Manitowoc Metalfest 3 was supposed to be all about riffs, beer, and two days of brutal fun at PetSkull Brewing Co. Instead, it nearly turned into a demolition derby when 51-year-old Matthew Korth allegedly drove his Jeep onto the sidewalk toward fans leaving the event — because he was offended by what he called “devil music.”
Police say Korth confronted venue staff, demanding they “shut it the (expletive) down,” before later screaming Bible verses at officers who pulled him over. He admitted to making a U-turn and accelerating toward people but insisted no harm would’ve come because, in his words, “they would have moved out of the way.” (Ah yes, the classic “my attempted hit-and-run is fine because of your reflexes” defense.)
Bond was set at $10,000, with formal charges of recklessly endangering safety and disorderly conduct expected later this month.
Meanwhile, the festival — headlined by Through The Eyes of the Dead performing their classic debut Bloodlust for its 20th anniversary — carried on with 24 bands including The Convalescence, Micawber, Pathogenic, Toxic Ruin, Still Stayer, and more. Fans threw up the horns, dodged the Jeep, and kept the weekend alive.
Because at the end of the day, no amount of holy road rage is going to cancel Wisconsin’s loudest weekend.
