Thousands of fans filled Phoenix’s Ak-Chin Pavilion on Saturday, braving the extreme heat for Korn and Alice in Chains.
Fever 333 started the night early with lead vocalist Jason Butler standing onstage in his signature jumpsuit and bulletproof vest, his head covered by a hood. From that moment, the band was a force of nature, screaming their message at a completely receptive audience. Fever 333 is an extremely politically charged group, using their platform to spread a message of equality and positive change. Butler jumped into the sparse amphitheater crowd during “Made an America” and spoke directly to fans who cheered his words. The band ended their brief set with an epic drum solo and “Hunting Season”.
Second on the bill was Underoath with a short but stellar set. The band played with an intensity honed over their lengthy career. Singer Spencer Chamberlain and drummer Aaron Gillespie played off of each other’s vocals to perfection while the rest of the band held things down for songs like “Rapture” and “Breathing in a New Mentality”.
Alice in Chains are still masters of their genre. All eyes may have been on lead guitarist Jerry Cantrell, but singer William DuVall was simply excellent. By this point, the amphitheater was 14,000 fans strong, most of whom were singing at the top of their lungs from the first notes of “Angry Chair”. The band only played 15 songs, but their prolific tracks filled the hour-plus long set.
As the main attraction, Korn entered with a plethora of blinding lights, illuminating each member of the band. Sound in the venue built to a roar and singer Jonathan Davis never let it falter. From “Here to Stay” to “Freak on a Leash”, Korn was pure momentum, thrilling longtime fans of the band. They closed with a spectacular four-track encore, including “Twist” and “Falling Away from Me”.
Check out photos from the show!
Story and photos by Olivia Khiel