Slipknot: 25th Anniversary
Vended:
Before Slipknot took the stage and unleashed their signature chaos, the night’s openers set the tone with a blistering display of raw energy and aggression. First up was Vended, a band that has been steadily making waves in the metal scene. Fronted by Griffin Taylor, son of Slipknot’s own Corey Taylor, Vended wasted no time proving that they weren’t just riding on legacy—they had the power and intensity to stand on their own. Their set was a ferocious mix of modern groove-metal riffs and hardcore-infused breakdowns, with Griffin’s vocals carrying a fiery intensity that immediately grabbed the crowd’s attention. Tracks like “Ded to Me” and “Asylum” hit hard, sending the early-bird fans into the first pits of the night. While still a relatively new band, Vended played like seasoned pros, delivering a tight and impassioned performance that set the perfect foundation for what was to come.
Knocked Loose:
Following Vended, Knocked Loose stormed onto the stage, and from the moment Bryan Garris let out his first piercing scream, the entire arena shifted into absolute bedlam. If there was any doubt about their ability to command such a massive venue, it was shattered instantly. The Kentucky-based hardcore outfit unleashed a relentless assault of bone-crushing breakdowns and frenzied two-step riffs, turning the floor into a sea of windmilling limbs and circle pits. Songs like “Mistakes Like Fractures” and “Counting Worms” had the crowd in a frenzy, with Garris’ high-pitched, almost rabid screams cutting through the mix like a razor. Even for those unfamiliar with Knocked Loose, it was impossible not to get swept up in the sheer brutality of their sound. Their set was pure, unfiltered aggression—a sonic gut-punch that left the crowd battered, exhilarated, and hungry for more.
Slipknot:
Coming off the raw intensity of Knocked Loose’s pummeling set, the night’s most anticipated act finally took the stage—none other than the masked titans themselves, Slipknot. To put it bluntly, they completely dominated the night with a relentless, high-octane performance that left the crowd utterly breathless. This was my third time seeing Slipknot live, and yet again, I found myself floored by their unmatched ability to transform a massive arena into something that felt both deeply personal and chaotically unhinged. I’ll admit, leading up to the show, I had some reservations about what to expect—whether their setlist would lean too heavily on newer material or if the energy would match the sheer brutality of past tours. But the second the opening notes of “People = Shit” exploded through the venue, all doubts were instantly obliterated.
From start to finish, Slipknot delivered an unrelenting assault of sound and spectacle, seamlessly blending their classic anthems with some fresh additions that surprisingly held their own among the fan-favorites. Naturally, it was the older hits that hit the hardest—“Wait and Bleed” sent a surge of nostalgia roaring through the crowd, while “Before I Forget” had the entire venue screaming in unison, fists raised in defiance. Corey Taylor’s vocals were sharper than ever, seamlessly shifting from guttural growls to soaring melodies, while the percussion trio—Jay Weinberg, Shawn Crahan, and Michael Pfaff—maintained an unrelenting, tribal intensity that kept the energy at a fever pitch. And as expected, Sid Wilson was a complete maniac, scaling stage structures and launching himself into the chaos like a human embodiment of Slipknot’s unhinged spirit.
But what truly made this night unforgettable was the sheer weight of the atmosphere. The pyro, the strobes, the eerie masked presence of the band—it all blended into a perfectly orchestrated storm of madness. By the time they closed out with “Spit It Out” and led the entire crowd in their signature “jump the f*** up” moment, the energy in the building reached a breaking point. Every single person—whether die-hard Maggot or first-time attendee—was fully immersed in the moment, screaming, moshing, and losing themselves in the visceral catharsis that only Slipknot can deliver. This wasn’t just a concert; it was an experience, a ritual, a chaotic and beautiful eruption of sound and fury that proved, once again, why Slipknot remains one of the most electrifying live bands on the planet.
