Korn

September 21, 2024 – Freedom Mortgage Pavilion, Camden NJ

Review by Chris Yates // Photography by Estelle Massry

The Freedom Mortgage Pavilion was buzzing with fans eager for a night of adrenaline-fueled energy, featuring the iconic nu-metal legends Korn and the formidable French metal band Gojira along with the Canadian metalcore Spiritbox!

As Spiritbox kicked off the evening, the crowd erupted in cheers as frontwoman Courtney LaPlante commanded attention immediately. Her stage presence was a blend of intensity and grace while dishing out a mix of haunting melodies and crushing riffs which were to set the tone for a powerful night of melodic metalcore.

LaPlante’s ethereal vocals soared alongside powerful instrumentals, showcasing the band’s signature blend of crips vocals and guttural screaming. Her emotional depth of the performance was palpable and LaPlante’s heartfelt delivery resonated with many in the audience who knew just what to expect as she turned a heavy metal show into a cathartic experience.

Setting the Stage for Korn next were the French heavy metal band, Gojira. If you watched the Olympic opening ceremonies this summer, you may recall Gojira added one of the most vivid and jarring moments in Olympic opening ceremony history when they performed from the balconies looking over the River Seine in Paris.

The moment they took the stage and kicked off with “Born for One Thing,” the crowd was electrified. Their blend of progressive metal and environmental themes resonated deeply with me, with frontman Joe Duplantier commanding the stage like a force of nature.

The sound was immaculate; the intricate guitar work and thunderous drums were perfectly balanced, allowing each note to pierce through the air. Mario Duplantier (Joe’s brother) stole the show on drums. His hard-hitting style reminded me of some of the best in the world, and has been described as one of metal’s most rhythmic and technical drummers.

Highlights for me included when they performed “Flying Whales,” where the haunting melodies created an almost ethereal atmosphere, and “Stranded,” which showcased the band’s ability to weave heavy riffs with moments of melodic beauty. Gojira’s passion was palpable, and their commitment to both their craft and the planet shone through in every performance.

The backdrop kept me fully engaged as the visuals on screen told the stories of each song and the lighting was memorizing. A great performance and the packed house concurred with thunderous applause as they closed with “Amazonia”!

After a brief intermission and while the audience were bursting with anticipation, the black curtain finally dropped and the titans of nu-metal, Korn stormed onto the stage with the iconic intro of “Here to Stay.” The energy in the pavilion skyrocketed as fans erupted in cheers.

Jonathan Davis’s unmistakable voice soared over the heavy, groove-laden instrumentals, delivering a wave of raw power. The band also consists of Brian Welch on guitar, Ray Luzier on drums, Ra Diaz on bass and James Shaffer (“Munky”) on guitar. They seamlessly blended classic hits like “Got the Life”, Blind” and “Shoots and Ladders” with newer tracks from their latest album, keeping both long-time fans and newcomers engaged. The addition of dramatic visuals and intense lighting elevated the experience, turning the pavilion into a pulsating spectacle.

Davis’s emotional connection with the crowd was evident, delivering moments of vulnerability amidst the chaos which illustrated the depth of Korn’s artistry. The night culminated in a relentless encore featuring “Falling Away”, “Oildale (Leave Me Alone)” and “Freak on a Leash” leaving fans shouting for more.

The pairing of Spiritbox, Gojira and Korn was a match made in metal heaven. Spiritbox’s blend of power and grace and Gojira’s technical prowess and thematic depth set a high bar, while Korn’s legendary status and high-octane performance delivered the final blow. The atmosphere was electric, with fans headbanging and singing along, creating a sense of unity that only live music can inspire.

As the night came to a close, the crowd left buzzing with adrenaline, grateful for the unforgettable experience. This concert wasn’t just a showcase of talent; it was a celebration of heavy music’s power to connect, inspire, and move. If you ever get the chance to see either of these bands live, don’t miss it!

For more info please visit http://www.kornofficial.com

Dave Matthews Band

Concert Reviews

July 15, 2022 – Freedom Mortgage Pavilion, Camden NJ

Review & Photography by Estelle Massry

I pride myself a big Dave Matthews fan, but I’ll admit it’s been a while and once I arrived at the show my assumptions were confirmed. I knew immediately I had a lot of catching up to do.

