Megadeth's Symphony of Destruction in Ottawa

On a sunny Tuesday evening, I parked my car in the Canadian Tire Centre parking lot and made my way to Gate 3 where media enters. I couldn’t help but notice the HAIL SATAN! license plate covers as I walked through the lot. Guess who was in town.

Megadeth brought their legendary thrash metal sound to the national capital and it was a night to remember for all who were lucky enough to be in attendance. Openers Bullet for my Valentine often bathed in red light got the crowd moving in a circle pit with a few carried to the front and handed to security. The lights then dimmed and bright spotlights were on Megadeth drummer Dirk Verbeuren who got the crowd hyped up.

Megadeth performs at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa. Photo: Renée Doiron

As the other members of the band took the stage, all eyes were on guitar God Dave Mustaine. Best known as the former lead guitarist of Metallica before forming his own band, Mustaine has consistently been named as one of the best guitar players of all time. His talent was on display and showed no signs of fading as demonstrated the “spider chord” technique for playing power chords, a method streamlining hand position changes and reducing string noise.

Megadeth performs at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa. Photo: Renée Doiron

Some may have wondered if the 61 year old still had the same voice. He looked and sounded excellent above the crushing riffs and thunderous drums of his bandmates. The crowd rewarded them with deafening cheers as the members of the band moved to different positions on stage posing for the photographers.

Megadeth performs at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa. Photo: Renée Doiron

Highlights of the night included blistering performances of fan favorites like “Peace Sells” and “Symphony of Destruction,” as well as the closer “Holy Wars” which showcased the band’s continued relevance and power. The musicianship of each member was impeccable, with guitarist Kiko Loureiro particularly standing out with jaw-dropping solos. The stage setup was also impressive, with a towering backdrop featuring iconic Megadeth artwork. I hope they pay their lighting techs well because it was a photographer’s dream light throughout the night. Overall, Megadeth delivered a phenomenal show in Ottawa, proving once again why they are one of the most important and influential bands in heavy metal history.

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