Just as I was beginning to think I wouldn’t be able to see any shows soon, Slipknot announced that they were going to live-stream their KNOTFEST LA set and I’m here to tell you, it was awesome! Right from the start they demand your attention and make it nearly impossible to look away, even from in front of a computer screen.

I saw Slipknot live for the first time earlier this year at Inkcarceration and they had the same energy, if not more, during their KNOTFEST set on Friday, November 5th. Their stage set up is so unique and the amount of people that they’ve got on stage at once is so entertaining. When the curtain for Slipknot opens you could feel the energy surge through the crowd. Something I didn’t notice before was that their curtain actually gets sucked up to the top center of the stage instead of dropping or getting pulled to the sides which was interesting to see!

The energy each individual band mate brings to the stage is incredible! You’ve got frontman Corey Taylor singing/screaming his heart out while running back and forth on stage. Then you’ve got Jim Root slaying the guitar while headbanging his long locks along with Mick Thompson. Alessandro Ventruella with a freaking flame thrower on his bass at some point. Sid Wilson doing his thing on the turntable as well as dancing along the stage. Craig Jones on the sampler/keyboards headbanging along. And you certainly can’t forget about Jay Weinberg killing it on the drums, while Micheal Pfaff and Shawn “Clown” Crahan are dancing and shouting around while taking care of the percussion, all drumming in synchronicity! Man oh man, I don’t think I’ve loved watching a show as much as I love watching Slipknot! They put their ALL into the shows and it makes it an experience to say the least! How do these guys not throw their backs out or get whiplash from all the jumping around, headbanging, and pure craziness on stage? So enthralling!

Although I was watching over a live stream, they made it easy to forget that by capturing your attention with their overall presence. I know people who were there, and STILL watched the live stream just because that’s how EPIC of a show they put on! The people running the cameras did great with showing all views of the stage, and even aerial views in which you can see the mosh pits forming in the BACK of the crowd of the GA area rather than up closer to the front of the crowd where, in my experience, they normally are. Also, their photographer Steve Thrasher captured some great still shots!

One thing I enjoyed about watching this is how Corey Taylor stopped in between songs to thank the audience for their support the last 22 years and to show the bands appreciation. At one point he gave a brief speech, it went as follows:

“It’s a f*cking crazy time in the world right now. There are forces, people you’ve never even f*cking seen, never even talked to in real life, that are trying to pull us apart. Trying to pull us away from each other, trying to divide us, and turn us against each other. All on a place that does not f*cking exist. I’m not going to preach, but god dammit the only way we get through this is together! Do you f*cking understand what I’m saying to you? All of these voices, it doesn’t matter what side of the coin you’re on that side, that side, THIS, take a look around this is your f*cking family! And in this family it does not matter what color your skin is, what language you speak, who you love, who you believe. These people will live and die for each other!“

Very inspiring to say the least!

Another bonus to being in attendance to Knotfest LA was that you got to experience Slipknot‘s newest release “The Chapeltown Rag” live for the first time, as well as seeing Jay Weinberg‘s new creepy mask! During the last song Corey Taylor had the whole crowd get down on the ground, even the people in the seats around the stadium, and on his mark he had everyone jump up at, and keep jumping, the same time. It was insane and a traditional Slipknot show element of which I can only imagine the feeling of actually being in that audience as it was happening!

As the show concluded Corey and the band thanked the audience with one last statement:

“Take care of yourselves, take care of each other. Goodnight”

There are so many things I could say about Slipknot‘s live stream, or even just in general but it would take days to complete, so I’ll leave you with this. If you haven’t seen Slipknot, do it, you’ll thank me later!

Slipknot‘s set list:

1. Unsainted
2. Disasterpiece
3. Nero Forte
4. Before I forget
5. The Heretic Anthem
6. Psychosocial
7. Devil In I
8. The Chapeltown Rag
9. Wait and Bleed
10. Vermilion
11. All Out Life
12. Duality
13. Spit It Out
    Encore
    1. People = Shit
    2. Surfacing

All pictures by Steve Thrasher.

More online:
https://slipknot1.com/
https://www.facebook.com/slipknot
https://twitter.com/slipknot
https://www.instagram.com/slipknot/
https://www.youtube.com/user/slipknot
https://open.spotify.com/user/slipknotofficial
https://knotfest.com/