Thrash legends Megadeth take to the O2 stage

Words by Dave Martin/Photos by Louise Phillips

Thrash legends Megadeth, who recently announced their retirement next year. Take to the O2 stage, with London being the penultimate leg of the European tour.

Megadeth launch straight in with Dave Mustaine highlighted by a spot before the stage lights explode in a yellow and orange colour for Skin O’ My Teeth.  The yellow searchlights continue and change to red and white for the second track, Hangar 18, following applause from the crowd.

The three members of the band that aren’t tied down to a kit move around the stage interacting with the crowd, with Mustaine moving between different mics on stage. The stage goes purple to chants of ‘Megadeth’ from the crowd before ‘She Wolf’ with Dirk Verbeuren’s drums pounding clearly and powerfully from the PA system. The two guitarists move to the front of the T-shaped walkway that protrudes from the regular stage, facing each other during the guitar outro.

Again the stage is bathed in purple before Angry again. Teemu Mäntysaari and James LoMenzo regularly change sides of the stage as well as interacting with Mustaine. There is a huge cheer at the end of the song, and the chants of ‘Megadeth’ recommence. The lights change to green as the kick drum pounds for their fifth song, Sweating Bullets. Mustaine makes hand gestures to emphasise lyrics in the song between playing and is met with huge applause.

Mäntysaari takes to the front of the stage for Trust with Verbeuren’s accompaniment before the others rejoin the stage. The lights go black before the guitar solo and then burst back on to accompany the solo. The crowd are screaming and chanting again, as there is a brief pause before Mustaine addresses the crowd: “Are you feeling good?” “Who is here for the first time?” “Who has heard our new single?” one audience member says. “It’s fucking awesome,” and can be heard over everyone, and Mustaine asks him to repeat it for the new song Tipping Point.

The lights flash blue as the band deliver their newest release. As the song slows in the middle, the crowd applauds before the chorus kicks in for the last time. Tornado of Souls starts with its heavy riff and pounding drums before Mustaine adds his distinctive vocals. Mustaine again moves between the mics to cover the stage. For Mechanix, Verbeuren stands with an arm in the air before hitting a cymbal and the band starting up. The stage lights start going in time with the drums before returning to their original pattern. Again, Verbeuren stands pumping his fist in time with his kick drum to start off Peace Sells. The crowd sings the chorus instead of Mustaine throughout the song.

Mustaine asks for the crowd to sing along for “Peace Sells”. Vic Rattlehead then makes an appearance on stage. The energy in the crowd increases for Symphony of Destruction with them singing along. A pit starts up in the crowd, and the song is met with the biggest cheer so far.  Mustaine then addresses the audience for the second time, “Thank you so much; thank you for being here tonight. This is the last song of the set; this song is called Holy Wars”. The breakdown is met with cheers before the crowd join in with singing.

Setlist: 1. Skin O’ My Teeth, 2. Hangar 18, 3. She Wolf, 4. Angry Again, 5. Sweating Bullets, 6. Trust, 7. Tipping Point, 8. Tornado of Souls, 9. Mechanix, 10. Peace Sells, 11. Symphony of Destruction, 12. Holy Wars