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![]() MEGADETH, MESHUGGAH, TESSERACT & LILLAKE In Cleveland, OH With Photos! ![]() By Geoff Ketler, Cleveland Contributor Friday, July 7, 2017 @ 7:03 AM ![]()
Thrash metal pioneers MEGADETH decided to make a long-overdue tour stop back in the good ole 2-1-6; Cleveland, Ohio as the group continued on their tour cycle supporting 2016’s Dystopia, which finally brought home the first Grammy win for the storied quartet.
The early start time prevented Jacob’s Pavilion at Nautica from filling out until much later in the evening, nonetheless, LILLAKE kicked things off with a solid effort. Comprised of former/current members of SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, THE FACELESS and ENTHEOS, the “supergroup” of sorts played a short set that featured material off of their 2016 debut release Become. Guitarist/Vocalist Nico Santora mixed in screams, death growls and clean vocals while world-renowned drummer Eric Moore showed us why he was the 2003 Guitar Center Drum-off champion. Musically, LILLAKE was very dark and plenty heavy, but with a progressive twist, similar to OPETH.
Up next was the UK’s TESSERACT. This one was puzzling to me - not to say the band didn’t put on a great show, just that the group’s progressive stylings, clean vocals, atmospheric guitars and polyrhythms seemed to be better suited for a different bill. TESSERACT was, in my eyes, a clear departure from the rest of the touring package. However, differences aside, the group stood out as a technical marvel. Vocalist Daniel Tompkins made good use of his falsetto voice and drummer Jay Postones laid down technical and syncopated beats. Parts of the set reminded me of QUEENSRYCHE with the almost opera-like vocals of Geoff Tate alongside unique time signatures and airy guitar solos.
Setlist:
The godfather of thrash, Dave Mustaine made quick work of the evening, rarely speaking to the audience. His signature scowling vocals carried across the water in “The Flats” section of Cleveland. The setlist was geared toward new material, but included many of the favorites from across the band’s storied history. The MEGADETH mascot appeared a handful of times. The much larger, futuristic Vic Rattlehead from the Dystopia artwork appeared during “Conquer Or Die!” Over the years, Vic has become more and more inclusive in the live shows almost to IRON MAIDEN’s Eddie proportions.
Dave Mustaine has a tendency to pick someone out of the crowd in the middle of the set and harass them. It happens so frequently it is practically part of his shtick anymore. This night was no exception. Dave lectured a security guard who was giving a hard time to a blonde woman down front. Dave made a few comments about the security guard’s hairline (or lack thereof) and dedicated “Tornado Of Souls” to the “bald security guy”. It certainly wasn’t the first time Dave gave a tongue lashing and I am sure it won’t be the last. When the band came back out for the one song encore, Dave explained the circumstances surrounding the tour in Ireland where he dedicated a song to “the cause” and more or less incited a riot between Catholics and Protestants which eventually became the inspiration for the song “Holy Wars…The Punishment Due”.
Setlist:
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