Corey Taylor comes to The Dome at The Toyota Oakdale Theater in Wallingford, Connecticut on September, 15 2023

September 18, 2023
International Concert Reviews, International Galleries
by Jody Wilk Photographer/Writer

On a cool September night, and on the release date of Corey Taylor‘s new album, CMF2, he brought his tour to Connecticut’s charming Dome at The Toyota Oakdale Theater. The venue is located in a country setting, but easily accessible off of route 15. The dome portion of the venue is a 1649 capacity, open floor concert venue with a wooden domed ceiling. The fans filled in with excitement, and the venue was by my estimate at 3/4 capacity. Opening the evening for Corey was Luna Aura and Wargasm.

Luna Aura is an L.A. based singer, songwriter, producer who has shared the stage with many big-name artists as well as played many festivals. She started writing and performing at age 14. She is a vocal powerhouse who conveys her passion for music in her stage performance. Luna Aura released her third EP entitled, The Fiction on September 14th, and the 15th was her first night on tour with Corey Taylor. On stage with Luna is a drummer and guitarist, however, I haven’t been able to find any information on them. Luna utilized the whole stage and really got the fans into it. Her passion for her music shows in the expressions she has while singing.

Next up was Wargasm. They are an electronic rock/punk duo from London, who perform with a high energy that is infectious to their audience. Along with Sam Matlock and Milkie Way, the bands founders, they tour with drummer, Adam Breeze, guitarist Edison Hunter, and D.J., Adam Crilly. This team created an atmosphere that made you want to put your fists in the air, flail your hair around, and bang your head. They started the set with “Superfiend” and then played a song that doesn’t always make their setlist, “Minigun”. Just before the third song, Milkie told us that we only needed to know 4 words. “Drink, F#@K, Fight, Love” to sing along to their song “D.R.I.L.D.O.” and the crowd did just that! The fourth song of the night, “Do It So Good” was just released this year and will be on the album, Venom, which will be released on October 27. Wargasm put on a hard-rocking, high energy, 9-song set that got the whole place pumped up.

Wargasm is:

Milkie Way – Vocals, bass, guitar, production

Sam Matlock – Vocals, guitar, production

Edison Hunter – Guitar

Adam Breeze – Drums

Adam Crilly – DJ, electronics, vocals

Setlist:

1.Superfiend

2.Minigun

3.D.R.I.L.D.O.

4.Do It So Good

5.Rage All Over

6.Pyro Pyro

6.Fukstar

7.Backyard Bastards

8.Lapdance

9.Spit

This was an important day for Corey and his fans as his new album, CMF2 was released. Corey let us know that they just found out today that the very first single off CMF2 went to number one in the US. “We do things very old-fashioned. We play live. We come out and destroy for the people. And, most importantly, we earn every fucking thing that we fucking get. I want to thank each and every one of you. Now, would you like to hear us butcher our first fucking single? You asked for it!”

As this was my first Corey Taylor show, I didn’t know what to expect when I saw “Spongebob Squarepants” on his setlist. Well, it was just that. Corey got on stage with an acoustic guitar and performed it with the whole crowd singing along loudly. After the song, he addressed the crowd, “Thirty years I’ve been doing this, and that’s the song you sing the loudest!?! You fucking pricks.”

Corey introduced us to his band members, and jokingly said that the bass player, Eliot Lorango was the only one they could get on short notice and didn’t know if he was really even playing. They played five songs off of the new album, a host of Slipknot and Stone Sour songs, and ended a killer night of music with “Ace of Spades” by Motorhead.

All three bands put on high-energy performances which makes for a great tour package. You can catch Corey Taylor on tour in the U.S. through October 7th, and then he heads overseas. Wargasm will be on tour in the U.K. in November and December and Luna Aura will be on the Corey Taylor dates through October 5, in Los Angeles, California.

Corey Taylor is:

Corey Taylor – Vocals, guitar, piano

Christian Martucci – Guitar, backing vocals

Zach Throne – Guitar, backing vocals

Dustin Robert – Drums

Eliot Lorango – Bass