Zao Cornerstone 1998 - Stage View

[@jasonbisdead]

No one will ever know what this was like. This time in music- Most dont realize how transformative these moments were for heavy music. You truly- TRULY.... just had to be there.

[@RyanKudasik]

Yeah! I was there through and through. I wish I was there now.

[@clintwheeler2184]

I was there.... I’d go back to that spot I was at (which was somewhere about 30 feet back) in a heartbeat. I vaguely remember actually seeing them because of the sweat in my eyes, and my glasses were in my pocket for obvious reasons. So this is a fun recap 20+ years later.

[@jasonsangwin4006]

This is the real deal, I'd go back to this time in a heartbeat

[@marcopelaezfernandez4573]

I was there in other continent tho but I got IRC bootlegs so ..

[@benmiddleton9984]

I was

[@Quantumface]

The left arm behind the back lets us know exactly what era we are in baby haha

[@xNaszex]

17:55 jesse drops his stick, gets another one, realises he doesn’t like it, throws it away and gets a new and STILL manages to stay in time. Fucking Legend❤

[@hobojungle1]

This footage blew my mind. Drummer’s an absolute machine. Gotta love his work ethic. Musical historians will be reviewing this footage in the years to come.

[@jesseminns]

I remember hearing Daniel’s vocals for the first time on Blood and Fire and being completely captivated. I still hold Zao as one of the greatest hardcore bands ever.

[@JonathanJacobMeijer]

This was so great about 1998: A Goth on drums, a Rockabilly on vocals, a skater and a rocker on guitar. The time where music really was about music and no longer about image or style.

[@martingarricks6209]

I don't understand, none of them look like any of those

[@Phonesex900]

What the fuck are you on about shut the fuck up

[@eastmaggie]

Chills. The greatest era of Zao ever.

[@rschmidt9495]

Dude, chills like a mf. These were the days.

[@Zebedeez_Nuts]

Buying Splinter Shards The Birth Of Separation at a Christian bookstore when first came out is what made me a Zao fan. I was 16 at the time. Overcome - Blessed Are The Persecuted, No Innocent Victim - No Compromise and Focal Point - Suffering The Masses were some other great ones I got around the same time. Over 25 years later I still have all three. Still like 'em, too. A lot. Embodiment - Embrace The Eternal is a notable mention. Training For Utopia was another great band

[@allencarey7336]

Ummm you obviously haven't stuck with them...their latest release "The Crimson Corridor" easily their best album to date, and I've been with them since the split with training for utopia

[@eastmaggie]

@@allencarey7336 been listening to them since they released the original all else failed. The deepness of blood and fire / liberate is still incredible. Of all the many times I have seen them live (including the performance in this video), that late 90s era of Zao is beyond their time.

[@Autumn.Sun.Eclipse]

@@allencarey7336 I've been following Zao since 1997ish and although they've continued to make solid records, Crimson Corridor (which is especially good) and the modern incarnation of the band isn't even in the same league as their late 90's output as far as raw energy and spirit. It's totally different. At least I see it that way.

[@ericmsandoval]

I cannot believe how many lightyears ahead of drumming Jesse was than their later drummers. Both in power, style, and the overall sound of the drums. His drums are by far the best sounding.

[@Nall412]

Why is he facing on the opposite direction. Not facing the crowd.

[@craigjames8569]

@@Nall412 He has stage fright

[@allencarey7336]

Not true...he doesn't have stage fright lmao he just wanted to do something different...I play drums and back in my day lol I used to put my drums sideways to the crowd, just to make morons ask questions...I played for a band called Project 86 for about 3 years.

[@hobojungle1]

@@allencarey7336P86 was literally my introduction to heavier music (middle school). Owe a major debt of gratitude to Drawing Black Lines.

[@TheIndigoMagickian]

@@allencarey7336 I loved that band!

[@billwingfield8784]

The mass amounts of disposable cameras I see is amazing. I was there somewhere in the crowd. This was a great time!

[@husq48]

Think that I brought two or three to this fest!

