Megadeth Dystopia Tour 2016 – Review Munich/Tonhalle

It’s been several years now that Megadeth, the co-founders of thrash metal, enthralled a stage in the Bavarian capital. Among their five concerts in Germany, Munich luckily was one of their stops on the Dystopia tour 2016. Having released their new LP “Dystopia” in the beginning of the year, it was about time to pack up, start touring and celebrate the album release with their fans all over the world. 

Supporting Megadeth on their tour was Havok, a notably younger thrash metal band from Denver, Colorado.

Havok
Founded in 2004 by David Sanchez and former drummer Haakon Sjoegren, the thrash metal band Havok had the pleasure of opening the evening at Tonhalle in Munich. Warming up the audience was not hard. Tonhalle was sold out and full of expectant people. Even though most of them were there for Megadeth, they obviously enjoyed the opening act as well and got themselves in for the warm-up package Havok delivered. Reese Scruggs and co got the show on the road big time – it felt like only a cloud of dust was left afterwards. Not only their speed was on a high level, Havok seemed unstoppable musically. And being on different spheres vocally, the guys from Denver, Colorado, performed song after song, winning the audience over easily. No idea where they get all their energy and power from - they just amazed the entire crowd. David Sanchez, Reece Scruggs, Nick Schendzielos and Pete Webber undoubtedly deserve our highest respect - they proved their talent and showed how to bring thrash metal to life on stage.

Set list:

  • Point of No Return
  • No Amnesty
  • From the Cradle to the Grave
  • Claiming Certainty
  • Covering Fire
  • Fatal Intervention
  • Time Is Up
  • D.O.A.
  • Give Me Liberty...or Give Me Death

Megadeth
Following up next on stage after this incredible start into the evening, were of course the ones EVERYONE had been longing for: Megadeth! For some people on the audience this was the long-awaited chance to finally see their heroes live, for many others it was an experience they just loved to repeat. No matter which group of people you belonged to, it was definitely worst showing up for!
Notably older than on their last visit but not at all less motivated or powerful, Dave Mustaine, Kiko Loureiro, David Ellefson and Dirk Verbeuren entered the stage at Tonhalle Munich and made the walls shake right from the start. The third song of their set, “Tornado of Souls”, unleashed cheering from another world in the audience. But also the rest of Megadeth’s set list that was marked by various songs of different time points of the band’s history, was much appreciated. Songs like “Symphony of Destruction” and “Sweating Bullets” just had to be performed. And even though you’d expect a bit more of a performance from Dave Mustaine, the show in general was more than satisfying as the other band members managed to bring the performance to life. 
Mastermind Mustaine’s solos surely were impressive and precise - according to the range of his other movements, you actually wanted to offer him a seat to make him more comfortable during the show. With only a few and unfortunately rather incomprehensible announcements, Megadeth rushed through their set and ended the thrash evening comparably early and without fuss.
Nevertheless, chapeau, Mr Mustaine, for everything you pull together on stage despite your age. All in all, it was a very successful and great evening that hopefully was not the last one in Munich.

Set list:

  • Hangar 18
  • The Threat Is Real
  • Tornado of Souls
  • Poisonous Shadows
  • She-Wolf
  • Wake Up Dead
  • In My Darkest Hour
  • Post American World
  • Sweating Bullets
  • Trust
  • Fatal Illusion
  • Dawn Patrol
  • Dystopia
  • Symphony of Destruction
  • Peace Sells
  • Holy Wars... The Punishment Due (Encore)

Text: Conny Pläsken

Translation: Tanja Frank