Korn + Flyleaf – 4th March – Wolverhampton Civic
It’s been a long tour for Korn, spanning the majority of 2008 so far with Deathstars and Flyleaf in tow. So it could be expected that tonight’s final show of the 34 date run may not see the bands performing at their best.
Flyleaf quickly blow any such ideas away, with guitarist Pat Seals tearing around the stage, performing impressive leaps from anything he can find. Singer Lacey Mosley, as a female frontwoman of a Christian metal band, must be quite tired by now of being compared to Evanesence’s Amy Lee, and rightly so. Mosley’s impressive range slips between the rich, melodious tones of ‘So I Thought’ and raw screams and growls which seem almost unnatural coming from the tiny singer.
Flyleaf are finally beginning to receive recognition in the UK, timed with the release of their debut album for the third time over here. As Mosley spins and whirls frantically while Seals throws himself from a speaker almost as high as the balcony, it’s good to see a band with this much passion and love for performing get the credit they deserve.
With only two of the founding members of Korn present tonight, it isn’t surprising that the crowd wait until Jonathon Davis’ appearance before really starting to get going. From that moment on the Civic becomes a mass of flying dreads, pumping fists and swirling lasers. The sound is far from ideal, with vocals and bass cutting out for sections of some of the best known songs. However it takes more than that to faze them, storming through ‘Freak On A Leash’ and throwing in a quick cover of Queen’s ‘We Will Rock You’ during ‘Coming Undone’.
There is a real mix of people here tonight, from young children in oversized Korn tshirts with their parents to older fans who have been with the band from the early days. The Californians have acted as an introduction to metal for many young people, bringing them into alternative music, many of whom are still with them now as adults.
By the time ‘Here To Stay’ is unleashed, every one of them is rocking out right to the back of the balcony, the mayhem only really relenting for the uncharacteristically mellow ‘Kiss’. Of course the opportunity to grab a lighter and wave it in the air is not passed up at the first sign of a slower song.
As the band say goodnight and disappear from view, everyone knows what has to come next. As soon as the first few seconds of ‘Blind’s massive intro break the tension, an enormous circle pit emerges from the centre of the crowd, eventually erupting into complete mayhem as the song finally kicks in.
‘This is dedicated to all the old school Korn fans’ yells Davis before the band launch into one of their older songs, ‘Faget’, and continue to cater for their longer serving followers, throwing in further tracks from their earliest albums. New recording ‘Haze’ signals the future for Korn with talk of a new album in progress. It seems that they will be delivering their anger filled, but at times deeply personal music, and winning yet more fans, for years to come. Their shows may not have the brutal intensity of the old days, but Korn are still a force to be reckoned with live.
Review – Helen Catchpowle