In my opinion, one of the greatest things about living in New York City is the fact that it's generally loaded with surprises - this is especially true if you are a music fan. For those who follow the band Korn, the summer was going to get a whole lot hotter on July 31st because this was the day that their newest studio album would go on sale. The band announced that in celebration of the new release that a free concert would be performed on New York's South Street Seaport, Pier 17. The event was co-sponsored by J&R Music World and K-Rock (a returning to power area Rock music radio station). The festivities would actually begin at J&R Music World early that morning where fans were lined up around the block to be among the first to purchase the new release. The amazing response was not only band loyalty but also based on the fact that if you were one of the first 500 who bought the album, that you would get a wristband which allowed you to get the CD signed by the band who would be returning to the store after their free show. I had to pass by the store on my way to the day job and was pleased to see how many people were ready to snare a copy of the release and I admit also being a little moved by those who recognized me from concerts I have covered in the past. It made the morning coffee just a little better.

Read on for Ken Pierce's review of the show!

If you have never visited NYC before and been to the South Street Seaport, it's best explained as a big shopping and dining area that seems to be quite popular with the tourists. It's also very close to the suit and tie sectored Wall Street Area so the idea of the Grammy award winning Metal band dropping in to slam down some tunes for their fans and any visitor who was curious enough to investigate just made this all the more interesting. I arrived just before 6:00 as the band was set to go on by 6:30 and what I saw was about 3,000 plus in attendance. Having seen a number of shows I've been able to gauge close proximities on this but needless to say there were a hell of a lot of people ready to rock tonight. As I glanced around the crowd, I found myself amused and smiling at the fact that some of the kids had actual ears of corn in their hands and when I looked closer to the stage I could see where this had come from. Several corn bushels had been set up in front of the stage and those arriving early enough managed to snare one and each had written the bands logo on it. Korn was gearing up to head out with Evanescence on the Family Values 2007 tour and this was a nice way to generate an added level of interest in their metropolitan fan base. The drums onstage were huge and I was expecting to see drumming legend Terry Bozzio attack them tonight as Korn's original drummer David Silveira is on hiatus and he was filling the spot. I was unaware that this too had changed and instead of Terry we would find Slipknot's master skin basher, Joey Jordison ready to destroy us with his drumming. Guitarist Munky Shaffer came out first and then Fieldy to a very warm response, and the crowd got loud when Joey jumped onto the kit as he raised the horns to the audience but when lead singer Jonathan Davis walked out onstage the crowd simply went berserk. Tonight's performance would also feature some added guitar expertise from Clint Lowery who many people know from the band Sevendust. The other members of the backup band would be Zac Baird (keyboards) and Kalen Chase (percussion, vocals and guitar).

The band wasted no time in getting down to business with their opener "Here To Stay" and it certainly started the crowd jumping into the air and on numerous occasions over the barrier into the waiting security people. This sight was a great treat for the area tourists who probably had never seen anything like this before and leave it to Korn to be the root cause of the excitement. I was informed that the set would include some classics as well as a little of the new material and they delivered on this with three tracks from their just released "Untitled" album. The new stuff sounds great live and is slightly different in style from some of the bands older material. I look forward to hearing this album in full and hope to have a review of it for the readers very soon. You don't have to be a big fan to enjoy Korn in concert because the band is just so intense in this environment and they really get into it as they perform. They always seem to get the audience going crazy and it does not take long for everyone around them to begin jumping up and down or pushing their fists into the air based on the level of excitement they are getting from the stage. They would deliver their own hits with "Coming Undone" and "Got The Life" and by the time they got to the closer of this all too brief set with "Blind" the entire crowd was insane. This was a great idea for them to do and with the band drawing numbers into the thousands for their Family Values Tour appearances they really didn't need to do this at all. It would be the only free show that the band would do for this tour and by making time to sign the new album for those fans that had waited on the line earlier that morning - would make for one of the more memorable days in a lot of Metal fans minds. I walked by the store not long after the concert and the line was moving but still incredibly long so I am sure that Korn was also taking photos with their following and that definitely would cap the evening off in style for those who were able to be part of it all. The Family Values Tour 2007 has a great lineup this year with Evanescence, Stone Sour, Fly Leaf, Trivium and more. Their new album, "Untitled" is available for public consumption immediately so be sure to check that out as well. I should mention that there were several video cameras present and shooting tonight as well so I am sure that this free concert will be viewable on the band's official Website, MySpace or YouTube pages or perhaps included as some future CD/DVD feature.

Set List
1. Here To Stay
2. Evolution
3. Ever Be
4. Starting Over
5. Coming Undone
6. Faggot
7. Got The Life
8. Blind

Official Web site: www.korn.com

Ken Pierce