Reviews Archiv 302

Oh Jes....and they do exist, those situations, when a concert is beyond discussion, but it's not the fault of it's producers, I mean - musicians of course. When such a unfortunate thing happens to Megadeth, then beware you when the boss gets uncomfortable. And the fact, that Dave Mustaine is not particular an easy character is well known for almost a lifetime. Even I can tell you quite a few stories from the past and from my meetings with this man for various interviews. You never knew, what his current mood was - sometimes charming, sometimes you better didn't talk to him.
However, I don't think, this man has changed his mentality over all this years. Maybe he has become a bit more laid back as he got older, because he ain't 20 anymore, but rather my age of 46. On the other hand, he still seems so much younger than 10 years ago. The hair is shorter again, but still enough there to hide his face underneath, while performing on stage. Never mind, 'cause Dave keeps his eyes closed anyway for most of the show. Whether this is up to a high concentration or an invisible wall he's building around himself, nobody figures out. He doesn't like to talk much up there, and he doesn't like to much communicating with the audiance. He just wants to pull his thing through the time, that's it. But enough of that, this here shall not develop into a personal psychoanalytics about an egocentric, but only a simple concert review.

Off we go with Evile,

an english metalband, who founded themselves in 2004 in Hudersfield. Two EP's and one full Cd named 'Enter The Grave' is the result so far. Evile are Matt Drake (voc), Ol Drake (git), Ben Carter (drums) and Mike Alexander (bass). To be honest, I haven't heard of them before. But I'm always ready to check out new bands and music.
Hmmmm.... My enthusiasm is restricted. But as I said before, I hesitate to judge an opener, who has got the usual limited time of 30 minutes with limited energy. This is always a bit difficult.
http://www.evile.co.uk

Second group on the bill is Mercenary from Denmark.

They ain't that new anymore, as they are going since 1991. And despite their 17 years of existence, they still don't seem like a traditional megalband, but more like one of those new generation rockbands. Yeah maybe this is because of their short haircuts, the outfit including a rd tie and the unusual tenor of singer Mikkel Sandagar. That guy makes his announcements inbetween the songs in straight german, so you could get the impression, Mercenary are from this country here, if we didn't know it better. The band is out now to promote their sixth album 'Architects Of Lies'. And I have to say, these danish group doesn't give us a bad impression at all, they know exactly what they are doing. I feel a bit sorry for them, because all the Megadeth fans in the first rows show no mercy to them by shouting constantly - "Megadeth".-
That's not really fair, as Mercenary are trying hard to heat up the mood in the venue for - Megadeth. Shame, because Mikkel, Rene, Mike, Jacob, Martin and Morton
are truly doing well.....
http://www.mercenary.dk/

Lights off, spot on.....

....and the first figure stepping on stage is Dave Mustaine, showing no emotion and starting to play his guitar immidiately while shaking his hair. Apart from that, he seems to like the munich haute couture, as he wears a T-Shirt with a certain slogan, so you know exactly where he had spent his day off yesterday. :-)))
Anyway, the rest of the club follows, who is Chris Broderick on the second guitar, James LoMenzo on bass, who we all know from his days with White Lion and Shawn Drover sits behind his overdimensional drumkit. But as soon as the show has started, the disaster starts as well. It's whistling, it's making strange noises in every corner of the palace here, which by the way is the exchange for the originally planned much bigger Zenith venue. I for my part ain't sad about the change, because as we all know, the Zenith ain't popular at all for us munich residents.
Just to mention it besides, is the fact, I've hardly ever seen so many photographers in the pit like tonight. From about 12 paparazzi, there are only 3 professionals, the other's are not known. And I ask myself honestly, how those can take a single decent picture with their small compact cameras without flash. But well, that's not my problem. The light conditions are brilliant. (at least something good tonight). And I get everything I need. (even Pics of Dave Mustaine without all the hair hiding his face - which ain't easy to catch up with :-)))

During photographing the first 4 songs, what we are allowed to, I watch Mustaine interrupting his show twice to storm on the right side to the technician giving him the guts. And the poor man looks more than frightened, like a rabbit just before getting shot. Unfortunately Dave's furious outbreak doesn't help much to make the situation much better. It's still croaking, rustling, whistling out of the amps, and Daves voice gets lost in the clouds of indefinate sound, which is miles to loud as well. The result is the constantley increasing bad mood of Mega-Dave, and I get the feeling, he just wants to get everything done as quick as possible. Outside the photopit the sound is even worse. It's getting a bit monotone, and even those two posers right and lefthandside from Dave don't make it better to get more movement within the show.
Apart from that, we can't complain about the setlist, which includes all milesstones of the band including 'Wake Up Dead', the melancholic 'A tout Le Monde'. the dark 'Darkest Hour' and of course 'Peace Sells' and the encore 'Holy Wars'.

Towards the end of the gig, the sound gets a little bit better, and Dave opens up a bit as well. Also because the first rows of Megadeth fans cheer him up, and those are probably the only ones who do enjoy the event despite sound disaster.
That's it again. And my personal conclusion outta this is the fact, that last visit of Megadeth had been miles better than this one tonight. On the other hand, just to mention it again, - it has been definately not the fault of the band, who were only the victims of incapable soundengeneer.
Neither the charisma of Dave Mustaine nor the aura of the band could help across that. - Shame, but this time it just didn't happen.....
http://www.megadeth.com