As soon as tickets for the North American Endgame tour went on sale I was all over it and bought my ticket. It cost me a little over $40 dollars but I had not been to a Megadeth show in over 12 years.

When we got to the venue there was a long line down the street and I figured it was going to be a long wait because it was listed that doors were opening at 6:45 pm and we got there a little less than an hour before the scheduled opening. Parked the car in a parking deck that said they were closing at 12:30 am and that had me a little worried because I wasn’t sure what time the show was supposed to be over but the attendant told me that it was supposed to be over by 11:30.

As soon as we parked a guy came up to us with t-shirts, which I knew were bootlegs. He said they were the same as the ones inside and I knew that was bullshit but he was selling them for 10 bucks and said the ones inside would be $27.50. Again, I knew that was bullshit because nobody sells t-shirts for odd prices like that but I knew merch was going to be high. I just didn’t know how high until I got inside, so I bought one.

The line at will-call moved fast and the venue line moved fast as well and we were in by 6:10. Arcanium, the first band went on about 6:30. I could pretty much tell that I wasn’t going to like this band just by the singers hair-cut. It was like a thinly braided mohawk that just looked silly. A soon as they started playing I grabbed a beer and hit the smoking area, shot the shit with some guy that brought his kid down from Lancaster PA to see Megadeth. By the time I got back inside they were finishing up, thank goodness.

Suicide Silence was up next. I knew I wasn’t going to like them but there were plenty of deathcore fans there that did. Again, beer, cigarette and to check out the merch table. I bought an Endgame tour t-shirt which was $35 and that was the cheapest shirt they had. I also bought another Engame cd and got a green wrist band that allowed you to get the cd ($20) signed by Dave Mustaine after the show.  If you plan on buying merch on this tour, bring plenty of cash or your credit/debit card. They can run those too and it’s better than using a venue ATM that charges $2.50+ per transaction.

I went back and Suicide Silence was still playing. Breakdown after breakdown and I was bored, very bored. I was wishing that Suicide would actually silence them. Finally they finished up and I waited in anticipation for Machine Head.

It was starting to get really crowded as Machine head took the stage around 8:00 pm. Great show, great set and the crowd loved them. It’s Machine Head and they crowd always loves them. This was the third time I’ve seen Machine Head and it seems like they only get better every time. It was about 9 or so when they finished playing and I wanted to get another smoke in before Megadeth came on. You can’t smoke in the venue but they have an area fenced off outside that you can go to. It was standing room only and it was crowded. It sucked but us nicotine addicts will do just about anything to squeeze in time for a cigarette. I finished up and headed back inside. Lines were too long at the bar and all I wanted was some water. Parched with thirst, I returned to the floor to wait for Megadeth.

Holy fuck did it get even more crowded all of a sudden. I’m only 5′7″ and it seemed no matter where I stood, there was always someone taller than me standing directly in front of me. it sucks being short. The stagehands or roadies, whatever you want to call them, uncovered the stacks of Marshall amps and Sean Drover’s kit and we knew it wasn’t going to be long. When they started to play I decided to get the hell out of where I was and go all the way to the left of the stage and watch from the sidelines, where I could get the best view. It was great until towards the end, when this 7 foot, Frankenstein, lurch looking motherfucker nonchalantly walks right up and stands directly in front of me. I moved a bit to get a better view for the last few songs.

Megadeth opened the show with Set The World Afire and moved through a good mix of songs from Endgame, Youthanasia, Cryptic Writings, Peace Sells, So Far, So Good and Rust In Peace. Every song sounded tight but the songs that actually sounded the best were the three new songs they played from Endgame. Those three songs being 1,320, Headcrusher and 44 Minutes.

Chris Broderick is a beast on the guitar and looks as if he plays every solo effortlessly, looking out at the crowd, smiling as he rips through them. Shawn Drover kind of drums funny to me and being that I’m trying to learn the drums, I always watch the drummers at shows, but he just has a funny way of pounding through the songs that I can’t figure out. James Lomenzo is a great showman on the bass and a great backup singer for Dave. Dave Mustaine is Dave Mustaine. Still plays sick leads and complex rhythms while singing. At one point toward the end of the show, he came back on stage without his shirt on and I was kind of thinking to myself; “Why is this 48 year old man coming out here shirtless”? While pushing 50, Dave is still in better shape than most dudes a third of his age, so why not?

Closing with the usual Holy Wars, the show was over a few minutes after 11 pm. I was still worried about my car because I was sticking around to get my cd signed by Dave and whomever else was going to be there. After about 30 minutes and the formation of a line of well over 300+ people, I shuffled along as Dave and Shawn signed cd’s. I estimated that I was about the 80th person in line. Cd’s only and no pictures was what we were told. While waiting in line I had to put up with a few drunk chicks also waiting in line near by and slurring loudly. There are few things less attractive or more annoying than loud, drunk, slurring women, especially when they think they’re all that. One girl had a pair of Megadeth panties (yes, you can buy them for $25 at the merch table) that looked way too small for her ass to fit in and she wanted to get Dave to sign them.

When I got up there, I got my cd signed, said “thanks” and “great show” and moved on like any other fan.

In closing, the show was great. Well, the latter half of the show was great. Sometimes you have to stand through bands you really don;t give a fuck about, to see the bands you do. I quick note if you decide to buy a bootleg shirt; buy it bigger than you normally would. I bought a large, knowing that it was going to shrink up a bit and it shrunk even more than anticipated, so I’m glad that I bought the real-deal inside.

If you can’t make it to the Endgame tour, go see the American Carnage tour with Slayer and Testament.