Stuart Morrison's verdict: Four Stars

Picture the scene, if you will. Your correspondent, not long past the first flush of youth, but certainly past it, was perched fifty feet above the whirling, flailing, mass of young humanity that had erupted as main support band, Korn, roared into set opener, Here to Stay. Rarely had he been more grateful to be thus safely perched.

Korn's set covered as much of their catalogue as was possible in the fifty minutes available to them and as it was singer Jonathan Davis' birthday, members of Slipknot even presented him with a cake, which was a nice touch.

Slipknot have been through the mill of late, with the death of founder member and bassist, Paul Gray and the departure of drummer, Joey Jordison. However, as singer Corey Taylor pointed out, they were back and, in his considered opinion, better than ever. They rampaged through a brain-crushingly loud set, which encompassed much of their twenty year career but focussed on their last album, The Gray Chapter, released last year and the first since the death of their friend. New drummer, Jay Weinberg, son of E Street drummer, Max, was absolutely superb, expertly matching power, speed and precision. This being the 'Prepare for Hell' tour, the stage was a depiction of the entrance to that realm, being surmounted by a huge devil's head, belching flames from all areas at regular intervals and constantly levitating and rotating the two oil drum playing percussionists and their DJ colleagues. The crowd sang every word of every song and despite appearing to be engaged in a mass riot, had a great time. Which is what Slipknot, despite the masks and the imagery, were all about.