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A PERFECT CIRCLE LIVE AT THE PNC BANK ARTS CENTER HOLMDEL, NJ 05.01.04  THE MORE MYSTERIOUS, THE BETTER?Some musicians try desperately to gain attention by exposing their entire being (i.e. Courtney Love), while others touch the opposite extreme. On this side, the musician does everything in his power to construct an unparalleled level of mystery. This mystery, it is assumed, will create extremely devoted fans (a la Led Zeppelin) as unknown elements quickly build into extravagant fantasies. Such is the case with A Perfect Circle. Serving as a home for Tool vocalist Maynard James Keenan outside his other band, A Perfect Circle has steadily gained the attention of Tool and non-Tool fans alike as a result of its alluring musical composition. Hoping to catch a glimpse beyond the music, fans line up and begin to fill the amphitheatre. Little do they know, they have absolutely no chance of seeing the musician(s) they've come to love. Despite the promise of a concert, they're there only to hear two previously memorized albums reproduced in a live setting. Much like King Crimson, one of the group's progressive influences, A Perfect Circle relies on an atmospheric lightshow to convey emotion rather than using the actual evocations of the individuals on stage. Admittedly brief comments, which at times could be interpreted as comical, added a limited level of feeling to the otherwise empty recital. Keenan, for instance, performed the first song behind a screen that allowed nothing more than his silhouette to be seen. As the audience gasped, the screen was dropped, unveiling the mysterious frontman. At that same moment, blinding white lights from behind the performer flashed on making it impossible for one to distinguish his facial characteristics, concealed anyway by long hair intentionally hung over his face. The other band members were by no means seekers of the limelight either. Guitarist James Iha and drummer Josh Freese stood elevated toward the left and right sides of the stage, respectively, allowing little more than a ray of light to hit their faces. This, in effect, built the mystery from a single person freak show to a completely faceless band; albeit one with tremendous musical abilities. Songs like "Pet," "Weak And Powerless," "Judith" and "Thinking Of You" worked over the audience as well as one could have hoped. Half of the set, however, was lackluster at best and brought many to use selections like "Blue" and "Brena" as restroom breaks. While some, like I, were unable to find entertainment in Keenan's aimless pacing - which, at times, came across like an acid tripper demanding the floor return his wallet - others were transfixed to the mysterious figure concealed in the darkness, yelling at the walls and completely unfazed by the sold out crowd before him. As fans stood motionlessly attentive with a deathly glare, I figured out what had happened. The cult-like crowd had found an idol in Keenan and was begging for a taste of his infinite knowledge. Unfortunately for the followers, however, they were not to learn the magic behind his being. This said, it would be safe to conclude that many of those who attended the A Perfect Circle concert will likely travel elsewhere to catch the band again. Ror some, the thrill of chasing a mystery is enough to lure them in time and time again. Will I be there? No. For me there is only the realization that the live concert presents nothing more than the offerings of the studio albums. review by kevin purcell |