You never forget your first!
Slipknot @ The DeltaPlex in Grand Rapids, MI in 2005….it was the first time I had ever seen Slipknot and was easily the gnarliest I would ever see them. The openers were Unearth and The Dillinger Escape Plan.
It was during the Volume 3 album tour, my friends Kyle and David were with me. David had to take a break as a Red Bull he chugged was not agreeing with him during the opening acts, but Kyle and I held our positions as this drunk dude in a sleeveless shirt proclaimed ‘Who’s ready for 9 mother fuckers in mask to fuck us up?’ as he double fisted 2 Solo Cups of beer then started singing Duality terribly.
Then some other guy with some teeth, started chanting Slipknot randomly as joints were passed around. Then the white sheet dropped and the lights went out…and all I could see was silhouettes of Chris’ nose and Mick’s hair….then the music started of ‘The Blister Exists,’ Corey shouts 1, 2, 3….kabuki drops and the place just exploded.
The crowd became a wave of humans, my body compressed, I fell, Kyle fell and I could visibly see him getting crushed as I pulled bodies off of him, his earring got ripped out, and the only way out was to crowd surf out. Keep in mind, cell phones weren’t smart yet…so no recording of this show exists…people were there to raise hell and have fun.
It was awesome.
The next few times I saw the band, they’ve always been amazing…but NOTHING like that. That first time seeing them was something I’ll never witness again, just cause how intense not only the crowd was, but the band was. It was one of the most insane shows I had ever been too, even if I got a little injured.
Rock n’ roll man \m/
