It's slightly astounding to see how many people turn up for a Limp Bizkit show in 2024. But under each red cap at their Loserville 2024 tour stop in Toronto is a fan who knows every word to "Break Stuff," "Nookie" and other somehow un-forgotten Bizkit cuts that dominated college party speakers in the early aughts. And despite being a serious contender for most hated band in the world in their heyday, there are a lot more people who could sing these songs than just those in attendance, whether they'll admit it or not.
Changing setlists each night so far on the Loserville run, Fred Durst and friends treated Toronto to all the hits plus a few surprises, namely the title track of 2012's underrated flop album Gold Cobra. The crowd was admittedly quieter during deep cuts like "Boiler" and debut album cut "Counterfeit," but "Rollin'," "Nookie" and not one but two performances of "Break Stuff" got the crowd more hyped than Limp Bizkit have likely seen in a while.
"Not much has changed," Durst told the crowd between songs. "This is exactly how we did it in 1999; we're doing it with you now."
Limp Bizkit have been enjoying a career resurgence as of late, as their music catches on with younger crowds. And while Durst was right in his assessment that the fresh energy in Toronto felt plucked from a past era, it has to be noted that some things have indeed changed. At one point, particularly after the fallout from the disastrous Woodstock 1999, Limp Bizkit became the posterboys for misdirected male rage, but that attitude has since been replaced with a simple sense of fun. It's an understatement to say Durst and co are now in on the joke — in fact, they're the ones cracking the jokes more often than not.
As for how the band sounds, that's another area where not much has changed. Durst's voice has held up well, and whether you love it or hate it, there's no denying its instant recognizability. The band was charismatic and professional, the performance slick — Limp Bizkit are at the top of their game, having truly risen to their calling for a comeback. And it'd be a waste not to mention that guitarist Wes Borland has chops on par with any of history's great guitar heroes. Maybe he'll get his due eventually, but that's the tricky thing. Limp Bizkit may have huge, catchy, memorable, well-crafted and surprisingly intricate songs, but it seems they'll never truly be able to escape their reputation as something of a joke band. Judging from last night though, they've made peace with their place.
It's all about being a loser, and Limp Bizkit aren't even trying to put a spin on it and say it's cool to be a loser. There's something oddly powerful about that, as if Bizkit and tourmates Bones, N8NOFACE and Corey Feldman have accepted the hands they've been dealt and chosen to play them, to a crowd that can be encouraged to do the same, whatever that means for them. It feels strange to use an Einstein quote to talk about Limp Bizkit, but as the saying goes, you can't judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree. Limp Bizkit may not enter any serious discussions about the greatest or most important bands of all time, but when it comes to what they do, nobody does it better.
