Took the day off to go to Aarhus, Denmark and see Megadeth. I keep saying Megadeth eventhough Slayer were headlining. But the only reason I went was for Megadeth. I stayed for 1 song with Slayer, that was quite enough for me.

Took the 3,5 hour trainride from Copenhagen and arrived to a nice, sunny Aarhus. Followed my printed directions and walked to the venue. It was one of the most unusual venues I’ve seen.

It was more of a congress-center, everything was glass…! So, during sound check I thought the windows were going to crack, down to the last one!

I spent all day listening to and watching the sound check, but it quickly got old and they were more than an hour late opening the doors – and then another hour late with the concert. I wondered if I had accidentally ended up at a Guns n’Roses gig.

But when the band walked out on stage, accompanied by the extatic roar from the enthusiastic crowd, it was well worth the waiting!

I’ve seen Megadeth live countless times over the years and as much as I love Megadeth, they used to be the most boring band you could imagine on stage. I always went to see them anyway, because I loved hearing the songs with all that amp-power behind them, that you can’t get from your stereo system at home, no matter how much you try to blow up your speakers (and your neighbors’ ears).

But Megadeth 2011 kicks major fucking ass!

I was blown away when they opened for Judas Priest on their last European tour, and yesterday’s show was still as good as I remember it from the last time. I don’t know what happened, but there is so much drive, so much “F U!” in this band, they deliver the goods!

There’s something primal about Megadeth and their music, I was thinking how super-masculine it is in a way, and there’s a reason why 99% of the crowd is male. But it feels so frikkin’ great when that heavy, aggressive music, the pumping bass and angry, distorted guitars hits your eardrums – it’s like a spring-cleaning for the soul. Whatever might be stored in there, whether you’re aware of it or not, it just goes away. Amazing.

Here’s Mustaine & co yelling “take no shit!”, I don’t know, it just feels fantastic when you’re right up front with the craziest fans, watching Megadeth doing their thing.

And another thing – they don’t age!!

WTF, when Dave Ellefson walked over to our side of the stage with a bright spotlight right in his face, I was thinking to myself that I met this guy back in 1991 and he looked EXACTLY like that! No wrinkles, no nothing.

When most “regular” men tend to lose their hair in their 40’s or somewhere around that time, rockers just seem to grow MORE of it!

Basically, they all looked great. I love Dave Mustaine, he’s just such a unique character. I laughed to myself when half-way through the show he goes:

– I forgot to say good evening…! I’m having to much fun that I forgot to say hi, forgive me!

Only minutes prior to that statement, I was thinking to myself how nobody can look as grumpy as Mustaine. And then he says that he’s having “so much fun”? :) I shouldn’t be surprised. :-D

I like his sarcasm. When I saw Megadeth in Las Vegas back in 1999 (Marty Friedman was still with the band) a girl was flashing her boobs and Mustaine just stood there, not particularly impressed. Then he went: “You know… if you water them, they might grow!” Ouch!! :P

Musically, Megadeth is better than ever. The way the two guitars work together in “Countdown to Extinction” for instance or the contrast between “A Tout Le Monde” and “Peace sells….but who’s buying?”, you get everything from the most raw, caveman brutal metal, to classy guitarwork and an amazingly tight rythm section.

The band interacts perfectly with the crowd, and they are better than they’ve ever been – it’s impossible NOT to raise your fist and yell.

And when it’s all over, and you walk away…. you feel like you’ve just been born again.

From the “good old days” – Marty Friedman and me:

We had a fellow friend – Anders Johansson from Yngwie’s band, now with Hammerfall. They lost touch and I helped him get back in touch with Anders. Once again, this was WAY before internet even existed. :)

And Dave “Junior” Ellefson and me backstage Stockholm early 90’s: