Live Review – Corey Taylor at the O2 Academy Leeds

Words and Photos by Adam Kennedy

It’s not very often that you get the opportunity to witness an artist of the magnitude of Corey Taylor in such an intimate setting as the O2 Academy Leeds.

Usually, fans of the Slipknot frontman would have to stand in a field of tens of thousands of people at events like Download Festival to see the legend and his bandmates perform. But on Wednesday evening, the legendary rocker arrived in West Yorkshire as he started his solo tour in front of a sold-out crowd in Leeds.

With a new album in tow, the headliner kicked-off the show with a ferocious airing of Post Traumatic Blues from Taylor’s latest offering, before turning back the clocks with Tumult from the Stone Sour back catalogue.

The beauty of a Corey Taylor solo show is that it allows the artist to showcase the many different facets of their artistry. Throughout Taylor’s career-spanning setlist, no stone was left unturned. Tracks from the Slipknot repertoire such as the anthemic Before I Forget or Snuff were welcomed with open arms. An acoustic airing of the latter also allowed both Corey and the crowd to take a well-earned breather.

Throughout their fifteen-song setlist, Corey Taylor left everything out on stage. The show was fuelled by the passion and intensity that his fans have come to know and love. Whilst, the inclusion of a fan request for the SpongeBob SquarePants Theme also allowed the audience to see another side of the man behind the Slipknot mask. With his engaging persona, Taylor fired up the Leeds crowd all night long.

Several tracks from Corey’s latest album featured, including the first track to be released from the record, that being Beyond. The inclusion of songs such as Talk Sick and a live debut of Midnight showcased the high calibre of Taylor’s latest solo release.

Other highlights from the set included anthems and crowd pleasers such as Black Eyes Blue along with 30/30-150 and the main set closer Through Glass from the Stone Sour catalogue.

By the time the headliner returned to the stage for an encore, the room was at a fever pitch as Taylor launched into the Slipknot classic Duality. The whole room sang along at the tops of their voices. A cover of the Black Sabbath number Fairies Wear Boots not only allowed Corey to pay homage to the British heavy metal greats but it also rounded out the evening in spectacular fashion.

In Leeds, the Slipknot frontman’s career-spanning setlist was Taylor made for this Yorkshire audience. And the fans enjoyed every single minute of it.