An Invasion of Beautiful Freaks Ft. Slipknot & Korn in Texas

Slipknot & Korn
November 1, 2014
American Bank Center- Corpus Christi, TX

           Standing at the media entrance of the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas one could see the lines wrapping around the Arena from both sides… A sea of black is all that could be seen for as far as the eye could; at this bayside venue. “This is the first time bands of this type has played at the American Bank Center” a Production manager tells the security staff during a briefing. “Be lenient with the fans as this music is known for moshing & is what goes on during these type of shows” Pretty soon the security team make their way out the door instructing the people who have general admission floor tickets to go around the building. The crowds of people in line began shifting places from one side of the building to the other.

It wasn’t long before the venue was packed with old school & new school fans of all ages. Filling the seats in the balconies & the standing space on the floor as the show was about to begin. Hailing from Flint Michigan & signed to Roadrunner Records; King 810 hit the stage with a serious vengeance. Flint Michigan has been rated the United States most dangerous city to live in time & time again. Behind King 810 were banners that read “God Save Flint Michigan”. With that being JHW_8503said I may now try to explain the anger from this band as they destroyed half their set. King 810 opened with Killem All, which is highly based off life in Flint & what it’s like being raised in a city nick named “Murder City”.  Directly after, King 810 played Murder Murder Murder; again another song that is highly influenced by the Purge type of city stating “I’ve been to Hell & Back”. Before the song could end, Outta nowhere, bassist Eugene Gill threw his bass across the set and trounced over towards some digital turntables & commenced to destroying it with all the rage a person can muster coming from Murder City. A few of us photojournalists had to take a few steps back as pieces were flying everywhere. The song ended and Desperate Lovers their third song for the evening began. David Gunn, giving it his all as he sings the lyrics to Desperate Lovers letting the crowd feel his pain as he verbally assaults us with his formidable performance. Treading & Trodden by far this photojournalist’s favorite from this amazing act… “If you could feel how this hurts; you would kill yourself first. And if I’m shot down in the street again, let me bleed till death if you’re a friend.” David Gunn screamed this chorus as he himself took out his anger on the keyboardists keys. Bashing it upon the risers & picked up his mic stand to try and finish the job. The Photojournalist from Revolver and I from Soundcheck411.com took cover behind the concert stacks as keyboard pieces flew everywhere. King 810 ended their night quickly with War Outside & Far Around the Heart. The crowd was left in awe as their jaws were agape and almost touching the floor… What was left of the set was dismantled as the crowd cheered King 810’s performance. They definitely have about 15,000 new fans from that night alone, I included…

The lights dimmed once again, and over the loud speakers cane a remixed vocal version snippets of Twist by Korn. Pretty soon Munky made way on to the stage, followed by Head, Fieldy & John Davis. The crowd lost it with anticipated excitement as Davis grabbed his Mic from the H.R. Giger signature Mic-stand made specifically for John Davis. He began scatting out the lyrics to Twist for the full 49 seconds it took to please the crowd. In unison; the fanatic audience members began head-banging to the beautifully written & hypnotically performed Brazilian drumbeat. Here to Stay; began the band’s next song sending the crowd into an excited frenzy as every Korn fan does when the song is played. Reflecting the lives each audience member who has been through major mental pain & torture and or even suicide attempts… The crowd sang along with Jonathan Davis as he pours his heart out with his geniusly written lyrics verbatim. “The hurt inside is fading; this shit’s gone way too far… All this time I’ve been waiting, No I cannot grieve anymore. For once inside awaking… I’m done, I’m not a whore. You’ve taken everything and, oh, I cannot give anymore. My mind is done with this, Okay, I’ve got a question. “Can I throw it all away…? Take back what’s mine?” So I take my time, guiding the blade down the line each cut closer to the vein [vein, vein]”

By this time even my heart was pounding and the adrenalin began oscillating through my veins as even I know exactly what emotion is being conveyed. Emotional and filled with some rage this photojournalist took a 10 second break to gather his bearings again. Off the band’s 6th studio album, Korn played Right Now. Right Now is one of those songs that pump you up especially when having “one of those days” and just want to fuck something or someone up? Right now, is one of those songs that takes that feeling away from you to help make the day OK. The crowd went nuts as every one of us has indeed felt this moment one time or JHW_8695another in their life… In rapid succession the band played Love & Meth; Good God; & Falling Away From Me. Hater off Korn’s 11th studio album The Paradigm Shift, started immediately after Falling Away From Me. Hater was written in light of for all the bullying that’s being brought to light by our mainstream media. The video itself features individuates who express their past experiences with bullies and being bullied. Hater has quickly became a fan favorite and a hit single as it has peaked at position #45 on the Billboard’s US Hot Rock Songs, #10 on Billboard’s Hard Rock Digital Songs & #5 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Songs Chart(s). Directly after the song ended the band left the stage briefly.

Before the audience knew it John Davis came back on stage with his bagpipes, beginning the song Shoots and Ladders. Shoots & Ladders was released in 1994 as the bands 3rd hit single of their self-titled debut album. Kicking the crowd where it counts bassist, Fieldy began his unmistakable bass lines as the Brazilian beat came pounding out from drummer Ray Luzier. Seamlessly Shoots & Ladders Bled into Metallica’s hit single One; Driving the crowd nuts. The Security team could be over heard slightly saying “THIS SOUNDS JUST LIKE METALLICA” as an EMT agrees with the front row security guard. Korn ended their night wowing the crowd with their hits Got the Life; Freak on a Leash & last but certainly not the least they finished up their set with Blind the 1st single of their self-titles debut album. The crowd went insane for Korn as the stage hands began dismantling the set & removing the high-risers to make room for Slipknot’s set.

