Opening the main Apollo stage 15 minutes early to allow for a longer, extended set time, German rockers Volbeat put in a great early morning shift, really building on a growing reputation, spearheaded by their Metallica sized endorsement. Massive in their native Germany, they attract a sizeable crowd for their set, which goes down well and includes a roaring cover rendition of Dusty Springfield’s I Only Want To Be With You. Fallen, which has a video doing the rounds on UK music television is another highlight of their sun soaked 45 minute set. Fusing in elements of rock and roll, punk rock fury and straight up metal,Volbeat build on a growing reputation and do there utmost to get the party started for the day ahead.
Setlist - The Human Instrument / Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood / A New Day / Sad Man's Tongue / The Mirror And The Ripper / Hallelujah Goat / Still Counting / Fallen / I Only Want To Be With You
(Dusty Springfield cover) / Pool Of Booze, Booze, Booze (with "Raining Blood" outro)
Black Tide open the Saturn stage, in what has to be one of the worst performances of the entire weekend.
When their first record came out they were touted as the new metal superstars of the future, wise beyond their tender years. Since that debut, they have been away for quite some time, and while they now seem to have grown up in terms of age, their material now sounds weak and lacklustre. Their set is a dreary one, failing to get the bulk of the crowd going and is one of the most forgettable moments of the entire weekend. They seem to have lost their way a bit, and it looks doubtful now that they will reach or surpass the promise that their debut album hinted at.
Disappointing.
Setlist - Hit the Lights (Metallica cover) / Bury Me / Let It Out / Honest Eyes / Again / Warriors Of Time
What is also disappointing is the sheer brevity of Arch Enemy’s set over on the Apollo stage.
30 minutes is nothing for a band of this quality, and their set is fantastic, although frustratingly brief. Angela Gossow and Co don’t let that affect them though, and plough on with the task ahead; thrashing the huge crowd into a frenzy in the pits, hitting hard with their extreme metal onslaught. Angela suffers some sound problems early doors, but as a whole, this is an incredible set for a band who seem to have something to prove. They come out fighting, and lay waste to the field in front of them.
Another 15-20 minutes would have been just right too, but at half an hour, there is so much more the fans could have had today. However, Michael Amott is on top form, as ever, and Angela stalks the stage like a wild animal, picking apart the vocal parts of the songs, in full voiced fury.
One of the highlights of the day.
House Of Pain then persist to attempt to rain on the party with an awful, awful set, which veers between sleepy lounge jazz and half arsed raps. It is only when THAT song kicks in, that the set goes anywhere. Jump Around is a classic, and the crowd collectively lose their set when that drop kicks in.
“I serve the hits like John McEnroe, if your girl steps up, I’m smacking the hoe”
“Or better yet a Terminator, like Arnold Schwarzanegger , try to play me out like, as if my name was Sega”
Lyrical genius, but everything else before this track was fucking dire.
Setlist - Danny Boy, Danny Boy / Put On Your Shit Kickers / Jump Around
As was the fact Parkway Drive started early on the main stage, and after trekking across, the very start of their sensational set had already been and gone. However, Winston McCall’s men slayed the main stage in what was one of the most brutal and ferocious sets Knebworth has ever laid witness to. A broken leg didn’t even stop guitarist Luke Kilpatrick from thrashing away in a wheelchair, hitting crunching riff after crunching riff. Winston McCall leads the pack through a ferocious set, inciting a near riot amongst the crowd with their thunderously heavy metalcore punch to the face. He sends members of the crowd off on “surfing competitions” with dinghys in hand, and decked by two huge pseudo wave crashes, the band show they have a sense of humour to go with their Australian surfer boy looks.
Looks are deceiving though.
This is one of the most brutal and mind batteringly heavy sets at Sonisphere this year, and their UK tour next year will be something very special indeed. Outstanding stuff.
Setlist - Samsara / Unrest / Boneyards / Idols And Anchors / Sleepwalker / Deliver Me / Home Is For The Heartless / Carrion
Following Parkway Drive’s set the entire site falls silent for a respectful two minute silence for our fallen comrade, Slipknot’s Paul Gray. It is an emotional sight, and something very special. Pure silence washes over the entire site to honour the man’s life. As the two minutes finish, the crowd roars their appreciation for a man whose life will never be forgotten. If the anticipation for Slipknot’s return was already through the roof, after this, it is pure supernova. Everyone in attendance knows that today is not something that any of us will forget any time soon.
