Review & photos by Rachel Jablonski
The aging dank theatre had rows of squishy red seats, the worn cushions thankfully disguised by the darkness. In front of the rows the concrete standing space was large and almost fully occupied. The stage stood illuminated in front of the dimly lit faces anticipating something special. Megadeth induced Gigantour was upon the great number of metal fans at the Congress Theatre in Chicago, IL. The main highlighted acts, Overkill, Arch Enemy, Opeth, Lamb of God, and, of course, Megadeth, were an attractive bunch.
Overkill
Dressed all in black with a tank top (which eventually came off revealing
quite defined abs for as long as the band has been around – since
1980), tight pants, and black loafer shoes that just didn’t go,
vocalist Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth led Overkill to as entertaining
a performance as expected. And the crowd loved it. The high-pitched, raspy
voice of Ellsworth translated
humorously well live as the band opened with my favorite Overkill
song “Necroshine,” ah-ah-ahah-ah-ah-ah-ahah, which
made me quite happy. Ellsworth allowed the East Coast thrash metal band
some jam time occasionally as he quietly stepped off stage and sat down
for a moment. The set ended with "Fuck You" complete with an opera-like
vocal vibration-filled chorus of FUUUUUUCK YOOOUUUU!
Arch Enemy
Cute blonde sporting football player-like black
streaks under her eyes fronted the Swedish death metal act Arch Enemy.
Her impressive growls awed the theatre, but her stage presence was not
quite as convincing as compared to some of the other acts on the tour.
Opeth
With long hair and rather carefree attire, Sweden’s Opeth is anything but commonplace. The entrancing music sent the crowd into frenzy, many enthused and many overcome by the musical variance in tempo and vocal style. The band opened with “Ghost Of Perdition,” the first song off their latest album Ghost Reveries. After warning the audience as to the nature of the next song, the band played a slower piece that worked for me, but didn’t for others. They then sped it back up Opeth style to finish out the enjoyable, yet seemingly short set.
Lamb of God
Sporting a short haircut,
front man Randy Blythe led his bearded, long-haired band mates with high
intensity and passion. Supporting their latest album, Sacrament,
this was the first opportunity for many Chicago fans to hear the new material
live. “Walk
with Me in Hell,” “Redneck,” and "Blacken the Cursed
Sun” off this new release were hits shown by explosive crowd participation.
From their album Ashes of the Wake, “Now You’ve Got
Something to Die For” held up its reputation as a crowd pleaser
as well. Blythe and company proved, for the third time of my viewing,
that they are consistent in live energy and showmanship.
Megadeth
You know you’ve still got it when you’ve had the same haircut for 20 years and you’re still considered cool. The Dave Mustaine show headlined Gigantour 2006, Dave being the only original member of Megadeth in the band. Featuring many traditional favorites such as “Symphony of Destruction,” “Trust,” and “Hanger 18,” the set, understandably, also contained many guitar jams and solos. The aura of Megadeth was inviting, Dave’s musicianship calm and collected on stage. The band played a lengthy set, relatively pleasing, despite the oversight of my favorite Megadeth tune, “Hook in Mouth.”