REVIEW: Megadeth, Mudvayne, All That Remains at Jones Beach Theater | 09.14.2024
Megadeth is reaching the tail end of the North American leg of their “Destroy All Enemies” tour. The 34-date run kicked off at the top of August and will continue through the end of September; joining them on the ride are Mudvayne and All That Remains. Of the big four (Anthrax, Megadeth, Metallica, Slayer), Megadeth was to be the last one to cross off my concert list. Coincidentally, they were also going to be the first one that I’d cross off my photo coverage list.
Walking into Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh last Saturday, I knew I was going to witness Metal at its most classic and influential. Dave Mustaine and Metal are one and the same, after all. Considering this would be my last “first” with the big four, I was determined to soak it in.
ALL THAT REMAINS
All That Remains kicked off the evening basked in golden hour sunlight while they delivered a thrashing set. Their powerful performance, which featured new singles “Divine” and “Let You Go”, got the fans' raising their horns and banging their heads.
MUDVAYNE
I remember the first time I heard Mudvayne’s “Dig.” Like many who discovered the single back in 2000 it was by way of the buzzworthy music video that accompanied it. Mudvayne looked terrifying(ly cool), the song was as catchy as it was heavy; I was hooked instantly.
Listening to L.D. 50 as a whole, I was blown away by Ryan Martinie’s bass playing and how prominently it stood out in the mix. Vocalist Chad Gray’s smooth vocal transition from delicately hopeless cleans to pure rage in his screams was perfection, and tied together with Greg Tribbett’s monster riffs and Matthew McDonough’s rapid fire percussion, the band was unstoppable.
The End of All Things to Come, Mudvayne's 2002 follow up, was another mind-blowing sonic journey on which I gladly embarked upon its release. The band opened their set with “Not Falling,” the first single released from that album, and from the moment Chad Gray hit his intro scream I knew this was going to be something special. This was my first time seeing Mudvayne despite being a fan for decades, and my excitement grew with every song they played.
I was in the photo pit during "Internal Primates Forever" and was singing every word behind my camera as I worked. At a point I found myself directly in front of Gray and I lowered my camera so I could belt out the song with him; he noticed and looked me dead in the eye to deliver the next few lines. My instinct was to lift the camera right back up to get a shot, but instead I just reveled in the moment and sang right back. It's a moment that I will certainly never forget.
Mudvayne's set primarily consisted of material from their first two albums but also included a couple tracks from their 2005 album, Lost and Found, as well as their single "Dull Boy." Their closing with "Dig" brought things full circle and was the perfect way to finally check them off my list.
MEGADETH
Speaking of bucket list check marks, it was time for Megadeth. The stage was shrouded in darkness, a portion covered by a giant curtain to hide the backline. It wasn’t much to look at, but there was energy and anticipation in the air; the fans knew what was coming.
Calls of “bring out yer dead” began to echo through the speakers as a figure in a plague doctor mask pushed a cart of “bodies” across the stage before returning to welcome the crowd to the show. The opening notes of "The Sick, The Dying... And The Dead!" began to play from behind the curtain which, upon the onslaught of riffage, brought the curtain down to reveal the source: the legendary Megadeth.
While they showcased their new material at the very start, Megadeth's resulting set featured a healthy representation of the band's massive discography. The biggest focus was on two of their legendary albums: Countdown to Extinction and Rust in Peace. No matter the album the crowd at Jones Beach responded to every song with overwhelming excitement.
Midway through the set I happened to notice three kids in their late teens/early 20s nearby that were unapologetically rocking out as hard as they possibly could. They were thrilled to be having what undoubtedly was a core memory experience watching Megadeth perform.
In this day and age it's so easy to spoil a concert by looking up the setlist beforehand but these kids clearly did not do that. Every time Dave Mustaine introduced a song they would lose their minds. Seeing their enthusiasm served as a warm reminder of the power of live music and fanship, as well as proof of Megadeth's continuing generational impact.
Megadeth closed with “Peace Sells” before returning for an encore performance of “Holy Wars… The Punishment Due” to send the crowd home on a high and heavy note. The band’s tour will continue through the end of next week where it comes to a close at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium in Tennessee.