The legendary thrash metal band, Slayer, made a triumphant return to the stage at Riot Fest 2024 in Chicago after a five-year hiatus. This concert marks their first performance since their farewell show at the Forum in Los Angeles on November 30, 2019. The band had previously announced their retirement, making this reunion even more momentous for fans.
The reunion comes after months of speculation, with guitarist Kerry King initially stating in February that a reunion was unlikely. However, just weeks later, Slayer announced a handful of headlining festival performances, the first of which took place last night at Douglass Park in Chicago. The band’s core members—vocalist and bassist Tom Araya, guitarists Kerry King and Gary Holt, and drummer Paul Bostaph—delivered an intense setlist of around 20 songs, including classics like “Raining Blood,” “Angel of Death,” and “South of Heaven.”
Fans can look forward to Slayer’s upcoming appearances at the Louder Than Life festival on September 27 and the Aftershock Festival in Sacramento, California, on October 10. While no further dates have been announced, this reunion performance at Riot Fest signals that the band’s hiatus may officially be over.
As Tom Araya mentioned when the reunion was first announced, “There’s nothing in the world like the hour and a half we spend together on stage.” Kerry King echoed the sentiment, saying, “Did I miss playing live? Of course.”
Check out some fan-captured videos from the show, along with the complete Slayer setlist below.
01. South Of Heaven
02. Reborn
03. Blood Red
04. Postmortem
05. Repentless
06. Payback
07. Temptation
08. Jihad
09. Seasons In The Abyss
10. Born Of Fire
11. War Ensemble
12. Hate Worldwide
13. Disciple
14. Dead Skin Mask
15. Hell Awaits
16. 213
17. Mandatory Suicide
18. Raining Blood
19. Black Magic
20. Angel Of Death