"Alaska needs rock! Alaska needs rock!"
The first of two chants by the electric crowd at the Korn concert Friday grounded a theme that AK Soul Productions, Bear Tooth and Moose's Tooth wanted to make clear to the rest of the country: Big-name artists can -- and should -- come up to Alaska.
In fact, the folks from AK Soul Productions took video of the crowd pumping their arms in the air and screaming the chant at the top of their lungs.
"We are going to put this video up on our Facebook page and show other bands that they should come up to Alaska," said a spokesman.
The organizers also had a surprise for the patient crowd: Los Angeles-based heavy metal band Five Finger Death Punch will come to Anchorage in August for a concert. The crowd took this news favorably, pumping their arms even harder.
Soon after the commotion died down, the second chant of the day rang through the air.
"We want Korn! We want Korn!"
As the crew set the stage for the band, one of the crew members decided to play along with the anticipating crowd:
"Ladies, do you love Korn?" High-pitched screams.
"Guys, do you love the ladies that love Korn?" Low-pitched screams and barking.
The crowd was ready.
The lights went out and Korn came on stage, opening with "4U." The Dena'ina Center shook with the roar of the bass and the craziness of the crowd. Other songs included popular hits like "Dead Bodies," "Coming Undone" and "Somebody."
"Shoots and Ladders," a number that incorporates children's songs, invigorated the crowd and got it joining in a chorus of "London Bridge is falling down" and "Knickknack paddywack, give your dog a bone."
The Korn fans swarmed the Denai'na, crowd surfers trying to get on stage with the band. Korn, known for their high-energy performances, gave it their all and had fun with the crowd.
"I want to see your hands up. I want to see those arms pumping," said Jonathan Davis, Korn's front man.
One song got the entire stadium head-banging. As the instrumental solo of "Freak on a Leash," one of Korn's most popular songs, began, the crowd started to scream. The screaming didn't stop until Korn left the stage.
Another chant of "We want Korn" brought the band up for an encore.
Crowd revelers left the Denai'na Center content and ready for more, with some saying they planned on attending the Saturday concert as well.
Felix Rivera is a liberal studies major at Alaska Pacific University.
By FELIX RIVERA
frivera@adn.com