Hailing from Des Moines Iowa the Nonuplet (9) member band Slipknot, was originally formed in September of 1995 & founded by percussionist Shawn Crahan & Bassist Paul Gray. After many lineup changes including the death of bassist Paul gray and the departure of Joey Jordison the band is now left as a septuplet. Slipknot is better known for their attention-grabbing image & aggressive style of playing & their highly energetic mobocracy during their phenomenal live shows. The band made a meteoric rise to fame during the release of their self-titled debut album in the summer of 99. In 2001 the band released a follow-up album Iowa, supplemental to the increase of the bands popularity. After a brief hiatus, Slipknot returned in 04 with Vol: 3 (The Subliminal Verses) and yet again in 08 with their fourth studio album All Hope Is Gone. Now in 2014 the band is back with Volume 5: The Gray Chapter; somberly dedicated to the late Paul Gray, founding member of Slipknot. The album 5: The Gray Chapter has peaked on US Billboard’s Hot 200 at #1.

As the set was being taken down the curtain dropped in front of the stage while the roadies and technicians pulled their magic. The crowd became restless, the front row security team doubled in numbers. Sound-Check was underway. Behind the curtains, fire balls blow high in the air as the pyro was being checked. Pretty soon the music dies down and you hear a XIX sound-bite playing ominously in the background. The crowd begins to scream louder & louder sounding like a Learjet taking off. The crowd begins singing with the sound-bite verbatim.

“This song is not for the living, This song is for the dead; With my face against the floor I can’t see who knocked me out of the way, I don’t want to get back up but I have to, so it might as well be today… Nothing appeals to me, no one feels like me, I’m too busy being calm to disappear. I’m in no shape to be alone, contrary to the shit that you might hear. So walk with me, walk with me. Don’t let this symbolism kill your heart, walk with me; walk with me; Just like we should’ve done right from the start. Walk with me; walk with me don’t let this fucking world tear you apart.”
This photojournalist became teary eyed as he watched the crowd numbered in the thousands come together to sing this anthem in unison, a beautiful moment in which nothing else mattered at that time except for the person next to you, rather you knew them or not; the love was there. Directly after this dramatically JHW_8944heartfelt moment, the curtain raised & the members of Slipknot were on stage ready to fuck shit up. The well received crowd screamed louder than before; so loud they were drowning the band out as they began playing Sarcastrophe. The mosh-pit area opened up wide & began swallowing the concert goers as the moshers circled each other, bashing into one another in a friendly aggression releasing gesture. Bodies were being surfed to the front of the stage, beer flying every direction as the band gives the crowd a well-received metal injection. Slipknot then played The Heretic Anthem; & the crowd became even more aggressive chanting along with singer, Corey Taylor “If you’re 555 then I’m 666” as the pyrotechnics went off behind the band illuminating the crowd In gradients of orange, red & yellow. Sid & Clown’s elevated platforms where their percussion instruments sit spun in circles during the performance as they pounded the shit outta the drums. Their elevated platforms would raise up to 15 feet in the air from the well-built stage. Sid could be seen climbing atop of the percussion instruments; head-banging away while his extended nose wobbled up & down. From Slipknots second album Iowa the band played My Plague. My Plague was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2003 for Best Metal Performance. And was also featured on the 2002 movie Resident Evil. Immediately after My Plague came The Devil in I, the top single of The Gray Chapter. The song starts off hard & heavy, then slows down considerable when the lyrics start pouring from Corey Taylor’s lips, until the chorus kicks in; then the bass percussion of the song can be felt directly in the chest as the bass pushes through… Again the crowd begins head-banging in unison to the beat of the amazing track. In accelerated rapidness the band kept pumping out hits like Psychosocial; The Negative one ( 13th track off The Gray Chapter); Disasterpiece; Opium of the People; Dead Memories & Before I forget. It was at this time the band decided to play their 1st single off their 3rd studio album Vol 3:.. Duality began and the crowd goes wild to Corey Taylor’s soft opening lyrics “I push my fingers into my eyeas the crowd sings along in concord to Mr. Taylor’s voice. During Duality percussionist Sid, climbed down from his stand and ran down the barrier and into the crowd where he made his way into the “House Sound” area. Sid then sneaks up behind the sound guy sitting in front of his control board & taps the sound guys left shoulder. As the sound guy looks Sid vanishes to the sound-man’s right side and Sid taps him again; the soundman then turns completely around to see Sid standing there larger than life. Sid Slaps the soundman a High 5, pokes his belly, tickles him a little & jets back to play percussion for the remaining songs…
After Duality the band pumped out 3 more hits The Blister Exists; Spit it Out & Custer. The band walked off the stage but for a brief moment and the crowd began screaming “One More Song, One More Song, One More Song!” Hearing the pleading from the crowd, Slipknot came back on stage to perform a 4 song encore that included 74617000027 (sic); People = Shit; Surfacing & Til We Die. Now I know I have said this many times before but believe me when I say it this time: I have been to hundreds of live concert events ranging from folk singers like Bob Dylan to heavy hitters like Slipknot, and this is indeed the best live show to date. The stage set up was like no other. The pyrotechnics were spot on and the percussionists platforms were outta this world behind the drummer was an illusion mirror full of light magic and resting upon the Illusion Mirror was the giant head of the Baphomet. Ladies and gents. Grab your pocket books get online, or go to your nearest ticket master get your tickets for this show before it is gone for good. This will be one of the shows you will regret not seeing for the rest of your life.

Review by: Jared Wingate 

Slipknot


Korn
King 810