First Time in Indonesia, Slipknot smash Hammersonic Festival

March 31, 2023

Slipknot - Hammersonic Festival - Indonesia. "...explosive energy and unforgettable performance." Photo: Hammersonic

It’s been just over ten days since the Slipknot performance closed Hammersonic Festival 2023 at Carnaval Beach Ancol, Jakarta. Fans who were at the festival are struggling to move on from this moment. Everyone still remembers the enormous explosion of energy of the Nu Metal heroes from Iowa. On the day, the crowd were boisterous from the moment the band entered until the screen went dark and the band left the stage.

Hammersonic Festival 2023

Carnaval Beach Ancol, Jakarta, Indonesia – 18 – 19 March 2023.

Words: Umar R

Slipknot’s appearance at the 2023 Hammersonic Festival, organized by Ravel Entertainment, is a historical moment, their first appearance in The Republic of Indonesia. The band’s first two albums came into circulation in Indonesia around the turn of the century, and many here immediately fell in love with the band. This was a performance many had dreamed of for over twenty years.

Indonesian Slipknot fans are dominated by the Millenials/Generation Y. When Slipknot released their first album, they were only in their first year of college, while younger fans were still in elementary school. But quite a few Generation X Metalheads are also fans of Slipknot.

Originally scheduled for 2020, Hammersonic Festival 2023 survived the pandemic and took place over two days, 18 – 19 March 2023. The first day was filled with conventions and the presentation of the Hammersonic Award to Iron Voltage from Bandung from a list of young Heavy Metal band nominees.

Several local bands performed on stages, such as Oracle, Saint Loco, Rocket Rockers and Burgerkill. Hammersonic Day One closed with a big bang from Vio-lence, one of the Bay Area Thrash Metal champions, whose visit was also much awaited by Indonesian Metal fans, especially in the areas surrounding Jakarta and to Bandung.

Day Two was full with cool bands that rocked the crowd. Local champions were represented by bands such as Dreamer and Deadsquad, who are celebrated by their fan group called Pasukan Mati. Before Slipknot, successively dangerous and high-voltage bands appeared, burning up the crowd, which had been scorched by the hot Jakarta sun since before noon.

Some of the coolest bands that appeared before Slipknot included Comeback Kid, Sinister, Story Of The Year, Batushka, Watain, Amon Amarth, Trivium and Black Flag. They all made the Hammersonic 2023 crowd go wild without tiring from the time the sun was still soaring until it sank on the horizon, and the evening changed.

Finally, the moment arrived. Trivium had tamed the mass of the Empire Stage, and a large black cloth screen with the red Slipknot inscription fell adorned the front of the stage. When For Those About To Rock (We Salute You) was playing, the audience started roaring impatiently calling for Slipknot. Levels were raised higher for Billie J Spears Get Behind Me Satan And Push.

It was a historic moment as the screen fell, and Slipknot immediately hit the crowd with the song Disasterpiece. The Hammersonic crowd immediately exploded with hysteria, creating two large circle pits on the left and right of the stage.

There were also tears of euphoria of happiness as dreams had finally come true, and we could finally see Slipknot rampage before our own eyes in the city of Jakarta.

Frontman Corey Taylor was very excited greeting the crowd, saying he was very happy to finally be able to go to Indonesia after such a long time, having been hampered by delays due to Covid-19. He said this Hammersonic 2023 crowd was one of Slipknot’s biggest crowds in their entire career.

Slipknot drummer Jay Weinberg wore two traditional Balinese masks, Topeng Celuluk, which means evil spirit, in appreciation and respect for Indonesian culture. We salute him.

Slipknot performed 15 high-voltage songs. From start to finish, the audience did not tire of moshing, slam dancing, and crowd surfing, as well as making several circle pits while singing along. They fed off the extraordinary energy blast from Slipknot. Ahead of Spit It Out, Corey Taylor invited the entire audience to do a mass jump simultaneously. You could feel the floor tremble.

With 15 songs [setlist below], Slipknot made history in Jakarta. Their first show in this tropical island nation and the only Slipknot show in Southeast Asia this year. It was historic for the Hammersonic Festival also. The biggest Metal festival in Southeast Asia, Slipknot was enjoyed by the largest crowd at any Hammersonic so far. For this, congratulations and salutes go to the team of Ravel Entertainment.

Slipknot managed to smash the Hammersonic Festival with an extraordinary burst of energy. The entire crowd had great respect for this group of Nu Metal heroes from Iowa. Hopefully Slipknot will come back to Indonesia soon.