KORN / LIMP BIZKIT / MADBALL | LIVE REVIEW
Motorpoint Arena Cardiff, Sun 18 Dec
The last time Korn and Limp Bizkit hit South Wales together was 1997 in Newport. This was arguably around the time that the term ‘nu-metal’ was conceived, which makes both these bands the founding fathers. That was nearly 20 years ago; the corpse of nu-metal is still crawling around somewhere but there have been through a lot of changes since. Korn have gone through drug addiction, found god, and fired their original drummer, while Limp Bizkit have had their own stints in rehab as well as several personnel changes. While this tour may not be a purely nostalgic one, a lot of people here have certainly come to relive their teens.
In a move that split the hardcore scene right down the middle, NYHC stalwarts Madball open tonight’s proceedings. Front man Freddy Cricien is a bundle of energy as they slam their way through a back catalogue that goes back over 25 years. Although on paper this seemed a bit of a mismatch, Madball get a very healthy reaction, finishing a storming set with Doc Marten Stomp followed by the obligatory Hardcore Still Lives shout out. Indeed it does.
There’s a healthy dose of red caps pushing forward as Limp Bizkit storm the Motorpoint stage. Master of ceremonies Fred Durst jumps around with all the vigour of a man half his age, in the worst fluorescent green shorts I’ve ever seen. His partner in crime, guitarist Wes Borland, is next to him in all white suit, white face and white hair, looking like the ghost of David Bowie. An early double whammy of Rollin’ and Nookie send a packed-out arena into hysterics; Limp Bizkit show little of the newer stuff and choose to stick to the crowd pleasers, which seems just fine as far as this crowd is concerned.
One lucky fan gets invited onstage to trade insults with Durst in Livin’ It Up before we are treated to Re-Arranged – a track they’ve not played live in nearly five years. Durst then gets upfront and personal with the fans, climbing on the barriers and taking it back via Pollution, Counterfeit and Stuck followed by George Michael’s Faith. The Motorpoint threatens to implode with the encore of Break Stuff and Take A Look Around. Mic dropped: over to you, Korn.
Right Now, from 2003’s Take A Look In The Mirror, is perhaps not the opener I would have gone with, considering Korn have songs like Blind in their arsenal, but this is a minor blip in a largely excellent set. The moshpit erupts once more to Here To Stay and Rotting In Vain and vocalist Jonathan Davis can’t contain his seemingly genuine excitement at being here. Draped over his H.R. Giger-designed mic stand, Davis leads the band through their cover of Cameo’s Word Up before launching into the lurching heaviness of Coming Undone, complete with We Will Rock You interlude. In Ray Luzier, Korn have a real powerhouse drummer, whose pummelling beats enhance the sheer heaviness of Korn’s riffs.
Midway through the set, Davis leaves the stage briefly, only to return with his bagpipes, to blast out the intro to Shoots And Ladders – which ends with a snippet of Metallica’s One, before Luzier brings in the aforementioned Blind with that familiar cymbal work. Davis reminds us that Korn’s second album Life Is Peachy is nearly 20 years old before hitting us with two of its highlights, Twist and Good God. There’s still enough energy in the crowd for them to go bananas one last time, with the encore of Falling Away From Me and Freak On A Leash and just like that, it’s all over.
Judging by the reactions of the crowd tonight, this was much more than just a trip down memory lane. Both Korn and Limp Bizkit demonstrated that there’s plenty of life in them yet.
words CHRIS ANDREWS photos RAYMOND BANNISTER