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KERRANG! TOUR 2014 – DAY 11 - LONDON A hell of a lot of Diet Coke (to keep me awake) and hours on a train later and I’ve finally made it to the last show of the tour… London’s O2 Academy Brixton. 4.30pm – the day starts with an exhausted Matt from Baby Godzilla kipping down in the wardrobe in their dressing room (the support bands have all got their own today – yay). 4.50pm – clothing brand Iron Fist bring Baby G loads of free shit, and an impromptu fashion show takes place in the tiny dressing room. 5.43pm – Crossfaith are chilling out in their dressing room, before chat turns to them planning to break a world record at Download festival for the most speakers and amps onstage. “Let’s make history!” smiles frontman Ken. 7.52pm – Baby Godzilla play the show of their lives, to an almost-packed out Brixton. Singer Matt does a massive leap off the amps, and the people in the crowd apparently “rip their skin off” with excitement. If you say so, lads. 9pm – the entire Kerrang! Team are at the show, and head off to Fred’s dressing room for some obligatory LB selfies. 9.12pm – Nekrogoblikon’s Scorpion is half-cut in the hallway, hanging out with Wes Borland’s bass tech Kadaver (the one in the grass skirt and face paints). “Kerrang! can’t handle the Scoprion,” slurs the singer. “Nothing can handle the Scorpion’s abrasive personality.” Right you are. 10pm – Limp Bizkit are giving the final show of the tour their all (rightly so) and people are doing forward roll crowdsurfs. Sam Rivers is spitting his water at the stage crew. Nicky and Alex from Nekrogoblikon all most get chucked out of the venue for stagediving. Whilst Aaron, also from Nekrogoblikon, comes out mid-set to dance around behind the drums in a unicorn mask. 10.30pm – after joking about me filling in for Lil Wayne on my favourite song Ready To Go, Fred walks offstage to get a microphone and drags me onstage to do the whole song with them. Cue me shitting myself briefly and then having the time of my life. Read about my full Lil Jen experience in Kerrang! this week. 12am – DJ Franco gives me a hug to congratulate me on being Lil Jen and he smells like coconuts. Delicious. 12.11am – after devouring an entire bottle of rum (my fault for buying it for him) Paul Baby Godzilla has fallen over outside, and I have to take him to the medical room. When the paramedic tries to clean out the wound on his hand, a very drunk Paul punches him in the side. Oh. Dear. 1am – it’s time for Limp Bizkit’s bus call, and after plenty of goodbyes, they head off to the airport. 2.30am – I end up in trendy London hotel/bar Sanctum with Crossfaith. Before we all head to an all-night restaurant in Soho for an English breakfast at 4am. With bellies full of beans on toast, we all head home. I finally get into bed at 6am, with the whole night feeling like a dream, and sleep for a good two days. What a blast! See you all next year. Jen x

The Osaka quintet take some time out in Manchester.

The Limp Bizkit guitarist gives us a quick tour of his dressing room in Norwich.

KERRANG! TOUR 2014 – DAY 10 – SOUTHAMPTON

Nekrogoblikon’s day starts off with them being charged £100 by their hotel for them supposedly smoking in the room (they say they didn’t do it – honest) and a ripped up pillowcase (something to do with two girls doing a photo shoot in their underwear – don’t ask).

3pm – Baby Godzilla stop off at McDonald’s and fill their van with helium balloons, stolen from a children’s birthday party. They later “set them free” on the motorway.

4.15pm – Paul from Baby G has the best “nap of his life” in the dressing room. The chair is super comfy, the sun is streaming in through the window and Aaron from Nekrogoblikon is making relaxing sounds on the piano in the next room.

4.30pm – Fred Durst is also taking some time out to relax and recuperate with a professional massage.

4.45pm – Baby G and Nekrogoblikon build a ‘mega drum kit’ using both of their sets. Nekro spend the rest of the soundcheck playing catch with an American baseball and catcher mitts.

6pm – Limp Bizkit head to a guitar shop in Southampton to film some bits for Kerrang! TV.

