Review by Stephen Pedicino
This is the second run of Dave Mustaine’s Gigantour, the imminently premier metal festival across the Americas. That’s right Ozzfest!!! Move off that exalted throne soon, for meteorologists are saying that in the next couple of years Gigantour will be reigning supreme!!!(Giganpun) In both 05’ and 06’, the line-ups were absolutely killer. They offered quality metal represented in different facets. In 2008, things got a little less interesting for me, sporting a five-band bill with highlights being In Flames and Children of Bodom. But alas, here we are reviewing the 06’ installment of this traveling metal brigade. Conveniently, the recorded concert is separate from the interviews and miscellaneous material, making navigation a little bit easier this time around.
(Filmed at the BackAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Florida)
The Smashup:
The Smashup do the honor of kicking this dvd into motion and from their clothes it seems like Mustaine pulled them straight out of a local grunge show. But, they left me moderately impressed with their song, “Effigy.” It’s a well-written, straddling the line between hard-rock and metal. Not overly complex, but the notes are well-placed and the chorus is memorable(reminds me a bit of Tool.) It would have been nice if they could give the “lesser” bands two songs like on the first Gigantour dvd, but on we go to the next act, Sanctity.
Sanctity:
I had the chance of seeing these guys when they toured with Symphony X last summer. I’m not sure how much of them I could take in my stereo, but they definitely kick some ass when transformed into a live setting. Their sound is commonly described as melodic thrash, which I won’t disagree with since power metal elements can be heard in their song “Beneath the Machine.” They had great energy aside from a fatigued looking bassist who didn’t seemed rather stationery during it all.
Into Eternity:
Extremely charismatic band that gets more and more recognition with every show they do. Of course, when you tour as much as they have been lately, getting noticed is about as easy as picking your nose. In the past year, I’ve seen them five times.
Their performance is well-captured, but missing something…….Ahhhhh, their second guitarist! Its explained in the special features that he capriciously left one night without telling anyone. “Like a thief in the night,” Stu Block articulated during the interview.
But lead guitarist Tim Roth is talented enough to compensate for the loss. He nails the solos in “Severe Emotional Distress” and transitioned to the rhythm section without missing a beat. Honestly, at times I saw no need for a second guitarist! Great band.
Overkill:
Thrash legends Overkill proceed to rape the stage of the BankAtlantic Center with their tracks, “Necroshine,” and “Rotten to the Core.” Both shredded relentlessly and clearly did the job of arousing the crowd. The emphatic Bobby Ellsworth delivered those high-pitched raspy vocals just as one would expect. Nearing fifty, I give the man credit for being just as energetic as any other frontman of Gigantour. It’s almost funny watching him jump around on stage with his frizzy curls bouncing everywhere. Judging from this gig, I don’t think Overkill will be joining the AARP anytime soon.
Arch Enemy:
The beautifully-fronted Arch Enemy played “We Will Rise” and the fan favorite “Nemesis.” The latter packs a bit more steam and was performed with essentially no flaws. Aside from some minor inflections from the lust-inducing Angela Gossow, EVERYTHING was right on key. Some have accused Arch Enemy of selling out, but their status as quality musicians can’t really be disputed. I don’t see that much dishonesty within their songs anyway. A lot of their success has come from the quality of the music itself. A great and very intense band to see live.
Opeth:
Opeth are next to kill you with “Leper Affinity.” And may I add, only “Leper Affinity.” That’s right, one song! I’m sure all the loyal Opethians who bought this disc were hoping to see more than one track from these Swedish gods, but we must realize that it would be unfair to have two since their songs tend to run a little longer than most other bands. Opeth is like a drug for some, leaving the user voracious for more after listening to their music. Fortunately, they have live DVDs of their own for us to enjoy. The sound and especially camera angles were excellent for the song, representing each member solidly and equally.
Lamb of God:
The stage setup was fully expanded and the lighting was a bit more impressive for these pre-headliners. “Vigil” is the first track It’s got a very slow and sludgy beginning, but midway through blossoms into that mosh-inducing tempo Lamb of God are revered to offer. Vocalist Randy Blythe is very menacing and emotional onstage, proving that you don’t have to be bearded to kick some ass as a member of Lamb of God. “Now You’ve Got Something to Die For” is a bit too metal-core for my tastes, but palpably got the audience pumped. And voila!!! Just like that, Lamb of God are gone. Even though I consider them overrated, I have to give them props for their participation in this tour….
MEGADETH:
“Take No Prisoners”
“The Scorpion”
“Washington is Next!”
“Peace Sells”
All stage aspects were elevated to the next level for these timeless headliners. Their sound was comparable to a studio release and “Washington is Next!” is probably my favorite part of the performance. Mustaine doesn’t suffer to reach those high notes, there’s some sweet pyrotechnics near the end, and it’s just a killer song overall. To be reluctantly blunt, Mustaine’s voice proves to have depleted here as well as his solo ability. But I don’t let that get in the way of my respect for everything he’s done for metal over the years. A precise, memorable Megadeth performance to conclude a cascade of very talented bands.
The main complaint I have about the live portion would be the lack of volume from the audience in the venue. The cameras occasionally cut to the crowd to show their crazed enthusiasm, but the fans are essentially muted for the most part. The sound from the stage couldn’t be clearer, but its nice to actually hear the crowd when the band is performing because it tends to offer a more intimate feel.
Special Features
As with the first DVD, the special features section begins with a sequential look into each band that Dave Mustaine hand-picked for the bill. A pattern of divine introspect from Dave followed by obligatory ass-kissing from the bands themselves runs on for about 30 minutes.
Dave: “You know, I first heard about these guys when I was…….taking a shit actually. It was a MONSTER shit. Of course, being me, that no surprise. My agent called and proposed that I choose these guys for the bill. He played some of their stuff over the phone, and I was just blown away. Could have just been the euphoria of my dump or whatever, but I was thrilled when I heard their guitarist. It was like a match made in metal heaven….”
Band: “God, when Dave first approached us for Gigantour….we were like holy shit! You know? I mean, Dave is THE icon of metal music and for him to pick us its like…..DAMN! I mean, I heard he can play guitar with his penis!”
Interviewer: “Its that big?”
Band: “FUCK yeah!!!”
But the unanimous outlook for all the bands was one of camaraderie and dedication. All seemed to respect each other and appreciate the exposure on and off the stage. Or at least…that’s the feeling you get from watching the DVD. I can’t necessarily see Opeth chilling with The Smashup backstage over a game of scrabble.
Spliced in between are a hefty amount of backstage clips and recorded memories which serve as a nice little bonus aside from the Gigantour concert itself. You get a good peek into the lives of the road crew, a plethora of interview snippets, and some antics that’ll put a smile on any metalhead’s face. The tour is about time and commitment, but the bands don’t seem to get uptight about the prospect.
This years Gigantour I missed, therefore I cannot judge. But I hope the festival continues in an honest fashion and eventually eclipses the arousal that Ozzfest seems to stir every year throughout the metal community. Dave Mustaine deserves a lot of credit for putting these tours together and giving lesser known bands some extra exposure. If you enjoy high-energy injected metal with substantial guitar virtuosity, then this DVD, and hence the tour, is for you!