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Megadeth, Fort Canning, Singapore, October 26th 2007
'Deth under a Full Moon
It was telling that the two pre-recorded songs that got the crowd moving and singing along the most prior to the band's entry on stage were Maiden's anthemic 'Run to the Hills' and Zeppelin's hook-filled debut album opener 'Good Times Bad Times'. Telling because they gave an idea as to why Megadeth are still so popular and can still shift so many discs after more than 20 years - for the pure and simple reason that Dave Mustaine writes killer songs. Sure Slayer are fast and heavy, but in this reviewer's opinion, they are *only* fast and heavy with little dynamics demonstrated at last year's Expo outing leaving even the die hard fan fatigued and thinking that one number merged into the next. No - Dave's numbers have enough light and shade and unusual twists to keep your rank and file Droogie hooked from the start to the finish of tonight's 20 song set.
This also makes it easier to believe that this reviewer last saw them in 1990 (or was it '91) at the Clash Of The Titans gig in London (billed under Slayer, FYI) and that Mustaine still has the fan-driven impetus to keep going strong, but with a detectable mellowness in in him now that he has clearly gotten over his God Complex - and is now settled into delivering lean, mean, killer Thrash Metal without the 'worship me' bullshit.
Opening track 'Sleepwalker' from the new United Abominations album (10/10 goandbuyitnowitsthebestalbumsincerustinpeace) detonated into the air, kicking off proceedings solidly with Mustaine confidently sporting an all black Signature Dean VHMT (Drover, not to be outdone was slung with a Dean <gear gurus insert model here> with a natty custom graphic from the UA album cover). This segued seamlessly into the punkish opening then machine-gun riff of 'Take No Prisoners' (Rust In Peace) which cast a retrospective eye to their previous studio high-water mark. Completing the opening salvo
was Wake Up Dead (Peace Sells) that got those goat horn hands uniformly up in the air across the crowd. Bassist James Lomenzo seemed the most mobile of the three and the one most want to exciting the crowd to 'boogie' - strutting, posing and frenziedley shaking his wonderful (and no doubt recently washed and conditioned) blonde mane to the shreiking delight of at least one female fan (I think female) in the vicinity.
Of course this is Megadeth's first time in Singapore for whatever reason and Mustaine, the consumate showman, certainly milked that for its comedy value even explaining between songs how he'd tried to learn how to say 'Hello' in 'Singaporese' (as he called it), eventually joking that he already knew how to speak English already. This set him up nicely to nofity us that he also spoke a little French as the band launched into one of the night's highlights with a ripping version of 'A Tout Le Monde' - helped on nicely by the decent sound mixing job (way better than the indoor mud of Expo). Mustaine even mustered a pseudo convincing vocal impersonation of Christina Scabbia of Lacuna Coil during the bridge, albeit without all the smouldering Italian metal diva physical qualities. This song also got two sentimental people ahead of me in the crowd waving cigarette lighters aflame in the air which made me laugh - *ahem* - this is a Thrash Metal gig not a Barry Manilow concert.
Once the cheering had died down the 'Deth delivered heavy-as-hell versions of 'In My Darkest Hour' (So Far So Good) and perennial favourite 'Hangar 18' (Rust) - Mustaine hamming it up as during the former by tearing at his T-shirt during the line 'My flesh still crawls as I breathe your name' - clearly this was a man having fun - again demonstrated as he later introduced 'Gears Of War' (UA) wth some mime X-Box controlling as he delivered the line 'This is for all you gamers out there!'. Not my favourite track on the album but boy did it kick ass live, proven by the fact that this was the closest that I've seen to a mosh erupting during my gig visits in Singapore with no fewer than 3 teenage crowd surfers being carried (albeit with good humor) over the barriers by the burly men at front to be ejected right stage. (If you are one of those guys I'd love to know how much you are paid to suffer 2 hours of that aural assault so close to the PA speakers).
Other fan favorites were a solid 'Tornado of Souls' (RIP) and 'Peace Sells' (PS). The former, while tight and well delivered suffered slightly from Glen Drover taking just a few too many shortcuts during his rendition of Friedman's break (widely considered a classic masterpiece of a solo) which I prefer to think smacked of laziness rather than lack of technical ability - he certainly showed he could either replicate or stamp his own authoritative identity on all of Marty's other leads so this was a disappointment. While we're on the subject of technicality, perhaps the drummers amongst you might disagree, but I couldn't help but feel that Sean Drover was either being unimaginative or was being tightly reined in by Mustaine's commands - he simply didn't let loose IMHO.
After a short break and lights down, they exploded back onto the stage for the last time with the final medley of 'Holy Wars' (RIP) cleverly interrupted by 'Mechanix' (Killing Is My Business) returning with a twist to 'The Punishment Due' (RIP) with its snaking and duelling solos seeing proceedings to the end.
So, like I said - Mustaine was clearly a man having fun (too much fun some Black Metallers might say
), though not disguising for a minute that he was and still is, despite his success and his millions, a hungry, hungry man out to prove that Megadeth is simply the best metal band on the planet. Were they tonight? You betcha.
P.S. Kudos and respect to Glen Drover - it takes a brave man indeed to play a 20 song set wearing leather pants outdoors in Singapore. Phew - shower time.
