Unmasked: SLIPKNOT Debuts New Drummer and Classic Look at Intimate Show
Legendary metal outfit SLIPKNOT kicked off their 25th anniversary year with a surprise show at Pappy + Harriet’s in Pioneertown, California, on April 25th. The intimate gig served as a warm-up for their appearance at the upcoming Sick New World festival in Las Vegas.
This exclusive performance marked the highly anticipated debut of SLIPKNOT‘s new drummer, widely believed to be former SEPULTURA drummer Eloy Casagrande. The band paid homage to their beginnings, sporting iconic red jumpsuits reminiscent of their 1999 debut album alongside modernized versions of their early masks.
Singer Corey Taylor said onstage mid-performance: “Tonight it doesn’t matter where you came from, it doesn’t matter when you were born. This year is 19-fucking-99. We’re going to play you some songs from beyond that year, but goddamn it, it all started in ’99 and it is starting again here tonight.”
Tickets for the sold-out show, priced at just $9 each, benefited local charities – the Joshua Tree No Kill Shelter and Boys & Girls Club Of The Hi Desert. Strict limitations (two tickets per person, no refunds or transfers) ensured a dedicated audience for this special event.
SLIPKNOT’s setlist for the show was as follows:
01. People = Shit
02. Eyeless
03. Disasterpiece
04. Before I Forget
05. Custer
06. Psychosocial
07. The Heretic Anthem
08. Unsainted
09. Wait And Bleed
10. Prosthetics
11. Vermilion
12. Duality
13. Spit It Out
14. Surfacing
SLIPKNOT remains tight-lipped about their new drummer’s official confirmation, following their split with Jay Weinberg last November. However, fan speculation points to Casagrande, who recently departed SEPULTURA just before their farewell tour. A cryptic social media post featuring a single broken drumstick captioned “Rehearsal” further fueled the rumor mill a month prior.
In a recent teaser campaign for the band’s 25th anniversary, SLIPKNOT may have unintentionally spilled the beans more than intended, potentially revealing both their new drummer and a possible replacement for sampler/keyboardist Craig “133” Jones.
The cryptic website youcantkillme.com, designed with a nostalgic early-internet vibe, has been dropping hints galore. Tucked away within a hidden video, eagle-eyed fans on Reddit discovered image names referencing all the band members – but wait, there’s more! Two additional names, “Eloy” and “Jeff,” have also surfaced.
The “Eloy” tag all but confirms the long-rumored addition of ex-SEPULTURA drummer Eloy Casagrande behind the kit. But who is “Jeff“? This has sent SLIPKNOT‘s Reddit detectives scrambling down a rabbit hole of theories.
The leading contender appears to be Jeff Karnowski, who shared bass duties with SLIPKNOT percussionist M. Shawn “Clown” Crahan in their pre-SLIPKNOT band DIRTY LITTLE RABBITS. Remember Michael Pfaff, another DIRTY LITTLE RABBITS alum who replaced Chris Fehn as the enigmatic “Tortilla Man” in 2019? It seems there might be a trend here.
While “Jeff’s” true identity remains shrouded in mystery, Eloy‘s inclusion seems like a slam dunk. This “leak” could be a cunning piece of misdirection, but SLIPKNOT‘s history of unintentionally revealing new members suggests otherwise.
Earlier this month, a cryptic SLIPKNOT billboard near the Coachella Festival pointed towards youcantkillme.com. With their first massive show since parting ways with Weinberg approaching this weekend, expect some official announcements soon. SLIPKNOT will be taking the stage at the “Sick New World” festival in Las Vegas on April 27th – will they unveil their new lineup then? Stay tuned, Maggots!
This recent surprise performance marks a new chapter for SLIPKNOT, with a refreshed lineup and a nod to their influential past. With their latest album, “The End, So Far,” released in August 2022, fans eagerly await their next musical evolution.
