Of the so-called “big four” bands of thrash metal that got their start in the early 1980s (Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, Anthrax), Megadeth is possibly the most consistently active, with frequent touring and a steady stream of new material. Although the band’s lineup has always varied, founder and mastermind Dave Mustaine has maintained the Megadeth sound while also working with new collaborators.
That includes Brazilian guitarist Kiko Loureiro and drummer Chris Adler of Lamb of God, who round out the band’s current lineup. They join longtime bassist Dave Ellefson, who co-founded the band with Mustaine in 1983, after Mustaine left Metallica. Loureiro and Adler both played on Megadeth’s latest album Dystopia, bringing a new level of energy to Mustaine’s typically intense, passionate songs (Loureiro even co-wrote three of the album’s tracks).
More than three decades into Megadeth’s career, Dystopia debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard album charts, their second-highest chart position ever. Megadeth’s highest-charting album, 1992’s Countdown to Extinction, source of hits like “Symphony of Destruction” and “Sweating Bullets,” should be well-represented in the band’s show, alongside new songs and decades of material from a band that never stops pushing forward.
The Pearl at Palms, 7 p.m. Feb. 26, starting at $54 plus tax and fee. 702.944.3200
