Knotfest is a music festival created in 2012 by American heavy metal band Slipknot and their longtime manager and CEO of 5B Artist Management, Cory Brennan. The event has been held both as a destination festival and touring festival in several countries including the United States, Canada and Mexico in North America; Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Colombia in South America; Finland, France, Germany, United Kingdom* in Europe, Japan in Asia; and Australia.
Aside from Slipknot, Knotfest has featured a diverse alumni of past performers including metal acts Korn, Deftones, Bring Me the Horizon, Avenged Sevenfold, Limp Bizkit, Lamb of God, Gojira, Judas Priest, Bad Omens; Hardcore bands Turnstile and Knocked Loose; Hip-Hop acts $UICIDEBOY$ and Ghostface Killah and many more
History Creation Knotfest was officially announced on June 4, 2012. Among the activities, the festival offered as part of its "dark carnival experience" were circus big-top tents, pillars of fire, amusement park rides, burlesque performers, firebreathers, stilt walkers, drum circles made of junkyard cars and graffiti walls. The two shows also debuted a Slipknot museum.
"It's all about having fun and going crazy, bringing it to the standard it used to be," Slipknot's Shawn "Clown" Crahan told Rolling Stone. "It's time for us to really engulf this idea known as Knotfest where we're in control, we make a day devoted to our mindset, our ideas, the people that we want to play with, the people that we think our fans want to be around... When everyone leaves their senses [will be] overloaded, and I'm talking about smells, sights, hearing, your body, everything is overloaded with stimulation, because that's what Slipknot does."
The inaugural Knotfest was a two-city event and took place on August 17, 2012, in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and August 18, 2012, in Somerset, Wisconsin. Among the line-up were bands such as Deftones, Lamb of God, and Cannibal Corpse. On March 24, 2014, it was officially announced that "Knotfest Japan" would be held in November 15 and 16 at Makuhari Messe, Tokyo. Headliners were Slipknot, Korn, Limp Bizkit, Lamb of God, Five Finger Death Punch, Papa Roach, Bring Me the Horizon, Trivium and In Flames. On the first date of the Mayhem Festival 2014, Knotfest 2014 was announced, with it being held at the San Manuel Amphitheater in San Bernardino, California, on October 24–26. Knotfest 2015 was to be held at the same location, from October 23 through 25. In December 2019, it was announced that Knotfest would be held in the United Kingdom for the first time in 2020.
Broadcast On July 11, Slipknot announced that their closing performance at Knotfest would be broadcast via a pay-per-view streaming website. Shawn "Clown" Crahan said, "It means everything for everyone to see the live spectacle we're creating in the flesh, but we understand some fans around the world can't be at the show. We've now made it possible for you to be there in spirit - so join us live on August 18."
Website On May 27, 2020, Slipknot and 5B Management relaunched the Knotfest website as a "global media hub" for news, interviews and more.
Knotfest launched Hardlore: Stories from Tour hosted by Colin Young and Bo Lueders on March 22, 2022. The series is routinely in the Top 25 of Music Podcast charts and the top weekly heavy music podcast
The Knotfest site is home to She's With the Band, a weekly podcast hosted by Tori Kravitz that focuses on women in the music industry.
In addition, Knotfest is the home to the guitar driven interview series, Defender of the Riff hosted by Daniel Dekay which has appeared live at Blue Ridge Rock Festival and will be appearing at Download Festival in 2025; as well as the behind the scenes docu-series Beyond the Breakdown hosted by Tori Kravitz.
