Last night (April 25), I was fortunate enough to attend an intimate Slipknot show at Pappy + Harriet’s in Pioneertown, CA and it was absolutely insane!

The band took the stage with a full-on display of aggression as they rocked a set full of classics. Everything was top-notch from the musicianship to the aesthetics. The band’s classic red jumpsuits and old-school looking masks for their 25th anniversary complimented their unbridled intensity and made everyone feel like they were back in 1999.

Each member made a point to make it night to remember. Corey Taylor claimed his voice was a little “fucked up” from rehearsals, but he sounded just as strong as ever. Percussionists M. Shawn “Clown” Crahan and Michael “Tortilla Man” Pfaff also added some killer growls to the mix, while engaging in entertaining stage antics. All of that combined with Jim Root and Mick Thomson’s masterful guitar work, Alessandro “Vman” Venturella’s killer bass lines, Sid Wilson’s turntable skills, etc. made for an arena-worthy show in an 850-capacity venue. This is even true for the new drummer (rumored to be Eloy Casagrande), who managed to inject a new level of ferocity into the band.

The setlist was amazing too. Fans got a number of old-school tracks from the band’s self-titled album including “Eyeless,” “Prosthetics,” “Spit It Out,” etc. mixed with other fan-favorites like “People = Shit,” “The Heretic Anthem,” “Before I Forget,” “Psychosocial,” and “Custer.” Notably, the newest track performed was “Unsainted” off the group’s 2019 album “We Are Not Your Kind.” No songs from 2022’s “The End, So Far” were included.

All in all, it was an incredible, once in a lifetime show and those who were lucky enough to attend will remember it for years to come. Long live The Knot!

This article was originally published on Metal Anarchy.