6.30pm – Nekrogoblikon are in catering laughing about the prank them and catering guy Lee pulled on some of the merch people. Lee laid on some steps with veggie lasagne posing as fake vomit and pretended to be passed out/dead. A couple of very panicky merch people later and the joke was revealed. Nekrogoblikon also talk about what they’ll get up to when they land back in America (they’re headed straight to a Manowar show).

7.40pm – Crossfaith are in their dressing room warming up – doing press-ups on the floor, having a stretch on the couch and throwing drumsticks in the air. Singer Ken is out in the hallway practicing his scales, very loudly.

9.19pm – the piano’s being tinkled on again, this time by Nekrogoblikon’s Scorpion who’s treating the room to Journey’s Don’t Stop Believin’ and Van Halen’s Jump.

9.46pm – Limp Bizkit come onstage and Wes cuts his normal ukulele solo a little bit short. They open the show with Stalemate, before leading in to Welcome To The Jungle. Shortly after they start playing Faith, they stop because there are too many dudes up on other dudes shoulders. Once the dudes are swapped for ladies, the show goes on.

10.48pm – Fred gets a little boy up to dance on Take A Look Around, before jumping off the stage for Break Stuff and hurting his leg. It’s one of LB’s crew’s birthdays tonight, so they all spend the rest of the night gorging on rainbow birthday cake.

They don’t do too much celebrating, though, as they’re saving that for the last night of the tour, which is tomorrow night in Brixton. We will see you there!

Jen x

Everyone's favourite goblin gets his hands on the latest issue of Kerrang!.

Members of Crossfaith, Nekrogoblikon and Baby Godzilla take on the cinnamon challenge backstage in Manchester.

KERRANG! TOUR 2014 – DAY 9 – NORWICH

Day 9 kicks off with a good deed from Baby Godzilla, who’ve bought the catering guy Lee a new radio after he lost his in Manchester. Turns out he found it, but it’s the thought that counts.

On their drive to Norwich the four-some also came up with a motorway game, which involves driving in between two cars that are following each other to piss them off. It’s not just their stage show that’s dangerous.

5.17pm – Limp Bizkit soundcheck by covering Pearl Jam’s Alive and Smashing Pumkins’ Today. Most of the bands setting up their gear in the room are singing and dancing along, apart from Baby Godzilla’s crew guy Gary who’s taking a nap.

5.32pm – Paul from Baby Godzilla is setting up drummer Tom’s snare drum, which is covered in blood. Laaavley.

5.51pm – Wes is in Limp Bizkit’s gigantic dressing room carving pineapples out at a table. The rest of Limp Bizkit are in catering feasting on garlic bread.

7.20pm – John Goblikon takes some time out of his office job to review the latest issue of Kerrang! for us. He loves it.

7.28pm – after BG come offstage, Matt is bleeding from the eyebrow because Jonny smacked him in the face with a guitar, and Jonny’s arm is cut after a run in with some guitar strings.

8.16pm – back in Limp Bizkit’s dressing room Wes has his shoes off and is lying on the floor on some towels, whilst Fred is eating a red Wagon Wheel which he’s been saving in his coat pocket.

8.50pm - hanging out in catering and Nekrogoblikon tell me they spent their day off in Manchester yesterday sleeping, getting hair cuts and sleeping some more. Singer Scorpion in particular spent his day with a face mask on, ear plugs in and scarf wrapped around his head to save his voice. “Sensory deprivation,” he says. “It works!”

9pm – Baby G’s Paul impresses everyone by flipping the top off a beer by using just a bottle of water. Crossfaith tell us they learnt all of their English by watching South Park. Screw you guys…

9.40pm – Limp Bizkit’s set involves two covers in the first three songs of the set list (Welcome To The Jungle and Faith), and Crossfaith’s Terufumi crowdsurfing.

Tomorrow is Southampton, and also the penultimate show of the tour (sad face), so I’ll catch you then.

Jen x

KERRANG! TOUR 2014 – DAY 8 – MANCHESTER

We’re well over halfway through the tour now, and show number 8 brings us to the Manchester Academy.

