As the second Family Values Tour after a five-year hiatus, it seems as though expectations were low.
The early crowd proved thin, bored, and too hot in the Chicago sun to care, with the typical strange summer festival show mix: everyone from the metal faithful to the frat boys showed up to play, with far more striped shirts at a rock show than would ever be expected. But I digress.
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Family Values Tour 2007
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 Entertainment
Art
First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
Chicago, Ill.
July 22, 2007
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Family Values 2007’s lineup seems a little disjointed as first glance as it wouldn’t seem like a good fit to have TRL friendly Evanescence share a stage with the likes of Atreyu’s brand of metalcore, much less metal mainstays Korn and it was clear the noticeably irritated, sweaty crowd felt the same as they milled around Tinley Park’s First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre.
Kicking off the main stage for the day, British Columbia’s Neurosonic brought their A game, with high energy, catchy songs, and a real sense of how to work a stage. Unfortunately, the crowd was a black hole, standing listlessly in the summer heat, with the rare set of horns aloft. Regardless of the motionless pit, Neurosonic soldiered on, undeterred, closing their set with “So Many People,” the single that sparked buzz due to the lyrics calling pre-fab lip-syncers to task, finally getting something out of the dead fish crowd.
Orlando’s Trivium mixed it up, playing the familiar hits that helped The Crusade and Ascendancy reach instant classic status, as well as new single “To the Rats” showcasing their thrash tendencies. Luckily this set, the crowd acted like they paid to see a proper rock show, and once frontman Matt Heafy introduced their cover of Metallica’s “Master of Puppets,” the energy and excitement finally rose to meet the challenge.
As atrocious as the term “supergroup” is, HELLYEAH can scarcely be described as anything but. The members describe HELLYEAH as a side project, but to see them perform speaks to the contrary. Unlike other blended groups that end up with too many a big head and bloated body onstage, this union of musicians from some of the best live bands of the past 15 years is well matched. In their first major tour, they took command of the stage and the stands, showing a prowess that only incessant touring with their main projects can develop, maintaining a rapport with the crowd volleying lyrics and emotions alike. When vocalist Chad prefaced "Alcohaulin' Ass" with a tribute to the late Dimebag Darrell (drummer Vinnie Paul’s brother and bandmate along with Bob Zilla), there was many a beer and voice raised, as the crowd, who clearly did their homework sang along.
Family Values returnees Flyleaf displayed a maturity that only clawing your way to attention can garner; however, sound issues rendered Lacey’s vocals a bit too faint. Pulling out new single “All Around Me,” the crowd fell a bit flat. The decreased tempo, especially after “I’m So Sick.” their biggest hit to date, seemed to pull the audience out of the comfort zone of the familiar, and into a song that was simply too slow for such a placement in the set.
Next, Atreyu, a band leading by example that hard work and talent will get you to the top, hit the stage to the tune of Queen’s “Fat Bottomed Girls” and the crowd’s roar. Despite titterings from the underground that their label shift to Disney-owned Hollywood Records from metal’s revered independent Victory would force Atreyu to the softer side, they proved that their upcoming release Lead Sails Paper Anchor would hit just as hard as their past releases. Unleashing “Becoming the Bull,” the lead single from Lead, the dual vocalist approach which has always been a testament to the benefits of dynamism, struck again, and the circle pits popped up from the pavilion to the lawn.
As the sun descended, Evanescence took the stage. With a striking light set-up and the crowd finally buzzing, Amy Lee and her ever-changing lineup launched into one of the most surprising sets of the day, where many dissenters dismiss them as mall goth wannabes, almost 14 million copies of their debut alone speaks to the obvious widespread fan base. And, truthfully, Amy Lee simply knows her way around an arena sized crowd. Her powerful voice and presence, especially on “Lithium,” for which a beautiful Baldwin grand piano was wheeled onstage, managed to erase the preconceived notions, and petty gossip that she’s a poseur bitch who picked up a microphone to whine louder. Performing a balanced mix of songs from Fallen and The Open Door, as well as a rousing cover of the Doors’ “People Are Strange” the range of emotions and each member’s talents proved vast and the perfect primer for Korn, the main event.
The excitement was palpable as the stage was set for headliners and tour founders Korn. With a staggering seven performers onstage, the viscous, bollocks out sound that Korn all but trademarked in their early career, grew into something bigger, grandiose but not gratuitous, the now packed amphitheatre pulsed. Heads banged, horns raised, every word to every song rang out, as Jonathan Davis (resplendent in a kilt of course) managed to connect with the fans that waited all day for the chance.
As big as Korn has managed to get in the roughly 15 years they’ve been around, it’s clear that they want to give the fans what they want. Playing everything from new single “Evolution” to “Fake” from their debut album, it was apparent they have as much fun performing the song’s as the crowd does singing along.
Family Values has been a tour of ups and downs, not to mention a five-year absence, however, it’s back in a big way, and only time will tell if Jonathan Davis and Korn can take this tour back to the top of the summer music festival game.
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