Slipknot have revealed that they have been approached to bring their acclaimed Knotfest festival throughout Europe.
The curated touring metal line-up is the masked metaller’s take of Ozzy Osbourne’s legendary OzzFest, and is now in its seventh year. This month sees the band take it to France for Knotfest Meets Hellfest on June 20 – and now it looks like more locations could get it too in the near future.
“The first one is in Clisson, France, the day before Hellfest starts,” frontman Corey Taylor told Music Week. “You buy a separate ticket to Knotfest and a separate ticket to Hellfest. We’re at 40,000 tickets, and it’ll sell out. Now we’re getting approached about doing Knotfest in Germany, Switzerland, and throughout Europe.”
He continued: “Knotfest started out of necessity and opportunity, chiefly a need in North America. There was Rock On The Range, but there weren’t any other heavy music destinations out there. They were all being hipster. There was nothing for rock bands in many parts of the U.S..
“We went into areas where there was no competition, where no-one was thinking about the fans there, and we did it. The first one was in Omaha, Nebraska, the second one was in Wisconsin – they were back to back and it was amazing.”
Last week saw the band perform their first gig in three years, as the band prepare to return to the UK to headline this weekend’s Download Festival.
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As part of the weekend, Slipknot also delivered a blistering set at Rock Am Ring.
“This is a group that still has gas in the tank left to burn,” read NME’s review. “That still has much to offer. That still matters. It’s a great song. It’s trying things. It’s moving forward. It’s Slipknot. If you’re heading to Download Festival to see them this weekend, chances are you’ll feel much the same – that your fears, should you have them, will be dispelled too. Just don’t offer Corey Taylor a game of Wii Tennis. Thankfully, his controller is very much indisposed for the foreseeable future.”