Jonathan Davis of Korn performing at The Fox Theater in Oakland, CA. Photo by Jared Stossel.
Normally, metal shows are fun. This one was EXTRA fun. Why? Because it was on Halloween night, and every band got into the spirit by dressing up, in addition to fueling the sold out Fox Theater in Oakland, CA with a high dosage of heavy metal that hadn't been present in the venue's hallowed halls for quite some time. And what better way to bring that metal back into the mix than with a lineup consisting of Korn (playing their first album in its entirety, front to back), Suicide Silence, and Islander?
Islander kicked off the night with a high energy set, adorned in taco costumes and sombreros. I'm not kidding. There's photos to prove it. In addition, the band members threw out tortillas and tortilla chips into the audience. By the time I came back into the photo pit for the next song, it looked like a Chevy's restaurant threw up on the floor.
Suicide Silence took the stage next, and I have to say that vocalist Eddie Hermida's costume was one of my favorites of the evening (Kylo Ren from Star Wars). I'm a huge Star Wars fan so I have mad respect. But the costume didn't remain on long, as Hermida removed the mask and took the mic before the band launched into their iconic blistering deathcore set that sent the audience into a frenzy. Suicide Silence's live shows are never a disappointment.
By the time Korn took the stage, the best costumes of the night were revealed, my favorites being Ray Luzier's (drums, Olaf the Snowman from Frozen) and Jonathan Davis' (vocals, Beetlejuice) costumes. With an album show, the fans already knew what to expect, but it was more glorious than ever hearing the self-titled album brought to life before our eyes. The Halloween imagery that was placed around the stage added that special nuance, setting it apart from any show on the Korn tour that had already taken place.
At the end of the night, the band returned to play about five or six fan favorites from other albums, bringing the show to an end with an epic and unforgettable close. Korn, and heavy metal fans in general, witnessed a rather special show that evening, one that will never be duplicated again.
This has been another Shameless Promotion.