Knotfest Roadshow Concert Review-AK-Chin Pavilion Phoenix Arizona Novembrer 02, 2021

KNOTFEST ROADSHOW CONCERT REVIEW AK-CHIN PAVILION 11-02-2021

Written by Roc Boyum

The Knotfest Roadshow made their final stop of this tour at the outdoor AK-Chin Pavilion in Phoenix Arizona on 11-02-2021. This may have been the final stop of this tour, but for the sold out AK-Chin Pavilion crowd in Phoenix Arizona, this evening was the beginning of an awesome metal music experience that they would never forget with four incredible Metal bands: Code Orange, Fever 333, Killswitch Engage and of course the headliner for whom makes Knotfest possible , the incomparable; Slipknot. Slipknot’s Corey Taylor thanked the Phoenix audience for being so AWESOME a number of times throughout the show and at one point he stated the following;

As far as I know, this Officially, is the biggest show of the entire fucking tour , and every time we come here, you’ve made us feel like we’re from here, and we fucking love you for that!

Code Orange, an Alt Metal/Hardcore Punk band from Pittsburg Pennsylvania that was formed in 2008, opened the festivities ; hitting the stage at 5:30 under the guise of daylight. The band wasn’t afforded the advantage of nighttime lights and had to rely solely on their raw talent; fortunately for these guys this was no problem as they ripped through their set with all the fury that one would expect from a punk/metal band. In true punk style, this band was constantly running back and forth on stage exuding a ferocious raw power that was driven by the drumming force of Max Portnoy; son of the drumming legend Mike Portnoy, Dream Theater, and Sons of Apollo to name a few. If you like your music on the edge of chaos, then Code Orange is a must see band.

Code Orange set list was:

Swallowing the Rabbit Whole

In Fear

Cold. Metal. Place

Bleeding in the Blur

Last Ones Left

My World

Forever

Underneath

Fever 333 hit the stage next with a fury and aggression that exemplifies the band’s Hip Hop/punk style roots. Formed in 2017, this three piece band from Los Angeles CA, isn’t you typical three piece band. The band consists of singer, Jason Aalon Butler, Guitarist, Stephen Harrison and Drummer, Aric Importa with the bass duties being handled by recorded tracks, which serves their hard core Hip-Hop sound. Mid-way through their show, drummer Importa did a tasty groove drum solo that was right inline with the band’s musical style. Throughout their show the singer and guitarist continually ran and jumped about as they thrashed anything they could get their hands on which eventually led to an equipment mishap. At one point during their onslaught of on stage thrashing, Harrison leaped off a portable stage riser that disabled his guitar gear upon his decent to the stage; but this also created a fortuitous music interlude. Continuing temporarily without a guitarist, drummer Importa went into a second impromptu drum solo where he exploded into an impressive and blistering display of chops and technique that really showcased his true shredding ability; and his solo is really something that the band should add to their future shows.

Fever 333 set list was:

Bite Back

Only One

Made In America

One of Us

Trigger

Brun It

Hunting Season

Metal Core masters Killswitch Engage hit the stage with the venue attendance now at full capacity. From the moment they started, they delivered a sound mix that was heavy, massive and just an all out and Awesome wall of sound. Their second song was “Hate By Design” that further amped up the audience with the band’s aggressive sound ,and by their third song, “The Crownless King ” the crowd surfing started in the pit at the front of the stage. The crowd surfing included a rare and quite unbelievable site with the crowd hoisting up a wheel chair attendee over their heads, how insane is that! They introduced the song, “I am Broken Too” by dedicating the song to anyone who has had any suicidal tendencies.

Killswitch Engage singer Jesse Leach introduced the song “Up Against The World” by saying, this song is about unity and love, something we need a lot more in this fucking world, hope you enjoy the song! Near the end of their set, singer Leach imparted these words;

Before we get out of here, we’ve got two left. I just want to say on behalf of our friends in Code Orange, Fever 333 and Slipknot, thank you all so much for being here tonight, for supporting live music in general, it means a hell of a lot to us!

They finished their set with a brilliant cover of the Dio classic, Holy Diver, that Leach dedicated to the late great Ronnie James Dio!

