by Nicolle Hodges
Contributor
It was a night of fist-in-the-air-chants as Megadeth took the stage in Abbotsford Monday night.
Although one might have expected the Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Centre to be filled with middle-aged rock fans reliving their youth, the ambiance was young and energetic.
In an age of computer-generated beats, spectators had the privilege of witnessing three men on electric guitars, and one drummer with amazing stamina, all exuding raw talent.
The crowd went wild over the fast-paced guitar solos, demonstrating that the appreciation for true heavy metal spreads across all ages.
Megadeth is in the middle of its North American tour, promoting their 13th album, fittingly labeled TH1RT3EN. Members of the band include lead singer/guitarist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson, guitarist Chris Broderick and drummer Shawn Drover.
The Gigantour also featured performances by heavy metal super-stars including Motörhead, Volbeat and Lacuna Coil.
Megadeth opened with a pulsing beat that harmonized the crowd into a fist-pumping frenzy. With little use of stage props, besides coloured lights and smoke, the band relied largely on the use of vocals and hard strumming talents for crowd appeal.
Touching on familiarity, they played “Ashes in Your Mouth” from an earlier album, and then smoothly transitioned into the song “Guns, Drugs and Money” from their newest album.
The open seating area was packed with head-banging enthusiasts, contributing to the overall scene through harmless crowd surfing and lyrical chants.
Paying homage to fans, Mustaine made sure to point out that drummer Shawn Drover is a proud Canadian. The crowd reciprocated the praise by chanting for an encore once the house lights dimmed and band members exited the stage.
Megadeth has reigned supreme since '83 and has managed to maintain a strong fan base, demonstrated by the turn-out at the AESC. Regardless of their turbulent 17-year history, Mustaine and the gang showed that true metal is timeless.