07/16/2021
Corey Taylor (Slipknot & Stone Sour)
Rockfest Cadott, WI

Since 2000, I have attended Rockfest almost regularly. It is one of the highlights of my year, every year. I happened to be in the Rob Zombie pit watching the show and having a great time when a friend of mine said I should drop this man(I do not drop names) a message about possibly shooting at the festival. Things happened pretty quickly and this business took a shot on a guy who flies under the radar of most artists and artist-affiliated businesses. A move I am forever grateful for. Corey Taylor is an amazing artist who can cover all genres of rock. Slipknot is one of my favorite bands and I have seen them 10 times. His voice alone fits the mold of power, and grit and at times can soothe. The anxiety of having to crush it for this set became a reality almost instantly. This is something you cannot screw up or misfire on. I feel my experience of being in front of thousands of people nightly calmed my nerves once the set got going. It was just work then. All business. Differentiating between being a fan and a photographer wasn’t difficult. It is okay to bob your head and sing to yourself, just get your stuff done while doing it. 
Having been there for most of the artists all weekend I can walk away saying that Mr.Taylor had one of the best sets. Mixing Stone Sour, Slipknot, and his solo stuff, it had something for everyone. Across the large stage, 6 6-foot tall lights were set up in front of their gear spelling out C-M-F-T. Corey Muther Fucking Taylor for those not familiar with his newest solo endeavor. The lighting was pretty spectacular. Every song was different and it hit the mood of every single song. I mean it…nailed it. Corey Taylor brought the fire too. Quite literally. There were concussion bursts, pyro explosions, flame bursts, and a spark curtain from the ceiling at the end. No other artist the entire weekend brought out that firepower (pun intended). It was incredible. I had a moment on stage during  Song #3 when I was in the corner trying to get a snap of Corey walking out and the floor sparks blasted. It was cool as hell. FFP Effects out of Los Angeles ran them and helped create an amazing atmosphere for those in attendance.
I know Corey has been doing vaccinated-only shows and I missed my chance at buying tickets, but seeing This incredible set from the perspective I did it sealed the fact I will never miss another show of his whether as a fan or with a camera in my hands.  What an incredible evening. 

Set list:
Intro
666
Meine
Halfway
Samantha
Song#3
Culture
Snuff
Scars
Absolute Zero
Black Eyes Blue
Bother/Through Glass
Dark Side/Euro Toilet
CMFT’s Watching You!