If you’re a fan of metal and hip-hop, then you didn’t want to miss the final leg of the Knotfest Roadshow featuring Slipknot with Cypress Hill and Ho99o9. It was a night of non-stop energy and power, with each band putting on an amazing performance. The crowd was amped from the start, and it only got louder and crazier as the night went on. If you missed it, don’t worry—we’ve got all the highlights for you right here.
If you haven’t had a chance to catch Slipknot at one of their Roadshows, you’d be missing out on one of the best live bands on the planet today. And when they join forces with bands like the legendary Cypress Hill and up and comers Ho99o9, the show immediately jumps to a whole new level and typically sells out at every stop on the tour. Saturday’s show in Chula Vista was no exception and capped off the Knotfest Roadshow’s incredible Spring run across the US. Let’s dig into the madness.
Kicking off the Roadshow festivities on Saturday were New Jersey Transplants Ho99o9 (pronounced Horror). Featuring TheOGM, Eaddy, and touring drummer extraordinaire Billy Rymer, these cats brought their unique brand of punkrap to the stage and got the general admission pit fired up for what was about to come. I must say, I’d never heard Ho99o9 until then, but was thoroughly impressed with their energetic 11-song set including tracks like “Sub-Zer0” and “Battery Not Included.” It was a super intense performance left the crowd wanting more, and I have no doubt Ho99o9 will be going places in the not so distant future.
Next up on the docket was Southern California hip-hop legends, Cypress Hill. With Sen Dog out for the time being due to some health issues, B-Real held down the band’s vocal rhythms (along with a massive never-ending joint). Eric Bobo crushed the percussion while DJ Lord exemplified excellence on the 1s and 2s. From the moment Cypress Hill hit the stage, the energy at North Island immediately jumped to an “11” and kept pushing higher as the 16-song set progressed. From “Dr. Greenthumb” to “How Could I Just Kill a Man” to “(Rock) Superstar,” these guys were tight and the now packed amphitheatre knew it. Cypress Hill ended Saturday’s performance with a few of my all-time favorites, “Insane in the Brain” and “Jump Around” (a House of Pain cover). It was a perfect way for these legends to to wrap up for the evening and a set I’ll never forget.
At exactly 9PM lights finally dimmed across the North Island Amphitheatre as AC/DC’s “For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)” blasted the teeth out of the now capacity crowd. This masterpiece signaled the arrival of Slipknot, as all nine members made their way to the stage and in kind, crushed their opening salvo, “Disasterpiece.” The mayhem spiraled out of control from there with Corey Taylor and company slaying a 17-song setlist that put a smile on the face of even the pickiest maggots in attendance. While many fans felt “Psychosocial” and “Duality” were best in class on Saturday night, my favorites were “Snuff” and “Unsainted” (and it wasn’t event close). Slipknot ended the 2+ hour set with “People = Shit” and “Surfacing,” wrapping up what turned out to be one incredible live performance under the stars down in Chula Vista.
All in all, Saturday night’s triple-header under the stars was simply unbelievable. I had the opportunity to see two of my favorite bands, Slipknot and Cypress Hill, perform live in front of a sold-out crowd—and they both killed. And if that wasn’t enough, Ho99o9 absolutely blew me away. This version of the Knotfest Roadshow was definitely one for the ages with truly diverse and memorable acts that I won’t soon forget. Slipknot’s performance will definitely go down as one of the best live shows I’ve seen in 2022 (and that’s no small feat). However, the high praise is definitely expected as Slipknot is arguably the biggest rock band on the planet today.
CYPRESS HILL
Ho99o9