[@Icynova]

This is right up there with some Hate5Six videos as far as quality (from that era) and historical importance. I'm so glad someone linked me this.

[@tylertwinkletips1745]

List o' tracks (thanks Ryan Smith) Lies Of Serpents, A River Of Tears (2:06) A Fall Farewell (4:58) Skin Like Winter (7:55) To Think Of You Is To Treasure An Absent Memory (10:30) Walk On By, Walk On Me (14:36) Surrounds Me (17:32) Ravage Ritual (22:56) Fifteen Rhema (27:40)

[@christakintner9412]

And just like that I feel like I'm 14 again...concerts will never be like this again....

[@zaowilliams9368]

believe it or not i was named after this band lol

[@thepinkmannamedfloyd4144]

Hell yeah

[@rockandrollisyourmom]

man we're getting old.

[@magnussassin]

Believe it or not, I recorded this Blood & Fire album, cheers my baby!

[@HAXAN-V-V]

must be nice to have such cool parents.

[@JoshuaLevan-y5l]

That’s rad. If I ever had a daughter, I’m naming her Norma Jean

[@RyanKudasik]

oh my god. this is incredible. This is my favorite Zao. Blood and Fire is still top 3 albums for me (I mean of all albums in the world). So weird this shit can make me teary eyed.

[@rschmidt9495]

It's because it's triggering fond memories of when you were younger, and things were simple. Music is the only thing that can teleport you back in time in a matter of seconds.

[@matthewgunther782]

Sadly this was kind of a flash in the pan type of situation. Sort of like grunge but not as popular. I’ll never forget my first Zao show.

[@michaelvieregge2257]

@@matthewgunther782 fawkin nailed it

[@xFuzzyxPicklesx]

INSANE DRUM PERFORMANCE

[@Autumn.Sun.Eclipse]

Jesse was an absolute savage!!

[@billjim334]

Jesus Christ I’ve never seen such a hard hitting drummer

[@Chihuahuahuahuahuahua]

Jesse

[@Mike_DeF]

The Ivan Drago of drums

[@peterplaysbass]

This is awesome. First time I saw ZAO live was at Cornerstone (somewhere in the 2000-2004 range). They still had no bass player, so Dan was doing bass and vocals. It was hot, dusty, sweaty, and loud. I thought Jesus was going to come back right then.

[@coletrain_official7694]

This is the music that can still listen to 10 years later and still blast in my car and still feel like a badass. Even if the cars next to me are scared haha ! I love Zao ! I had all their albums on CD growing up. Such a big influence and helped me through my darkest times!

[@Sean-yk6mh]

Such a great memory those CStone tents where crazy hot. I can still smell the dust and sweat.

[@tinger3575]

In this era of music this style was so fucking rare. These dudes killed it

[@geniosquarepants8399]

this is how legends were born. yep.

[@SoundDadNate]

I'm in there somewhere. This is a peak moment for this era of music. Its pre-emo/screamo. Its post R.E.X. metal stuff... this is PEAK era moment for this genre and this scene. I feel fortunate to have been there.

[@zacknelson7839]

This is awesome but it's absolutely not pre-emo/screamo lol. Those were very much things in 1998 and well prior to that too.

[@Arinisonfire]

Screamo started in the early 90s in Cali. Are you familiar with Gravity Records? Heroin, Antioch Arrow, Honeywell, etc. Those were the first screamo bands, though it was a very contentious term at the time and a lot of artists rejected it. By 98 it had spread across the states and to other parts of the world. Pageninetynine, Orchid, Portraits of Past, Saetia, Envy, Jeromes Dream, I'm sure you're familiar with some of these, but you might just think of them as hardcore, which is totally fair, like I said "screamo" is a contentious label and a pretty vague genre. I'm assuming you're talking about the COMMERCIAL "screamo" though? The 00s post-hardcore and metalcore that got called screamo by the media and general public because they assumed the genre was just...music with screaming lol. Funny enough, Zao did heavily influence a lot of those 00s bands that got mislabeled as screamo. As I Lay Dying famously started as a Zao clone and the current drummer of Zao is actually an ex From Autumn To Ashes member. There's a lot of connections and it all gets really abstract and nebulous, genre labels are silly like that

[@mikebergman1817]

The interaction with the crowd singing is absolute magic.

