Better Than I Expected, and I Expected the Best
I went into Sick New World Texas with ridiculously high expectations. I've been listening to many of these bands for most of my life, and having so many of them together for one day was almost absurd.
I expected one of the best concert experiences of my life.
Somehow, it was better.
It wasn't without inconveniences. There were massive crowds, practically nonexistent cell service, and by the end of the night, my feet were ready to resign from the rest of my body.
But none of that came close to outweighing the experience.
A Brotherhood of Music Nerds
One of my favorite things about the festival wasn't even onstage.
It was the people.
Tens of thousands of music fans from every race, gender, age, and culture, all sharing a genuine love for heavy music. Despite the aggression coming from the stages, everyone I encountered was cool and friendly.
It felt like a brotherhood of music nerds.
I spent a lot of the day just appreciating that atmosphere. There was something satisfying about being surrounded by so many people who understood exactly why we were there.
And the music certainly didn't disappoint.
Slayer Stole the Show
Slayer was probably my biggest surprise.
I knew I wanted to see them, but I didn't expect them to deliver one of my two favorite performances of the entire festival.
Holy shit.
The music was incredible, the lighting and pyro were spectacular, and Tom Araya's vocal endurance was remarkable. His consistency and power after all these years were impressive, regardless of age.
Everything about that performance worked.
Slayer didn't need to prove anything to anybody, but they certainly reminded everyone why they're legends.
Knocked Loose: Brutal Without Trying
My other favorite performance was Knocked Loose, for almost entirely different reasons.
No elaborate costumes. Nothing particularly impressive happening with the backdrop. Just incredibly clean, ridiculously heavy music.
It was brutal without trying to be.
What really struck me was the bass. I've listened to their music plenty, but hearing it live made me realize my headphones aren't doing the recordings justice. There's a physical quality to that low end that I hadn't fully appreciated.
At one point, they stopped playing because someone needed medical attention. Absolutely the right decision, even if it interrupted the momentum.
And despite that interruption, they still delivered one of the best performances of the day.
I also managed to reconnect with my friends Randy and Megan shortly before Knocked Loose. Megan crowdsurfed for the first time, lost her flip-flops in the process, and I managed to retrieve them before they got trampled in the pit.
Shortly after returning her shoes, I lost both of them again.
I wouldn't hear from either of them until the following day.
A Few Other Highlights
Kittie was badass. They sounded fantastic, their song selection was excellent, and they carried themselves with the confidence that makes heavy music so enjoyable live.
Coal Chamber delivered much of that same energy, with even more crowd interaction. They knew how to get people involved, and their performance was one of the day's highlights.
Marilyn Manson was excellent, too. I've seen him several times, and his performances haven't always been consistent. Two were pretty sloppy, while the last time we saw him, he was great. This was another great performance. It's good seeing him perform at that level again.
Filter gave me one of the more personal moments of the day with “Picture.”
It wasn't tied to a specific memory. It was more a feeling of growth. I've been listening to their music for decades, and hearing it now reminds me how much life has happened in between.
Sometimes that's enough.
Unfortunately, Orgy seemed to be dealing with technical problems. The vocalist appeared to be struggling with his in-ear monitoring, his vocals were difficult to hear from the audience, and at one point the click track was coming through the main PA.
I don't know exactly what went wrong, but it was unfortunate because I genuinely wanted to enjoy their performance.
Twenty Years Later, Deftones
Deftones were one of my biggest priorities going into the festival.
They're one of my favorite bands, and the last time I saw them was in 2006.
Back then, they didn't play “My Own Summer.”
I understood why. They weren't headlining, and no band owes me a particular song. But it's one of their biggest hits and a personal favorite, so I was disappointed.
Twenty years later, I finally heard it live.
And yes, it scratched that itch.
The entire performance was excellent. Their visual presentation was particularly important to the atmosphere, with imagery that complemented the music beautifully.
Deftones have always been exceptional at creating a particular mood, and everything about this performance felt right.
It was worth the wait.
The Less Glamorous Side of Festivals
Now, I've seen some complaints about the crowds and logistics.
And yes, it was crowded. Extremely crowded. Getting around could be difficult, and there were plenty of inconveniences.
But it's an enormous metal festival.
I'm not jumping into a swimming pool and complaining about getting wet.
That doesn't mean organizers shouldn't be held accountable for genuine failures. But congestion and discomfort aren't automatically evidence that somebody did something wrong.
For me, the biggest inconvenience was the cell service.
Communication was practically impossible at times. I couldn't reliably contact people, and I couldn't even move money around in my Chime account when I needed to.
That was frustrating.
But we were all adults. We didn't have children with us, and nobody was in any danger. If we got separated, we'd eventually reconnect.
Which explains why I didn't hear from Randy and Megan until the next day.
I also would've liked more money for merchandise, but food and drinks took priority. I could've brought more money. I also could've brought less.
I managed.
My Feet Finally Won
I'd prepared pretty well for hydration. Bringing a hydration bladder was one of my better decisions.
My feet were another story.
By halfway through the day, I was already shifting my weight from one foot to the other, trying to give each one a break.
By the time Deftones finished, I couldn't stand any longer.
I made my way to the bleachers, where I could hear System of a Down and watch the performance on a monitor that was about a second behind the audio.
They opened with “Suite-Pee,” which made me happy.
Unfortunately, I missed most of their performance. I caught some of the ending, but physically, I was finished.
I regret missing them, but I don't regret recognizing my limit.
I'd already had an incredible day.
Meanwhile, Kristi and Amanda had made a similar decision after Coal Chamber.
They headed back to the car to relax and watch anime.
And I appreciated that they never pressured me to leave early.
They'd enjoyed several performances I missed, including Dying Wish, which they swear was fantastic. They were perfectly content doing their own thing while I finished enjoying mine.
We didn't need to experience the festival identically to enjoy it together.
Why It Mattered
Most of my year is spent dealing with the usual routine. Work, responsibilities, bills, and everything else that comes with being an adult.
I try to make room for at least one experience every year that lets me escape that monotony.
Sometimes it's DJ Expo in Las Vegas. Sometimes it's the Texas Renaissance Festival.
This year, it was Sick New World.
These are the experiences I look forward to because they give me an opportunity to spend an entire day doing something I genuinely love.
And throughout the festival, I was aware of how happy I was.
Not just during the biggest performances. The entire time.
I was taking it all in.
The music, the people, the atmosphere, and the experience of hearing bands that have been part of my life for decades.
I knew it was a day I'd remember.
Heading Home
The ride home was nice.
I finally got to put my feet up, and we talked about the day.
Kristi and Amanda had enjoyed themselves, even if part of their festival experience involved watching anime and Korean drama in the car.
Everybody got what they wanted out of the day.
And I was completely exhausted.
But satisfied.
Would I go again?
Absolutely.
I'd prepare a little differently. Make sure my money was where I needed it before arriving, budget more for merchandise, and maybe give my feet a little more consideration.
But those are minor adjustments.
I saw Slayer deliver a performance I wasn't remotely prepared for. Knocked Loose reminded me what truly heavy music can feel like. Kittie, Coal Chamber, Manson, Filter, and Deftones all gave me moments worth remembering.
I finally heard “My Own Summer” live.
And I spent an entire day surrounded by people who love this music as much as I do.
I went into Sick New World expecting the best.
Somehow, I got better.
