In between the bands, Big Jay Oakerson, an overweight (and possibly racist) shock-and-awe comedian spouted off fat jokes and discussed black genitalia to the Nth degree; he also talked about fat, black women disliking him and the fact that 2Cents' bassist was half black. Obsess much? To us, it sounded like it. Light laughter and awkward glances were exchanged by most of the crowd whenever Oakerson was onstage, which thankfully was never for too long.
Just before Korn, DJ Kid Knuckles (yes, a metal DJ... Aftermath has now seen everything) played remixes to Rammstein, Rage Against the Machine and other bands that would obviously get the crowd pumped. But the guy didn't even have turntables, which begs the question, "What is the definition of DJ these days?"
Right before Korn took the stage, one fan who was pressed up against the rail told us that this was his 15th time seeing Korn live. "They've my favorite band," he said. "I've got a tattoo to prove it." As he lifted his shirt, the lights went out, and the crowd went absolutely wild. Nostalgia set in immediately.
Aftermath remembers when we first listened to Korn in middle school, right after our parents told us not to listen to Korn, Limp Bizkit or Eminem (probably because Fox News warned them about the music and its negative effect on children's minds), so the next day at school, we asked our friend to make us a tape - yes, a tape - of their music, so we could do exactly what our parents told us not to do.
Seven songs into Korn's set, Aftermath was finally able to make it to the bathroom. Usually, long lines for the restroom are reserved for females, but on Sunday night, it was the opposite. The gender of those in attendance was a little one-sided, to say it lightly.
Near the end of the show, during "Freak on a Leash," Aftermath saw one couple mouthing the lyrics "Something takes a part of me. You and I were meant to be. A cheap fuck for me to lay. Something takes a part of me," to one another and then begin violently making out. We didn't even realize we were staring until we got dirty looks, at which point we walked as far away as we could.
The group's encore began with Jonathan Davis walking out onto the stage with his bagpipes in hand. In high school, we played the bagpipes, and for how exhausted he must have been, the dude has quite a lung capacity. And mixing Scottish heritage with rock music isn't a simple task, yet Korn pulled it off.
Aftermath left Verizon with the masses and as we stepped outside and lit a cigarette, we realized that we were drenched in sweat. And although we avoided the mosh pits and most of the shirtless, angry fans, the energy of those in attendance coupled with the possible lack of air-conditioning turned us into a sweaty mess by the end. And all we could do is smile.
