Gigantour 2012 | Megadeth & Motörhead & more!

Gibson Amphitheatre presents . . . GIGANTOUR featuring Megadeth, Motörhead, Volbeat and Lacuna Coil, February 24, 2012, Los Angeles, California

Megadeth resurrected it’s GIGANTOUR for 2012 with North American dates that did not include my hometown of Las Vegas so I immediately made plans to catch the tour at one of my favorite venues on the planet, Gibson Amphitheatre.

Gigantour 2012 brought us an international lineup that features four bands with very differing and distinctive sounds, starting with Lacuna Coil. The Italian melodic metal band got the night started with vocalist Christina Scabbia’s voice and commanding stage presence leading them through a short but powerful set.

Next up was Volbeat, a band I fell in love with last year when I covered their headlining show at the House of Blues Anaheim. Hailing from Denmark, they have a unique sound that is a mix of metal and rockabilly, though not always at the same time. Volbeat melds influences like Metallica, Slayer, and Johnny Cash into a distinctive yet familiar sound that immediately resonated with me the first time I heard them. From the reaction of the audience, I’m not alone. Volbeat recently parted ways with their guitarist, and lineup changes can prove challenging. Volbeat took the opportunity to bring in fellow Dane, Hank Shermann, best known as the guitarist of Mercyful Fate, and this was the highlight of the night for many true metal fans at the Gibson Amphitheatre. He is a perfect fit for Volbeat and I would like to see him become a permanent member of the band. Michael Poulsen’s clean, powerful, vocals are perfect for Volbeat’s distinctive sound, and set the band apart from the more customary rough edged metal vocal. Volbeat is a band I will continue to see every chance I get.

Next up was the legend, Lemmy Kilmister, and Motörhead, who took the stage and owned it. Motörhead is everything Rock & Roll is meant to be. Loud, aggressive, straight up ROCK and did I mention LOUD? Motörhead has been rocking for 37 years and has earned that legendary status while continuing to create new music . They played cuts off their latest album, The Wörld is Yours, as well as the old fan favorites. At one point Lemmy introduced the crowd to his son, Paul Inder, a guitarist who played along with the band for one song. Mikkey Dee’s leviathan of a drum solo during The One to Sing the Blues, was a highlight of their set. It was one of those sets that is a hard act to follow.

Thrash metal icons, Megadeth, with the confidence to take that stage following Motörhead, rounded out the international flavor of this tour. The hometown heros headlined the night to a welcoming crowd. Dave Mustaine seemed a bit understated at first but I think we may have all been shell shocked by Motörhead. Early in the set, Christina Scabbia from Lacuna Coil, joined Megadeth onstage to perform A Tout Le Monde. From that point forward the energy continued to build throughout their set. Megadeth’s thrash metal reign of fury reached a peak with Symphony of Destruction.

For more information on Gigantour, check out the official website www.Gigantour.com