Heavy metal titans Slipknot brought their ‘Here Comes The Pain Tour’ to Louder Than Life in Louisville, Kentucky on Thursday, September 26, 2024.
“How the fuck are you soggy motherfuckers doing out there? You doing alright?” Corey Taylor, lead vocalist, asked the jam-packed audience.
“Well, first off, thank-you for spending this fucking evening with us, you have no idea what it means. Thank-you so fucking much for being here for us at fuckin’ Louder Than Life. Before we go any further, I want you to make so much noise for all of our friends that have come out here and thrown the fuck down with you today.”
As the masked nine have been celebrating the 25th anniversary of their seminal debut self-titled album, Taylor told the crowd they were in for a treat.
“You come to us on a very, very special night,” he said.
“As you can see, we’re dressed a little different than the last time we were here. I don’t know if some of you know this or not, 25 years ago this year, we released our very first Slipknot album. Since, we wanted to do something very special. We are here to tell you Kentucky, welcome back to 1999 you crazy motherfuckers.”
Taylor added: “Tonight, you will not hear one song written after 1999. As always to all of the casual Slipknot fans, sorry. To all of the maggots who have been with us since day fuckin’ one, this is our way of saying thank-you to each and every one of you and most specifically, if this is your very first time seeing Slipknot, we have brought you back to the very fucking beginning. Are you ready to lose your fucking minds with us? Then give me a scream, Louisville.”
Eerily starting the show with Gary Wright’s 1975 classic ‘Dream Weaver’ playing over the speakers, the jam packed crowd began reaching a fever pitch when the song transitioned to the band’s creepy instrumental track ‘742617000027’, which features the voices of children.
Sporting masks and costumes from the 1999 era, the band tore through their early songs, as rain from Hurricane Helene began falling from the sky
Photographer Austin Cooper captured these images from their show:
Photographer Steve Thrasher captured these images from their show:
There actually was a time when Slipknot and the maggots (the loving name for their fans) did not completely rule the world.
25 years ago, the Des Moines band were just some guys trying to get their new LP noticed– a record that would start their metamorphosis into the most crucial band of the 21st century.
That record would change rock as we know it, measuring success with a yardstick bigger than music, one for the influence on youth culture writ large.
But these faceless demons from middle America would not only capture the hearts of the youth, they would help guide their tastes, and challenge them and their kin towards a new future.
Released on June 29th, 1999, Slipknot’s self-titled debut was a smash hit with critics and an instant classic with fans.
It was, and is, a molotov cocktail signaling a revolution– embracing a creative direction that eschewed metal traditions in favor of fresh ideas.
While the jaw-clenching riffs coupled with Ross Robinson’s venomous production were crucial to the album’s success, it was the care and attention to detail in the songcraft that moved the needle from “great” to “benchmark.”
Not too shabby for a bunch of guys that only hoped to be heard.
“We loved what we did with the first record but we didn’t even know if there was gonna be anything after that,” recalls guitarist Jim Root, in a media release.
“We just wanted people to hear it. Selling out of records and shows, having successful tours– those are goals for any band. But the dream scenario in some ways, came true for us.”
In the years following, Slipknot’s popularity nipped at the heels of elder statesmen and even the band’s heroes, eventually navigating this brave new world with unending drive, fresh ideas and a bloodlust for odometer clicks.
Tens of billions of streams and tens of millions of subscribers and followers later, the accolades tell the story: 64 award nominations and 27 wins including a Grammy for “Before I Forget“ from Vol. 3.
A seemingly endless number of tour dates.
Headlining slots at some of the biggest festivals in the world such as Download, Rock In Rio, Hellfest, Wacken and many more.
Not to mention RIAA certifications by the truckload– 14 platinum certifications and 40 gold across more than 30 million in record and video sales.
In addition, Slipknot positioned themselves for success with the creation of their own festival Knotfest in 2012, a traveling, multi-stage and experiential event that has appeared 28 times across several countries and locations.
The festival has since spun off into a successful entertainment media hub – Knotfest.com, which became a juggernaut of its own making, giving a platform to young freethinkers and like-minded artists.
All of Slipknot’s achievements have helped them claim their rightful seat as pioneers and thought leaders, establishing them as a generational talent– loved by parents AND their children alike.
And of course with all those incredible live performances, all that influence, and all that history of playing all those incredible SONGS, Slipknot has only attracted the most dedicated of fans, reaching all the way back to that fateful self-titled effort.
Slipknot is approaching this 25th anniversary by making the conscious decision to connect to fans as closely as possible, in a similar way to how they encountered Slipknot all those years ago.
“Every time I’ve walked on stage, it’s never been about how many people have been there because my culture, the maggots, always show up,” says founding member Shawn “clown” Crahan with a smile.
“But as we’ve grown as a band, we have had fewer and fewer of those intimate, personal moments, trading them for massive ones. So we’re gonna make it more personal on the anniversary, but how remains to be seen. Just get ready to have your face kicked in. Because we just do what we do, spread that maggot culture – that disease. And you’ve been infected.”
After already touring across the United States, plus a show at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, back in August, here are the remaining dates on the tour:
Oct 11: Sacramento, CA – Aftershock Festival
Oct 19: São Paulo, BR – Knotfest Brasil
Nov 08: Guadalajara, MX – Calle 2
Nov 09: Mexico City, MX – Parque Bicentenario
Dec 05: Amsterdam, NL – Ziggo Dome
Dec 06: Dortmund, DE – Westfalehallen
Dec 08: Stuttgart, DE – Schleyerhalle
Dec 09: Leipzig, DE – Quarterback Immobilien Arena
Dec 11: Zürich, CH – Hallenstadion
Dec 12: Paris, FR – Accor Arena
Dec 14: Leeds, UK – First Direct Arena
Dec 15: Glasgow, UK – Ovo Hydro
Dec 17: Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
Dec 18: Birmingham, UK – Utilita Arena
Dec 20: London, UK – The O2
Dec 21: London, UK – The O2
* w/ Special Guests Knocked Loose and Orbit Culture
# w/ Special Guests Knocked Loose and Vended
Follow the band at https://slipknot1.com/.