TOOL’s powerhouse drummer Danny Carey has confirmed that the band is seriously exploring a 2027 residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas, and that the plan — if it comes together — is to release their next LP in tandem with the run.
Carey’s remarks came in a recent interview where he discussed the band’s creative momentum, touring plans, and the extended gestation of new material. While nothing is official yet, his comments provide the clearest indication to date that the band is aligning their next release cycle with what could be one of the biggest residencies of the decade.
Carey indicated that the residency concept isn’t a promotional afterthought — it’s part of how TOOL is thinking about the lifecycle of their next album. Rather than the traditional album/tour sequence, the band is considering a “residency first, record release at the same time” model that could offer fans an immersive experience: new music in the studio and new music experienced live in an iconic venue.
“We’ve been talking about it,” Carey said. “The idea is to put something together at the Sphere in 2027, and the goal is to release our next LP alongside that run. It makes sense to combine the two if we can make it work.”
The Sphere in Las Vegas — with its massive LED visuals and immersive audio setup — has quickly become one of the most talked-about venues in modern music. Artists and producers have viewed it as a platform where visual design and sonic heft can intersect in ways traditional arenas can’t. For a band as meticulous about atmosphere and presentation as TOOL, the Sphere could be an ideal setting.
For fans, the timing makes sense: it’s been several years since TOOL’s last studio album, 2019’s Fear Inoculum, a record that debuted high on charts worldwide and solidified the band’s legacy even further. TOOL’s music — complex, layered, rhythmically dense and spiritually charged — thrives in environments designed for focus and intensity, and the Sphere’s sensory architecture could amplify that experience.
Carey’s comments also shed light on the pace of the new material. He suggested that the band has been working steadily, though deliberately, on songs that push their sound forward without abandoning the intricate craft that defines them. TOOL’s approach to music isn’t hurried, and Carey reiterated that they never want to release something that feels incomplete or compromised.
“We want it to be what it needs to be,” he explained. “We’re not just throwing something out there. It’s gotta have depth, intention, weight — the kind of album TOOL deserves.”
While specific dates, set lengths, or support acts haven’t been announced, the hint of a Sphere residency already has fans buzzing across social platforms and forums. The combination of a residency — a format usually reserved for pop, electronic or legacy acts — with a forward-looking progressive rock band is unusual enough to attract mainstream attention.
A residency could also offer TOOL creative advantages. Rather than the week-by-week grind of a tour, a centralized run of shows at the Sphere could allow the band to integrate visuals, lighting and audio design in synchrony with the new album’s themes — effectively crafting a live experience that reflects the record’s ethos in real time.
Official confirmation — including dates and ticketing details — is still pending, but Carey’s comments represent a meaningful step toward a 2027 creative cycle where TOOL’s next chapter might unfold. Whether the Sphere residency becomes reality or evolves into something else entirely, one thing is certain: the band is thinking big, and they’re aligning live performance with their next major artistic statement in a way that could define their legacy for years to come.
