“They don’t give a shit about the music, it’s all about the money.” “What a Fuken [sic] cop out!!!”
That’s just a taste of some of the fan backlash being outpoured over at the ‘Perth Wants Tool 2013’ Facebook page, set up following the announcement that the notorious American metal band would be making their way to Australia for touring this April and May, but would not be stopping in Perth, despite a handful of additional shows being added to other states recently.
Frontier Touring, just one branch of multi-pronged music group Mushroom, and the company responsible for the Tool tour dates and locations, have recently released a statement apologising to Perth fans for the absence of Tool concerts in the country’s west. The statement reads:
Whilst every effort is made to bring the artists you love to all cities in Australia & New Zealand, due to the many factors involved in the scheduling of tours, this is unfortunately not always possible. We are sorry to hear of your disappointment at Tool not travelling to Perth, but are thrilled to be bringing the triple Grammy award winners out to Australia this April and May.”
Frontier Touring are no strangers to the public apology, undertaking the same outpouring following the announcement that Bruce Springsteen would not be making it to Perth, Adelaide or New Zealand on his upcoming tour.
The Tool tour currently sees the four-piece start with dual shows in Melbourne at the end of April, make a slight west to Adelaide, then head up to Sydney, Brisbane and New Zealand for early May. The absence of a Perth visit has angered fans, with a petition being formed and signed by over 700 people.
The document also suggests that the city’s newest venue, Perth Arena, is the perfect setting for a renowned band like Tool, and was built “so that Perth didn’t have to keep missing out on the best acts touring Australia.”
Perth Arena will however, in coming months, play host to acts like Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Black Sabbath, and KISS with Mötley Crüe.
“We are sorry to hear of your disappointment at Tool not travelling to Perth, but are thrilled to be bringing the triple Grammy award winners out to Australia.” – Frontier Touring Press StatementAs Fasterlouder have pointed out, the absence of a Perth show is as much about the issue of geography in transporting the production across to Western Australia, and the thousand kilometre distances of the journey.
Additionally, the significant time and financial restraints, particularly given the large-scale nature of Tool’s live show, of taking the show to Perth means that the band and Frontier have restricted the shows to the East Coast.
Furthermore, if the current number of petition signatories – 768 at the time of publication – is any indication of the numbers genuinely willing to pay for Tool tickets (fetching up to nearly $135 in Melbourne) it only represents a fraction of the capacity of Rod Laver Arena, which holds nearly 15,000, and has already sold out – leading to the addition of a second show.
The Perth Arena, proposed by fans as an appropriate venue, also holds over 15,000, but if the petition is any indication of those willing to pay for a ticket to the prog metal titans, then it remains a serious consideration whether it would be a cost effective and worthwhile move for Frontier Touring to take a band of this magnitude to WA.
So, with the tour fast approaching, it appears west-coast fans may have to settle for the appearance of Tool frontman Maynard James Keenan in his other frontman position, that of A Perfect Circle, who will, with the full Soundwave lineup, be performing in Perth on Monday March 4th (full set times here).
Tool Australian Tour 2013 Dates
SECOND MELBOURNE & SYDNEY SHOWS ANNOUNCED
Frontier Members pre-sale via www.frontiertouring.com/tool
ON SALE 9:30am AEDT, TODAY, Tuesday 19 February
Sat 27 Apr Melbourne | Rod Laver Arena (All Ages)
Ticketek.com.au | Ph: 132 849
Sun 28 Apr Melbourne | Rod Laver Arena (All Ages) NEW SHOW!
Ticketek.com.au | Ph: 132 849 on sale 9.30am
Tue 30 Apr Adelaide | AEC Arena (All Ages)
Ticketek.com.au | Ph: 132 849
Fri 3 May Sydney | Allphones Arena (All Ages)
Ticketek.com.au| Ph: 132 849
Sat 4 May Sydney | Allphones Arena (All Ages) NEW SHOW!
Ticketek.com.au | Ph: 132 849 on sale 9.30am
Mon 6 May Brisbane | Entertainment Centre (All Ages)
Ticketek.com.au | Ph: 132 849
