the prestige of the bands instrumentals, as well as Maynard’s philosophically invoked lyrics.

The album finished shortly after eleven o’clock, but that was far from the end of the lineup for the night. They set the stage for B2B DJ sets that would make up the music for the remainder of the night. Half hour installments were filled by Social Turtle, Sabin The Junglist, TBlue and Jon Sharp. Just before two, a special guest DJ performance by Dillard was a treat because he came on just to play an unreleased track. Following the strike of midnight, the venue began to thin of its occupants. Just before two, a special guest DJ performance by Dillard was a treat for those who remained, when he came on to play an unreleased track. It was impressive to see quite a few people stay till the very end of the event, that had been there since the early hours of the evening . The release party was a huge success in more ways than one. Everyone who contributed played a big part in making that success happen and worked hard in the process leading up to it. As it were, the overall experience from the music to the art, was a proud tribute to Tool. Not only in regards to their music, but to the legacy they have built over the course of their careers.