It’s no secret that Slipknot concerts are all kinds of chaotic — complete with incredible pyrotechnics, screaming singalongs, and some of the most intense mosh pits you’ve ever seen. But what if we told you that as epic as their 2020s performances are, they were even more disruptive a couple of decades ago? Believe it, because European fans experienced the night of a lifetime when these masked metal icons took the stage in Lisbon, Portugal on May 17, 2001.
The Iowa metal band opened the show with a live premiere of “People = Sh**,” with fans witnessing an epic moment in Slipknot history. The track remains one of their most popular songs over two decades later and is still played at practically every Slipknot show! However, it’s now typically played during the band’s encore…which is a full-circle moment for longtime fans. Slipknot also played four other new songs, “Disasterpiece,” “Gently,” “New Abortion,” and “The Heretic Anthem,” for the first time in Portugal.
All of these songs come from the band’s 2001 sophomore album, Iowa, which was quite the turning point for the band. The record topped the charts and spawned some of their biggest hits that they still perform regularly today. Did you really go to a Slipknot concert if you aren’t humming the chorus of “Disasterpiece” for weeks afterward? Other tracks on the Portugal setlist include “Spit It Out,” “Wait and Bleed,” and “Surfacing,” all of which have aged beautifully.
Aside from the setlist, it’s also Slipknot’s onstage persona keeps bringing people back for more. Their masked identities have been a major part of their band aesthetic since the 1990s, and they’re no strangers to shock value. Back then, percussionist Shawn “Clown” Crahan was known to run into the crowd and tie people up with a microphone cord. Meanwhile, other members would climb onto and jump off amps, stage dive into the crowd, and much more. Chaos was always guaranteed at a Slipknot show and still very much is!
Sure, the band may not perform as many stunts as they did in the 2000s for safety reasons and simply because they’re getting older. But very few groups still put on a performance as epic as Slipknot does. People have seen them five, ten, or even fifty times due to the sheer stamina and shock of every show, and you won’t regret seeing Slipknot live. Check out the full setlist for their Portugal show here, and check them out this year in Europe!
