#Jonathan Davis Jordan Buford Photography

[themusicenthusiast]

Jonathan Davis Announces Fall Dates of The Black Labyrinth Tour

The spring outing Jonathan Davis embarked on in order to start pushing the music from his new solo venture was just the beginning. It was a way to begin testing out and teasing the music that would comprise Black Labyrinth, a record that has the frontman of Korn pushing the boundaries of what fans have come to expect from him. The album is an impressive collection of songs that find Davis exploring sounds that are new for him -- more rock and alternative based -- the soundscapes often sounding as beautiful as they do powerful. The curiosity that surrounded the music at that time has turned into fascination by this point, fans having had plenty of time to familiarize themselves with this new side Davis has revealed. That means that supporters will be eager for another opportunity to see him now that they know the songs as he returns to some markets and visits new ones.

Davis’ month long stint will include a few festival dates, from the El Paso Downtown Street Festival in El Paso, TX on October 6th to being part of the lineup of Aftershock in Sacramento, CA on October 13th. There are plenty of headline dates on this run as well, though. From the Knitting Factory in Boise, ID (October 15th) to Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa, OK (October 29th), he’ll be visiting several spots in the South and Midwest. The tour will conclude at Manchester Music Hall in Lexington, KY on November 10th. Tickets for all dates are on sale now. Jonathan Davis Tour Dates: 2018 September 2--Concord, VA--DeVault Vineyards October 6--El Paso, TX--El Paso Downtown Street Festival 7--Tucson, AZ--Rialto Theatre 11--Salt Lake City, UT--The Depot 13--Sacramento, CA--Aftershock Festival 15--Boise, ID--Knitting Factory 17--Billings, MT--Pub Station Ballroom 19--Lincoln, NE--Bourbon Theatre 20--Sioux City, IA--Anthem at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino 22--Peoria, IL--Monarch Music Hall 23--St. Louis, MO--Ready Room 25--Grand Prairie, TX--The Theater at Grand Prairie 26--Corpus Christi, TX--Brewster St. Icehouse 28--San Antonio, TX--The Vibes Event Center Showroom 29--Tulsa, OK--Cain's Ballroom November 2--Nashville, TN--The Cowan 3--Pensacola, FL--Vinyl Music Hall 4--Tampa, FL--Orpheum Theater 7--Pittsburgh, PA--Mr. Smalls 8--Flint, MI--The Machine Shop 10--Lexington, KY--Manchester Music Hall

Photos by Jordan Buford Photography

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Jonathan Davis at Gas Monkey Live in Dallas, Texas. (April, 24th, 2018) [Part II]

[themusicenthusiast]

Tuesday, April 24th, 2018 - Jonathan Davis Digs into the Past and Explores the Future While Promoting ‘Black Labyrinth’ in Dallas

Photos by Jordan Buford Photography It was a Tuesday night that was sure to be remembered. After all, it’s not often that one gets to see a musician the likes of Jonathan Davis in the setting of a fairly intimate venue. Having embarked on his current tour in support of his forthcoming debut solo record, Black Labyrinth (out on May 25th via Sumerian Records) a few weeks prior, the road was bringing him to Texas on this particular night. Dallas, to be exact, for the first of just two shows in the Lone Star State. Davis’ venture out on his own was slightly unexpected. Sure, there have been a few side projects in the past. Though mostly, so long as the musicians that comprise Korn have been a member of the group, they have remained fully committed to the acclaimed band during its impressive quarter of a century (and counting) run. At the same time, that is perhaps what made this the perfect opportunity to take a little breather from the band that has become a career and instead pursue a different creative outlet. Something new to flex a different set of muscles, so to speak. It was a pleasant surprise to fans, fans who turned out in droves to Gas Monkey Live on this night, eager to get a more in-depth look at what Davis had cooked up for his solo release. Dallas’ own Dark Avenue helped set the stage for the man of the hour, while Palisades – currently on tour with Davis – delivered a well-executed and energetic performance that finished getting everyone warmed up. Those two acts had the excitement and anticipation running high; and it wasn’t much longer until the stage was set.

Along with Davis, there was another familiar face to be seen on stage, Ray Luzier joining him and holding down the percussion. Fanfare erupted as he and the other instrumentalists of the group trekked out onto the stage and took their spots. That included the more traditional guitarist and keyboardist that one might expect, as well as the surprising additions of a violinist/guitarist and a bassist who wielded an upright bass. It was definitely out of the ordinary, further enticing the throng of spectators, piquing their speculation regarding what this performance would hold. Moments later, at 9:21, Davis himself strolled out onto the stage that was bathed in red light, smiling at everyone before kissing his hands, subsequently thrusting them out towards the supporters, letting them know just how much he appreciated them.

“Welcome to my black labyrinth,” was the greeting he extended to everyone, setting the stage for the opening song and lead track from the record, “Underneath My Skin”. Musically speaking, Davis and company traversed a lot of ground this night. There was more variation to the music than anyone would have initially guessed; that track being a hard-hitting rock song that was also melodic and serene at times. The upright bass accompanied the drums exceptionally well, and, as was showcased during that opener, there were instances the man behind it used a bow to play it instead, which accented what the violin was doing.

Beautiful and devastating, it got the night off to an excellent start and earned a great deal of praise from the audience, who were next treated to something they would be familiar with. The most recent promotional single from Black Labyrinth, “Everyone” was a song several fans did indeed know, and they appeared delighted upon recognizing, even singing along to it. Stationed in front of mic stand for much of the first track, it was then that Davis broke free, removing the microphone as he began to roam about. He was exceptionally animated and active this night, even more so than what fans have come to expect from him as a performer. The thrill of performing and trying out new music for people seemed to be something that he relished, invigorating him a great deal. There was also the fact that this was the first proper introduction Dallas area fans were getting to Davis’ solo music, the way this night played out being paramount in shaping their perceptions of the record, and he aimed to make certain the patrons left counting down the days until its release.

The show wasn’t exclusively about the upcoming material, though, longtime fans being treated to a small handful of older pieces Davis had worked on throughout the years. That included a few songs penned for the soundtrack of the 2002 film Queen of the Damned, “Forsaken” being one of those and an early favorite of the night. As the sextet continued exploring the Black Labyrinth it became more and more compelling. They had gotten off to a fierce start, though it was “Final Days” where they really seemed to hit their stride, the track also exploring the true depths of the creativity that went into crafting this material. In a way it was somewhat progressive. It was also quite artistic and expressive, the violin being the most prominent instrument as it wove an eerie, at times even haunting, and atmospheric tapestry. In its own right it was breathtakingly gorgeous, demonstrating just what an immersive experience this music is meant to be, the crowd being truly enthralled by it. The show was done in a similar fashion (being immersive, that is). It boasted a consistent flow, even if there were momentary pauses here and there.

Four songs in and they were crushing it, proving to be a force to be reckoned with. Davis utilized all of the tricks he had learned over the years as he blazed new personal ground, showcasing a broader range of his artistry along with the versatility of his voice. Their 56-minute long onslaught continued. Some offerings were quite rhythmic, others heavy, leaning towards the hard rock/alt-metal side of the spectrum. One boasted a riveting instrumental breakdown, while others ebbed and flowed with carefully calculated precision, their overall tone being almost cinematic. Every track was distinct, no one sounding remotely like any other, though there was a common thread that bound it all together.

“…It’s okay to dance…” Davis remarked before another beloved fan favorite, grooving just a bit as he encouraged everyone to let loose and thoroughly enjoy themselves. With that he and his band mates dusted off “Slept So Long”. Patrons were quite familiar with it, so when Davis pointed the microphone out at them they knew what to do, collectively shouting the words, eliciting a smile from the frontman. A definitive moment of the show and surely the album as well, “Please Tell Me” conveyed itself as the song the entire night had been building to. It reflected what is sure to be a central theme of Black Labyrinth, depicting a person desperately searching to find a place where they fit; and when the reflective piece kicked in, it was as hard and heavy as could be.