RIP Paul Gray.
In Flames take to the stage next, reminding everyone why they are considered as one of the flag bearers of modern metal, especially in the melodic death metal scene, taking the classic “Gothenbury sound” and transforming it into an altogether different and more commercially accessible beast in the process. They have been around for a long time, and with only 40-45 minutes to play with, it is not a lot of time to blast through a killer back catalogue.
They dip and weave amongst releases, the biggest responses coming for Take This Life and The Quiet Place. Surprisingly, perennial set closer My Sweet Shadow is absent today, but their set is a joyous one, with one number dedicated to the life of their late friend Paul Gray, whose life was celebrated merely moments before they hit the stage.
If they do indeed turn up on the Defenders Of The Faith tour towards the end of the year alongside Trivium, it will not be one to miss.
Setlist - Cloud Connected / Trigger / Alias / Pinball Map / Deliver Us / The Hive / Where The Dead Ships Dwell / The Quiet Place / Take This Life
Up next are Mastodon, who have an astonishingly long 60 minute set, still fairly early in the day. Legs tiring, it is one taken in from the rear, but it still sounds monstrously heavy. It tends to veer towards their newer, proggier sound, which does not do a lot for me, but there is no doubt that these guys are a big deal these days.
Attracting an enormous crowd, the band rock through a heavy going set, which is a little hard to digest in places, but which still ultimately ends up at Blood And Thunder, one of their finer (read-briefer, less proggy) tracks that is still one of their finest moments.
Tremendously talented and ground shakingly loud, they are a huge band, but for me, I am not too keen on the prog stylings these days. I preferred it when they played shorter, to the point “whale-core”. However, it is a solid set from them, if not personally groundbreaking for me. Admittedly, a full hour is a little much to stomach on day three . . .
Setlist - Iron Tusk / March Of The Fire Ants / Where Strides The Behemoth / Mother Puncher / Circle Of Cysquatch / Aqua Dementia / Crack The Skye / Ghost Of Karelia / Sleeping Giant / Crystal Skull / Bladecatcher / Colony Of Birchmen / Megalodon / Blood And Thunder
Resident looney tunes Airbourne follow up next, and provide one of the biggest talking points of the entire weekend. Front man Joel O’Keefe is without a doubt Health and Safety’s biggest nightmare, as he not only scales the stage rig as he did two years ago, but this time goes further, ascending to climb on top of the second stage.
It is fucking insane.
He not only gets to the top, but continues to play, as he carries on riffing throughout the bands run through of Black Jack. The man is an absolute beast, and yes, slightly unhinged, but it doesn’t half make for an unforgettable and captivating spectacle.
Runnin’ Wild is still the highlight of their career, but the remainder of their AC/DC sounding set is hugely enjoyable on days like today. They are a cracking live band, and while at times their material may be a little pedestrian on record, in the live environment, they are untouchable at their craft.
And yes, the dude is a nutjob.
Unbelievable.
Setlist - Raise The Flag / Chewin' The Fat / Diamond In The Rough / Blackjack / Cheap Wine & Cheaper Women / No Way But The Hard Way / Too Much, Too Young, Too Fast / Runnin' Wild / Stand Up For Rock 'N' Roll
Lemmy and Co roll into Knebworth next, dedicating their set today, “and the rest of their lives” to their former guitarist Wurzel who sadly passes away the previous day. Their name is Motorhead, and yes, they play rock and roll.
Loud.
It is exactly what it says on the tin as Motorhead roll through the usual hits for 60 minutes, with the same highlights as always, namely Ace Of Spades, and Overkill. Sure it is predictable as hell, but the band are legendary, and they always go down a storm at festivals. Today is no exception, as the band attract one of the biggest crowds of the entire festival to their set.
It is a privilege to watch them everytime, as they surely can’t live forever? But knowing Lemmy, who the hell would bet against it?
Setlist - Iron Fist / Stay Clean / Get Back In Line / Metropolis / Over The Top / One Night Stand / I Know How To Die / In the Name of Tragedy (with Drum Solo) / Going To Brazil / Killed By Death / Ace Of Spades / Overkill
Having saved my legs through the last three bands, I was ready down the front for the arrival of Fred Durst et al and the irrepressible Limp Bizkit. After returning to the scene a couple of years back, they have carved themselves a niche in becoming one of the world’s most loved festival acts, going down phenomenally wherever they play. Download and Sonisphere ‘09, Leeds and Reading ’10 and now Sonisphere ’11, the field is theirs for the taking by the time they hit the stage.
