21.05.2025 Korn

Graspop Metal Meeting

Dessel (Belgium)

For the first time that day, it was time to head to the main stages. The sun had set, the area was packed, and the next band was one I had long wanted to see live. Korn from California were headlining the evening, bringing plenty of old material and very little new.
The band around charismatic frontman Jonathan Davis has been on stages around the world for over 30 years and helped shape nu‑metal in the ’90s. Yet some things have never changed: the bright red microphone Davis always uses, and the microphone stands shaped like stylized naked female bodies. Korn’s trademark is the insanely deep, slightly slapping bass sound, now delivered by Ra Diaz, who also plays for Suicidal Tendencies. Korn didn’t take any risks and didn’t experiment much. The set opened with the classics “Blind” from their 1994 debut "Korn" and “Twist” from the 1996 album "Life Is Peachy". That set the tone for the night: mostly old‑school, absolutely killer material. Both the North and South Stage areas were completely packed, and from the very first notes people were being lifted into the air. Crowdsurfing didn’t stop for the entire 90 minutes in front of both stages. A huge shout‑out to the pit crew, who had an absolutely brutal shift.
The light show Korn used was another highlight. Parts of the lighting rig were repeatedly lowered and tilted, and beams of light shot across the stage, making it look as if the band members were hanging from strings or moving through a giant web of threads. Add to that the films and visuals on the massive LED wall behind them, it was overwhelming in the best way. Of course, during “Shoots and Ladders,” Davis’ obligatory bagpipe performance couldn’t be missing, and the song transitioned into Metallica’s “One” to form the outro. As expected, during “Y’All Want a Single” from the 2003 album "Take a Look in the Mirror", the entire infield raised their middle fingers before the band briefly left the stage, only to return for four more songs. With “Freak on a Leash,” the set finally came to an end, and the band left the stage visibly thrilled.
What a show. Sure, Korn played it safe and stuck to the classics from their early years, still the era of their biggest success. But the overall spectacle the band created was so captivating that the time flew by. Korn proved they absolutely deserved to headline the evening and that they still have every bit of the power they had over 20 years ago. The crowd was wild from start to finish. I haven’t seen that many nonstop crowdsurfers in ages and not just in front of the stage Korn were playing on, but even in front of the neighboring one. I had been looking forward to Korn immensely, and the show transported me straight back to my youth, when I first discovered their music. I left the North Stage completely satisfied and headed toward the South Stage to catch Nine Inch Nails and close out the third festival day. Korn are still an absolute force and proved once again that their live shows are always worth attending.