Korn & Suicide Silence @ The Fillmore

So it was the Big Day Out 99 when I last (and first) saw Korn.  I remember being psyched beforehand and then let down afterwards.  I don't know if it was that the set was on at 4 in the afternoon or that there were so many other good performances that day (Marilyn Manson, TISM, Ash, Sparklehorse, Fur Soulfly) that they didn't reach the heights.  I should have seen them earlier this year at Carolina Rebellion, but who wants to watch a band from that for away?  I was hoping the confines of a smaller venue would do it for me, but would my age and music taste now be a deterrent?

I caught the last 4 songs of Suicide Silence as I tried to find a good vantage point for the night.  The crowd seemed to enjoy the band, and their sound seemed suitable for a Korn opener.  For me, that switching, deep growl/screamo sound just doesn't cut it anymore.  Doesn't lessen the performance and the energy Suicide Silence put out.  You could tell they were out to give it there all.

I ended up on the right side of the venue with a great sight line to all bar Munky.  As usual the lights go down and the crowd amps up.  It kept on the up with the growls of "Are You Ready?" before the band smashed into Blind.  Korn then preceded to play their debut album from start to finish (the purpose of this tour).  While the sound was great (even with earplugs) the set was a stop start affair with singer Davis using an oxygen mask between every song.  Faget seemed to get the biggest reaction from the crowd and by the time the last notes of Daddy rang out, the crowd, me included, had taken in a great show.  As the crew reset the stage for the encore, one of the night's biggest cheers was heard  for the unveiling on Davis' Geiger-like microphone stand.  Korn came back out and played Falling Away From Me (song of the night for me) and ploughed through 4 more songs.  Freak On A Leash was a strong finisher.

16 years between Korn shows and I wasn't 100% sure how I'd react, but tonight was great.  Good sound, good energy from the band, a packed house loving every moment.  Not a lot of verbal interaction with the crowd, but plenty of acknowledgement from the band for the audience.  And I'm sure that place was littered with guitar pics once the crowd dispersed.

The Crap Facts:
This is my 394th concert.
This is my 13th concert at The Fillmore.
This is my 38th concert in Charlotte.
This is my 43rd concert in North Carolina.
This is my 202nd concert in the USA.
Suicide Silence are the 466th band I've seen.
Suicide Silence are the 250th different band I've seen in the US.
This is the 2nd time I've seen Korn.