LIVE: MEGADETH – Winnipeg, MB, CAN – February 25, 2026

Venue: Canada Life Centre

City: Winnipeg, MB, Canada

Date: February 25, 2026

Review and Photographs by: Alejandro Penner (https://www.alejandropenner.ca/)

As I was standing in a hardware store, ready to purchase some supplies for a renovation project I’m currently working on, I received the email. I’m paraphrasing — “You are going to Megadeth.” I was so excited that I left the supplies behind and ran home. After all, I didn’t have much time to get to the venue. Megadeth is one of those iconic thrash metal bands that has been doing it for over four decades — so iconic that they’re part of the Big Four: Megadeth, Metallica, Slayer, and Anthrax. Other bands of similar caliber would be Exodus, Testament, and Kreator, among others. So needless to say, I was pretty fired up to capture and review this show. The last time I saw Megadeth was back in 2008 during Gigantour at the Winnipeg Convention Centre — that’s 18 years ago. It was definitely time to support Dave Mustaine and the boys again. Like always, Megadeth brought incredible support acts, and this time was no exception. We warmed up with Exodus, and I’m a bit ashamed to admit it, but this was my first time seeing them live. Exodus did not disappoint. They came out raining hell onto the crowd, blasting into electric riffs and never letting off the gas pedal. I honestly couldn’t imagine a better way to kick off the night. Next up was Anthrax — and as I mentioned earlier, they’re part of the Big Four. Getting 50% of the Big Four in one show is absolutely incredible. Anthrax is one of those staple thrash bands that just delivers. They kept the energy sky-high with razor-sharp riffs from Scott Ian, crispy drums, and powerful vocals delivered by Joey Belladonna. At this point, we were speeding down a fast, aggressive highway toward full thrash metal enlightenment.

Finally, Megadeth took the stage, and we were in for a long journey through some of the best thrash metal ever written. With 17 studio albums under their belt, they have a massive catalog to pull from. We were treated to three new tracks off their latest self-titled album Megadeth: “I Don’t Care,” “Let There Be Shred,” and “Tipping Point,” which opened the set — and rightfully so. The riffs were tight, surgical, and polished. It’s a blistering old-school thrash track, and with so many possible openers, I think “Tipping Point” was the perfect choice. The opener was followed by some 90’s material, including “Angry Again” from the 1995 Hidden Treasures release — the only song from that album that made the set. Then came one of my personal favorites, “Hangar 18” from the legendary Rust in Peace (1990). Now that I think about it, the only tracks from the 2000s were the three newest songs. Everything else pulled from the 80’s and 90’s — which, in my humble opinion, are their strongest decades. But I digress. Other albums that got some love included Killing Is My Business… and Business Is Good! with “Mechanix,” So Far, So Good… So What! with “Hook in Mouth” and “In My Darkest Hour,” Cryptic Writings with “She-Wolf” and “Trust,” and of course Peace Sells… but Who’s Buying? with “Peace Sells” and “Wake Up Dead.” Then we hit their arguably most popular record, Countdown to Extinction — a ’90s masterpiece — featuring “Skin o’ My Teeth,” “Sweating Bullets,” and their most famous track of all time, “Symphony of Destruction.”

Megadeth’s stage setup wasn’t flashy. Instead, they let the music do the talking. The look was very old-school: two walls of Marshall 4×12 stacks (three high and four across) flanked the stage, with the drum riser centered where Dirk Verbeuren delivered thunderous precision all night. Dirk is one of my favourite drummers, so watching him live was incredibly special. He’s precise, energetic, and rock-solid. A massive MEGADETH banner hung in the background, but otherwise the stage was wide open for Dave, Teemu Mäntysaari, and James LoMenzo to roam. Watching Teemu and Dave put on a shredding clinic was breathtaking. Teemu has incredible control — precise and tight — and he blends perfectly into the band without trying to dominate the stage. Instead, he complements Dave’s razor-tight rhythm and relentless attack. Even though you can tell age is becoming a factor for some members — Dave included — his guitar work is still polished, clean, and aggressive. The old man can still SHRED. Meanwhile, James LoMenzo brought the rumble with punchy, powerful bass tones, serving as the perfect foundation beneath the twin-guitar assault. As the final notes of “Holy Wars… The Punishment Due” rang out and the lights came up, the energy in the venue lingered like smoke after a battlefield — thrash metal enlightenment achieved.

From the moment Exodus kicked the door open with unrelenting fury, through Anthrax’s razor-edged groove machine keeping the momentum sky-high, to Megadeth delivering a masterclass in precision aggression, this show was a celebration of the genre’s past, present, and (with those fresh cuts from the self-titled farewell album) its defiant future. Overall, the band sounded razor-sharp and fiercely cohesive — a testament to how this current lineup has gelled into a reliable and powerful configuration. The mix honoured the classic catalog’s speed and technicality while injecting the new material’s blistering old-school energy. Age may show in subtle ways, but the fire? Undimmed. Seeing them again after 18 years felt like closing a personal chapter in thrash history — but more importantly, it was a reminder of why this band endures: relentless riffs, unbreakable spirit, and a catalog that still slays. If this was (or is part of) the final ride, what a way to go out — loud, proud, and unapologetically Megadeth. Thank you, Dave and the crew, for one hell of a night. Thrash forever. \m/

Setlist: Tipping Point – Angry Again – Hanger 18 – She-Wolf – Wake up Dead – In My Darkest Hour – Sweating Bullets – I Don’t Care – Tornado of Souls – Trust – Skin o’ My Teeth – Let There Be Shred – Hook in Mouth – Symphony of Destruction – Mechanic – Peace Sells – Holy Wars… The Punishment Due.

[Show as slideshow]

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Category: Live Reviews, Photo Galleries