Performers 2012 line-up Friday 17 AugustSaturday 18 AugustMain StageSecond StageMain StageSecond StageSlipknot Deftones Serj Tankian ProngLamb of God Machine Head The Urge DirtfeddSlipknot Deftones Serj Tankian The Dillinger Escape PlanLamb of God Machine Head Cannibal Corpse Disconnect Hardcore (Ph) Prong Gojira
2014 line-up California Friday 24 OctoberStage 002Stage 003Campground StageSuicide Silence Butcher Babies AlterbeastThe Black Dahlia Murder Chelsea GrinThe Athiarchists
Saturday 25 OctoberRockstar Energy Drink Main StageStage 002Stage 003Headbang for the Highway Stage 004Extreme Stage 005Campground StageSlipknot Danzig Anthrax Black Label Society HatebreedTestament Carcass Maximum the Hormone King 810 Man with a MissionIn This Moment The Devil Wears Prada Butcher Babies Miss May I One Ok RockThe Faceless Stands with Fists Dehumanizer Kings of Carnage Play for Blood ShortfuseFear Factory Otep Prong Amen ImmolationThe Athiarchists
Sunday 26 OctoberRockstar Energy Drink Main StageStage 002Stage 003Headbang for the Highway Stage 004Extreme Stage 005Campground StageSlipknot Five Finger Death Punch Volbeat Tech N9ne Atreyu HellyeahOf Mice & Men DevilDriver Veil of Maya Nothing MoreKillswitch Engage Whitechapel Upon a Burning Body Anti MortemDead for Denver Motograter Fire from the Gods I, of Helix A Threat to the Enemy Still Not DeadNapalm Death Avatar Attika 7 Exmortus RattleheadThe Athiarchists
Japan Saturday 15 NovemberSunday 16 NovemberSlipknot Limp Bizkit Lamb of God Papa Roach Bring Me the Horizon Miss May I One Ok Rock SiM Crossfaith coldrain Meaning Crystal Lake HenLeeSlipknot Korn Trivium In Flames Five Finger Death Punch Amon Amarth Maximum the Hormone Man with a Mission Wagdug Futuristic Unity AA= Knock Out Monkey Make My Day Silhouette from the Skylit
2015 line-up California Friday 23 OctoberVIP + Camping Kickoff PartySepultura The Faceless Rings of Saturn Khaotika Motorbreath
Saturday 24 OctoberRockstar Energy Drink Main StageStage 002Stage 003Extreme Stage 004Headbang for the Highway Stage 005Campground StageJudas Priest Korn Mastodon Trivium Corrosion of ConformityBody Count At the Gates Red Fang BattlecrossGwar Born of Osiris Earth Crisis GoatwhoreKataklysm Belphegor Inquisition Abysmal Dawn Her Name in Blood Khaotika Fire from the Gods Buried Under Texas Doomsday Mourning Born for War A Tragedy at Hand Grand Lord High Master Piece in Terror Short Fuse Green as Emerald Kaustik Skyburial This Place Is a Zoo Chasing the BulletStreet Drum Corps Sunday 25 OctoberRockstar Energy Drink Main StageStage 002Stage 003Extreme Stage 004Headbang for the Highway Stage 005Campground StageSlipknot Bring Me the Horizon Clutch Ghostface Killah Mobb DeepSuicidal Tendencies All That Remains Beartooth KyngCannibal Corpse Helmet Snot Devour the DayDying Fetus Disgorge Internal Bleeding Green Death The ReAktion Kings of CarnageI, of Helix Proletariat Avoid the Void Abhor A Threat to the Enemy Stands with Fists Paranova Everybody Panic! As Oceans Dead Animal Assembly Plant Speaking with Ghost Xero for Life The Darkest DayStreet Drum Corps
Mexico Saturday 5 DecemberMain StageTecate StageSlipknot Megadeth Lamb of God HIM A Day to Remember Trivium Atreyu Asking Alexandria TanusCradle of Filth Ill Niño The Dillinger Escape Plan Brujeria Resorte 36 Crazyfists Here Comes the Kraken Everyone Likes Cathleen
2016 line-up "Ozzfest Meets Knotfest" California Friday 23 SeptemberArmored Saint Metal Church Exmortus Thrown into Exile
Saturday 24 SeptemberLemmy StageMonster Energy Drink Stage 001Monster Energy Drink Stage 002Nuclear Blast StageBlack Sabbath Disturbed Megadeth Opeth Black Label Society Rival SonsSuicidal Tendencies DevilDriver HuntressHatebreed Goatwhore AllegaeonMunicipal Waste Brujeria Kataklysm The Shrine Still Rebel
Sunday 25 SeptemberLemmy StageRockstar Energy Drink Stage 001Rockstar Energy Drink Stage 002Nuclear Blast StageSlipknot Slayer Amon Amarth Anthrax Trivium Motionless in WhiteSabaton Suicide Silence Butcher BabiesOverkill Emmure Man with a MissionWhitechapel Combichrist Carnifex Loathe SiM ONI Westfield Massacre