6pm – I arrive to find Baby Godzilla playing a new game they’ve invented called ‘Leg Merch’, which involves rolling flight case wheels with merch boxes on top into someone’s legs, at such a great speed that it knocks them over. Who said Baby G don’t know how to have fun. They’re all in high spirits apart from Jonny who had a little too much fun in Glasgow last night and has spent the day throwing up.

6.30pm - Hiro from Crossfaith is in catering eating his dinner (soup, fish with potatoes and salad) and telling us about guitarist Kazu’s birthday celebrations last night. Did they get him a cake? “No! Just shots!” he grins. They also bought him a red ukulele and had it signed by Wes Borland.

7.11pm – Baby Godzilla warm-up for their set by doing John Goblikon impressions. Frontman Matt nearly takes out someone in the front row as he wields his mic stand around, and Jonny is still not feeling well. They get a sharp smack on the wrists after the show.

7.54pm – Limp Bizkit’s drum tech is taking a nap underneath the DJ booth with his heavy-duty ear protectors on.

8pm – After filling up on the Nekrogoblikon cake someone made them, the goblin metallers shout “Manchester!” before going onstage. Someone in the front row is wearing home-made goblin claws, and during the set John Goblikon downs the Hobgoblin beer that Kerrang! Production Editor Eleanor (who’s visiting tonight) gave him. “It’s goblin beeeeeer!” he shouts.

8.41pm – Ken from Crossfaith is doing star jumps backstage, and has his headphones in for his vocal warm up. A few “Heya-yeea-yeea-yeeas!” later and it’s time for the set (complete with a rendition of Happy Birthday for Kazu).

9.30pm – as soon as Limp Bizkit come on, people are throwing bras and knickers on the stage (thought All Time Low weren’t playing til March?). Bassist Sam Rivers has ‘I hate this band’ written on his guitar pedal case, and Fred Durst pours his bottled water down the back of a security guard, who takes it surprisingly well. During Faith, Fred tells the ladies in the crowd to get up on the guys’ shoulders. A couple of guys get up with their shirts off and Wes shouts “NO! NO! NO!” repeatedly until they get down.

11.30pm – after the show the supports gather in their shared dressing room’s bathroom to take the ‘Cinnamon Challenge’. Fred Durst comes in to see what all the shouting/spitting is about and declines our offer to take part. “I’ve already done it,” he says.

1am – Eleanor and I have a quick chat with Fred and Wes before they head off onto their bus and Fred and I practice the Lil' Wayne part of Ready To Go. It’s freezing so everyone heads home/back to the bus.

4am – that’s everyone apart from Baby Godzilla, who get a flat tire on the way home, have to wait for the AA and end up getting a 4am ice cream – from where, we have no idea.

It’s another day off tomorrow, then we head to Norwich! Only three more shows to go…

Jen x

KERRANG! TOUR 2014 – DAY 7 – GLASGOW

Today we’re up in Scotland! And it is cold. So very cold. But that doesn’t put off Nekrogoblikon who start their day with a morning run together.

Limp Bizkit drummer John Otto spends his afternoon shopping at a hip-hop shop in Glasgow. He bought three more hats (that makes 15 in the last three days) as well as t-shirts, jogging bottoms and a Freddie Krueger belt buckle, which he’s already wearing.

4.45pm – I arrive at the venue as soundcheck is finishing to find Wes Borland watching Baby Godzilla doing theirs.

5.30pm – The catering angels Lee and Joe (who posed for a picture above) tell Baby Godzilla they’re not allowed to have dinner until Limp Bizkit have theirs. So they go and sit and amuse themselves for a bit – in the stands, because there are no dressing rooms for the support bands again.

5.45pm – Fred’s dinner consists of broccoli and cauliflower cheese, cous cous and roast potatoes. He finishes the meal off with both pudding options – Eton Mess and a lemon and toffee syllabub (whatever the fuck that is).

