It's not often I only witness one act and no support for a concert at Sentrum Scene in Oslo, but Sunday evening was dedicated to the thrash metal legends Megadeth only. And given how warm it gets in a summer day in an indoor venue in Oslo, I'm glad I didn't have to be there for more than one performance.

MegadethPhoto: press photo

This concert marks 30 years after their first vist in Norway and the titans still have what it takes to deliver a show that pleases their fanbase. And with an album announced for July, 6 years after Dystopia, combined with the people's hunger for live shows and watching their heroes on stage, the concert had the right setup to succeed. I have heard many people around me telling their friends or newly met acquintances how excited they are to see Megadeth after 4, 6 or 13 years since last time.

Mustaine and his three band mates - James Lomenzo on bass, Kiko Loureiro shredding the hell out of his guitar, and Dirk Verbeuren blasting all the way, even if some of them are "newer" to the lineup or listed only as live members, they are so skilled and experienced that their stage chemistry and collaboration can be considered flawless. And that surely gets the crowd going from the first song, and doesn't let them stand still until the last note. It was refreshing to watch so many people headbanging and maybe giving a try at a moshpit, but my height impediment didn't allow for a clear view of the area in front of the stage. I was considering a few times to try to locate those skilled at moving their heads at high speed, so I can get a bit of "ventilation" by standing next to them, but I considered that fast access to the toilet is something way more useful, so I opted for a more "conservative" location. Probably as warm as any other spot in the venue.

With almost 40 years of history behind him, Mustaine still rocked the evening and to my surprise, even better than any of their other shows I have ever witnessed. While Mustaine himself is not the biggest showman on the planet when it comes to stage presence, the other three guys on stage compensated with continous good mood and show off's so I think it's the first time I actively watched with interest a Megadeth concert (unlike just listening, the previous times). I even regret not accepting the chance to photograph them as their show was actually candy for the camera. But it doesn't mean they made any compromises when it comes to the quality of the multitude of guitar riffs and the various solos and combos of drum/bass or drum/guitar solos or just drum solo have been real crowd pleasers.

Their classic "Hanger 18!" is always a good opener for a Megadeth show, skilfully arranged to take one through a time travel with hits like "Dystopia", "Trust", "Sweating Bullets" or "Peace Sells", and the one with the loudest reaction being the mighty "Symphony of Destruction" where everyone sang their lungs out. The evening was so special for many fans, that some of the tshirts got completely sold out in certain sizes. I can only hope this is only the prelude of an amazing concert season that has just started in Oslo or Norway or pretty much all over the world. To more awesome live metal