Toronto, Canada – On May 18, 2022, Megadeth hit the stage at Toronto’s Budweiser Stage. After a couple years of postponed and cancelled dates, they finally made it. We all know the phrase “Good things come to those who wait”, and boy, did it ever ring true on this evening. With support from heavyweights Lamb of God, Trivium and In Flames, this is undoubtedly the Metal Tour of the Year.
The weather is so unpredictable at this time of year here in Toronto. We could literally have snow, or we can have temperatures in the 70s (20s for us Canadians). Unfortunately, on this evening we were closer to the freezing mark than I prefer, with a paltry 50 degrees. With this outdoor venue, it felt even colder as it is on the shores of Lake Ontario. On a positive note, the temperature didn’t prevent the fans, decked in their standard metal blacks, from packing into the venue to see one of the biggest metal bands of all time.
At 9:45pm, the curtain dropped and Megadeth burst into their classic opening riff from “Hangar 18”, which is the second track on their best release Rust in Peace (not even debatable). This set the stage for a set that was completely electric and the crowd soon had no worries about the weather. The heat and sweat from the mosh pit were guaranteed to raise their body temperatures… AND THE ROOF! Although it is an outdoor venue, it is your typical covered amphitheater.
Over the years, there have been multiple personnel changes for Megadeth. The current lineup consists of:
• Dave Mustaine – Vocals/Guitars… Mustaine of course is the backbone of Megadeth, having formed the band since his departure from Metallica in the early 1980s
• Kiko Loureiro – Guitars… Loureiro replaced Chris Broderick (unfortunately, I’m not related… although that would be super cool) for the recording of Megadeth’s 2016 release Dystopia. Coincidentally, Chris Broderick is currently filling in for opening act In Flames’ guitarist Niclas Engelin
• Dirk Verbeuren – Drums… Verbeuren came on board shortly after the release of Dystopia
• James LoMenzo – Bass… LoMenzo replaced longtime bassist David Ellefson to tour with Megadeth in 2021
Despite this being a “young” lineup (purely in terms of their time together), these Heavy Metal veterans showed why they have been at the top of the business for decades. Dave Mustaine’s ability to flawlessly transition from one note to another, riff to riff, and track to track is the definition of a true Metal God. His skills to lead his bandmates were showcased in Toronto on this night, and because of that, the band was aggressive, tight, and masterful.
I have had the pleasure to see a lot of shows over the last number of years, seeing some true old time gems. Age plays a key factor here. Life on the road takes its toll over time, and when you’re in a metal band and, well… watch any of these acts and you’ll know the beating they take. For the Megadeth frontman and his bandmates however, the beatings haven’t quite put a bruise on their will. Their abilities to play, sing, and perform, was hands down one of the best performances I’ve seen in the past 5 or 6 years.
A key element to any metal show of course, is ENERGY. It’s not quite the same if the audience is not engaged. I’m a firm believer that it is up to the band to get this engagement, and buddy, this show was on fire!!! After my 3-song photo shoot in the photo pit, I headed to my preassigned seat to take in the rest of the show for this review, and the mosh pit was raging! There was a constant stream of body surfers making their way to the stage. The band brought the energy on the stage, and the crowd reciprocated.
For me, Megadeth has the best overall library of songs in their arsenal, so they would be hard pressed to put a set together that didn’t satisfy. Pulling songs from a myriad of their releases, I can truly say, the set was superb. As one song ended and the next began, the smiles got bigger, and the cheers got louder.
It’ll be a sad day when the music stops from these guys. Dave Mustaine has a lot left in the tank, but if you’ve never seen them, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR??? And if you have seen them, why stop? Get your asses out to this tour. You will not regret it! You might even get a glimpse of Vic Rattlehead!!
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SETLIST
Hangar 18
Dread and the Fugitive Mind
Angry Again
Conquer or Die!
Dystopia
The Conjuring
Sweating Bullets
Trust
A tout le monde
Symphony of Destruction
Peace Sells
Encore:
Holy Wars… The Punishment Due
Show Date: May 18, 2022
