CONCERT REVIEW: Slipknot’s 25-Year Anniversary With Sharp Edges & Missed Sparks

Slipknot‘s 25th anniversary Here Comes The Pain tour landed at Ziggo Dome on Sinterklaas evening, Thursday, December 5th. Would Slipknot deliver a grand and festive celebration, or would this 25th anniversary fall short in Amsterdam’s Ziggo Dome?

From the very first moment, the 17,000-strong audience is ready, and it’s clear. The lights dim, and the cheers erupt. With (sic), Eyeless, and Wait and Bleed, this legendary nu-metal band sets the tone right away: no-nonsense, hard-hitting action! Frontman Corey Taylor roars through his mask, and there’s plenty happening on stage. With nine band members, it’s no surprise that the stage is packed with energy, ensuring things never get dull.

But not long after, the energy seems to wane just a bit. Sid Wilson takes the spotlight, and we hear Tattered & Torn. The light show becomes noticeably less intense, and the vibe translates to the audience—it’s calm. People are enjoying the performance, but the movement? It’s almost nonexistent. There’s no seething mosh pit, something you’d definitely expect at a Slipknot show of this magnitude.

And to be completely honest… there are just too many small, unnecessary pauses between songs. We often hear short intros as well, and these breaks really sap the energy. It takes a long time for the audience to fully loosen up, and that undeniably impacts the night.

When the band gets into other tracks like Liberate, Spit It Out, and Surfacing, you can clearly see and hear that Slipknot has buckets—no, truckloads—of experience. But does that make up for the lack of showmanship that Slipknot—perhaps intentionally—left out this time? Well… yes and no. There’s a lot happening on stage, and the light show is fantastic, but where are the pyrotechnics? Where are the fireworks? These elements would have truly elevated the performance to something worthy of a 25th-anniversary celebration. A bit more flair, fewer pauses, but absolutely the same razor-sharp, enthusiastic, and polished Slipknot we heard tonight! Next time, we’ll definitely be there again!

Check out the photos we took below!