Gigantour 2/24/12

Ears ringing and grin on my face, I awoke today to tell you about Gigantour last night at the Gibson Amphitheater!
First up, was Lacuna Coil.  Though I didn’t photograph them, I caught the last few songs of their set.  Melodic and heavy- I liked what I heard and intend to check out a full set next time they are in LA.

Volbeat were on next and I was really looking forward to seeing them for the first time- I really dig their metal, punk, rockabilly sound.  I absolutely love Michael Poulsen’s voice…which to me has a deep, cool, whiskey soaked sound which reminds me a little of one of my other fave’s, Keith Caputo.  On guitar, just for this tour, was Hank Shermann of Mercyful Fate!  I was really impressed by them and plan to buy some more of their music this weekend.

More Volbeat photos HERE

By now, the venue should have been packed, but the early set time and LA Friday traffic seemed to be delaying the audience.  If you missed Volbeat’s set, make sure you see them next time they are in town!

Next up, the band that is the reason most people in the venue got into rock & roll, metal (and music in general) in the first place, Motörhead!  Year after year, they have been consistently kicking your ass and last night was no exception.  They opened with Bomber and proceeded to rip through a set that pulled from several of their 20 albums! (How many bands can say THAT?) Their set ended earlier than I would have liked…just under an hour, I’d estimate. But that’s what happens with 4 bands and curfews.  Highlights for me were the two songs they played off of 1916: The One to Sing the Blues and Going to Brazil.  It didn’t hurt that the man next to me was from Sao Paulo and going absolutely apeshit. 😉

More Motörhead photos HERE

A black curtain went up and it was time to get the stage set up for Megadeth.  In the foyer, the group of photographers were split into two groups.  Each group getting two songs.  I was in the photo pit for Trust and Foreclosure of a Dream, but regrettably missed the performance of A Tout Le Monde while I was checking my camera.  I heard that Lacuna Coil’s Cristina Scabbia came out to join Dave Mustaine on vocals.  Megadeth never disappoints me musically and although the middle of the set lost me a little, four songs off of Countdown to Extinction were A-OK to me!  I was very glad to hear She-Wolf and Ashes in Your Mouth but disappointed not to hear In My Darkest Hour and Hangar 18.

More Megadeth photos HERE

Setlists from setlist.fm

Lacuna Coil:
Intro
Our Truth
Upsidedown
Fragile
Kill the Light
Trip the Darkness
Spellbound

Volbeat:
A Warrior’s Call
Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood
The Human Instrument
Sad Man’s Tongue
Fallen
Pool of Booze, Booze, Booza
Hallelujah Goat
The Mirror and the Ripper
Raining Blood intro

Motörhead
Bomber
Damage Case
I Know How to Die
Stay Clean
Over the Top
The Chase Is Better Than the Catch
The One to Sing the Blues
Going to Brazil
Killed by Death
Ace of Spades
Overkill

Megadeth:
Trust
Foreclosure of a Dream
Sweating Bullets
A Tout Le Monde W/ Cristina Scabbia
Head Crusher
Public Enemy No. 1
Whose Life (Is It Anyways?)
Guns, Drugs & Money
She-Wolf
Hook in Mouth
Ashes in Your Mouth
Symphony of Destruction
Peace Sells
Holy Wars…The Punishment Due