Music
Is this what a Slipknot fan looks like?
With news that Slipknot will return to the UK in February 2016, the thought of thousands of British Maggots flocking to huge venues like Alexandra Palace has our resident metalheads dizzy with excitement. Yes, metalheads get dizzy too.
Slipknot fans have long been associated with the band’s gnarly masked appearance, their dedication to boiler suits and general ability to disrupt the peace. But a lot has changed since the Iowa mob released their self-titled debut in 1999 – then met with shock and negativity by many outside the genre.
Today, Slipknot are regular festival headliners, arena fillers and no strangers to mainstream radio or press. But for some reason, it’s common place to assume their fans are still just miserable college dropouts with greasy hair.
Well, think again.
We meet some ‘unsuspecting’ Slipknot fans ahead of their 2016 UK tour.
The young professionals
Last January, myself and a colleague darted from work to King’s Cross, jumped on a train to Birmingham during rush hour, changed into our homemade boiler suits en route and paid unnecessary taxi fares to catch our third instalment of Slipknot’s Prepare For Hell tour. Regrets? None. There’s nothing quite like squeezing yourself into a mosh pit knowing you’re pretty much unrecognisable.
The family
13-year-old Jay tells us about the first time his parents took him to see Slipknot: “The first time I saw Slipknot was when I was six at Download and have seen them four times since. Mick Thomson has inspired me to play the guitar and now I play at County level. My love for Slipknot has inspired me to play at festivals like Download. I can’t wait to see them again when they tour next year!”
The blogger
Blogger, DJ and Youtuber, Zoe London tells us how Slipknot are a shared love in her relationship… “George and I love watching Slipknot’s live show as it’s fast paced and a lot of fun. We always go together, same as any gig, because it’s more enjoyable with your friends! We often listen to Slipknot at home, and I play a DJ set at Total Uprawr in London – where Slipknot always features!”
The lawyer
Lawyer Hettie tells how she’s a committed Slipknot fan: “Slipknot are awesome and put on such a fantastic live show! Even underneath his mask Corey Taylor’s stage presence and charisma is something to behold. The first time I saw them was half a lifetime ago at Reading Festival in 2000, and most recently I saw them at Download 2015, those times, and all the times in between, they absolutely killed it!”
That’s just a tip of the iceberg – are you a massive Slipknot fan? Share your snaps with us at @TicketmasterUK.
Slipknot will tour the UK in February 2016:
8 – Cardiff Motorpoint Arena
9 – London Alexandra Palace
12 – Birmingham Barclaycard Arena
13 – Leeds First Direct Arena
Slipknot tickets go on at 09:00 on Friday 9 October, head to Ticketmaster.co.uk.
