The Theater at Ace Hotel in downtown LA was filled with lucky ticketholders Friday night (Oct 21) when Korn performed a 90-minute live set for broadcast to SiriusXM. Subscribers had an opportunity to win tickets to the private show through email invitations and various call-in promotions. One grand prize winner received a trip for two to Los Angeles plus a chance to meet the band in person. For fans around the world, the broadcast aired live on SiriusXM Octane, channel 37, and could be heard through the SiriusXM app on smartphones and other devices and from the siriusxm.com website.
The Spanish Gothic style Ace Hotel built in 1927 was once home to the historic United Artist Theater; now it’s one of the many ornate intimate venues adorning DTLA’s Broadway Theater district. The red-carpeted theater lobby was abuzz with fans taking pictures against backdrops of the band member’s likenesses in premiere fashion and partaking in a few cocktails before the 8:00 pm showtime. Because the concert was airing live on SiriusXM, the crews were visibly making last minute adjustments, fastening wires and cables, so the performance could go on without a hitch.
The Serenity of Suffering
Performing songs from their new studio album, The Serenity of Suffering (Roadrunner Records), released the same night and a catalog of songs spanning 20 plus years, Korn was thrilled to bring this special show to their home state. In a recent press release guitarist James “Munky” Shaffer said, “It’s an important night for us. We’ll be celebrating our album release while bringing together our hometown fans and the listeners of SiriusXM Octane, who have been so incredibly supportive of KORN for so long.”
Korn’s been a fixture in the alternative metal scene since 1993 with hits peaking top10 on the Billboard charts. The band, from Bakersfield, California, has released certified platinum and gold records and earned two Grammy and two MTV Music Awards. The current lineup consists of original members Jonathan Davis (vocals, bagpipes), James “Munky” Shaffer (guitar), Brian “Head” Welch (guitar, BG vocals), Reginald “Fieldy” Arvizu (bass), and newest addition replacing David Silveria in 2007, Ray Luzier (drums).
The opening song Right Now off their 2002 Take a Look in the Mirror album started the show off in great form. Davis took center stage, jeering the crowd, and spreading his arms open in a symbolic embrace. Davis’ vocals were physically powerful and commanding as he easily switched between lyrical voice to screamo. The band performed Take Me off their new release for the first time live and the audience went crazy when Davis appeared with bagpipes for the intro to Shoots and Ladders. At one point during the show Davis said the night was special not only because of the release of The Serenity of Suffering, but because it was the 20 year anniversary of their Life is Peachy album. The audience cheered, but Davis wouldn’t have it, so he did a bit of crowd shaming, which was eagerly answered back with a raucous cheer that shook the walls.
Korn came with a full-on stadium set-up, complete with choreographed lighting and theatrical smoke cannons. The use of neon on the drum heads spelling out Korn and on the speaker cabinets added flair and dimension to the low key lighting. Additionally, setting Luzier on a high riser accentuated his gargantuan drum kit and allowed the drummer to be a focal point. The show ended with an encore of the classics Falling Away From Me and Freak on a Leash.
Get your copy of The Serenity of Suffering now at any of these fine places.
iTunes: Flyt.it/KORNSOS
Google Play: flyt.it/KORNSOS-GP
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2eMntBP
Stream it on Spotify: flyt.it/KORNSOS-SP
Korn live SiriusFM broadcast – Oct 21, 2016 in Los Angeles, CA
- Right Now
- Here to Stay
- Take Me (live premiere)
- Rotting in Vain
- Somebody Someone
- Coming Undone
- Insane
- A Different World
- Y’All Want a Single
- Make Me Bad
- Shoots and Ladders (snippet of Metallica’s “One” at the end)
- Blind
- Twist
- Good God
Encore:
- Falling Away From Me
- Freak on a Leash
CLICK HERE to view more pics from the show.