I looked around in astonishment on what seemed to be a huge get together of thousands of very close friends, but in reality, they were all complete strangers. However, as the bands live shows have proven in the past, fans are brought together and completely connected by the magic of Dave Matthews and his welcoming and inclusive, “feel good” music.

Tonight was night-one of their two night run at the Freedom Mortgage Pavilion in Camden, NJ. Known for their astonishing live performances, the Grammy-winning Rock band from Virginia captivated fans for nearly 3 hours, delivering melodic vocals combined with hypnotizing light shows. I’ve been to countless live shows in my time as a professional photographer and this stunning production design by lighting and visual designer Fenton Williams and programmer Aaron Stinebrink made me feel as if I were an excited 10yr old in a planetarium gazing at the lights of the universe. It was spectacular!

It was hard to distinguish which song was the more popular amongst the bands devoted fans as every single person in the entire arena mirrored every lyric Dave sang and cheered to each songs conclusion as if it was their favorite.

Dave only played two classic hits, so if you are a first timer, don’t expect to hear the songs that occupy your playlists as this show focuses on his new songs, promoting his new album. That being said, there were no breaks, as the band played straight through the entire show.

Dave was a man of few words tonight but pleased the crowd by playing a song that has not yet been released entitled, “Walk Around the Moon” – and as he introduced the song he stated, “I like it a lot. If you don’t, get right!”

The Dave Matthews Band consists of Dave Matthews, Carter Beauford (drums), Stefan Lessard (bass), Rashawn Ross (trumpet), Jeff Coffin (horns), Tim Reynolds (guitar) and Buddy Strong (keys) – all expert and passionate musicians.

Setlist

Fool to Think
Big Eyed Fish
Bartender
Samurai Cop
So Much to Say
Anyone Seen the Bridge
Too Much
Sweet
Rooftop
Seek Up
When the World Ends
Walk Around the Moon
Pantala Naga Pampa
Rapunzel
Grace Is Gone
You Might Die Trying
Come on Come on
What You Are
Everyday
Don’t Drink the Water
Sister (Encore)
Ants Marching (Encore)

For more info please visit http://www.davematthewsband.com

Machine Gun Kelly

Concert Reviews

June 26, 2022 – Freedom Mortgage Pavilion, Camden NJ

Review by Chris Yates // Photography by Estelle Massry

The tattooed, pink died hair, punk, pop rocker played to a sold out crowd of over 20,000 adoring fans Sunday night at the indoor/outdoor Freedom Mortgage Pavilion. It was a beautiful summer night and the screaming fans came out in droves for the Mainstream Sellout Tour.

Prior to MGK coming out on stage the show opened with My Chemical Romance (MCR) song, “Welcome to the Black Parade”. We know MGK respectfully doesn’t hide his musical influences and MCR is a favorite. The fans sang loud to the song and it seemed to energize everyone as this set the mood for the show.

The show was packed with messages about the internet and MGK’s take on how the digital universe treats him. The concert started with the noise of a helicopter and on two big screens a helicopter pilot was on a mission to save MGK who seemed to be in distress, lost, and not knowing where he was. The message could not be more clear as he was trapped in a box and claiming the internet put him there. A helicopter then dropped from the ceiling and with a long ladder, MGK was rescued or broke free from the box. Simple symbolism, but message heard loud and clear. Yes, sometimes the internet isn’t fair.

The fans erupted, with their own out of the box experience and the show began with MGK singing “Born With Horns” from the ladder, hanging from the helicopter.

It’s not a secret that MGK has a dislike for the internet, mostly due to some backlash over his pop punk migration . As the show progressed, another symbolic three-story-tall, gray inflatable giant, with a television or computer monitor for a head, with an LED screen depicting the grim-reaper came on stage and claimed “I am the internet, I thought I put you in a box”!

MGK was wearing a shiny, silver, sequins jacket over a black mesh shirt showing off his tattoos, and pink, baggy, almost parachute type pants. His mic stand was a long white arm with a hand as a mic holder and another hand which held something where I couldn’t tell what it was. I thought it was cool though as the entire mic stand looked like a piece of art straight from MOMA.

I found the show to be entertaining as MGK puts on a good performance and engages well with he crowd. MGK’s band consists of guitarist Justin Lyons & Sophie Lloyd, bassist Steve “Base” Basil and drummer JP “Rook” Cappelletty.