LIVE FROM THE PIT: Korn at Gunnersbury Park

Gunnersbury Park was packed as thousands flooded towards the grounds for the sold-out 30 year celebration of Alt-metal pioneers Korn for their largest UK headline. With over eleven million monthly listeners the increasing fan base braved the 29° weather to see the metal-based line up: Loathe, Wargasm, Spiritbox & Denzel Curry and Korn, although Denzel Curry unfortunately had to drop out due to losing his voice at a prior show. 

Loathe

Pavarotti’s Nessun Dorma echoed across the park as the Liverpool 4-piece took to the stage with lead singer Kadeem France delivering vocal screams with ‘Gored’ while opening the wall of death, with Erik Bickerstaffe accompanying alongside guitar riffs. The band showcased their older and newer tracks throughout with many hits from their 2020 album I Let It In and It Took Everything with onlookers recognising the lyrics and letting the lyricism speak to them.

The pits scrambled to open as the surfers readied for dancing on my skin with Sean Radcliffe heavy drum opening, Feisal El-Khazragi on bass helping to lead the sea of arms throughout the soulful vocals and heavy bassline. Giving a shout out to Korn for allowing the band to perform their biggest UK show to date, the pits reopened for Heavy Is The Head That Falls With The Weight Of A Thousand Thoughts. The atmosphere was nothing but electric.

Wargasm

The unstoppable duo- Sam Matlock & Milkie Way instantaneously infected the crowd with their contagious energy, opening the pits with the title track to their latest project Venom asking the crowd; “that’s a mosh call where’s my fucking pit” the masses scrambled opening serval pits to appease the duo. 

The energy persisted throughout the set as the band lived up to their motto “angry songs for sad people” with Pyro Pyro, bringing in insane audience participation with hits like 70% dead and D.R.I.L.D.O as waves of vibrant haired headbanging emerged across the park. 

The duo utilised their insane crowd control asking crowds to repeat lyrics before finishing the set with a clear crowd favourite Spit, with pits opening for the heavier opening and Matlock descending to the crowd to face fans as the song becomes more somber.

Spiritbox

The crowd erupted as the female-front Canadians took to the Gunnersbury stage, with female-lead; Courtney LaPlante mixing her softer vocals with intense vocal screams. Allowing the audience to either enter the revolving pits or have a more relaxed listening, acting as the perfect warm-up before the main event. Mike Stringer (Guitar), Zev Rose (Drums) & Josh Gilbert (Bass) Accompanied the haunting voice of LaPlante notably with the ground vibrating with pure noise and energy from the musicians while Rotoscope was performed.

LaPlante really owned the stage with her impressive stage presence amongst the harsher metal voice aspects, showcasing her experience as a seasoned performer of over 6 years. The band made a push for audience participation with their hit Circle with me as the band demanded pits to open through their lyrics, showing total control of over thousands.

Korn

The crowd was ecstatic as the masses moved closer to finally see the headline, the usually quiet park was packed with pits erupting immediately as Jonathan Davis started to echo Rotting in Vain accompanied by lightning stage set the atmosphere was exhilarating. The crowd roared with excitement as the band continued through the set, with Here to Stay as Davis’ exclaimed “F*cked up feelings again!” with the audience chanting back.The band’s energy continued leading into Clown featuring chunky basslines from Reginald Arvizu. 

The 5-piece showed their extensive experience as they celebrated thirty years as a band with a spotlight on drummer Ray Luzier, performing a two minute solo with immense applause before transitioning into a clear fan favourite Blind even three decades after its release. The turn out for the event really indicated how timeless these songs are and how they resonate seeing the newer generation of nu-metal enjoyers.

The crowd goes insane as Davis delivers “Are you ready!”, clearly a fan favourite as the song shows reminisce of the bands success and as the crowd sing along with numerous classics such as Falling Away from Me and Coming Undone. The band did a full 180 performing a mashup with We Will Rock You by Queen, which the crowd adored,all knowing the words to British staple, showing the versatility of the nu-metal pioneers.

Davis’ stepped back once again allowing his fellow musicians: Brian Welch (Electric Guitar), James Shaffer (Guitar), Ray Luzier (Drums) and Reginald Arvizu (Bass) to showcase their insane cohesiveness as a unit, the members banded together to perform an drum and bass battle which as a staple of their live shows.

Davis’ thanked everyone for their support over the past 30 years with a sincere monologue before asking everyone to raise their middle fingers and join him singing Y’all Want A Single with choir of replies, “Fuck That”. Before reappearing on stage with bagpipes for Shoots and Ladders with a second mashup (One by Metallica) with nostalgic metal twist to childhood favourite rhymes. Before closing the night with Twist, Divine and Freak on a Leash.

Providing a phenomenal performance ending to their UK headline run, this show will be memorable not only for the band but the crowd too in years to come, hopefully this will skyrocket the metal genre for next year’s festival line ups with many discovering new favourites through the support acts.

Words: Grey Morley