Metalheads, rejoice! Show headlined by Megadeth and Lamb of God coming to east Idaho
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POCATELLO – A major heavy metal concert tour will make a stop at the Portneuf Health Trust Amphitheater in Pocatello this summer.
The tour is headlined by thrash metal legends Megadeth and modern metal masters Lamb of God. The lineup also includes metalcore veterans Trivium and In Flames, who helped define the sound of metal coming out of Gothenberg, Sweden, in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
A palpable sense of excitement is building in the local metalhead community.
“I was born and raised in east Idaho and have seen tons of amazing bands come through the area,” KBEAR 101 personality Viktor Wilt told EastIdahoNews.com. “I truly can’t think of another show that has had the kind of buzz this one is generating. For me personally, it is definitely the most exciting lineup that I can recall coming to the area thus far.”
Wilt isn’t the only metal fan who’s champing at the bit to see this show. Rick Percinsky of Idaho Falls has been into Megadeth since he picked up a copy of its seminal thrash masterpiece, “Rust in Peace,” at the now-defunct CD World store.
“Megadeth is surely to blame for my love of the (metal) genre as a whole,” he said.
Percinsky caught the band at a show in Boise in 2010. He said that even among the amazing shows he’s seen, Megadeth stands out.
“It sounds cliche, but the energy of that show was unlike anything else I’ve experienced,” he said. “It was perfect. There were also more people packed into that venue that night than should have been possible. It was amazing.”
Kat Hammond, a Driggs native who’s coming over from Billings, Montana, for the show, is also looking forward to the show, especially since she had a special experience with Megadeth in Salt Lake City.
“Walking in, we noticed that the room was particularly empty,” Hammond said. “(Frontman Dave Mustaine) explained to us that he was told that there was a mishap with the advertising and letting people know they were coming. But he stood on that stage and I will never forget what he said: ‘Regardless of the mistakes of others, we are going to have a special night. We are going to get intimate and share this energy together, so get as close to the stage as you can, and let’s bring this roof down together!’”
The other bands on the bill are also formidable metal machines.
“Lamb of God is unmatched in a live setting, a band that I go see every time they tour in the area because I know I will be completely blown away,” Wilt said. “All four bands are headlining acts on their own, and for good reason. These bands absolutely dominate in a live setting, and we have never had a real metal show like this at the amphitheater.”
“Trivium puts on a fantastic show and has amazing stage presence,” said Percinsky. “I saw them play at the Lunatic Luau at Virginia Beach in 2016. Easily one of the top three mosh pits I’ve ever been in.”
All in all, this show promises to offer something to almost any east Idaho metalhead and could be the next step in attracting more big rock and metal shows to the area.
“Attendance is the key to continued growth of the live music scene here,” said Wilt. “If the music industry doesn’t see support for the shows that do get booked, they’re always going to pass us up for safer bookings in places like Boise or Salt Lake City that have a much bigger population.”
“The Metal Tour of the Year” featuring Megadeth, Lamb of God, Trivium, and In Flames hits the Portneuf Health Trust Amphitheater on July 30. You can get tickets by clicking here.
