THE KNOTFEST ROAD SHOW LIVE AT THE XFINITY

Local Scene

2021-10-18

THE KNOTFEST ROAD SHOW LIVE AT THE XFINITY

Killswitch

Code Orange

Fever 333

Slipknot

The Knotfest Road Show came to Hartford and brought some metal with it. Opening the night was Code Orange, a hardcore punk/metal band from Pittsburgh. The band consists of Eric Balderrose (Guitar, Keyboard, Vocals), Reba Meyers (Guitar, Vocals), Jami Morgan (Drums, Vocals), Joe Goldman (Bass) and Dominic Landolina (Guitar). Code Orange brought the metal early blazing through 8 songs in a 25 minute set. They were worth getting to the venue early and I am looking forward to seeing them again in November at Welcome to Rockville.

Fever 333 was next. I first saw them at Welcome to Rockville in 2018 and have not missed them in the area since. As a live act there are not many that match their energy. Fever 333 is a rap metal band from Inglewood, CA. Vocalist Jason Aalon Butler is nonstop showman on stage. I have seen him climb light rigs, porta pottys, and tents over the sound board.

The Xfinity Theatre didn’t have much to climb Saturday night so he was propping things on top of amps and crawling on and under them. Guitarist Stephen Harrison and drummer Aric Importa are no slouches both musically and energy wise. There were a few backflips involved along with the playing. Fever 333 played a 7 song set, led by “Made in America” and “Burn It”.

Semi local band Killswitch Engage from Westfield Ma. had a big following being so close to home. Jesse Leach (Vocals), Joel Stroetzel and Adam Dutkiewicz (Guitars), Mike D’Antonio (Bass) and Justin Foley (Drums) turned up the volume getting the crowd more excited as each song played. Killswitch played a 14 song set led by “My Serenade”, “My Curse”, “The End of Heartache” and their excellent cover of “Holy Diver” by Dio.

Capping off the evening was the band who everyone was waiting for and who put on this evenings lineup of music, Slipknot. The band did not disappoint. “Unsainted” and “Disasterpiece” were followed by a crowd favorite “Nero Forte”. Lead singer Corey Taylor was appreciative of the Hartford crowd’s energy and commented on how they have been coming here since 1999 and love the place. “Before I Forget”, “The Heretic Anthem”, Psychosocial”, “The Devil in I”, and “Solway Firth” led into my personal favorite “Wait and Bleed”. “Vermillion”, “All Out Life”, “Duality”, and “Spit It Out” closed out the main set. The band returned for a 3 set encore “People=Shit”, “(sic)” and “Surfacing”.

The rest of Slipknot is Shawn Crahan (Percussion) the only remaining original member, Craig Jones (Keyboard), Mick Thomson (Guitar), Sid Wilson (Turntables), Jim Root (Guitar), Alessandro Venturella (Bass), Jay Weinberg (Drums) and Michael Pfaff (Percussion). The group has been putting on Knotfest in one form or another almost every year since 2011. I do hope they continue to make CT a stop on their road show. It is a fun night of metal for all.

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