Gigantour 2 [Import]

The inaugural Gigantour was unique due to it's lineup: Dry Kill Logic, Life Of Agony, Nevermore, Fear Factory, Dream Theater, etc. While the cd and dvd releases were long-awaited, the final results suffered. The tracklisting for both versions were nothing to cry out about (both versions were on two discs!), the worst thing was the audio. Audio mixing was handled by longtime Megadeth collaborator Jeff Balding. Don't get me wrong, the sound was good for what it was. At times, you wished it was better. Not even the best moments could really make a difference, and there were only a few. Fast-forward to today: the long-awaited compilation cd and dvd for 2006's Gigantour 2 are finally available. By now, you're probably asking yourself if it's worth it after the first Gigantour. Let's look at the line-up: it's way better. The Smashup (I had never listened to them before watching this dvd, so I can't really comment much except their performance was good), Sanctity (who were invited on the tour by Dave Mustaine before they even released an album), Into Eternity, Overkill, Arch Enemy, Opeth, and Lamb Of God. The tracklistings for the dvd and cd are also an improvement:

DVD:
01. THE SMASHUP - Effigy
02. SANCTITY - Beneath the Machine
03. INTO ETERNITY - Severe Emotional Distress
04. OVERKILL - Necroshine
05. OVERKILL - Rotten to the Core
06. ARCH ENEMY - We Will Rise
07. ARCH ENEMY - Nemesis
08. OPETH - The Leper Affinity
09. LAMB OF GOD - Vigil
10. LAMB OF GOD - Now You've Got Something to Die For
11. MEGADETH - Take No Prisoners
12. MEGADETH - The Scorpion
13. MEGADETH - Washington is Next!

CD:
01. THE SMASH UP - Rachel's Day
02. SANCTITY - Zeppo
03. INTO ETERNITY - Timeless Winter
04. OVERKILL - Thanks for Nothing
05. OVERKILL - Long Time Dying
06. ARCH ENEMY - Nemesis
07. ARCH ENEMY - We Will Rise/Bridge Of Destiny
08. OPETH - Window Pane
09. LAMB OF GOD - Vigil
10. LAMB OF GOD - Redneck
11. LAMB OF GOD - Now You've Got Something To Die For
12. MEGADETH - Take No Prisoners
13. MEGADETH - The Scorpion
14. MEGADETH - Washington Is Next!

Peace Sells is a bonus track on both versions.

You get a little variety, so you're not listening to the exact same songs on the cd or dvd. The audio: excellent. Andy Sneap (who also collaborated with Megadeth on United Abominations and the Warchest boxset), serves up the best sound quality you could ever ask for, making it seem like much, much more than a sampler from the 2006 tour. The behind the scenes footage is also an honorable mention, from pulling pranks on other bands, to dealing with beer being thrown onto the soundboard during the show. Also, one of my favorite moments is when they held a contest for a lucky fan to have the chance to be on stage with Arch Enemy and shred during one of their songs. How many contests like that are there? I noticed that a lot of stores didn't have the dvd or cd, the only place here in town that carried the dvd was Circuit City, you're lucky if you can find the cd version. I couldn't, and ordering it was my last resort. Do not pass either one up.

The line-up for this year's Gigantour is not huge considering that there's only five bands, but it doesn't mean that it'll lack the energy. Mind you, I'm not a fan of Job For A Cowboy or High On Fire, but Children Of Bodom and In Flames with Megadeth sounds like a dream.

Gigantour 2 isn't as long as Gigantour 1,but the entertainment value & the quality of the acts is just as good-where else can you witness a good old-fashioned guitar smash done as only Dave Mustaine can do?The ONLY R&R Guitarist who does as well or better,is the originator himself-Pete Townshend(unfortunately,it's cost prohibitive).You also get a taste of tongue-in-cheek humour(the scene where somebody-Dave?-tells the bimbo to stop being a'video princess'and bring the hand sanitizer to the meet&greet-outrageous!Can't wait to get my hands on G3&G4-YOU MUST BUY1

If you've picked up the first Gigantour DVD, you know what to expect with this second edition. Much like the first, this DVD provides a great selection of A and B-list metal bands. Opeth is the most surprising addition to the line up, offering a decidedly different texture to the Gigantour mix. If you are a fan of any of these bands, you are guaranteed to enjoy the rest of the lineup, a group hand-picked by Mustaine himself. Be it the newborn energy of Sanctity or the seasoned polish of Overkill, this DVD gives fans a chance to expand their horizons, and discover metal bands they may not have even had on their radar.

The biggest disappointment of this DVD is the scale. Each band is only given one or two songs on the DVD, leaving the viewer desperate for more. More than anything, the DVD makes you wish you could actually experience the whole concert, rather than a small snippet of its entirety. Unlike the first Gigantour DVD, however, this one provides much more in the way of behind the scenes footage and bonus features (including Megadeth's "Peace Sells" sung by the entire tour lineup). Unfortunately, the bonus features only make one wish the DVD makers had included more live footage instead.

In short, if you are a fan of any one of these bands (especially Megadeth), this DVD is a worthwhile endeavor to expand your metal vocabulary, and discover some bands you may not have even heard of. All of the acts give great performances on this disc, but if you are looking for a satisfying concert experience, you may want to pick up a different live dvd.