Korn show they still got it 15 years down the road!
It's been more than 10 years since Korn first graced our ears with their nu-metal stylings. 10 years ago, when I was 16, I was vaguely aware of the Korn phenomenon running wild. Now, when I'm a little older I still find myself totally and utterly entranced by this particular band. They are indeed, here to stay.
Leeds University doesn't really have any large venues. In fact, Leeds is quite well known for not having any large venues at all. It seems odd to see your work's cafeteria changed into a frenzied circle pit but it happened, and happened hard.
Korn opened to "Starting Over"; not a bad choice though certainly not expected. Moving straight into "Right Now" brought things back a little. The crowd certainly didn't care one bit, with massive waves moving inexorably through everyone; an unstoppable tidal wave of metal energy. The sound is terrific - its loud, clear and shakes you right from your bowels. The light work is also terrific; Johnathan Davis silhouetted against the backdrop like a dark metal messiah, bringing the entire crowd to worship at the church of metal.
Despite the loss of David Silveria, the drumming is still tight. at this point, the sound isn't worth commenting on; Korn have been doing this long enough to be excellent, and they are. The atmosphere is second to none. "Ass Itch", "Evolution" and "A.D.I.D.A.S" go down superbly. At this point I'm losing the ability to right as i'm thrown across one circle pit, elbowed in the face by a small blonde girl whilst screaming the lyrics like a banshee possessed.
The set list is very well done. Johnathan Davis breaks out the bag pipes midway through the set but not for shoots and ladders sadly. "Hold on", "Freak on a Leash" and "Do What They Say" make their way into the mix. The crowd is bigger than me tonight. It's lending me the energy I need to keep going. This is what you want from a metal gig. I don't expect to be walking out of here. The final song "Blind" begins with a small prelude, allowing the entire crowd to prepare the biggest circle pit possible. The girl next to me looks nervous but excited. As the first riff falls, the crowd explodes. My note taking stops at this point. I've gone, left, lost in the metal moment.
I come to, to the voice of Johnathan Davis: "Who'd have thought playing a school cafeteria could be so much fun?!" How right you are.