The 2024 Sick New World Festival is in the books, and with it we’ve got one of the rare performances of System of a Down in 2024. The band took the stage at the Las Vegas Fairgrounds Saturday night (April 27) and delivered a hits-filled set for those in attendance.
System of a Down’s Limited 2024 Plans
As revealed in late 2023, System of a Down frontman Serj Tankian revealed that his touring would be limited for a while. In speaking with Revolver last November, Tankian suggested that the Sick New World headlining appearance would likely be their only 2024 gig (Editor’s Note: They’ve since added an Aug. 17 co-headline show with Deftones at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park).
Speaking about his reasoning, he explained, “When you’re doing a tour, after a while it’s like Groundhog Day. You try to be as creative and present to each show as you can, but after the second week, you’ve been there, done that already. But when it’s one show, it’s actually unique and special and fun. Our friends and family came out, so it became a really cool, fun event.”
READ MORE: There Are Only 5 Songs System of a Down Have Never Played Live
The singer also expressed that his lack of touring also had to do with his recovery from back surgery he had last year, and that other factors played a role as well. “It wasn’t just a health-related decision as far as cutting down on touring, but also a lifestyle decision. Based on family and vision,” he explained.
System of a Down at Sick New World
Given that Sick New World is one of the few opportunities to see System of a Down this year, the set held a little more significance for those in attendance.
The band trotted out some rarely performed songs, including the first performances of “Bubbles” and “CUBErt” since 2015. “Kill Rock ‘n’ Roll” also returned to the set for the first time since 2017.
The show also found System of a Down’s Daron Malakian stepping up to the mic to offer a dedication to late Slipknot drummer Joey Jordison ahead of performing, “Lonely Day.”
Check out the full setlist as well as fan-shot video and reactions from the performance below.
System of a Down Sick New World 2024 Setlist (April 27, Las Vegas Festival Grounds) (per Setlist.fm)
1. “X”2. “Suite-Pee” (partial version)3. “Prison Song”4. “Holy Mountains”5. “Soldier Side – Intro”6. “B.Y.O.B.”7. “Innervision” (first performance since 2019)8. “Dreaming” (breakdown only)9. “Needles”10. “Deer Dance”11. “Radio/Video”12. “Bubbles” (first live performance since 2015)13. “CUBErt” (first live performance since 2015)14. “Hypnotize”15. “ATWA”16. “Bounce”17. “Suggestions”18. “Psycho”19. “Chop Suey!”20. “Lonely Day” (dedicated to Joey Jordison)21. “Kill Rock ‘n’ Roll” (first performance since 2017)22. “Lost in Hollywood”23. “Aerials”24. “Genocidal Humanoidz”25. “War?”26. “Toxicity”27. “Sugar”
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Gallery Credit: Chad Childers, Loudwire