Ultimately the night concluded with Davis’ chilling and simultaneously upbeat rendition of Neil Diamond “Love on the Rocks”, a fun end to a constantly captivating performance that had been full of twists and turns. “Dallas, thank you so much! I hope you can just smile!” an elated Davis informed the crowd, again expressing his gratitude to everyone for coming out to support, promising he would see them again “sometime real soon”. The gathering of fans had been transfixed thus far and they weren’t about to go anywhere, being adamant about their request for an encore. There had been at least one key song that was absent -- the lead single that accompanied the announcement of this upcoming solo release -- and it was paired with one of the most stellar songs of the night. “Happiness” gave Davis the chance to really tap into the guttural screams that fans have become accustomed to hear from him and which he has such mastery over, thus capping off the show in a powerful fashion.

At the end of it all Jonathan Davis had succeeded at doing what only the most elite artists could do: he held the complete attention of the audience members, doing so effortlessly no less. Under normal circumstances that may be customary of a band or musician to do, even expected by fans, but this was no ordinary show. This was Davis performing songs the majority of which no one in attendance had ever heard. That’s not something just any artist could do, no matter the stature that they may have, at least not without waiting until fans had a decent amount of time to familiarize themselves with the new music before touring in support of it.

Yet here on this Tuesday night in Dallas several hundred fans congregated, compelled by their love of Davis as a vocalist and musician or by their own curiosity, and quite possibly a bit of both, and they watched with utter fascination, spellbound by what unfolded before their eyes. The new material was that gripping; and while a few of his older personal material was mixed in for good measure, it was interesting to see the complete separation between this new phase of his musical journey and the other one. One might have half expected at least one or two covers from the nu metal heavyweight outfit that Davis co-founded, but there were none to be heard. And the show was all the better because of it.

That allowed him to further craft his own world as he broke the mold he cast himself in so long ago, the patrons marveling at the new sides of himself that he demonstrated. Combined with the various dynamics of this this new music it was nothing short of incredible, creating some rich and lush soundscapes, the music bed and the vocals both being finely nuanced. All in all it was quite the show, Davis’ arena-sized persona elevating it to grand scale as he and his band mates did everything they possibly could to engage and dazzle the spectators. They wound up exceeding expectations, and definitely blew some minds in the process. As the mass exodus began, fans left feeling more enthused about Black Labyrinth than when they had arrived. Anxiously awaiting its release one short month away and hoping his touring in support of it might bring him back to Dallas some time in the future.

Jonathan Davis will be touring the U.S. through May 19th, when he performs at the MMRBQ event in Camden, NJ at Susquehanna Bank Center. Other upcoming dates include stops at The Truman in Kansas City, MO (May 1st); House of Blues in Chicago, IL (May 6th); Irving Plaza in New York, NY (May 12th); and The Fillmore in Silver Spring, MD (May 17th). A Europe and UK tour in planned for June, and on October 13th Davis will be performing at the Aftershock Festival in Sacramento, CA. A complete listing of his upcoming tour dates can be found HERE; and pre-order Black Labyrinth on iTUNES or GOOGLE PLAY. Set List: 1) “Underneath My Skin” 2) “Everyone” 3) “Forsaken” 4) “Final Days” 5) “What You Believe” 6) “Basic Needs” 7) “Slept So Long” 8) “Medicate” 9) “Walk on By” 10) “System” 11) “Please Tell Me” 12) “Your God” 13) “Love on the Rocks” (Neil Diamond cover) Encore 14) “What It Is” 15) “Happiness”

[themusicenthusiast]

Jonathan Davis’ Debut Solo Album, ‘Black Labyrinth’, Set for Release on May 25th; Performing at Gas Monkey Live in Dallas on April 24th

