Slipknot - 20/12/24 - The O2 Arena - LIVE REVIEW

Around eight or nine years ago, me and a couple of friends made a commitment to each other. No blood oaths or signatures on paper, but a commitment to music, a commitment to see when they were next in town, one of the biggest bands in the world. I'm obviously talking about insane Iowan nine piece Slipknot, and when the announcement hit that they would be coming back to the UK on their 25th Anniversary 'Here Comes the Pain' tour, you know I was in the ticket line at stupid o-clock in the morning. I scored, and although only two of us could make it this time around, it felt like a full circle moment. That deal made in Computing class was now coming to fruition, and I would be seeing one of my favourite bands of all time live on stage. So, let's get this wagon rolling huh? Here comes my review for the 'Here Comes the Pain' Tour 2024:

Venue

Another gig at the O2, I hear you ask? Yes, I reply. I know I keep going back, I know I keep talking about it, and I know I have the proverbial fist of the O2 marketing department lodged firmly down my throat. I like the O2 man, and when I have priority it's stupid easy to get tickets. That's the long and short of it. If you want my proper breakdown on the venue itself and more on the facilities and seating etc, go and read some of my earlier live reviews.

What I will add though is that the crowd was a lively one. From the second the show started everyone seated was on their feet, which I haven't really experienced recently at gigs. The pit was also insanely lively too, with insane pits and walls of death opening up, and being able to watch it all from the first level was brilliant. I don't actually think that I've ever been on that first level, and the views are awesome. Not too high, and not too low, just above the pit so you can look right at the stage and be on a relatively similar level.

Merchandise

I'm a merch goblin. I'll be 120% honest. Every time I go to a gig of a band I love, I get merch. Usually a tour shirt. Do the prices matter to me at this point? Well, yeah, but also the shirts at this gig were so goddamn cool. The prints were vibrant and well done, the tshirts brilliant quality, and the price was the same as Sleep Token in terms of £40 for a tee and around £70 for a hoodie, with accessories averaging at around £30. They had totes and band pins which were pretty cool, and an insane collection of options across the different stalls. I remembered to actually take a sneaky pic when I stepped up to the stall, so have a stare and a ponder for yourself:

I walked away with the gig specific tee - the one with the nine white goats on. These shirts were made to be sold only at that night of the tour, and the art was painted by hand by an awesome artist and then translated onto the shirt. Some of the other specific tees for the dates on the tour were pretty weak if I'm honest, with a lot looking like they were AI generated or just a little unspecific for the purpose, but this one was insanely cool. I'm also happy to say after a wash inside out, it's in awesome shape and still feels great, and the print is still there and not changed in any way. Good quality stuff that makes me a little less upset about the price hike.

Support Act

The support for Slipknot was Scottish metal act Bleed from Within. If you've seen 'Rob and Romesh VS Heavy Metal' this is the band they went on stage with at Download Festival. This was, coincidentally how I had come to know these guys, but that small glimpse was nothing like the insane setlist from these guys. They dominated their set with sheer ease and energy, and were one of the most impressive support acts I've had the pleasure of seeing.

Their live sound was clean and well mixed, the vocals cutting above the soaring guitar and crashing heavy drums. Bounding from song to song, they demonstrated not only their brilliant musicianship, but also their pedigree, exploding onto the scene in 2005 and still doing their thing to this day. Their latest single 'In Place of your Halo' is a certified banger, and went off live - so much so that me and my friend tried to get another shirt for the support act because we were so impressed, but the universe sadly said no.

Slipknot

I'm not sure I can really put into words the feelings I was going through as Slipknot took to the stage. My inner child was screaming, my current self filled with anticipation and excitement, it felt like everything - the years spent listening to this band and becoming immersed in the culture, had led to this very moment. The nine appeared, with new member Eloy Casagrande appearing first behind the kit. The rest of the troupe then walked onstage to a tumult of cheers and shouts, from the moment they stepped onstage they had complete control of the audience. They were a menacing presence, there in the half darkness, their masks gleaming in the half light, like the latex itself was itching to get the show started. Then it began, with (sic) drawing first blood. I was stunned by how nine guys, a singer, two guitarists, a bassist, a drummer, two guys on auxiliary percussion, a sampler and a DJ, can play so well in unison. The songs were blistering, sometimes even faster than the recorded versions, with the real lynch pin being that brand new drummer Eloy. The rumours are indeed true, the man is a machine, and needs no metronome, he simply is one.

Obviously, because it was the 25th Anniversary tour of their self titled album, they only played that record front to back - that means interludes too, so the setlist is predictable, but have a peek anyway:

1. (sic)

2. Eyeless

3. Wait and Bleed

4. Get This

5. Eeyore

6. Tattered & Torn

7. Me Inside

8. Liberate

9. Frail Limb Nursery

10. Purity

11. Prosthetics

12. No Life

13. Only One

    
    

    Encore:

    
    

14. Spit It Out

15. Surfacing

16. Scissors

    
    

When I say this one one of the best gigs I've been to, know I truly mean it. Seeing the nine perform, watching the chaos unfold, it felt like a magical experience. Maybe it's because I'm such a big fan and I was seeing it all through the proverbial rose tinted glasses, but this was a truly beautiful moment for me. The violence, the chaos, the pure musicianship. It was a marvel, and a spectacle to truly behold. Can we talk about the masks for a minute? Because holy shit - Corey's new mask with the glowing red eye inserts is so gnarly, like a rotted away version of his old Ghost Glow conversion, Clowns West German inspired half mask, Michael Pfaff's devil mask has become his go to and I'm so glad he's wearing it more often. Although I'm not too fond of it, Vman's clean version of his mask is pretty damn cool, and Sid's chromed out Gas Mask is just so Sid it's crazy. They all looked stunning, played amazing, and it made for such a special night of music.

Overall

Look man, what can I say? This band is here to stay, reinvigorated and fuelled to the top with violence and energy, there is nothing that Slipknot seemingly can't do. This gig was a celebration of what has already been and gone, a celebration of the self titled album and the groundwork it laid for their later career. Watching this band go back to basics and do what they do best was an absolute joy, and I feel very lucky that I was able to be there. Sure I had small gripes, Jay Weinburg wasn't on the kit - and I'm still pissed off for him, but Eloy is a machine of a drummer and did by no means disappoint. But this band is, like him, a machine - and a machine I hope has more to give soon, so I can listen more, and go to see them again.

Rating: 10/10