Tool and alt-J bring rock music back to San Diego in 2022

Two rock bands, Tool and alt-J, recently announced they will be performing San Diego shows on upcoming tours in 2022.

Tool made its 2022 North American Tour announcement on Monday, which includes a stop at San Diego State University’s Viejas Arena on Jan. 19, 2022. The 37-city tour features arty alternative Blonde Redhead as the opener.

“It is with great pleasure I get to announce our return to the road,” Tool’s drummer Danny Carey said in a press release. “These past 18 months have been trying to say the least — but from great trials come great lessons and great rewards. We are genuinely looking forward to sharing them with you.”

Formed in 1990, the Grammy Award-winning rock band has five studio albums under its belt, including its 2019 release “Fear Inoculum.”

This 2022 tour marks the second round of Tool promoting this album locally.

In January 2020, the band kicked off its 10-city winter tour with two Viejas Arena shows, happening just two months shy of the COVID-19 shutdown. A longer North American tour, planned for the spring of 2020, was postponed — then cancelled — due to the pandemic. (This tour did not include a stop in San Diego.)

Two months after Tool’s January 2022 show, alt-J comes to town.

The indie rock band will perform at Pechanga Arena on March 25, 2022 as part of its 31-city North American tour. The evening will also feature openers Portugal. The Man and Cherry Glazerr.

Unlike Tool’s fairly recent visit to San Diego, this will be the first opportunity for alt-J fans to see the British band in nearly four years; alt-J’s last local show at Humphreys Concerts by the Bay back in 2018.

alt-J’s tour announcement is coupled with news of its upcoming album “The Dream” — the band’s first release since 2017’s “RELAXER.” While the album’s release is not until Feb. 11, 2022, alt-J’s new single “U&ME,” along with a music video, is now available to stream.

Tickets for both concerts go on sale 10 a.m. Friday at ticketmaster.com (Tool) and altjandptm.com (alt-J). Online registration is required to unlock presale options; check websites for details.