KnotFest Roadshow Hits BB&T Pavilion Part I: Behemoth!! – Camden, NJ 8/31/19

The day was finally here….Knotfest Roadshow was coming to BB&T Pavilion in Camden, NJ. With four bands I truly love on one bill I was beyond excited! Adding to my joy was the fact that I was bringing Mini-Amps along for the ride! This would be his first lengthy show (5.5 hours from first band till last note) and I was both nervous and excited to see if he could hang. He is a YUUUUUUGE fan of BEHEMOTH, GOJIRA, and VOLBEAT, and has taken to SLIPKNOT this past year. Still, that’s a long day for any kid, let alone one with autism like him. In addition, my buddy Jimmy the Beer Man was riding shotgun, and we also picked up my close, dear friend Kelly, who I hadn’t seen in almost TWO YEARS. Greatness all around, I say!



After our requisite tailgating we made it in just before BEHEMOTH. I couldn’t wait to see his face when they started, and he didn’t disappoint. As the band launched into “Wolves ov Siberia” from latest album I Loved You At Your Darkest he started The Corey Dance in earnest, grinning ear-to-ear. Next up was “Daimonos” from 2009’s Evangelion. There’s so much power in this song, and we all just soaked it up like a sponge, the four of us. You could see Kelly just getting lost in the show, while Jimmy banged his head in approval at this new band he was checking out. Vocalist/guitarist Nergal screamed, “CAMDEN!! Thank you for being with us tonight!” then came “Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer” from phenomenal album The Satanist.



Kelly and I made immediate eye contact and smiled approvingly because shit just got real. This track is one we both truly love, as does Mini-Amps. The band was so tight, and Inferno’s kick drums were thumping away, while bassist Orion was owning his part of the stage, something he does at every single show. Guitarist Seth was unleashing fire and brimstone as favorite line, “For Thine is the Kingdom, and the Glory, FOREVER!!” rained down on us. Every single time they do this one live it is always special, just like it was on a Saturday in Camden. Now it was time for Maestro’s favorite from ILYAYD in “Bartzabel.” Dark, moody, and tribal, you could see the tr00 fans in attendance getting into it.



Seriously, who doesn’t love “Conquer All” off of Demigod, right? Well this live version had rows of razor sharp teeth like a goddamn Great White. One more new tune followed with “Sabbath Mater” and before we knew it closer “Chant For Eschaton 2000” was upon us. Man oh man, when it was over I looked at Kelly and said, “Now THAT’S how you open a show!” Jimmy heartily agreed, and you could see Mini-Amps was happy as well. BEHEMOTH never, and I mean never disappoints live, and I will see them every single chance I possibly can. Here we had just witnessed a perfect seven-song set, and we still had GOJIRA to look forward to next. More on that in Part II. Stay tuned… 



LIVE IMAGES: ROCKVIEW LIVE

LIVE WORDS: THE MAESTRO