A Perfect Circle – Thirteenth Step Tour
December 6, 2003 • U.S. Cellular Center • Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Words and Photos by Adam Tibbott
By late 2003, A Perfect Circle had firmly established themselves as far more than a side project for TOOL’s Maynard Keenan. While their debut album, Mer de Noms, introduced the band’s haunting blend of alternative rock, art rock, and progressive influences, Thirteenth Step expanded that sound into something darker, more introspective, and emotionally layered. Seeing those two albums come together on stage made for one of the most memorable concerts I attended that year.
The evening began with an unforgettable visual statement. As the opening notes of “Vanishing” echoed through the arena, Maynard James Keenan appeared elevated on a pedestal near the back of the stage, enclosed within what looked like a translucent cube formed from hanging sheets or curtains. Swirling backlighting projected across the fabric, reducing him to a mysterious silhouette and giving the impression that the audience was witnessing the opening scene of a theatrical production rather than a rock concert.
The illusion lasted only until the band launched into “Pet.” As the song erupted, the curtains surrounding Maynard suddenly fell away, revealing him while he remained atop his pedestal for much of the performance. Positioned directly to his right was drummer Josh Freese, whose precision and power anchored every song throughout the night. From that moment forward, it became clear that this wasn’t a performance built around flashy theatrics or crowd interaction, it was an experience driven by atmosphere, lighting, and musical precision. Each member of the band occupied a unique role on stage. Billy Howerdel remained largely stationary on his side of the stage, letting his intricate guitar textures and layered arrangements carry much of the emotional weight. Former Smashing Pumpkins guitarist James Iha was even more understated, spending much of the concert positioned toward the back of the stage, often partially obscured by lighting and production elements. In contrast, bassist Jeordie White, better known at the time as Twiggy Ramirez from Marilyn Manson, was easily the band’s most animated performer. While everyone else embraced a restrained, almost statuesque stage presence, White constantly moved around his section of the stage, providing a welcome burst of energy without ever distracting from the mood A Perfect Circle worked so carefully to create.
The setlist struck an excellent balance between Thirteenth Step and Mer de Noms, showcasing how naturally the newer material had already become woven into the band’s identity while still giving longtime fans plenty to appreciate from their debut. Rather than feeling divided between two albums, the songs flowed together seamlessly, creating a performance that felt cinematic from beginning to end. The band also treated the audience to two memorable cover songs. Their haunting rendition of Failure’s “The Nurse Who Loved Me” fit so perfectly within A Perfect Circle’s sonic landscape that it almost felt like an original composition. Then, in one of the evening’s most unexpected moments, Jeordie White stepped into the spotlight for a humorous performance of “Fred’s Got Slacks,” the novelty song made famous by Will Ferrell on Saturday Night Live. It was a brief but welcome break from the otherwise dark and introspective atmosphere, offering a glimpse of the band’s playful side before seamlessly returning to the emotional intensity of the set.
Looking back more than twenty years later, this remains one of the most visually distinctive concerts I’ve photographed. The combination of Maynard’s enigmatic stage presence, Josh Freese’s flawless drumming, Billy Howerdel’s immersive guitar work, James Iha’s understated presence, Jeordie White’s infectious energy, and a production built around mood instead of spectacle made the Thirteenth Step tour feel unlike anything else on the road in 2003. It wasn’t simply a concert, it was an immersive audiovisual experience that perfectly captured A Perfect Circle at one of the creative high points of their career.
These photographs were captured on a simple point-and-shoot camera using Kodak film, long before I had access to professional equipment or a true understanding of concert photography. Indoor arenas, constantly changing stage lighting, and the limitations of consumer film cameras made images like these especially challenging. Despite spending considerable time digitally restoring them, they remain far from technically perfect. Motion blur, heavy grain, soft focus, and the occasional color shift are all reminders of the technology available to me at the time.
In many ways, however, those imperfections tell part of the story. A Perfect Circle’s Thirteenth Step tour was never about placing every musician under a bright spotlight or creating perfectly isolated portraits of the band members. The production was intentionally built around mood, silhouettes, lighting, and atmosphere. The stage design often obscured the musicians behind haze, projections, shadows, and carefully choreographed lighting, encouraging the audience to experience the performance as a complete artistic presentation rather than focusing on any one individual.
While these photographs may not meet the technical standards of my work today, they faithfully document that artistic vision. They preserve what it actually felt like to stand in the audience on December 6, 2003, experiencing one of the most visually immersive tours of the era. More than twenty years later, I’m grateful to have these images, not because they’re flawless, but because they capture an important moment in both A Perfect Circle’s history and my own journey as a concert photographer.