Wes is dressed up in his usual strange bodypaint ensemble, while Fred D rocks the red cap as you would expect, with his customary basketball shirt and the place collectively go apeshit for the opening HotDog.
What follows is a masterclass. Opting to let the crowd choose the lions share of the band’s set, the band wilfully play everything the fans want to hear, with My Generation, Livin’ It Up and Break Stuff coming out early, and throwing down hard. The pits go crazy as usual, and the band are in fine form. My Way is still, after all these years an incredible song, and the one new track aired, the vicious Douchebag (“Imma fuck you up . . . “) shows that the band are not just resting on past laurels, but still creating great music.
Closing on the inevitable Rollin’, Limp Bizkit yet again prove to be at the top of their game, and ready to keep on tearing up occasions such as this for a long time coming. Word on the street from Fred D is that there is an O2 show lined up for later in the year. If that proves to be correct, it will be simply unmissable.
Setlist - Introbra / Hot Dog / My Generation / Livin' It Up / Break Stuff / Douche Bag / My Way / Boiler / Take a Look Around / Faith / Rollin' (Air Raid Vehicle)
And then we come to the festival’s closing act; Slipknot.
Streamed across the world, for an adoring fanbase to withhold, this is a monumental occasion for band and fans alike. Powered by the moving two minute tribute, the band come on stage like men possessed, and strike through the night honouring their fallen brother throughout their performance.
It is one unforgettable showcase as well.
A pensive opening entrance onto the stage stretches for at least five minutes of build up and distortion, and when that intro tape kicks in, and (sic) bursts into life, following a deafing pyro explosion, the crowd proceeds to go mental. The band mean business.
Corey addresses the crowd early proclaiming this to be a celebration of Paul’s life, and the fans duly respond, at every turn losing their mind to one of the most emotional sets you will ever lay witness to. Wait And Bleed is momentous, as is Pulse Of The Maggots and a skyscraper like Before I Forget. The set only gets better too as it progresses, with Psychosocial, The Heretic Anthem, Duality, Spit It Out, People=Shit and Surfacing all being played ONE.AFTER.ANOTHER.
Psychosocial has a huge chorus and the rain responds in kind, lashing down as Corey screams “And the rain will kill us all . . . “. The Heretic Anthem slays, with everyone in attendance firmly considering themselves to be “666”, amidst burning flames.
Duality comes along, and is one of the most incredible things ever seen at Knebworth House. Sid Wilson ventures out into the crowd, surfing over to scale the sound booth in the middle of the field, whilst Corey asks for the fans help to sing a song for their brother. As the fans take away the opening intro to Duality, and then that beat kicks in, as the riffs powers out into life, Sid (reminiscent of his dive at the famous now defunct London Astoria, something Corey mentions on stage) leaps off the sound desk and to the crowd below him. The band continue the assault, as the crowd continue to sing back at Corey the refrain from one of their biggest hits to date.
It is a truly special moment, where undoubtedly Paul Gray is watching down on his brothers and his fans.
He would have been proud.
Returning for their encore, Slipknot spit bile and aggression into Spit It Out, complete with the crowd sitting down on the floor to jump up in union for the “Fuck me, I’m all out of enemies” refrain. People=Shit is just as vicious and ferocious, before Surfacing sees the band close what has been a truly phenomenal set, and a truly outstanding festival.
What comes following their set is one of the most moving things you have ever seen. As Till We Die blasts out over the PA, the band collectively bring Paul’s stage regalia, boiler suit and mask included, from the part of the stage where it sat throughout their time with us, and bring it to the forefront. Emotional pictures are taken, with the Knebworth crowd as a backdrop, and they even invite long time friend and stand in bassist Donnie Steele out from the shadows to share in the moment.
Joey Jordison brings it all home for everyone. He hugs the empty attire, clearly in tears, and clearly missing his friend, while the crowd applaud. Paul’s number (2) hangs dominantly in the background, as the lights dim, and the band depart.
There is not a dry eye in the house.
Setlist - 742617000027 / (sic) / Eyeless / Wait And Bleed / The Blister Exists / Liberate / Before I Forget / Pulse Of The Maggots / Disasterpiece / Psychosocial / The Heretic Anthem / Duality / Spit It Out / People = Shit / Surfacing / 'Till We Die outro
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