Set List
Sleepwalker
Take No Prisoners
Wake Up Dead
Skin o' My Teeth
Washington is Next
A Tout Le Monde
In My Darkest Hour
Hangar 18
Gears Of War
She Wolf
Kick The Chair
Tornado Of Souls
Ashes In Your Mouth
Never Walk Alone
Symphony Of Destruction
Trust
Peace Sells But Who's Buying
Holy Wars
Mechanix
The Punishment Due
'Deth under a Full Moon
It was telling that the two pre-recorded songs that got the crowd moving and singing along the most prior to the band's entry on stage were Maiden's anthemic 'Run to the Hills' and Zeppelin's hook-filled debut album opener 'Good Times Bad Times'. Telling because they gave an idea as to why Megadeth are still so popular and can still shift so many discs after more than 20 years - for the pure and simple reason that Dave Mustaine writes killer songs. Sure Slayer are fast and heavy, but in this reviewer's opinion, they are *only* fast and heavy with little dynamics demonstrated at last year's Expo outing leaving even the die hard fan fatigued and thinking that one number merged into the next. No - Dave's numbers have enough light and shade and unusual twists to keep your rank and file Droogie hooked from the start to the finish of tonight's 20 song set.
This also makes it easier to believe that this reviewer last saw them in 1990 (or was it '91) at the Clash Of The Titans gig in London (billed under Slayer, FYI) and that Mustaine still has the fan-driven impetus to keep going strong, but with a detectable mellowness in in him now that he has clearly gotten over his God Complex - and is now settled into delivering lean, mean, killer Thrash Metal without the 'worship me' bullshit.
Opening track 'Sleepwalker' from the new United Abominations album (10/10 goandbuyitnowitsthebestalbumsincerustinpeace) detonated into the air, kicking off proceedings solidly with Mustaine confidently sporting an all black Signature Dean VHMT (Drover, not to be outdone was slung with a Dean <gear gurus insert model here> with a natty custom graphic from the UA album cover). This segued seamlessly into the punkish opening then machine-gun riff of 'Take No Prisoners' (Rust In Peace) which cast a retrospective eye to their previous studio high-water mark. Completing the opening salvo
was Wake Up Dead (Peace Sells) that got those goat horn hands uniformly up in the air across the crowd. Bassist James Lomenzo seemed the most mobile of the three and the one most want to exciting the crowd to 'boogie' - strutting, posing and frenziedley shaking his wonderful (and no doubt recently washed and conditioned) blonde mane to the shreiking delight of at least one female fan (I think female) in the vicinity.
Of course this is Megadeth's first time in Singapore for whatever reason and Mustaine, the consumate showman, certainly milked that for its comedy value even explaining between songs how he'd tried to learn how to say 'Hello' in 'Singaporese' (as he called it), eventually joking that he already knew how to speak English already. This set him up nicely to nofity us that he also spoke a little French as the band launched into one of the night's highlights with a ripping version of 'A Tout Le Monde' - helped on nicely by the decent sound mixing job (way better than the indoor mud of Expo). Mustaine even mustered a pseudo convincing vocal impersonation of Christina Scabbia of Lacuna Coil during the bridge, albeit without all the smouldering Italian metal diva physical qualities. This song also got two sentimental people ahead of me in the crowd waving cigarette lighters aflame in the air which made me laugh - *ahem* - this is a Thrash Metal gig not a Barry Manilow concert.
Once the cheering had died down the 'Deth delivered heavy-as-hell versions of 'In My Darkest Hour' (So Far So Good) and perennial favourite 'Hangar 18' (Rust) - Mustaine hamming it up as during the former by tearing at his T-shirt during the line 'My flesh still crawls as I breathe your name' - clearly this was a man having fun - again demonstrated as he later introduced 'Gears Of War' (UA) wth some mime X-Box controlling as he delivered the line 'This is for all you gamers out there!'. Not my favourite track on the album but boy did it kick ass live, proven by the fact that this was the closest that I've seen to a mosh erupting during my gig visits in Singapore with no fewer than 3 teenage crowd surfers being carried (albeit with good humor) over the barriers by the burly men at front to be ejected right stage. (If you are one of those guys I'd love to know how much you are paid to suffer 2 hours of that aural assault so close to the PA speakers).
Other fan favorites were a solid 'Tornado of Souls' (RIP) and 'Peace Sells' (PS). The former, while tight and well delivered suffered slightly from Glen Drover taking just a few too many shortcuts during his rendition of Friedman's break (widely considered a classic masterpiece of a solo) which I prefer to think smacked of laziness rather than lack of technical ability - he certainly showed he could either replicate or stamp his own authoritative identity on all of Marty's other leads so this was a disappointment. While we're on the subject of technicality, perhaps the drummers amongst you might disagree, but I couldn't help but feel that Sean Drover was either being unimaginative or was being tightly reined in by Mustaine's commands - he simply didn't let loose IMHO.
After a short break and lights down, they exploded back onto the stage for the last time with the final medley of 'Holy Wars' (RIP) cleverly interrupted by 'Mechanix' (Killing Is My Business) returning with a twist to 'The Punishment Due' (RIP) with its snaking and duelling solos seeing proceedings to the end.
So, like I said - Mustaine was clearly a man having fun (too much fun some Black Metallers might say
), though not disguising for a minute that he was and still is, despite his success and his millions, a hungry, hungry man out to prove that Megadeth is simply the best metal band on the planet. Were they tonight? You betcha.P.S. Kudos and respect to Glen Drover - it takes a brave man indeed to play a 20 song set wearing leather pants outdoors in Singapore. Phew - shower time.
Set List
Sleepwalker
Take No Prisoners
Wake Up Dead
Skin o' My Teeth
Washington is Next
A Tout Le Monde
In My Darkest Hour
Hangar 18
Gears Of War
She Wolf
Kick The Chair
Tornado Of Souls
Ashes In Your Mouth
Never Walk Alone
Symphony Of Destruction
Trust
Peace Sells But Who's Buying
Holy Wars
Mechanix
The Punishment Due
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