Summer’s Last Stand Tour with Slipknot headlining is a must-see

By Jason Michaelsen, Tampa Correspondent

Venue: Mid-Florida Credit Union Amphitheatre, Tampa, Florida–July 25, 2015

The Summer’s Last Stand Tour has an amazing line up with Motionless in White, Bullet For My Valentine, Lamb of God and the headliner Slipknot. I wish I could say that I was there to witness all four bands but due to the crazy amount of people trying to get into the show, I missed Motionless in White even with giving myself a 45 minute buffer. As I sat waiting for Bullet For My Valentine the crowd began chanting, “Bullet, Bullet, Bullet” and they came out with arms held to the sky. With their high-paced rhythm and lyrics, they raised the energy of the crowd up a notch with each song. They asked the crowd if they were ready for Lamb of God and Slipknot, as if daring them to push the energy up even more.

Once Lamb of God came out, it seemed as if they were feeding off the energy that was in the air. Running from one side of the stage to the other as he performed, Randy Blythe (vocals) took it to the next level. Mosh pits broke out, crowd surfing began and heads were banging everywhere. This was a crowd that seemed to be at its max as far as energy and enthusiasm. How could anyone follow that?

Then, if this were not enough, with a back light of fire and a carnival horror film theme, Slipknot rose to the stage. As the the evening progressed, I realized how the lineup was strategic and choreographed. This brought the crowd closer to Slipknot’s level of passion and energy with each band that performed. With masks that looked like something out of a Rob Zombie movie, Slipknot began the pounding of the percussion. In addition to the standard drum set, there were two sets of beer kegs and empty metal trash cans on each side of the stage that rose on a platform in the air and spun.  The crowd erupted as all nine members of Slipknot began head banging.

The band which has been around for 20 years gave and gave–and did not disappoint.  I sat there singing along with each song and realized just how influential this group has been for me. The quality and showmanship put into their performance was on a level that left me checking to see if they would be anywhere in the area in the future so I could see them again. If you ever have the chance to see them in the future, I recommend you make it a priority.

 PHOTO GALLERY

Slipknot

Bullet For My Valentine

 

Lamb of God

 

NORTH AMERICAN TOUR:

Slipknot, Bullet For My Valentine, Lamb of God & Motionless In White

7/24 – West Palm Beach, FL @ Cruzan Amphitheatre

7/25 – Tampa, FL @ MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre

7/26 – Atlanta, GA @ Aaron’s Amphitheatre at Lakewood

7/28 – Detroit, MI @ DTE Energy MusicTheatre

7/29 – Darien Center, NY @ Darien Lake Performing Arts Center

7/31 – Saratoga Springs, NY @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center

8/1 – Wantagh, NY @ Nikon at Jones Beach Theater

8/2 – Hartford, CT @ XFINITY Theatre

8/4 – Boston, MA @ XFINITY Center

8/5 – Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center

8/6 – Pittsburgh, PA @ First Niagara Pavilion

8/8 – Toronto, ON @ Molson Canadian Amphitheatre

8/9 – Montreal, QC @ Parc Jean-Drapeau – Heavy Montreal

8/11 – Washington, DC @ Jiffy Lube Live

8/12 – Virginia Beach, VA @ Farm Bureau Live at Virginia Beach

8/14 – Indianapolis, IN @ Klipsch Music Center

8/15 – Chicago, IL @ First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre

8/16 – St. Louis, MO @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre

8/19 – Denver, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre

8/21 – Salt Lake City, UT @ USANA Amphitheatre

8/22 – Garden City, ID @ Revolution Center – NO SLIPKNOT

8/23 – Auburn, WA @ White River Amphitheater

8/24 – Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena

8/26 – Concord, CA @ Concord Pavilion

8/28 – Las Vegas, NV @ MGM Resort Festival Grounds

8/29 – Phoenix, AZ @ AK-Chin Pavilion

8/30 – Albuquerque, NM @ Isleta Amphitheater

9/2 – Austin, TX @ Austin360 Amphitheater

9/4 – Houston, TX @ The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

9/5 – Dallas, TX @ Gexa Energy Pavilion

 

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