Korn Turn Rogers Arena Into a Nu-Metal Revival on Kanada Tour

On October 1, Vancouver’s Rogers Arena was packed with fans ready for a night of heaviness, nostalgia, and pure catharsis. Korn’s rolled into town for the last date of the Kanada Tour 2025, marking 32 years since the Bakersfield band first rewired heavy music with their self-titled debut. With Loathe and Gojira in the opening slots, the lineup promised no filler for the last night of this Canadian leg.

Liverpool’s Loathe opened with a storm of layered riffs and grinding grooves. Their brand of atmospheric heaviness veers from crushing to hypnotic, and it hooked the early crowd right away. By the end of their set, cheers rolled through the arena with the kind of enthusiasm usually reserved for bigger names. For many in the building, Loathe was a new discovery, and they left Vancouver with more than a few new converts.

Then came Gojira, and if Loathe cracked the ice, the French quartet shattered it. Bathed in pyro and smoke, they launched into their set with the kind of precision and ferocity that’s made them one of the most respected bands in modern metal. Frontman Joe Duplantier prowled the stage with volcanic intensity, his growls cutting through walls of sound that seemed big enough to shake the rafters. Flames shot skyward during “Flying Whales,” while “Mea Culpa (Ah! Ça ira!)” drew one of the loudest reactions of the night after their amazing Olympics 2024 performance. Duplantier’s defiant anti-fascist message only added weight to the moment.

But the night belonged to Korn. A black curtain cloaked the stage as the first rumble of “Blind” rolled out. Jonathan Davis asked the question he’s been asking audiences for decades: “Are you ready, Vancouver?” And Vancouver absolutely was. When the curtain dropped, the floor erupted into chaos with circle pits and bodies jumping. There is nothing like watching a bunch of people dressed up as corn in a mosh pit!

The setlist was built like a greatest hits package, mixing staples with deeper cuts. “Twist” and “Here to Stay” kept the energy pounding early, while “Got the Life” pulled the crowd back into the wild energy of the late ’90s. Davis moved between guttural roars and vulnerable melodies with ease.

Bagpipes signaled “Shoots and Ladders,” which morphed into a little bit of Metallica’s “One,” a mashup that drew cheers. Later, “Coming Undone” bled into Queen’s “We Will Rock You,” an unexpected twist that had every voice in Rogers Arena chanting along. These playful mashups kept the nostalgia from feeling stale, giving the set flashes of reinvention.

Visually, the show was a feast. Light beams swept the crowd during breakdowns, lasers hit like lightning, and the stage was constantly bathed in violent bursts of color. Davis, part preacher and part ringleader, stalked the stage with his trademark mic stand, while Munky and Brian “Head” Welch delivered riffs that felt as heavy as they did decades ago. If anything, the band leaned into the theatrical side of their catalog but still keeping the grit.

The encore was a masterclass in dynamics. It opened with “4U,” as a tribute to Ozzy Osbourne, a brief and tender reminder that Korn’s catalog isn’t just about rage, before plunging straight back into the darkness with “Falling Away From Me” and “Divine.” By the time “Freak on a Leash” detonated as the closer, the crowd was screaming along with Davis.

Walking out of Rogers Arena, ears ringing and shirts damp with sweat, it felt like a reunion with the soundtrack of adolescence for many in the room. Thirty-two years in, they haven’t softenedand have kept the heaviness that made them a household name in the first place.

Loathe brought discovery, Gojira brought fire, and Korn brought nostalgia. Together, the triple bill made Vancouver feel like the centre of the heavy music universe for one night.

Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!

KORN

GOJIRA

LOATHE

All Photo Credit: Caroline Charruyer