~ ThoRnswRath finally meets his rock'n'roll heroes ~
The sitched logo of my adidas-era Korn shirt, itself older than a lot of the kids at the show.
I've been a die hard fan of this band for over 15 years. This was my 17th Korn show, so you know how excited I was to be there. My brother and I showed up right at 7:30 when the doors had already opened (at 6:00) and I had missed my opportunity at the "pre-listening party." (You read that correctly: I decided to stay home another hour or so and drink more beers, instead of listening to more of Korn III. I've already heard too much as it is--practically half the album--so no leaks for me until July 13.)
We showed up and I texted dionn from KS and she texted back if I wanted a mg. I said yeah but my bro was with me tho'. She said she only had one but I had to meet her RIGHT NOW by the T-shirt stand, so we headed straight over there. Lucky 4 me too cuz dionn was there and she sez "all U have to do is get them to sign this poster 4 a girl who's holding our VIP seats" and I said "yeah I'll do it," just like that. I was wearing an oldskool, longsleeve black adidas-era shirt (stitched logo depicted above) that's kinda tattered around the edges. It was my 2nd Korn T-shirt, purchased at Lupo's bar in Providence, Rhode Island, back in '96, during my 2nd Korn show. It turns out, dionn got the extra meet'n'greet pass from blindanddirty, another KSer who I am most grateful for.
Here's what the meet'n'greet sticker looks like [one-third actual size], which I told my bro to apply to my forearm like a tat--and he slapped it right on the juncture of the inside of my elbow, where junkies shoot up. (I want to say right now I don't condone heroin use, only Korn use lol)
This sticker was on the upper, inner forearm of my
adidas Korn-T, making me look like "a junky 4 koRn"
After a few minutes of waiting nervously, we were whisked away, and I darted forward along with the flow and the next thing you know, we're led past the crowd and backstage where I see Ray Luzier posing for a pic with a female fan, a big smile on his face and obviously having a blast. I waved hello and he waved back as we were led out into the parking lot, and around one of the tour buses. On the other side of the bus we find that we're maybe 20th in line of about 35 fans or so. Someone from Korn's crew made the informal announcement that there was only "One Signature" and "No Pictures" allowed. I wasn't going to try and get a pic with my cellphone, and it turns out blindanddirty snapped a pic of me and Jonathan, and dionn got a pic of Munky and I shaking hands, so that worked out great.
The "Nightmare Revisited" soundtrack was the only official release at the time of the show featuring the new lineup with Ray Luzier on drums.
Jonathan was first to come down the line, so I told him "It's great to finally meet you after all these years, man" and we shook hands. I used my verbal ninja technique on him, telling him the poster was 4 a girl who was saving us seats, while the Nightmare Revisited liner notes (readily alongside there, under my thumb) lay folded open to the orange page next to Korn's bio, and I stuttered out "this is the first official release with Ray in the band, that I know of..." and his Sharpee pounced on it, he happily scribbled his autograph once again without a care, with that quirky, affable smile on his face. He seemed really happy to be there with us. At the next guy in line, he told us all about meeting African tribes while on tour and shit.
Next came Fieldy, he was all relaxed smiles and easily jotted down his sig twice for me, as well. When he signed my Nightmare Revisited linersheet, he was all "Whoa, you mean that's out already? Learn somethin' new every day," and he moved on to the next guy. I got a good view of his right arm, from the shoulder down clown in a zoot suit standin in some city alleyway, that was one of the sickest looking tats I've ever seen. Something about it just, pretty much says it all. I don't know, I'm down with the clown thing, tho'. I think it was Fieldy that I told "That's dionn from KS, U gotta represent, dionn!" when he was signing her stuff, and he said "KS, they're my friends," so we got our shout-out it in, there. (Yes, dionn tried to give Fieldy a SL, UT shirt, but he refused it, and I have to say, I think he was being as nice as he could about it, just in his own way. Now that he's "saved" and has a family, it makes sense to me he wouldn't want to wear that shirt, and he said it wasn't his style. Honestly, I was pretty spellstruck or starbound for the whole meet'n'greet, cuz I can't remember if it was Munky who I also mentioned KS to, or what. But one of em definitely said "KS, they're my friends" and I'm pretty sure it was Fieldy.)
When Ray came through, I thanked him for continuing Korn's legacy, and that he brought a perfect combo of picking up from where David left off, and going beyond with his own style, and he said something about how he really appreciated us and the fans and I was all "We appreciate you!" and I think he was pretty happy when I showed him the Nightmare Revisited sheet with both Jon and Fieldy's autographs already on it. I made sure to tell him this was the first official release with him in it as a band (I know, I kept harping on that, but I couldn't help myself). He signed his name with a '10 after it, if you notice.
Munky came out last after a few minutes where people speculated whether he was going to show. I made a comment like "Munky always showz" and then sure enough, there came Mr. James Shaffer himself, happily signing down the line of fans. When he got to me, I told him this was my 17th show and he pointed at my tattered old Korn shirt and made a funny remark like "Ya, I can tell by the looks of that shirt, man" with a big Munky grin, and we all laughed. It was awesome and I must thank dionn again for snapping this way cool pic of me and the Munk shaking hands.
THE SETLIST
4U
DEAD BODIES EVERYWHERE
NEED TO
COMING UNDONE/WE WILL ROCK U
HERE TO STAY
FALLING AWAY FROM ME
OILDALE
SOMEBODY, SOMEONE
DID MY TIME
THROW ME AWAY
HELMET IN THE BUSH
FREAK ON A LEASH
BLIND
~encoRe~
SHOOTS AND LADDERS
CLOWN
GOT THE LIFE
Jonathan stirring up the pits during NEED TO. My cellphone barely survived.
As for the show itself, the setlist was pretty much the same for this tour. Notably different this time around, was the fact that the crowd was so stoked for Korn, they started a circle pit in the center of the floor before Korn went on stage. I think that's significant, because the only show I've ever really seen that happen for, is Slayer. (I met this one security guard that night, out on the back deck overlooking the sunset. He was drinking a beer, and he told me "the only shows I refuse to work are Slayer and Korn", so we drank to that.) All the guys in Korn were in top form, I honestly don't know how they manage to pull it off night after night with such renewed fervor, like that. I watched Ray a lot, and can now say with confidence they chose the right drummer to stand in for David. At the beginning of blind, he set off with a quick but thunderous "double triplicate" drum-intro before hastening into the familiar cymbal-tapping-intro his predecessor made famous. I have to say, I was impressed with that drum fluorish and his entire performance. They even gave him a classic, extended drum solo and it was really powerful, and possessed of a unique style all his own. Way impressive. Jonathan just tore it up onstage, he's really feeling these songs again and the audience just lapped it up. All four of them were having a blast, along with the hopping mad audience. From the crazy assortment of different age groups and types of people there, I can assure you all that Korn is Here To Stay for another decade at least.
KORN III: REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE
Trillions of bugs swarmed the parking lot lights after the Korn show let out.
They reminded me of all the crazed fukkers drawn to Korn's light.
