Wearing a black tank-top with black athletic pants, Davis lead Korn through an emotional performance Dec. 2 at the Congress Theater.Against the backdrop of the theater’s lavish Italian-Renaissance interior, Korn performed to a packed crowd, running through an 80-minute set that included material from their forthcoming album, the aptly-titled “See You on the Other Side,” due December 6.
Earlier this year, the band signed an historic deal with EMI/Virgin Records that gives the company part of the band’s profits outside of record sales.
Throughout the night, the raw emotion of Korn’s alternative metal songs — which often feel like candid moments inside Davis’ internal struggle, complete with several f-bombs — seemed to thrive best when the band members interacted with the crowd.
“Somehow it always seems that I'm dreaming of something I can never be,” Davis howled in the song “A.D.I.D.A.S.”, bopping his head so that his dark-brown braids flew up in the air. Wailing his hands, he turned the microphone to the crowd, imploring them to sing every word.
“Come on! Come on!” he shouted.
Sometimes, he didn’t even sound human when he sang, evoking more the essence of a growling machine. But it didn’t matter. He had the crowd (surprisingly a mix of older, more mature fans and goth-punk teenagers) on their feet, and they weren’t about to sit back down.
Although there were some awkward pauses between songs — you could often see Davis sit down, take a drink and wipe his face with a towel after one or two songs — guitarist James “Munky” Shaffer filled the time with charming banter.
“What’s up Chicago?” he asked. “We have a new record out. It’s gonna kick some serious ass.”
Missing from the lineup was former guitarist Brian “Head” Welch, who left the band to follow Christianity in February. The band added another backup player to compliment Shaffer but he stood awkwardly in the back, barely visible to the audience.
The new songs sounded energetic, although the crowd responded more to past favorites spanning Korn’s 12-year career. During the intro to “Shoots and Ladders,” Davis took out his bagpipe before beginning the song, which plays on old nursery rhymes, hinting at his childhood abuse.
By the time the band started its encore — an even more lively set where Davis personally thanked the crowd for staying with them — Davis gripped the mic and asked, “Are you ready?”
Judging by the crowd’s whistle and roar, Davis seemed to already know the answer.
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