Live Review: Corey Taylor Featuring Luna Aura & Wargasm – Live at The Wiltern

Luna Aura opened the show, followed by Wargasm. Both openers hyped the crowd, the audience cheering when the lead guitarist stood on a set piece and strummed. The female lead singer of Wargasm set the tone early on with her screams. Wargasm’s profanity and energy surged the gathering. Corey Taylor took to the stage, the set was dark-the guitar strings engulfing the Wiltern Theatre, followed by Corey’s voice. Concertgoers with Slipknot on their jean jackets yelled as Taylor’s echoes faded. Taylor performed “Post Traumatic Blues” from his latest album, CMF2. Stage lights flashed luminously white as upon Taylor appearance, a light show with altering colors accompanied his grand entrance, urging the crowd to cheer louder. Those standing in general admission swaying along.

Taylor’s show was not a backyard punk show with too loud of speakers and unbalanced mics; rather, the sound quality in the theatre was professional and impeccable. Taylor spit water onto the audience and crossed the stage with heavy strides. Three guitarists decorated the stage, committed to their guitars and rocking their heads—the drummer behind the set. There were three giant red rugs on the stage intentionally laid out. Taylor walked and gripped the corded mic while singing on and off. He returned to center stage and midstep, he halted. Taylor’s body dropped. Music blasted. The crowd slowly quieted, unsure what to make of this sudden descent. Was this staged? Perhaps he tripped on a cord–but why didn’t he catch himself? Then it dawned on the crowd that he had abruptly lost consciousness. 

The music never halted. The guitarist continued. The drummer continued. The dashing lights glanced over his wide-unblinking eyes while he rested there. The lead singer of Slipknot remained on the ground for a minute before Taylor grimaced and forced himself up. Taylor limped to the front of the stage and sang. His face scrunched in distress. He stretched his injured leg and trudged on stage. Audience members winced alongside his visible injury. Despite this, his voice was flawless and the show continued.  

A celebrity with a talent to sing for hours and confidently have their persona plastered on vinyl had publicized their humanity. The empathy concertgoers had for the Stone Sour lead vocalist was palpable. Corey joked and called his collapse “subtle,” his asymmetrical stride sexy and promised to continue regardless. Everyone applauded his warrior mentality. Concertgoers reconsidered moshpits and their desire to collide into each other’s bodies momentarily lost appeal. The reminder of pain was too pronounced. Taylor’s collapse made space for existential contemplation. After performing “We Are The Rest,” he said, “The louder you are, the better this leg feels,” before committing “Song #3.”  Taylor played three Slipknot songs: “Before I Forget,” “Snuff” and “Duality.”  Taylor performed six songs from his other band, Stone Sour.  

In the middle of the concert, Taylor sat on a stool and sang the SpongeBob SquarePants theme song, the theatre playfully sang along. Sam from Wargasm was a prominent feature during Taylor’s show. Taylor pulled the openers and others from backstage to join him in singing “Duality” and moshpits erupted in the front row.  Taylor dedicated the last song, “Ace of Spades” to Lemmy Kilmister. After the encore, Taylor parted with bidding words, “Take care of yourself. Take care of your children.” The percussionist handed out his drumsticks to audience members and the guitarists tossed their picks to the crowd. Overall, the show was successful in entertaining the audience. New and longtime fans of Taylor memorialized the ending of Taylor’s tour.  The set list was:

1. Post Traumatic Blues
2. Tumult (Stone Sour song)
3. Black Eyes Blue
4. We Are the Rest
5. Song #3 (Stone Sour song)
6. Beyond
7. Before I Forget (Slipknot song)
8. SpongeBob SquarePants Theme (Painty the Pirate & Kids cover)
9. Snuff (Slipknot song)
10. Absolute Zero (Stone Sour song) (with Roy Mayorga)
11. 30/30-150 (Stone Sour song) (With Roy Mayorga and Sam Matlock)
12. Talk Sick
13. Bother (Stone Sour song) (New version)
14. Through Glass (Stone Sour song)
15. Duality (Slipknot song) (With all members of Luna Aura, Wargasm and multiple people from backstage on stage)
16. Ace of Spades (Motörhead cover) (Dedicated to Lemmy Kilmister)

 Photo Credit: Owen Ela