Mexico Saturday 15 OctoberMain StageIowa StageAvenged Sevenfold Slayer Marilyn Manson Disturbed Chevelle Alesana Attila S7NMeshuggah Killswitch Engage Sevendust Hatebreed DevilDriver The Black Dahlia Murder Volumes Arcadia Libre
Sunday 16 OctoberMain StageIowa StageSlipknot Deftones The Offspring Ministry Enter Shikari Emmure Thell Barrio Fire from the GodsOpeth Arch Enemy Iced Earth Carcass Animals as Leaders Agora Nothing More Sabrina Sabrok Joliette
Japan Saturday 5 NovemberSunday 6 NovemberSlipknot Deftones Disturbed A Day to Remember Hoobastank Issues SiM Rize Rottengraffty Oldcodex coldrain Crystal Lake A Crowd of Rebellion Survive Said the Prophet Jealkb The Sixth LieSlipknot Marilyn Manson Lamb of God In Flames Anthrax Butcher Babies Man with a Mission the GazettE Crossfaith MUCC Her Name in Blood Crazy N' Sane THE冠 (THE Kanmuri) 魔法少女になり隊 (Mahō Shōjo ni Nari-tai) 彼女 in the Display (Kanojo in the Display) Salty Dog
2017 line-up Mexico Saturday 28 OctoberTecate StageDay of the Gusano StageThe Maggots StageA Perfect Circle Korn Stone Sour Bullet for My Valentine Cannibal Corpse Ill Niño Maximum the Hormone Deadly Apples CerberusAnthrax Children of Bodom Hatebreed Suicide Silence S7N Here Comes the Kraken Lack of RemorseAnti-Flag Periphery Tech N9ne Attila ONI Parazit
Ozzfest Meets Knotfest 2017 Friday November 3Monster Magnet Brant Bjork Sasquatch Lo-Pain
Saturday 4 NovemberLemmy StageMonster Energy Drink Stage 001Monster Energy Drink Stage 002Nuclear Blast StageOzzy Osbourne Prophets of Rage Deftones Children of Bodom Orange GoblinKreator Baroness High on Fire Iron Reagan1349 Havok Tombs Night Demon Thrown into ExileMunicipal Waste Possessed Kataklysm Suffocation Rings of Saturn
Sunday 5 NovemberLemmy StageRockstar Energy Drink Stage 001Rockstar Energy Drink Stage 002Nuclear Blast StageRob Zombie Marilyn Manson Stone Sour Eighteen Visions PrayersTestament The Black Dahlia Murder Code Orange Stitched Up Heart GoatwhoreLife of Agony Upon a Burning Body Death Angel Oni Ded Sid Wilson of Slipknot Repulsion Exhumed Warbringer Ghoul Zombie Eating Horse
2018 line-up Colombia Friday 26 OctoberJudas Priest Helloween Kreator Arch Enemy Masacre Iron Reagan Revocation Goatwhore Kilcrops Under Threat Cuentos de los Hermanos Grind Pitbull
Mexico Canceled due to lack of organization.
2019 line-up Knotfest meets Hellfest 2019 France Thursday 20 JuneSlipknot Rob Zombie Sabaton Amon Amarth Papa Roach Powerwolf Behemoth Ministry Sick of It All Amaranthe
Knotfest Roadshow 2019 USA & Canada LineupSlipknot Volbeat Gojira Behemoth
Knotfest meets Forcefest 2019 Mexico Knotfest 30 NovemberMain StageTecate StageMonster Energy StagePrudence StageSlipknot (cancelled) Evanescence (cancelled) Cherry Bombs Behemoth Stratovarius Chelsea Grin Carajo Tanus Here Comes the Kraken MatheryaGodsmack Bullet for My Valentine Papa Roach Nothing More Of Mice & Men Cemican Never Again Headcrusher Kaizan311 Suicidal Tendencies The Bronx 8 Kalacas Las Poker Project46 Arcadia Libre Parazit Hate Bullets HanksideCarcass Belphegor Gore and Carnage Clandestino The Suffering Stone Leek Rejexion Ubon Torcido Monkey Dream Dethdealers The Legion of Hetheria AFK
Colombia Friday 6 DecemberKnot StageCarnaval StageAlternative StageSlipknot Behemoth Testament Unleashed A.N.I.M.A.L. Random Revenge ReencarnaciónW.A.S.P. Accept Cherry Bombs Stratovarius Perpetual Warfare ArzenCarnifex Koyi K Utho Aire Como Plomo Poker Gutgrinder
2021 Iowa Saturday 25 SeptemberStage 1Stage 2Slipknot Suicideboys Gojira Tech N9ne Knocked Loose Gatecreeper Widow7Megadeth Lamb of God Trivium Fever 333 Turnstile Vended
Knotfest Roadshow USA LineupSlipknot Killswitch Engage Fever 333 Code Orange
Los Angeles 5 NovemberSlipknot Bring Me the Horizon Cherry Bombs Killswitch Engage Fever 333 Code Orange Vended
2022 Knotfest Roadshow USA & Canada Jinjer was announced to appear in the first leg, but cancelled due to the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, their homeland. March 16 - April 17May 18 - June 18September 20 - October 7Slipknot In This Moment Wage WarSlipknot Cypress Hill