The American Carnage Tour in Louisville, KY – 10/12/10

It’s been just a little over 19 years since the thrash metal trifecta of Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax stormed the Louisville Gardens on the Clash of the Titans tour.  Seeing the size — or lack thereof — of the crowd gathered tonight at Freedom Hall for the Clash of the Titans “reunion” tour, aptly dubbed the American Carnage Tour, one has to wonder if perhaps the bands would have been better off celebrating their collective return in the same venue that played host to their siege nearly two decades ago.

It doesn’t take more than a look around Freedom Hall to see that ticket sales were less than stellar (one number I’ve heard placed them at around 2,700 tickets sold), and at one point during Megadeth’s set, frontman Dave Mustaine even mentions to the crowd that it was suggested to the bands the previous week that the show be canceled.  One attendee seated behind me laments that the show would have sold out had the tour been a package that featured the “Big Four” thrash bands (Metallica being the fourth band in the pantheon).  He makes a good point, but it’s a double-edged sword — Metallica’s popularity can fill an arena, but tickets would have likely cost at least twice as much with their inclusion.

All attendance woes aside, all three bands were on top of their game.  Anthrax opened the show with a solid set that included classics like “Caught In A Mosh” and “Madhouse.”  Classic Anthrax vocalist Joey Belladonna, who recently returned to the band after his second hiatus, stalked about the stage like a man possessed, at one point donning a Native American headdress for a stunning rendition of “Indians.”  Before ending their set, rhythm guitarist Scott Ian promised the crowd the band would be back next year with a new album.

(For live clips of “Caught in a Mosh” and “Madhouse,” click here and here.)

Following the return of original bassist Dave Ellefson earlier this year, Megadeth began playing their 1990 classic Rust in Peace live in its entirety to celebrate the album’s 20th anniversary.  Tonight was no different, and the band hit the ground running with “Holy Wars…The Punishment Due.”  They continued their sonic assault through to album closer “Rust In Peace…Polaris” before launching into the career-spanning latter half of their symphony of destruction, which included new tracks “Headcrusher” and “How the Story Ends” alongside hits like “Trust” and “Peace Sells.”

(For live clip of “Holy Wars…The Punishment Due,” click here.)

At the conclusion of Megadeth’s set, a large curtain is raised in front of the stage as the crew prepares for Slayer.  There is no crowd that can compare in intensity to a Slayer crowd, and this becomes more evident as the minutes progress closer to the band’s timeslot.  Furious cries of “SLAYER” ring out across the arena, growing impossibly louder when the house lights finally dim and the curtain drops to the opening riffs of “World Painted Blood.”  Not to be outdone by Megadeth, the San Francisco thrash legends keep the fists on the arena floor flying as they launch into another new track, “Hate Worldwide,” before performing a marathon run through 1990’s Seasons in the Abyss.

(For live clips of “World Painted Blood” and “War Ensemble,” click here and here.)

“Are you ready?” frontman/bassist Tom Araya inquires of the audience before the band dives into Abyss with “War Ensemble.”  Araya’s performance tonight is uncharacteristically calm.  Following a neck surgery to repair damage done by several decades of wild headbanging — an operation which caused the original February date of this show, and the tour at large, to be postponed — the wild-haired frontman has received a cease and desist from doctors as it pertains to the thrashing of his epic mane.  It’s all a give and take, though, guitarist Kerry King has said in recent interviews, as Araya is now able to concentrate on his bass-playing that much more during the band’s performance.  He makes a good point — there is no discernible decrease of intensity in the band’s music as it bombards the audience from the ridiculous wall of Marshall stacks at the back of the stage.

Slayer conclude their set with a number of fan-favorite staples, including “South of Heaven” and “Raining Blood,” before bidding the audience a safe farewell.  As the house lights come back on and i take one last glance around the arena’s nearly-bare upper levels, I’m left to wonder about what the show might have been with a packed house, or even in the venue that hosted it two decades ago.  Those who passed, or were just unable to afford the tickets, missed out on what was, without a doubt, one of the best concerts I’ve seen.

October 15, 2010 | Categories: Anthrax, Megadeth, Slayer | Tags: 2010, American Carnage, Anthrax, KY, Live, Louisville, Megadeth, Metal, Rust in Peace, Seasons in the Abyss, Slayer, Thrash, Tour | Leave a comment