Korn photo by Steve Thrasher
After the cancellation of Live Nation’s Sick New World festival in 2025, many concertgoers were eager to see if the 2026 lineup would meet the same fate. Tensions were high as metal fans of all types debated audience turnout, lineup stability, and weather forecasts both in person and in online forums. The '90s are back, as evidenced by current social media trends, and with it a whole wave of nostalgia marketing. The rise of short-form content algorithms has taken it into the stratosphere, popularizing music with young people faster than ever before. As the afternoon of April 25 rolled around and the festival kicked into full gear, it was clear that genres such as nu-metal, hardcore, and industrial are here to stay.
Strolling up to the festival's plot of iconic purple carpet, the weather was shockingly agreeable, giving way for fans to pull out their most extravagant outfits. Purple and teal outfits everywhere, matching the events’ color scheme, from fishnets and pentagrams to banana costumes and anime cosplay. Festivals in general have become a vessel for self-expression in a way different from concerts, especially with the rise in popularity of Coachella. Sick New World, however, is far less performative, as the culture of fashion reflects the nature of counter-culture music.
Earlier acts, such as Acid Bath, Alien Ant Farm, and Mastodon, set the scene for the afternoon. Though they drew smaller crowds due to the early time slots, die-hard fans piled in with enthusiasm. Acid Bath, in particular, attracted a large crowd of young people, seemingly due to their rise in TikTok popularity at the start of the decade, due to the “E-girl” trend. Regardless of this, the opening chords of “The Blue” sent the crowd into a frenzy, going so far as to have beachballs infiltrate the crowd. The overcast weather became the perfect gloomy backdrop for every indulgent, sludgy note.
Loitering around the stages between sets also allowed for keen observations of the average punk, goth, and metalhead in the 21st century. Regulation-approved clear backpacks provided a window into people's priorities and preferences. All while conversations were overheard discussing the controversy of Marilyn Manson’s spot on the bill, and whether or not Ozzy Osbourne is “really dead.”
Acid Bath, by Danielle Parsons
Cypress Hill, by Armando Fragoza
Over on the spiral stage, Canadian femmes Kittie could be heard blending smooth vocals and rough screaming, shortly to be followed by Twin Tribes, who would go on to serenade the crowd with sultry synths. On the opposite end of the grounds, Cypress Hill gave arguably one of the best performances of the day. In a political climate permeated with existential dread, it's important to have danceable high-energy music as escapism, as well as brooding doom and gloom. Puffs of smoke could be seen erupting from the crowd of the ironically named “Green Stage” as the audience danced along to classics such as “How I Could Just Kill a Man” and “I Ain't Going Out Like That”.
While most attendees were clearly present for trailblazing nu-metal icons System of a Down and Korn, the recent rise in popularity of hardcore (or hxc) held a noticeable influence over the festival lineup and fans. As bands like Knocked Loose, Haywire, and Turnstile (in their earlier days) have risen to prominence in pop culture, young people have sunk their teeth into the genre, in some ways more so than with classic punk. Crowd killing, two-stepping, and skanking of all kinds could be seen in the pits during the heavy breakdowns and rough vocals of Sunami, Pig Pen, Knocked Loose, and more.
As the afternoon continued, the excitement grew with every passing hour, getting us closer to the main events. Salacious goth tunes and emotional metalcore cries paved the penultimate sets as the sun began to set and the real party began. Britain’s Bring Me The Horizon were an unstoppable force, coming off their sold-out show at the Hollywood Palladium the night before. She Wants Revenge, while not under the metal umbrella, has been a staple in goth clubs since their start in the early 2000s. Judging by the number of white-faced painted kids camping out during the Melvins set before, it’s safe to say their influence is still strong. Ministry went on to pick up where She Wants Revenge left off, as the atmosphere of nighttime set the macabre vibe into motion. SNW was especially important for Ministry fans, as the band would play “Filth Pig” in its entirety with a special appearance by former bassist Paul Barker.
As fun as large-scale multi-stage festivals are, they will always have competition baked into them. Multiple artists vying for your attention at once, bathroom lines, merch, food, etc. Festivals ultimately require work in order for your reward. This is, of course, nothing new; however, the thirty-minute overlap between Danny Elfman's set and Korn's set reignited this debate in full force amongst fans online.
By the sheer volume of the crowds, it was clear that Korn was the band to choose. The band’s entering track was something akin to a horror movie score, emphasizing the sound of creepy children's voices and high-pitched piano keys. Before the audience could drink in their surroundings, the band exploded, giving the most dynamic and energetic performance of the entire festival. Jonathan Davis’ signature scat vocals echoed throughout the grounds, vibrating off his iconic microphone stand. Every note the band played was perfectly in sync; you'd have thought you were listening to a studio recording. From moshing to white girl wasted club dancing, everyone was having a good time, enjoying songs like “Got The Life, “Coming Undone,” “Freak on a Leash,” and more.
As it always goes, the finale of a festival sees the crowd put aside their differences to support the headliner. System of a Down is a band that has become so important to the pop cultural zeitgeist that they are beyond the label of metal. No matter how far back you were for the set, the energy washed over the entire corner of Circus Circus Drive. The crowd harmonized to hits such as “BYOB” and “A Lonely Day” in a stroke of hopeful melancholia. It seems the power of SOAD was even too much for Mother Nature at this point, as the clock struck eleven, rain began to fall on the crowd, signifying that the night was truly coming to an end. Despite this only being the third year of Sick New World, the event seems to have established a good niche for itself. Festivals will always have shortcomings, but with each year, they refine their craft more and more. We will definitely be excited to see what Sick New World 2027 has in store.