Jonathan Davis, storied frontman of critically lauded rock band Korn, will be releasing his highly anticipated debut solo album Black Labyrinth on May 25 via Sumerian Records. Pre-orders for the physical album are available now, at jonathandavis.com or sumerianmerch.com. Diverse and progressive, Black Labyrinth represents a natural evolution for Jonathan, whose previous musical contributions have yielded two GRAMMY® Award wins, eight GRAMMY® Award nominations, worldwide sales of 40 million-plus, and countless sold out shows in nearly every corner of the globe. In addition to the album's well-received first single, "What It Is," which debuted as the #1 most added single on Rock radio, the new album includes "Final Days," a melodic and atmospheric track, accentuated by subtle hints of sitar and tabla, the straightforward arena-rock anthem "Underneath My Skin," and ten other tracks primarily recorded live to tape, a departure from Korn's heavily calculated, meticulous, studio approach to creation. Longtime fans of Korn will still find the familiarity of the band's unique and unforgettable vocals, synths and commanding guitars in key track's like "What You Believe" and "Everyone."

Inspired in part by the Ganzfeld Experiment, and the out of body experiments and hallucinations that often accompany it, Davis focused on religion, consumerism and apathy throughout the album. "There's a level of enlightenment I want to achieve," he confesses regarding Black Labyrinth. "With all of the bullshit going, everyone is stuck on their fucking cell phones. This takes us way out of that. No matter how hard you try to fight bad things in your life, life will be what it is. It's up to you to accept that, combat it, and move forward, or it's up to you to be in denial. Then, it becomes a thorn in your side until you finally deal with it. This is it. Just deal with it." Current Shows: 2018 April 6--Crystal Ballroom--Portland, OR 7--Showbox--Seattle, WA 9--Commodore--Vancouver, Canada 10--Knitting Factory--Spokane, WA 12--Ace of Spades--Sacramento, CA 13--Belasco--Los Angeles, CA 14--Kino Veteran's Memorial Stadium--Tucson, AZ 16--House of Blues--San Diego, CA 18--Fillmore--San Francisco, CA 20--Tempe Meadows--Tempe, AZ 21--Sunshine Theater--Albuquerque, NM 22--Ogden Theater--Denver, CO 24--Gas Monkey Live--Dallas, TX 25--The Ballroom at Warehouse Live--Houston, TX 26--Diamond Ballroom--Oklahoma City, OK May 1--The Truman--Kansas City, MO 2--Myth Live--Minneapolis, MN 4--The Rave--Milwaukee, WI 5--The Majestic--Detroit, MI 6--House Of Blues--Chicago, IL 8--Bogart's--Cincinnati, OH 9--House of Blues--Cleveland, OH 11--Aura--Portland, ME 12--Irving Plaza--New York, NY 14--The Plaza Live--Orlando, FL 15--Variety Playhouse--Atlanta, GA 17--Fillmore--Silver Spring, MD 18--House of Blues--Boston, MA 19--BB&T Pavilion--Camden, NJ June 1--Rock Am Ring--Nuremberg, Germany 2--Rock Im Park--Nürnberg, Germany 4--Gruenspan--Hamburg, Germany 8--DONNINGTON PARK--Newbury, United Kingdom 10--Rockhal Club--Luxembourg, Luxembourg 11--Z7 Konzertfabrik--Pratteln, Switzerland 13--Letiste Letnany--Prague, Czech Republic 14--Pannonia Fields--Nickelsdorf, Austria 16--FIRENZE ROCKS FESTIVAL--Florence, Italy 20--Melkweg--Amsterdam, Netherlands 21--Graspop Metal Meeting--Dessel, Belgium 22--Hellfest--Clisson, France 23--SITE DU HELLFEST--Clisson, France

Photos by Jordan Buford Photography

[themusicenthusiast]