The Killswitch Engage set list was:

Unleashed

Hate by Design

The Crownless King

My Last Serenade

I Am Broken Too

Rose of Sharyn

Strength of the Mind

Us Against the World

The Signal Fire

My Curse

This Fire

The End of Heartache

In Due Time

Holy Diver (Dio Cover)

Slipknot Curtain AK-Chin Pavilion_11-02-21

Slipknot have been touring for 22 years, and with that experience the band delivers a level of entertainment that has been said to be second to none. Singer Corey Taylor is undoubtedly one of the most engaging front men of all time, with an ability to interact with the fans that’s rarely achieved by any front-man. When Taylor says scream, the audience screams and when Taylor motions for the audience to clap their hands, everyone claps. Another standout performer is drummer Jay Weinberg who is the driving force behind Slipknot, with his brutal double bass grooves and blistering chops, this guy pushes Slipknot forward with an unyielding relentless intent. The entire band are a brilliant collection of nine musicians that animate, run, thrash about and play their instruments with deadly conviction that resonates with everyone who comes to witness the spectacle that is collectively known as….. Slipknot!

Slipknot is an amazingly well orchestrated band that works to clockwork perfection and something that their fans will hopefully be able come to appreciate for many more years to come. Especially if you’re a musician, even if Metal or Metalcore is not your thing, this band is something you need to experience live to really get their level of unprecedented perfection and to understand just how Awesome a nine member metal band can be!

At one point in the show, Taylor humbly thanked the three opening bands for showing up each night on this tour and “throwing down everything they’ve fucking got for you all.” Taylor then went on to impart that tomorrow, 11-03-21 is guitarist Mick Thompson ‘s birthday, Taylor had the entire capacity crowd of 20,000, singing Happy Birthday to Mr. Mick Thompson, truly Awesome!

Taylor introduced the song “All Out Life” from their 2019, We Are Not Your Kind LP by commenting on the state of the world by imparting: these words:

No matter what side of the coin you’re on, they’re trying to pull us apart, and the only way, the only way we get through this is together! DO YOU FUCKING FEEL ME ON THIS! These mother fuckers don’t care about anything except chaos and disorder, and all we want, all we want… is to LIVE! DO YOU MOTHERFUCKERS WANT TO LIVE OUT THERE! Then the next time, one of these digital faceless fucking duchebag motherfuckers tries to tell you what to think, remember three fucking words, “ALL OUT LIFE”

Bonfire Blaze on the Lawn Section of the Ak-Chin Pavilion_11-02-21. Fan cell phone image

Slipknot’s last performance of the 2021 Roadshow tour at the AK-Chin Pavilion ended like no other show before it, in the United States, since the inception of this festival in 2012. During the song “All Out Life”, some fans took the level of craziness to a whole new level by starting a huge bonfire with it’s flames that ascended up into the night air at or near 20 feet high on the lawn section of the AK-Chin Pavilion. They burned a massive pile of lawn chairs, t-shirts and who knows what else. There was a number of people who danced in a counterclockwise circle around the flames, not necessarily like a conventional circle pit but something more like a dance when circling the flames in a **Samhain ritual to celebrate Autumn. Whatever the intention was, the outcome in this setting was clearly a seriously irresponsible act. Celebrations of this sort are not suited for public events and should be reserved for private gatherings that have immediate access to water and a fire control contingency in place!

Slipknot finished “All Out Life” before taking a 30 minute hiatus for the fire department, engine company #40 to get the blaze under control. After that, the band finished out their set with a couple of more songs but unfortunately the break to extinguish the fire meant that the band had to cut two songs from their set; Duality and Spit It Out.

**Below is a excerpt from “History.com” that gives an insight to the Samhain bonfire history (if you’re interested)!

In the Druid tradition, Samhain celebrates the dead with a festival on October 31 and usually features a bonfire and communion with the dead. American pagans often hold music and dance celebrations called Witches’ Balls in proximity to Samhain.

The band came back for a two song encore with, People = Shirt and Surfacing. During People = Shit, the entire audience became a powerful collective choir singing the song’s repeating anthem, People = Shit, People = Shit, People = Shit,! Truly Awesome!

The last song Surfacing, ended with an onstage firework explosion and two banners that were poised high above the stage. The banners were dedicate to the two former members of Slipknot who are no longer with us; Drummer Joey Jordison, 1975-2021 and Bassist/Backing Vocals, Paul Gray, 1972-2010.

Slipknot is a band that you don’t want to miss the next time they come around.

The setlist was:

Unsainted

Diasterpiece

Noro Forte

Before I forget

The Heretic Anthem

Phychosocial

The Devil in I

Solway Firth

Wait and Bleen

Vermilion

All Out Life

Duality and Spit It Out were cut from the show due to a bon fire that was started by fans on the lawn section of the venue that caused a 30 minute break in the show!

Encore:

515-Played form tape

People=Shit

(sec)

Surfacing

(till we die)