CONCERT REVIEW: Slipknot- Knocked Loose – Orbit Culture Live at Freedom Mortgage Pavilion

August 19, 2024

4 minutes read

Here Comes The Pain, and Slipknot is bringing it along with Orbit Culture and Knocked Loose. The tour came to the Freedom Mortgage Pavilion in Camden, NJ recently and left everyone stunned.

The Freedom Mortgage Pavilion is a Live Nation property and sits in Camden, New Jersey on the banks of the Delaware River. Looking across the river, there is a magnificent view of the Philadelphia skyline. Seating is available for about 7000 plus another 18,500 as general admission lawn seating. Beverages of every kind are available almost anywhere in the venue, but food options can be a bit limited, so it might not be a bad idea to grab a cheesesteak before the show.

After weeks of oppressive hot and humid weather, things finally cooled off and provided the perfect night for an outdoor show, but things quickly heated up again at seven when Orbit Culture took to the stage. As the lights dimmed low, ominous tones played over the PA. Strobes joined in and then a drummer placed high in the air on a riser that would provide a great view of the crowd. Sadly, people were still making their way in, but those who were there were treated to an old-school Metal performance.

Wikipedia describes Orbit Culture as a “Swedish Melodic Death Metal band.” When they hit the stage they started swinging their heads full of long hair around and looked a lot like Metallica from the Master Of Puppets (Elektra Records) days. Brutally heavy guitars and throat-sung lyrics allude to their Swedish roots and the faint hint of an accent when Niklas Karlsson addresses the audience cements it. After playing a thirty-minute set, these guys must be exhausted from the energy output. Those still filing in missed a stellar performance, but it is unlikely that we have heard the last of Orbit Culture, quite literally.

After a few minutes of scrambling to reset the stage comes the next act, Knocked Loose of Kentucky. They are touring to support their incredible new album You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To (Pure Noise Records, read our review here). This album is getting rave reviews and was voted the Ghost Cult Album Of The Month by a huge margin. They completed their headline tour this spring and now we have to settle for the abbreviated set of an opening act.

The set opens to a low rumble and builds with a rhythmic clapping sound as a lighted cross appears on the stage, and like a cannon shot, they are off. “Blinding Faith” starts the set and it is a miracle that the rest of the band can keep up with the drumming. Kevin Kaine must have been mentored by Dave Lombardo (Slayer, Misfits, Mr. Bungle, Empire State Bastard) because he is every bit as fast and attacks the drums. Their sound is described as Hardcore and Thrash, but it is like the Beastie Boys went full Deathcore. Lead singer Bryan Garris even slightly resembles Adam Yauch on stage. The new album is well represented with six of the fourteen songs originating there. Appropriately, the set’s final song is “Everything Is Quiet Now” and it is a good thing Slipknot is next because not many acts could follow this performance.

As the anticipation grows, the crowd comes completely to their feet well before the show starts. Everyone is ready and then…a song comes over the PA and it is….”Dream Weaver” by Gary Wright. Slowly this morphs into the twins from The Shining chanting “come and play with us”. That’s more like it. Out comes the band and everyone is wearing red jumpsuits with a barcode on the back. Grotesque masks hide all nine of the band members’ faces and no one is sure who they all are. One member’s name has still to be made public. However, there is no mistaking the lead singer Cory Taylor with long dreadlocks coming from his mask and, obviously, singing. The audience sings every word to every song and with that many people on stage, it is a bit crowded. A DJ and soundman flank the drummer on his riser and there is a percussionist on either side of the stage playing drums disguised as a keg and cooler.

After a few songs, Taylor takes a moment to explain that every song that they play will be from 1999 or before. His voice is a clear tenor and his speech is articulate. This is a dramatic contrast to the horrifying mask and costume he wears. We were promised some deep cuts and they delivered. Some songs like “Me Inside” and “No Life” have only been performed a handful of times. Eventually, the evening must end, and everyone has to return to their reality but for a couple of hours, Slipknot ruled the night.

The tour will continue into Canada and to the West Coast before heading to South America in October and November before a collection of December dates in England and Europe. Go see how it all started.

Setlist:
(Sic)
Eyeless
Wait and Bleed
Get This
Eeyore
Tattered & Torn (Sid Wilson remix)
Me Inside
Liberate
Frail Limb Nursery
Purity
Prosthetics
No Life
Only One
Encore:
Spit It Out
Surfacing
Scissors