[@oysterhead5150]

I was there, in the back somewhere, lol! This was on their "When Blood and Fire bring Rest" tour. Brett Detar from the Juliana Theory was one of their guitar players back then. These live performances were so good, very raw back then! Good stuff! Great video, thanks for posting it, it brings back very fond memories!

[@scottlancaster2839]

I was on side stage. Epic show

[@Autumn.Sun.Eclipse]

Jesse brought something to Zao that cannot be described. He was such an amazing drummer. This was my favorite lineup. Walk On By, Walk On Me is one of their best songs. Solid State should do the Training for Utopia split on vinyl!!! (and another run of Plastic Soul Impalement and Throwing a Wrench....and Embrace the Eternal with Halo of Winter as a bonus track😉). 1998-1999 was the most potent and genuinely dark output from Solid State.

[@Nall412]

Why was he facing the other way? Hes not facing the crowd. Sirry wrong person. But yea solid state has a pretty good roster of bands.

[@Autumn.Sun.Eclipse]

@@Nall412 Not sure but that seems to have been his style frequently facing away. I saw Training for Utopia do that a few times. Once, Morley was in the front of the stage with his back to the crowd but they were playing as a 3-piece without Don at that one. (Lodi, CA Roller skating rink I believe[?])

[@Cheeseburger.Launch.Sequence]

He brought a WHOLE lotta instability too haha.

[@JoshuaLevan-y5l]

I’ve been a HUGE Zao fan for 25 years and this is the first time I’ve heard the Blood + Fire lineup doing a Splintered Shards song. Awesome!!!

[@Wahoogates]

Just saw these guys 2 days ago. It was just as magical if not more majestic than i remember. 20 years later these guys are still burning it down and walking away! Straight fire mate! Excellent video!!! 🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@huhwowproductions]

'Where blood and fire bring rest' is one of the best metalcore albums albums of all time. Praise Jesus

[@weefek]

cornerstone was such a special thing. I was there in 2003. One of my best memories.

[@fatdad8049]

The good ol days. I was there as well 2002, 2003, and 2004.

[@foreverthursday]

Still one of my favourite bands.

[@waynewedge1148]

When I first saw the thumbnail for this video I thought, "there's no way, Nick would have never let someone other than him let this footage out." I'm one of the rare people that saw this footage years ago! Anyway, I clicked on the thumbnail and saw that it is in fact Nick that uploaded it, so I feel good about it. This is Wayne by the way. From EHD. NICK! WHAT UP PIMPIN!

[@NickWilliamsVideos]

Wayne Wedge Dude!!! This has been my secret gem all these years that only close friends got to see until now. Miss you man! I’m going to be uploading more videos that I have but this is the best by far. Check out Living Sacrifice last Truby show and the Embodyment one that I put up. Sure that you saw those at my house already lol.

[@waynewedge1148]

@@NickWilliamsVideos I do remember those! All 3 videos have been burned in my mind and I've always felt like part of a lucky few! It was time to share with the world though! I remember you telling me about some pretty well known people asking you for that Zao video and you telling them that it just wasn't possible! ha. I will be re watching those other vids. Did we play that last Mindrage show at Vino's? I don't remember for sure.

[@xbetteroffdeadx1625]

I've watched the other angle of this set a hundred times. Entirely different dynamic seeing it from the stage. Thank you for sharing! xxx

[@JacquiPenar]

can you link it please. thank you in advance!

[@kdh06004]

I was there! Thanks for sharing! How many of us 40 somethings are gonna be reliving the good old days at Furnace Fest in September!?

[@joshuamulligan4155]

And ZAO just released another instant-classic with Crimson Corridor

[@taylorgulledge3858]

Seeing them this weekend at Furnace Fest and im pretty stoked.