Korn and Alice In Chains Announce Summer 2019 Co-headline Tour; Rocking Dallas’ Dos Equis Pavilion on July 21st

Hard rock legends KORN and ALICE IN CHAINS have announced an epic co-headline amphitheater tour across North America this summer. Underoath will join as special guest on all dates, with Ho99o9 and FEVER 333 opening on select dates. Produced by Live Nation, the 30-city outing will kick off July 18th in Del Valle, TX at Austin360 Amphitheatre and make stops in Dallas, Nashville, Toronto, Denver and more before wrapping September 4th in Mountain View, CA at Shoreline Amphitheatre. Tickets are on sale now. Since forming, KORN has sold nearly 40 million albums, collected two GRAMMYS, toured the world countless times, and set many records in the process that will likely never be surpassed. Vocalist Jonathan Davis, guitarists James "Munky" Shaffer and Brian "Head" Welch, bassist Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu, and drummer Ray Luzier, have continued to push the limits of the rock, alternative and metal genres, while remaining a pillar of influence for legions of fans and generations of artists around the globe.  KORN’s most recent LP, 2016’s THE SERENITY OF SUFFERING, built upon the band’s remarkable history with a return to the dual-guitar dynamic that first fueled their music, and earned the group their 10th GRAMMY® nomination.  KORN are currently in the studio finishing up work on their widely anticipated follow-up to THE SERENITY OF SUFFERING, which will be released later this year.

Seminal rock band ALICE IN CHAINS are touring in support of RAINIER FOG, which hit No. 1 across Billboard‘s Rock, Alternative and Hard Music Charts and No. 1 on the iTunes Rock Album Chart and earned them a Grammy nod for "Best Rock Album." Over the course of their remarkable career, ALICE IN CHAINS (vocalist/guitarist Jerry Cantrell, drummer Sean Kinney, bassist Mike Inez and vocalist/guitarist William DuVall) have garnered multiple Grammy nominations, sold more than 30 million albums worldwide, and amassed a diehard international fanbase whose members number in the millions. Korn and Alice In Chains 2019 Tour Dates: July 18--Austin, TX--Austin360 Amphitheater* 20--The Woodlands, TX--The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion^ 21--Dallas, TX--Dos Equis Pavilion* 23--Birmingham, AL--Oak Mountain Amphitheatre* 25--Alpharetta, GA--Ameris Bank Amphitheatre* 26--Nashville, TN--Bridgestone Arena* 28--West Palm Beach, FL--Coral Sky Amphitheatre at the S. Florida Fairgrounds* 30--Virginia Beach, VA--Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach* 31--Bristow, VA--Jiffy Lube Live* August 2--Darien Center, NY--Darien Lake Amphitheater* 3--Camden, NJ--BB&T Pavilion^ 6--Wantagh, NY--Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater* 7--Holmdel, NJ--PNC Bank Arts Center* 9--Mansfield, MA--Xfinity Center^ 10--Hartford, CT--XFINITY Theatre* 11--Saratoga Springs, NY--Saratoga Performing Arts Center* 13--Clarkston, MI--DTE Energy Music Theatre* 14--Toronto, ON--Budweiser Stage* 16--Cuyahoga Falls, OH--Blossom Music Center* 17--Burgettstown, PA--KeyBank Pavilion+ 18--Cincinnati, OH--Riverbend Music Center+ 20--Noblesville, IN--Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center+ 21--Tinley Park, IL--Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre+ 23--Maryland Heights, MO--Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre+ 25--Denver, CO--Pepsi Center+ 27--Albuquerque, NM--Isleta Amphitheatre+ 30--Irvine, CA--FivePoint Amphitheatre+ 31--Phoenix, AZ--Ak-Chin Pavilion+ September 2--Chula Vista, CA--North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre+ 4--Mountain View, CA--Shoreline Amphitheatre+ *with HO99O9 +with FEVER 333 ^support TBA

Photos by Jordan Buford Photography