Red Run Art Series (No Blackout Dates) – Package #22: “We Are Not Your Kind” Tour Stamp ft. Slipknot

Series Overview:
– Red Run Art Series (No Blackout Dates) is a mixed-media series by artist Damon Kardon created to celebrate the travelling circus that is the music tour. He has various bands and solo artists whose music and words have influenced him and his art over the years. He set out to encapsulate in these works everything that a band or artist puts forth with a new album and accompanying tour. What better way to convey the creativity and excitement of travel than in a postage stamp representing this new voyage?

“Red Run” is a postage term describing an assignment to handle registered mail and “Blackout Dates” a travel term meaning no time off from travel. These terms represent to Damon, a clear vision each band or artist delivers in their new album and then expresses 24/7 in their subsequent tour. Each piece he creates starts with a painted portrait of the band or artist. He then incorporates colors and elements of their new album into the background. Next, he takes that image of the finished painting and digitally alters and adds text through Photoshop.

The text seen on each postage stamp design incorporates new song and album titles as well as the names and dates of the tour. Each completed stamp design is a mixed-media collage representing the artist/band and their music. You shall see a new finished piece featured every week for the entire run of the series. Through their boundless creativity and determination, these artists/bands have put their musical stamp on the world.

Road-Ready Listening:
– Be sure to enhance your reading experience by streaming Slipknot’s new LP, We Are Not Your Kind, released on August 9th, 2019 via Roadrunner Records.

About the Painting:
– The year: 1998. The place: Metropol in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. My friend Mike and I were there to see Fear Factory along with a slew of younger bands (Spineshank, Hed PE and System of a Down!). When we entered the venue, we were given a cassette single of a band we had never heard of. The cover art showed about eight scary-ass dudes in red jumpsuits with wretched-looking masks. The name of the band was Slipknot. The songs contained on that cassette were “Wait and Bleed” and “Spit It Out.” Now I gotta say that show at the Metropol was awesome (especially seeing the beginnings of System of a Down), but when we got back to our dorm room and listened to this cassette single of Slipknot, it changed my whole perspective on what heavy metal was capable of being! It was f’ing amazing and I wore that tape out in a week.

I have been a huge fan of Slipknot ever since, with probably their sophomore album Iowa standing out as my favourite. I didn’t get to see them live until years later, and when I finally did, it did not disappoint. I will always remember this father holding his toddler son in front of me; both wearing matching homemade Slipknot masks. I have wanted to paint this legendary band’s portrait for a long time and I think now is no better time.

Their new album We Are Not Your Kind drops this month and they are currently on an epic run of their Knotfest tour with Volbeat, Gojira and Behemoth. I really hope I get to see them live again soon.

Package #22: “We Are Not Your Kind”:
– Check out Damon’s creative process by scrolling through the photos below.

Tour Dates:

08/10 – Des Moines, IA – Iowa State Fair
08/11 – Tinley Park, IL – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre- Chicago
08/12 – Clarkston, MI – DTE Energy Music Theatre
08/14 – Virginia Beach, VA – Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater
08/16 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center
08/17 – Bonner Springs, KS – Providence Medical Center Amphitheater
08/18 – Maryland Heights, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre- St. Louis
08/20 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage
08/21 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Saratoga Performing Arts Center
08/23 – Burgettstown, PA – KeyBank Pavilion
08/24 – Scranton, PA – The Pavilion at Montage Mountain
08/25 – Darien Center, NY – Darien Lake Performance Arts Center
08/27 – Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center
08/28 – Wantagh, NY – Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater
08/30 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center
08/31 – Camden, NJ – BB&T Pavilion
09/01 – Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live
09/03 – Alpharetta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
09/04 – Tampa, FL – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
09/06 – Austin, TX – Austin360 Amphitheater
09/07 – Dallas, TX – Dos Equis Pavilion
09/08 – The Woodlands, TX – Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
09/27 – Louisville, KY- Louder Than Life
10/11 – Sacramento, CA – Aftershock Festival
10/17 – Perth, WA – Optus Stadium
10/20 – Adelaide, SA – Adelaide Oval
10/22 – Melbourne, VIC – Marvel Stadium
10/24 – Melbourne, VIC – Marvel Stadium
10/26 – Sydney, NSW – ANZ Stadium
10/29 – Brisbane City, QLD – QSAC
10/31 – Auckland, NZ – Mt. Smart Stadium
11/02 – Auckland, NZ – Mt. Smart Stadium
11/23 – Lima, Peru – Universidad San Marcos
11/27 – Quito, Ecuador – Coliseo General Ruminahui
11/30 – Mexico City, Mexico – Knotfest Mexico
12/04 – Heredia, Costa Rica – Centro de Eventos PEDREGAL

Slipknot’s cover artwork for We Are Not Your Kind:

The Series & Future Artwork:

– Coming up in Package #23… Billie Eilish

– Previously in Package #21… The Raconteurs
– Package #20… Iron Maiden
– Package #19… Korn
– Package #18… Halestorm
– Package #17… Migos
– Package #16… Mastodon
– Package #15… Greta Van Fleet
– Package #14… Pearl Jam
– Package #13… The Fever 333
– Package #12… Slayer
– Package #11… MGMT
– Package #10… A Perfect Circle
– Package #9… Sheer Mag
– Package #8… Ministry
– Package #7… Judas Priest
– Package #6… Arch Enemy
– Package #5… Run The Jewels
– Package #4… Corrosion of Conformity
– Package #3… alt-J
– Package #2… G-Eazy
– Package #1… Killswitch Engage