Slipknot Brings Intensity and Affection in a Loudly Loving Performance in Dallas

Slipknot’s return to Dallas on August 25 marked three years in a row that the band has performed in the city at Gexa Energy Pavilion. It wasn’t particularly unique from the other two visits, but one detail remained obvious: no matter what, the people will come.

Vocalist Corey Taylor was succumbed to a not-so-heavy metal neck brace because of an unexpected spinal surgery. After some postponed tour dates, it didn’t take long to be back and at it again. The energy onstage was less powerful because of Taylor’s pesky neck wrap, but it wasn’t a severe hindrance.

There’s always a factor of intensity to expect at a Slipknot show. It’s not only musically palpable from the band, but from the crowd’s involvement as well. For a metal band to fill up a 20,000-capacity venue in 2016 is no small feat. Instead of just reeling in the aging “I remember in 2000” crowd, Slipknot has managed to always attract new (and younger) fans along the way. There were many moms and dads with their kids, older couples, and teenagers all singing and screaming to “Wait and Bleed” from 1999.
Considering the devout and rabid fan base, Slipknot should consider switching up which songs are played. The set list didn’t differ greatly from previous shows on the current album cycle, and some in the crowd yelled names of older songs.

There’s an immense opportunity to diversify the setlist because of the distinct musical approaches on all five albums. Other than “Dead Memories,” from All Hope is Gone, the set was like a greatest hits with a few songs from .5: The Gray Chapter sprinkled in. The last three albums embraced melodic approaches, but were still heavy enough to blend with previous work. There’s nothing wrong with the classic tracks, but longtime fans would love to hear more variety.

Corey Taylor spoke about how Dallas was one of the first cities to embrace Slipknot, and that it’s one of the band’s favorite cities to perform in (with a few more expletives thrown in). Whether or not that’s just some classic sucking up to get cheers can be debated, but even with the brutal lyrics, rapid drumbeats, and down-tuned guitars exuding a dark and often violent theme, there’s no denying the incredible respect and love Slipknot had towards fans. No wonder crowds keep filling up amphitheaters for them.