[@mehhhhhhh4190]

I was at this concert. Such a great time!

[@DarkModeStudio]

Thanks, man. I am somewhere behind the main speakers on Russ's side. That was one of the best years!

[@thesmithdeep]

Peak Zao right there. Such an awesome time for Heavy Metal .

[@robowop9354]

The energy was real & original. Not trying to duplicate!

[@SaintLewisMusic]

I was there. Honestly, I was a bit terrified. I loved heavy music, but had never experienced anything quite like Zao up to that point. The pit that formed towards the middle of the tent was insane, too.

[@waveemann8857]

I was sorta hoping Brett would play a song with them at Furnace Fest last year, but I'm at least glad he had a lil moment during Juliana Theory's set where he talked about them and his time in the band.

[@lucavittor6327]

Wow.... old Times . The best period of my life. I saw you around Europe , what a power!!!Ciao from Italy.

[@ninjajedistuff]

I was there! Thank you for this video! It's an absolute treasure and the sound and video is remarkable for its age! This was by far my favorite Zao lineup.

[@CrookedTooth616]

Dude. Instant goosebumps when the went into this set. These guys are the local heroes in my area, and hearing/watching this video takes me back to my youth.

[@TheBlackGhost13]

ZAO is the best band I've seen live! Love ZAO!

[@xlifeiswarx]

If only the person who uploaded this still had the raw footage on VHS and could get it to Sunny from Hate5Six to remaster and clean up...

[@krisschofield3772]

I was there and it was incredible.

[@xtheedgeofreasonx]

SO much to say about this video! First, thank you for uploading it! Am I correct that that was Brandon Ebel taking photos of the band after the set? And Jesse Smith was absolutely on FIRE during this time, my favorite drummer ever.

[@kdh06004]

Yep, that was Brandon. He starts out sitting down on Russ's side.

[@Autumn.Sun.Eclipse]

I share your sentiments about Jesse. Love that guy.

[@kdh06004]

HOLY CRAP! I didn't realize this was Nick Williams from Mindrage lol! I clicked on your profile to see what other old school concert footage you had and recognized you instantly. I don't know if you remember this but you guys played at a high school dance in Jessieville, Arkansas probably around 1996 or 1997lol. I'm the guy responsible for that show lol. Thanks for putting out some great heavy music over the years and for bringing back some great memories through these posts!

[@oddioventurediscourse]

That was the gig that made me a fan I saw them and I was back stage watching Jessy Dan and Russ and i forgot the other guys name it was a good year

[@DanBeard]

The other guy is Brett Detar from The Juliana Theory.

[@thinkingjack]

This is absolutely incredible! What a piece of history!!!!

[@garrettcurry338]

Can someone explain why the drummer is turned around though? I fuck with it

[@christopherlokovich]

I'm glad none of us owned tuners back then. So much music would have been ruined by tuning.

[@miked346]

one of my favorite bands of the late 90s... thank you for posting this. If u have some Training For Utopia vids, that'd be fun :)

[@jacoblopez517]

If anyone knows of a more underrated band, please let me know.

[@jacoblopez517]

@@InfamousInternetVillainJackSix They're underrated now

[@barabusband]

Nope.

[@hecatombe4724]

@@jacoblopez517 Sorry you never got an answer man. If you got Discord hmu heca2003#3516

[@scotttheprobot9096]

Nothingface

[@neilbottles2597]

Botch

[@Re-Vital-Eyes]

This. Is. Amazing.

[@saviourofrockandroll]

Thank you for posting this! I was not at Cornerstone that year, but I saw Zao in '98 when they came through my town. There was nothing quite like that era of hardcore/metal. Miss those times a lot!

[@Autumn.Sun.Eclipse]

I always think about what Jesse said about Brett in the Lesser Lights of Heaven DVD having the vision and the flair. Such a charismatic guy.

[@Autumn.Sun.Eclipse]

OMG just realized that they played "Walk on by, Walk on Me". Amazing!!Top 5 Zao songs of all time for me.

[@chadserhal]

I was there. This is some amazing footage.

