June 27, 2009 – Pengrowth Saddledome, Calgary, AB
Dave Mustaine’s sobriety continues to affect even his audience as the drinks stopped flowing as soon as Slayer started playing. Guess Dave can’t even see a drink or he’ll be too tempted. Sort of like a reformed pedophile at a kids birthday party. He must have nearly croaked when a single beer cup flew upon the stage mid-song… Suicide Silence was just that – silence. Arrived late and missed them, only to be warmed by Robb Flynn’s shotgun blast, the now sometimes too melodic, rather than too nu-metally, Machinehead. Don’t know how the start of their set was, but it must have been at least three ballads until their crushing classic from Burn My Eyes, an album they’ve yet to surpass even with redeemers like The Blackening. “Davidian” closed the set with a decent circle pit from the pumped audience… It’s been six or so years since Slayer has stopped in Calgary, and their hour set left something more to desire. Sure, they played, “Ghosts of War”, “Mandatory Suicide”, and “Hell Awaits”, but besides that it seemed like a “Best Of” album put to stage. Still, Slayer sounded amazing and seeing them in the Saddledome was something of a religious experience. Megadeth was even more basic and stripped down than Slayer, clocking in a one hour set as well. Mustaine also went through tried and true thrash classics like “Hanger 18″, “Peace Sells” and “She Wolf” (well maybe that isn’t a classic… but I like it), without any of the frills and explosions seen on his Gigantour. Some drum complications early in the set caused the cynic faced guitarist to ream out a sound tech for a few minutes, while Mustaine used this opportunity to tell the audience how much he loves Canada and that he would like to apply for dual citizenship. Good luck Dave, I hear the test is bitchin’.
-Dyerabulous in Musica
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