Live: Korn at the Superdome, Sydney
Everyone who has ever been a big live music addict like me has a list of bands they’ve always wanted to see – whether it is for their music, their sexy lead singer or guitarist, or just because you heard they were great live. Korn has always been one of those bands for me. Whether you are a Korn fan or not you would know at least one of their songs. They have an unmistakable style and sound. With this in mind you could imagine the high expectations I had for Jonathan Davis and his crew. Did they meet my expectations? Before I talk about their show, I really should tell you more about them, and about the support acts that came all the way from the USA with them.
10 years
My friends and I hadn’t even heard of tonight’s first act, 10 Years, so we didn’t rush in with the masses to see them. The band was handpicked by Korn and Disturbed to come on the Australian tour. An alternative metal band, with Tool- and Deftones-influences sounds. 10 Years recently toured the US with Disturbed.From outside at the bar, we could hear their set, and were amazed at the intensity and passion of their music. We then realized we were missing out and hurried in there. Unfortunately, we only got to see their last two songs, but it was definitely worth it.
Hatebreed
One of my friends, a 22 year old hardcore fan, loved the next band, Hatebreed. A hardcore band from Connecticut, USA, featuring heavy, metallic guitars, screaming vocals, and short, headpoundingly intense songs. They, I’m embarrassed to say, was another band I knew very little about. When they started I knew why. They were loud, gritty and raw – three things that when combined do not make my taste in music – but they did have one thing I didn’t expect them to have – a story within their songs. In my, albeit, limited experience with hardcore music, the songs are usually either unrecognizable because of the screaming, grunting lyrics, or they have no storyline to them whatsoever. Hatebreed’s lyrics actually meant something to me – they hit me and I could not only understand, but appreciate, what they were trying to say. I was quite impressed by them.
Disturbed
Heavy metal band Disturbed started in a similar way to Korn – they came together through the matching of a band with a singer. Although a relatively new group (releasing their debut album in 2000), Disturbed played the main stage at the 2001 OzzFest, where they gained enough fans and exposure to follow it with what they called a 'victory lap' around the USA. Their latest album, Ten Thousand Fists, was released late 2005.
I knew Disturbed well, but not quite as well as the headlining act. Another of my friends was a big fan of this group, and had much higher expectations than I did. I’m happy to say that they did not disappoint. A matter of fact, I could easily say that they blew me away. The lead singer, David Draiman, had a voice unlike any other. Some would say he is wasting his voice singing heavy metal, although, with his shaved head and enough metal in his face to set off most metal-detectors, I would have no idea what else he could do. His voice was faultless, powerful and awe-inspiring. Some bands sound exactly like their CD when they play live, which is usually a positive indication of talent – these guys were so much better than their CD. Apart from Draiman’s voice, the other aspect of the show that really stood out was his interaction with the audience. He spoke to us between songs and really brought us into the set. I really enjoy it when a band does that, and doesn’t just stand on stage, play, and leave.
Korn
Lastly, but certainly not least, were Korn. We waited a long time for them to come out, which was a little off-putting after we had already sat through three bands. Finally when Davis and the group came out, and the show began, we all forgave them. There were large breaks in between each song, which was a little strange, as were the characters that were brought out – additional band members who were wearing masks of animals, amongst other things. This did add to the intensity of the music, but was a little disturbing. The sound was substandard anyway, and we were getting a lot of feedback in the audience. Unlike the previous bands, there was no interaction with the audience from Korn. It was like they were playing in a studio to no-body. The songs that most people were there to hear were their old ones, like ADIDAS and Good God, were all rolled together in a medley, which was obviously a way to include them in their short set, but wasn’t appreciated by the crowd.
Verdict: Overall, the band that I had been waiting to see for almost ten years was a disappointment. The standout band of the night was by-far, Disturbed, and if and when they come to Australia next, I will be sure to see them.