6pm – the support bands get to chow down on tonight’s dinner options. While eating one of Baby Godzilla suggests doing the cinnamon challenge at some point, and Crossfaith decide they’d like in on that too. Check back for a possible K! Tour Cinnamon Challenge podcast. Dinner chat eventually turns into seeing who can do the best impression of the Rollin’ intro (definitely not me).

7.45pm – Crossfaith singer Ken is wandering around with a surgical mask on, after he was taken sick with a tummy bug yesterday. He tells me he’s feeling better and that it would have been a bad idea to play the show last night, a point he cements by making vomiting motions.

8pm – Wes is back to watch Baby Godzilla’s actual set, during which Jonny breaks his guitar by throwing it and wrecks his cab by stamping on it while it’s on it’s side. Anyone got some gaffer tape?

After their set Jonny tells me someone asked him to sign their arm last night, saying they were gonna get it tattooed. “They’re fucking mental if they do that,” he laughs. He then shows me he let the guy and his friends write on his arm, which still reads ‘Emily’, ‘John’ and ‘Callum’.

8.12pm – Paul from Baby Godzilla is defacing Nekrogoblikon’s set list by adding swear words onto the end of songs. ‘Nothing But Crickets Shit’ and ‘Powercore-ectum’ go down a treat.

8.43pm – Ken thanks Baby Godzilla for the ‘Get Well Soon Ken’ T-shirts and tells them their love made him better.

9pm – Baby G and Nekrogoblikon are outside the venue drinking traditional Glaswegian drink Buckfast, which a fan gave to Nekrogoblikon.

9.09pm – Crossfaith are onstage and back to their best. “I’m a big Limp Bizkit fan,” smiles Ken. “My younger self would be really excited to be on tour with them.”

9.32pm – back in catering and Matt Baby G gets a kettle down from a top shelf, and whilst doing so pours water all over his head. Sadly we weren't filming it.

10pm – Baby G, Nekrogoblikon and Hiro from Crossfaith gather side of the stage to watch Limp Bizkit. Many White Stripes are drunk.

Midnight – Baby G head to the Crossfaith bus to say happy birthday to Kazuki. They take him a bottle of rum which he pours straight down his throat, before showing off the red ukulele he got given for his birthday.

Early hours – Baby Godzilla and Nekrogoblikon head to Nice N Sleazys in Glasgow. It turns into a night of booze, Americans imitating English accents, “bean dips” (gently lifting a gentlemen’s man boob from the underneath, apparently) and boys kissing.

The night almost ends abruptly when everyone lifts Paul Baby G up, Jonny puts his finger up Paul’s bum and Paul punches Jonny in the head. Oh dear. Everyone’s friends again after a round of Jäger bombs though, and then the walk home consists of several very drunken renditions of Ready To Go. People of Glasgow, you’re welcome.

See you in Manchester!

Jen x

Fred Durst shows us around the Limp Bizkit tour bus.

The goblin metallers take a day off from the Kerrang! Tour in Birmingham.

KERRANG TOUR 2014 – DAY 6 – NEWCASTLE

Hello again!

So yesterday was Valentine’s Day and also a day off. Baby Godzilla and I spent our second night in a row at the O2 Academy Birmingham, this time seeing A Day To Remember. While Nekrogoblikon spent their day off wandering around lingerie shops in the Bullring (for more, check out the latest podcast).

Toady, we’ve all arrived in Newcastle for K! Tour 2014: day 6.

2.05pm – the arrival begins with Baby Godzilla driving the wrong way down a one-way street, into the path of an oncoming bus. “One’s pants were well and truly shatted,” says bassist/driver Paul. Only moments later Baby G team with up with Nekrogoblikon to piss off the whole of Newcastle by blocking the road outside the venue. There’s lots of angry shouting in Geordie.

3.10pm – news comes in that Ken from Crossfaith has a 24-hour bug so they’re pulling out of the show tonight. Crossfaith spend their day on the bus eating sushi while Ken recuperates.

5pm – Baby G and Nekrogoblikon are in catering – and everyone’s raving about the spiced lentil and tomato soup on offer. Who said the Kerrang! Tour wasn’t rock and roll.

