Ray Luzier of Korn performing at Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, CA. July 29, 2016

Korn & Rob Zombie
w/ In This Moment
Shoreline Amphitheater
Mountain View, CA
July 29, 2016

It was incredibly hot out on Friday, but the sun would soon be setting and metal's biggest fans would be gathering under one roof (well, technically, there was no roof since it's an amphitheater but YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN) for one of the summer's most anticipated tours. Modern heavy metal icons Korn & Rob Zombie embarked on the "Return of the Dreads" tour earlier this year, and the tour made finally made its stop in the Bay Area.

First up to perform was In This Moment, a seasoned act in the heavy metal scene but not quite a mainstream act. A crew member of the band dropped down to the photo pit to inform us that we were allowed to shoot the entire set. SCHWAAA? This NEVER happens. And considering the performance that followed from the band, it was incredibly worth it. Maria Brink & Co. took the stage when the sun was still up, and managed to do something that I never thought was thinkable by an opening act: command the stage the way a headliner would. EVERY artist that evening would do this, and it was incredible to watch. Costume changes from Brink occurred between each song, ushering in several performances pieces throughout the show. I truly hope this band achieves mainstream success one day, as I can't even begin to imagine the kind of shows they could throw with an amphitheater headlining tour budget.

The sun was setting, and everyone's favorite "hellbilly", Rob Zombie, took the stage with incredible gusto. Zombie is also an acclaimed horror movie director, so it's no surprise that his stage was decked out like a Tim-Burton-meets-Wes-Craven fever dream. John 5, Zombie's long time guitarist (and former Marilyn Manson shredder) took the stage, eliciting a large number of cheers from the crowd. Zombie & Co. played until the sun had completely gone down, performing a show filled with energy, sexual imagery, horror film references, and heavy fucking metal galore. Crowd favorite "Dragula" brought the show to a close, much to the delight of longtime Zombie fans.

By the time Korn took the stage, the crowd was completely ready; there was no need to warm anyone up. The five-piece ran out on stage amid the roar of the crowd and launched straight into "Right Now". There was no mercy! Everyone was completely on their game that evening. This shouldn't surprise anyone, though, considering that the band are getting ready to release their TWELFTH studio album later this year. Their experience with performing as a group is one that is highly unmatched; most bands don't even make it past three albums in their lifetime. The set lasted fourteen songs, finishing with their highly acclaimed single "Freaks On A Leash" rounding out the night.