Last night was the Chicago stop for Gigantour, which is probably the highest production show I've seen since Van Halen1, since I mostly go to small independent shows. I didn't realize that the show started at 4:30, so I missed High on Fire before I'd even left work. We got there in the midst of Children Of Bodom, who put on a hell of a show2 , just all out metal. In Flames set was rather lackluster, save for "Only For The Weak".

Megadeth was in another gear entirely. I was really into them in junior high, so it seemed kind of weird to be just seeing them for the first time at 28. Nothing else mattered when they launched their set, though. I was immediately in a state of childlike glee, as they ripped into "Sleepwalker" and "Wake Up Dead". It's like this:

• Megadeth's new stuff is cut from the same cloth as their old stuff. The same can't be said for most metal bands *cough*InFlames*cough*
• Their set heavily favors the songs that made them great (still looking at you, IF).
• When Dave wears tight black pants, he looks like the old school metal god he is. When Anders wears them, he looks like a scene kid.
• For all of COB's technical, precise speed and fun-loving songs, Megadeth still has better songs, better groove, and a ton more energy.

Fuck the haters, Megadeth isn't a 2nd tier thrash band, they're a 1st rate band who plays thrash. Their songs exist outside of metal-for-metalheads. For all that guitar hero has brought metal back, few, if any, bands in this decade have superceded the genre. Going into the show, I expected to enjoy COB and IF, and maybe stick around for Megadeth. COB delivered on my expectations, but Megadeth blew me away.

1. Discounting festivals like Lollapalooza
2. although my boss was a little non-plussed by the keyboardist's lack of stage presence.

I find myself doing it too. I know it's a form of sexism. I've heard women complain about not getting to enjoy hardcore shows properly because no one lets them get punched in the face1 . At the same time, it's hard to turn off the instinct to protect the pretty girl from the 300 lb. oaf who's to busy still throwing devil horns to bother stopping himself from falling over backwards. i dunno.

Anyway, the in flames show was pretty awesome. You know, after lacuna coil got off the stage. There's showy, and then there's cheesy. a quick list of signs that you've crossed into the latter:

• your band has matching outfits, with slightly different variations for the singers
• your singers make up hand motions to go along with the lyrics of the song
• when one of the singers is waiting for their part, they are seen posing for audience cell phone cameras

In Flames led off with Pinball Map and Leeches, which made my night right off the bat. After that, though, they played mostlly songs from Reroute and STTYE. They played one song each from Clayman, Colony, and Jester Race, and maybe 3 songs from Come Clarity. It's not to say that they didn't put on an amazing show. I may have to re-listen to those albums now, given how fun the show was, despite them not playing most of my favorite songs.

1. I think that might be it's own sickness. i go to fewer hardcore shows than metal shows, mainly because i'm just not a fan of getting punched in the face