Tag: knotfest
Every Maggot Learns to Fly: Knotfest Roadshow at North Island Credit Union Amphitheater
Rob Shepyer
June 24, 2022
I have to admit, Slipknot was my very first concert. It was the 2004 Jagermeister tour featuring support from one of my favorite bands, Fear Factory. Even back then, Slipknot put on an unforgettable show where the theatrics, pyro, visuals and stage antics were just as impressive and psychotic as the instrumentation. Almost twenty years later, the band has only grown in size and spectacle and having sold out North Island Credit Union Amphitheater, it goes to show that you can never underestimate the power of this fanbase. More than any other band, Slipknot have cemented themselves as the band for the outsiders. There are people accepted by the mainstream culture, then there are Maggots. To be a maggot you must feel music differently than most, then maybe, the meatgrinder of metal that is Slipknot’s sound can touch your black, tender heart. I remember one interview with Clown where he summarized the band in very simple terms. The reason they wear masks is because their art is full of so much pain, they can’t even bear to show their faces while they express themselves. This furious howling, shredding, chugging and blast-beat drumming comes from a very vulnerable place, one that
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Ozzfest Rocks On But Can It Still Rage In 2017?
Lina Lecaro
November 15, 2017
Heshers and head bangers are a loyal bunch, but metal ain’t exactly enjoying a mainstream moment in 2017, and it hasn’t for quite some time. With a few exceptions of Queens Of The Stone Age, Metallica and of course, the entirety of Europe where Metal still reigns supreme, the genre just isn’t recognized right now on U.S. radio or on U.S. charts, and this has made the current musical landscape feel really bland and wimpy and disposable to a lot of people (No, Foo Fighters are NOT metal). Heavy music still exists of course, and a lot of it feels as urgent as ever, but for the most part it’s a niche thing right now. related content: Black Sabbath And A Weeping Manboy At The Forum In L.A. I remember when things were different. When there was such a bounty of bombastic and aggressive bands on the scene, swaying the zeitgeist and stirring shit up, it was hard to keep track of them all. Their videos dominated MTV (before it was the Teen Mom channel), their records went multi-platinum (streaming didn’t exist yet) and they even graced the covers of popular music magazines (remember those?). There was so much heavy
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No Rest ‘Till Knotfest
Alfonso Contreras
November 3, 2015
It came, it went, and it fucking rocked socks off of every color. The festival brought along a roster of respectable new and old school heavy metal, rock, and hardcore bands that entertained the masses from noon into the dark hours of nightfall – and having a couple of highly popular hip hop acts thrown into the mix not only made the entire experience that much better but brought the entire festival in a direction not expected. For an old school metal/hip hop head like myself this was the absolute perfect Pre-Halloween treat! Day:1 The entrance line like at any other festival of this magnitude was as one would expect – long, dirty, drunk, and a show in it’s own right. Luckily for me, I got to stroll in right past the mob of overly excited fans and rolled on in on the Janky Smooth wagon and straight into the VIP/Press check-in area. Quick props to bossman Danny B. for the ultimate hookup. The entry gate was packed with an array of black tees, strange hairdos, and multi-oddball shave jobs. The age range stretched from youngsters and their parents to teens and seasoned heshers. The first day offered up the
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