Live review: 18th October at Hordern Pavilion, Sydney.
The last time Megadeth played Australia was in 2010, and a lot of bizarre stuff has happened to frontman Dave Mustaine since. Particularly in 2012 the conspiracy theory-loving born-again Christian in Mustaine really got the best of him.
First the metal frontman came out supporting gay-bashing extreme right-wing conservative Rick Santorum in his bid for presidency. Later that year the ginger singer treated a Singaporean crowd to an erratic paranoid monologue, where he accused none other than president Obama of setting up the Cinema shooting spree in Aurora, Colorado.
And of course in 2014 Megamouth Mustaine had a well-publicized falling out with Soundwave promotor AJ Maddah on social media before cancelling their appearance at Australia’s biggest heavy music festival.
Later that year an attempt to reunite the band’s classic early 90s line-up failed, according to drummer Nick Menza because Mustaine lowballed him with an offer the former ‘Deth-drummer described as “insulting”. Negotiations with Megadeth’s former guitar wizard Marty Friedman also amounted to nothing.
Even by today’s standards, Dave Mustaine seemed to have become one of the most obnoxious personalities in popular music; easily as offensive as Azealia banks or Arianna Grande, and only slightly less annoying than Miley Cyrus. But contrary to these aforementioned ladies, this Metal madman knows how to write a great tune.
[include_post id=”189679″]More than that, he has written some of the finest metal classics ever, which begs the question: After all of Dave Mustaine’s missteps, can we still love Megadeth? Tone Deaf took it to the test at the Hordern Pavillion.
Finnish Metal Lords Children of Bodom kicked off the night with blistering virtuoso but brutally heavy musicianship, featuring multiple tracks from their new album I Worship Chaos.
Insane twin guitar solos, and even twin keyboard and guitar solos were among the band’s impressive musical arsenal. With their melodic guitar work, their crunchy riffs and sheer virtuosity they combine some of your favourite parts of Iron Maiden, Metallica and Dream Theater all in one. Children of Bodom have so much to offer musically, however the high-pitched shrieking grunt of frontman Alexi Laiho is quite an acquired taste, which limits their appeal.
The crowd was absolutely loving it though, and the circle pits were at least as ferocious as those during the headline act.
Then it was time for Mustaine to proudly present the barely baptized brand new incarnation of Megadeth. Bass player and co-founder Dave Ellefson is still around as the cheerful Yang to Mustaine’s moody Yin, like he has been for many years.
On guitar Brazilian virtuoso Kiko Loureiro (formerly from Angra) is now meticulously reimagining Marty Friedman’s still mindbogglingly impossible solos. New drum monster Chris Adler is of course already a metal legend in his own right as the drummer for Lamb Of God.
This Sydney gig was only the third time the band ever played together in this new line-up. The foursome already recorded the highly anticipated album Dystopia together, but of this upcoming 15th studio album only the new single Fatal Illusion was played.
No one seemed to mind, as Megadeth delivered a terrific greatest hits set, with the emphasis clearly on 1990’s Rust In Peace and 1992’s Countdown to Extinction. Tracks like ‘Hangar 18’, ‘Tornado Of Souls’, ‘Skin O’ My Teeth’ and ‘Symphony Of Destruction’ still sounded as fresh as they did more than twenty years ago.
Most notably of all, Mustaine was obviously enjoying every minute of it: “Even if you weren’t having a good time, I sure the fuck am” he happily told the crowd. Working with Loureiro and Adler has visibly reinvigorated both the ‘Deth-Daves.
It looks like the new line-up might have turned out to be the perfect cure for Mustaine’s foot-in-mouth disease, as he appeared humble and grateful throughout the night.
Even a godawful soundman that consistently had his microphone too loud or not audible at all didn’t seem to bother the frontman. 25 years after Rust In Peace, Megadeth is showing no signs of rust, instead Mustaine finally seems to have found some peace.
Watching Megadeth in concert is like watching a Mission: Impossible-movie: just like with Tom Cruise, you may disagree with everything Mustaine says. You may despise what he believes in, and perhaps you should, because he has some batshitcrazy ideas. But just like Tom Cruise, Dave Mustaine is still among the world’s best in his particular field of entertainment.
Check out the full photo gallery here.