5.10pm – I pass Wes World, and the guitarist is in there just having a sit down. At the halfway point of the tour, who can blame him.

5.50pm – things are a little more lively in the support bands’ dressing room (which is tiny, hot messy and smells like men – I’m not even exaggerating when I say the walls are sweating). The Nottingham four-some just got paid and have decided tonight is “treat night” where they use their show money for a hotel so they can go out and get waaaaasted. Hotel booked, they set to work making their ‘Get Well Soon Ken’ t-shirts. Awww!

6pm – everyone gathers for the premiere of Nekrogoblikon’s day off podcast. Plenty of lolz are had.

6.38pm – Baby Godzilla are getting changed, while Nekrogoblikon warm up by drumming on chairs and strumming on guitars. It’s a tight squeeze, and there’s dry ice from the stage filling up the already sweaty room.

7pm – Baby Godzilla’s set is active as usual. Frontman Matt does a song from the bar, while guitarist Jonny piles amps on top of amps to climb upon and jump off before they topple over. There’s giant circle pits, backwards rolls and Matt (sort of) strangling someone in the front row, before jumping up onstage without his guitar, only to have someone in the crowd throw it up to him.

7.40pm – John Goblikon is side stage limbering up with some lunges and squats. He’s in the “zone”, so just gives me a nod. The band shout a quick unified “NEWCASTLE” before heading on stage. “Are you guys ready to hear some goblin metal,” growls John Goblikon. And there’s an ear-splitting cheer. Yes they are definitely ready, John.

8.46pm – Limp Bizkit take to the stage early, since Crossfaith are off the line-up tonight. And kick off with Ready To Go… finally! Unfortunately I miss most of it because I’m in the dressing room working. Instantly I notice Wes has a new flowery jacket and plaid pants ensemble, while Fred’s rocking his standard Limp Bizkit merch and baseball gloves combo.

9.27pm – Nekrogoblikon are side stage drinking from the makeshift “bar” run by Limp Bizkit’s bass and guitar techs. The house drink is a lethal mixture of 90% Absolute vodka, 10% Powerade (just to add a dash of colour). Fred disappears into the crowd and re-appears back on the bar for Livin It Up. “Nekrogoblikon! Where is that green little fuck?” he yells. Before telling the barman, “Free beers for everybody” and having a boogie on the bar. Nobody gets free beers, FYI.

11.10pm - after an awesome show and everything’s packed up, Nekrogoblikon head back to their hotel while Baby Godzilla go to the O2 Academy’s afterparty to dance to some more Limp Bizkit. Apart from guitarist Jonny who ends up on Limp Bizkit’s tour bus listening to them write a new song. I’d give you details but he’d drunk too much Jäger explain. Good one, Jonny!

See you all in Glasgow!

Jen x

Limp Bizkit, Crossfaith, John Goblikon and Baby Godzilla talk luuuuurve.

Crossfaith frontman Kenta Koie teaches us some key Japanese phrases.

WARNING: CONTAINS STRONG LANGUAGE

KERRANG! TOUR 2014 – DAY 5 – BIRMINGHAM

What better place to hold day 5 of the Kerrang! Tour than the home of heavy metal, Birmingham.

3pm – I arrive at the venue to find Baby Godzilla making themselves some sandwiches in catering. Sadly they’re defeated by some rock hard butter – so put their efforts into Facebook stalking and reading trashy newspapers instead.

3.21pm – Wes is soundchecking to Killing In The Name whilst Fred – who’s wearing a red beanie hat and sunglasses because he just woke up - tucks into an omelette and chips.

3.28pm – after finishing his Breakfast the frontman heads straight onstage to join the soundcheck, treating the room to random facts like “Did you know John Otto was a jazz major?” while the sound people fiddle with buttons. After running through a few LB songs Fred starts messing around with the lyrics to Smooth Criminal which turns into the band learning the song to play that night. Since bass tech Tye Zamora used to be in Alien Ant Farm he shows Wes the chords, while Fred practises his Michael Jackson moves.

4.25pm – Limp Bizkit soundcheck over, Baby Godzilla start setting their gear up and get told off by one of LB’s crew for kicking their lights at last night’s show. TUT.

