If you would have told me as I was graduating high school that 20 years later I would still get to see Korn, Evanescence, and Helmet not only making music but touring together I don’t think I would have believed you. However, on Wednesday August 24th, 2022 that is exactly what I saw. There was a sea of fans, ranging from life long fans, to new fans, some looking for nostalgia, and some looking for a rock show. None that attended could have left disappointed.

Opening the night was Jeris Johnson. Emerging on the scene covering and reimagining a variety of tracks, as well as originals that are making waves across the rock scene. Being the opening act is always a pretty heavy task, trying to get a crowd to be excited early in the night, setting the energy tone for the show, but then add in the pressures of opening for Korn and Evanescence and you know that you have to be on top of your game. Jeris was everything that was needed to start the night, high energy, commanding stage presence and the ability to grab the attention of the fans that got to the show early.

Next up was the Helmet, who have been icons in the alternative metal scene since 1989, taking a small break from 1998 until returning in 2004. The band has been going strong since 2004 and has shown that they can still absolutely carry a crowd and performance. There were several generations of fans in attendance for this show due to the tenure of Korn and Evanescence, but no matter their age it appeared that everyone in the crowd had fun with the band’s energy and presence.

Anticipation had been building through the night’s performances for Evanescence to take the stage. Lead singer, Amy Lee, commands attention with her vocal delivery and the power of her voice. From the moment she belts her first note the crowd is hooked into every move that she makes across the stage. For 20 years the band has been making music and impacting lives around the world. Lee even comments before her performance of My Immortal that “I didn’t see it going this long 20 years ago” with a little laugh as she begins to play the grand piano to thousands of fans not only singing her words back to her, but shouting them with a similar degree of passion.

Finally it is time for Korn. The performance starts with a steel cage/fence between the stage and the crowds view of the band. Using the cage to give a 3d effect to some of the LED video elements incorporated into the their performance. Frontman Jonathan Davis comes out delivering an insanely strong vocal performance. Everyone in the band was spot on and dialed up to 11. Having been a band since 1993 the depth and range of their catalog of songs is impressive, which as you can imagine can make designing a setlist a bit more difficult as you are trying to appeal to both long time fans as well as new listeners. The setlist selected did not disappoint as it hit tracks that fans from the early days would know, casual listeners would hear hits they know, and new listeners would get the tracks of more recent albums. This show was the perfect mix of nostalgia and freshness that the crowd couldn’t resist.