Dystopia World Tour 2016

This past weekend we drove up to Milwaukee for the second time this year as the Dystopia World Tour rolled into town. The tour which includes Megadeth, Amon Amarth, Suicidal Tendencies, Metal Church, and Butcher Babies, played Chicago last Wednesday but I had too much homework that night so we waited till the weekend to catch it in Milwaukee. The arena they played used to be home to some of the biggest metal shows of the 80s and 90s. Iron Maiden, Queensrÿche, and Ozzy are among a few of the names who headlined there. It was also home to the 1992 edition of the Milwaukee Metalfest which included Macabre, Impetigo, Cannibal Corpse, and many more. Unlike its glory days, the arena this past Saturday was only about a fourth full, 3,000 people out of a 12,000 capacity arena. The poor attendance did not effect the performance of the show though.

The evening kicked off with Butcher Babies and I wasn't joking when I told my dad I was using their set as a half hour to take a crap and buy a Megadeth shirt. He had never heard of them, but lasted no longer than a minute before walking out of the arena till Metal Church came on. Butcher Babies are 1 of only 2 bands on a package tour I've refused to see because they suck so bad. The other was Deafheaven this past January when they opened for Kamb of God and Anthrax. This says a lot coming from a guy who stood 45 minutes through Winger just to have a decent spot for Queensrÿche.

Once Butcher Babies set finished (which was the equivalent of torture), we made our way into the arena for Metal Church and made it pretty close. I knew they were gonna kick ass, but I didn't think they were gonna be jawdroppingly great. If you haven't seen them this year, I highly recommend you see them the next time you have a chance. I was utterly speechless at how great Mike Howe sounded and how tight the rest of the band played. It's really a shame they only played for a little over a half over. After the show I bumped into Mike Howe and Steve Unger and told them how amazing they were. They were grateful and when I asked what the plans were for next year, they said they "don't know, but any opportunity they have to play shows, they'll take".

Next up was Suicidal Tendencies who I've been a huge fan of since about 5th grade. They were one of many bands I wanted to see when I was younger but couldn't due to the venue having an age restriction. Being able to finally see them ruled and it was one of the best pits I was ever in. They opened up with “You Can't Bring Me Down” and as soon as Cyco Miko shouted, “What the fuck is going on here?!”, me and a couple hundred others started slamming into each other like there was no tomorrow. What ensued was a 45 minute singalong/moshalong that included “War Inside My Head”, “Trip at the Brain”, and even “Subliminally”! The best part was being able to meet Cyco Miko at the merch booth after their set. ST has been such a pivotal part of my life and a massive influence all around. It's gonna sound like a weird comparison, but meeting Cyco Miko, I had the same feeling as when I met Vince Neil a couple years ago. Here's someone that I looked up to (and still do) as larger than life, and has had such a huge part in my life and character, yet they're a person just like I am. It sounds stupid but trust me, it really sinks in if it's happened to you.

Having moshed for the better part of ST's entire set and my shoes about to fall away at the seams (2 years of pits and sweat finally did them in Saturday night), I sat out for Amon Amarth's set. Never was a fan of theirs to begin with and in my opinion, everything they're doing Bathory did 10 times better. I don't hate them like Butcher Babies, but I never could appreciate them. Thankfully the crowd was small enough that by the time Megadeth came on, we were able to make our way about as close as we were for Metal Church and ST.

To close out the night, Dave Mustaine and the gang delivered an hour and a half set of new tracks and greatest hits. I had heard people complain they played too many new songs, but I didn't mind. Dystopia is the best Megadeth record in decades and the album's theme can definitely be felt in America's current political climate. As far as the setlist goes, Dave probably saw Maiden do it this year with The Book of Souls and thought, “Well, I can do it too!”. It certainly worked. The pit went most nuts (of course) over the classics, “Tornado of Souls”, “Symphony of Destruction”, “Peace Sells”, etc. Overall it was a fantastic night and certainly worth the hour and a half drive. I can now say I've seen 2 bands out of the Big 4!