5pm – Fred’s hiding out in his dressing room working on more movie stuff and eating and chocolate muffin. The dressing rooms smell like old sweat, so one of Fred’s crew brings him a scented candle that smells like old ladies – not great, but better than sweat.

6.15pm – Crossfaith are in their dressing room getting ready for the show. Ken poses in the shower for a photo, before teaching us some Japanese (check out the podcast).

7.11pm – Matt from Baby Godzilla is doing nervous farts before his set. Once onstage, he jumps straight into the crowd, taking a poor photographer clean off her feet.

8.10 – goblin fever is taking over the UK! For Nekrogoblikon’s set, there are even more goblins in the crowd, plus one full-on goblin lover who’s come dressed head-to-toe in green.

9pm – Crossfaith maintain their reputation for biggest drinkers on the tour, as we spot full bottles of Jäger and Jack Daniels scattered around the stage while they play. Their set flies by in a whirl of circle pits and flashing lights.

9.40pm – everyone on the tour gathers side stage for the main event of the evening… Limp Bizkit. Unusual happenings tonight include Wes Borland doing an impressive sideways roll across the stage, Sam Rivers soaking one of his stage crew with a bottle of water (an electrical hazard of epic proportions) and an airing of Behind Blue Eyes. “This is the one time on this tour we’ll steep this low,” says Fred before perching on the drum riser to sing the slow number. Ow, don’t be like that Fred.

Tomorrow is a) Friday, b) a day off from tour and c) Valentine’s Day! Keep an eye out for the K! Tour Valentine’s Day Special podcast.

I’ll be using my day off to see A Day To Remember play… catch up with you on Saturday!

Jen x

John Goblikon reviews Kerrang!. He becomes confused by all the 'ladies' in the mag and gets excited to finally learn Fall Out Boy are back together.

KERRANG! TOUR 2014 – DAY 4 – BRISTOL

It’s day 4… and even though I keep thinking we're in Birmingham, we're in Bristol. I only know I'm not in Dublin anymore because I have 3G on my phone. Being in a different city every day is really confusing.

6pm – I arrive at the O2 Academy super-late after my flight was delayed due to cross-winds (no idea what pissed them off – badumstchh!) Anyway, I head to catering only to find that it’s closed due to flooding. Guess it’s a slap-up vending machine dinner for me.

6.30pm – the support bands aren’t having the best day, either, since tonight they’re completely dressing room-less. The poor sods are having to get ready for the show in their vans, which are parked out the front of the venue.

7pm – since there’s no rooms in the venue whatsoever, I head to my hotel with John Goblikon to do a quick podcast (a review of the new issue – check it out now). Unsurprisingly you get a few stares when you walk through the street with a goblin dressed in a black metal hoodie. The situation is made all the more confusing by there being several John Goblikon’s in the queue (people wearing masks). But at least they make the real deal feel at home.

7.30pm – without a dressing room the support bands are left to roam around the venue doing what they do best… drinking. Baby Godzilla are necking a hip-flask full of Jäger, whilst Hiro from Crossfaith is downing vodka mixed with pink Powerade. After the show they all head to a pub across the road for... you guessed it... more drinking!

8pm – I venture up to the one dressing room in the building to say hello to Wes and Fred who are sharing tonight. Fred’s spent the day working on his new movie – work which involves looking for Jim Morrison lookalikes, and apparently isn’t going well. While Wes has spent the afternoon emptying his stomach from both ends with a bout of stomach flu that kicked in mid-show last night.

As I help myself to the limitless supply of pineapple used to make Wes’ onstage drinking receptacles, I ask about the set list for this evening, and enquire as to whether they’ll be playing my favourite track Ready To Go. “We’ll play it if you do the Lil Wayne bit,” offers Fred. Before calling me Lil Jen. Needless to say when the requests section of the show came around that night I hid behind a stack of speakers.

Maybe in Brixton, Fred… for now it’s bed time. See you all in Birmingham tomorrow!

Lil Jen x

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