[@RibeiroGames12]

The best metalcore band of all time

[@julianhernandez2328]

Jesse Smith is and will always be my hero!!

[@cjmfifty]

Legend!

[@jeremyblacketer3975]

I was at this show and how I became a fan of Zao

[@IAM_UDON]

Wow. This is great it's so weird how you only find out about certain bands through coincidence...I've been to a ton of metal shows at this point in life so I always check for a live performance (best bands are always better live - fact!) when I hear a song I like and this blew me away.

[@zoey9781]

one of the most magic nights of my life tysm for uploading this

[@POWDERSHOOTER666]

Yeah there will never ever be shows like this again, long live HARDCORE!!!!

[@JoshuaCookLibertyIsRising]

I remember this - great memories

[@otismoran6405]

My dad Kevin is on bass

[@DrummerEvan1]

Otis Moran dude badass!

[@thewaterboytheory]

Your dad is awesome! He is legend!

[@Dankochicago]

No bass player on stage

[@SaintLewisMusic]

@@Dankochicago this was the year they played without bass guitar

[@husq48]

This was my first Cornerstone Fest, had an amazing time! Love metal then and still do, but this was not my scene at all! I remember peeking my head in the tent and lasting about thirty seconds thinking "What da???!" I was 35 years old at the time, so well beyond what the kids were into, actually I was just getting into goth around then, loved the Saviour Machine show! I began to appreciate Zao when they re-released "All Else Failed", some real metal riffs there, so I went back and discovered "Blood and Fire" too be pretty good as well.

[@jonwar833]

All Else Failed is still their best album, maybe one of the best hardcore albums period.

[@marcushurt]

Amazing!! Thank you for sharing, and look how young and thin Jesse is 😝

[@jtheoriginal9775]

Music wouldn't exist without us bass players 🤘😝🤘

[@Hursh1]

This is incredible

[@jamesmurphy3385]

11:59 goose bumps

[@TheSoundDiamond]

Why do bands not have this level of energy anymore?

[@waveemann8857]

They do

[@billjim334]

Low T

[@weshoskins74]

You don't know what you're talking about do you?

[@JonathanJacobMeijer]

Because back then music was all kids had, so performing music was like the ultimate moment for them, nowadays they are locked into the digital gutter....

[@LRM5195]

Social anxiety and like the other guy said…low T. Also cellphone usage has made most crowds insanely boring so now that energy is reciprocated back to the band. Go look up Jesus Piece if you want a breath of fresh air

[@xeverettx2564]

Was Rob playing bass by this point? Well whoever it was I guess had to miss the show because I don’t see a bassist or hear any low end. But hey par for the course with my ol pals ZAO! One of the most disfunctional bands but so so brutal for hardcore at that point even out of Christian or Secular hardcore bands!!! Does anyone else notice the huge Carcass influence! I’ve always been in awe of this band even that Rick-n-Roll album they did in the early 2,000’s with just Dan, Scott, and Jesse, yeah Parade of Chaos that’s the one. The recording before Funeral for God, which was written by the same guys but with Russ back in the band but then they toured with a completely new line up and Dan was still on vocals. I even heard a tale that the drummer had never used double bass pedal before. But they did a good job. But no denying that the Dan, Russ, Scott, Rob (ooo weee with that Maple Glow Rickenbacker bass) and Jesse on drums nothing could touch that for a live show. I actually saw them headline a show that was so strange. It was Cattle Decap, Lamb of God, then ZAO! It was rad though!! Anyway that was quite a digression but I got so nostalgic because they were such a huge influence since I was you going to middle school in the mid 90’s. Also growing up in the church I was “allowed” to buy their music so I’d buy a ZAO cd and at the same time slip in like Strife, Dropdead, hatebreed, chain of strength, and converge at my parents didn’t even think twice. I’d do the same technique with Stretch Armstrong, No innocent Victim, or Pedro the Lion hahaha. Now I look back and laugh and so do my parents because we know I wasn’t fooling God, and they were just trying to raise their first child the best they could and instill morals in me. Nowadays they want kids to start becoming adults in 1st grade and the stuff they learn is fucking foul. That’s why I am so thankful that my parents taught me right from wrong and the natural order vs the perversion of the world. Yes I listened to hundreds of “secular hardcore, crust, and d-beat but ZAO will always have a special place in my heart and I’m forever great that they are one of the reasons I stayed in church and after a 10 year battle with heroin came back to that same church after my daughter was born and rededicated my life to the Lord. So you never know the impact you have to all those newer bands out there. You may save someone’s life. So I just want to end by saying, I do t know where the fellas in ZAO stand as their beliefs these day but they were doing a great thing at the right time for me and many other young hardcore kids! For that I’m forever grateful so I say here’s to you and #ThankYouZao!!!!!

[@waveemann8857]

I know for a little bit they did not have a bassist at all, Rob was a member during Liberate but he did not record parts on that record (or Self-Titled it unfortunately seems). They play Skin Like Winter but I imagine that's when it was in the demoing stage so this would have been between Blood and Fire and that record.

[@SunsetAlgorithm]

I was reading some of your past comments OP, don't know uf you're still active on here but did you say you had an Embodyment performance? Embrace the Eternal was in my opinion one if the greatest albums ever made. Some if the old members did a project called "The Famine" a few years back that was pretty rad. You don't have any Society's Finest anywhere?

[@THEYDOEXIST]

Incredible

[@TalesfromtheCradle]

@Nick Williams- Do you know where this show was? Absolutely insane, energy like this is hard to find.

[@elusiveDesires]

Orlando, FL. Cornerstone Festival. At least I'm pretty sure. I wasn't at this show, but was at one a few years later. Can't forget the huge, sweatbox tents.

[@aplus1080]

12:23 :O HOLY MF'ING MOLY. THAT WAS INTENSE!

[@scottpenk4980]

I saw Zao at Cornerstone Florida in 2003 and the living sacrifice drummer played for them. I had asked Dan if Jesse was coming to the fest and he said ‘I dunno, we didn’t ask him’ lol

[@Giyga]

6 years later and jesse looks like a completely different person

[@chasedwards9626]

This band seems to have had a heavy unrecognized influence on metal. Anyone know who their influences and contemporaries were?

[@jlansdale536]

The drummer is phenom

[@vanespedals1023]

Just wow 😮 so much energy and what a performance! ❤️

[@ehdforlife]

Hey Nick it's Tracy. You gave me a copy of this years ago. Loved it. Glad it's up. How are you?

[@iamrynovid]

Jesse Smith everybody!!

[@CARMENTHUNDERS]

YES!!! My heart. This is so good.

[@CARMENTHUNDERS]

I watch this video for breakfast. Nom nom nom!

[@crazycatman5928]

19:15 I never seen that move before lol. Eh Brett 0:38 this sounds like “This is not a love song” from Bret’s band “the juliana theory” and their first album, “understand this is a dream”.

[@studiotimewithmrb]

Any all time rock drummer list that doesn't include Jesse Smith is irrelevant. Cheers to the cameraman and prayers for his eardrums 25 years later.

[@DrMurdercock]

Why the heckin heck is drummer backwards? I mean it's neat, just wondering why ? did it do it to prop his kit against something so it didn't dance off the stage?

[@sawtoothgrin]

Aesthetics

[@Mikemcjr]

Those was the days

[@deluge71]

The placement of Jesse's drum kit (i.e., facing away from most of the audience) seems odd. Was this typical back then, or was there something about the venue that made it necessary?

[@joshrucks]

I was there!

[@PartRobotmusic]

Thanks for this

[@thereaper7682]

Golden days of hardcore and punk rock

[@mikeweedeley370]

Weaponized vocals so dope bros your cherished loved ones

[@glenblessing1536]

I was there somewhere in the crowed in the front right...

[@boogie5]

is there no bass player for this show, or is he just off camera??

[@jacoblopez517]

28:29 I love this tempo change

[@Chihuahuahuahuahuahua]

Beautiful