Megadeth and Lamb of God take ‘Metal Tour of the Year’ to Wind Creek Bethlehem on Oct. 24
From a press release:
Two of the biggest bands in heavy metal today – Megadeth and Lamb of God – will be joining forces on a co-headlining tour across North America this year, presented by SiriusXM. To add to the firepower of this already formidable tour with both summer and fall legs, Trivium and In Flames are joining this trek, making this the must-see heavy music package of the year.
Following summer dates in New Jersey (the BB&T Pavilion in Camden on Thursday, June 18 and the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel on Saturday, June 20), the fall leg of “The Metal Tour of the Year” will stop at the Wind Creek Event Center in Bethlehem on Saturday, Oct. 24 at 6 p.m.
Tickets for this show, which are $65.50, plus applicable fees, go on sale this Friday, Feb. 14 at 10 a.m. and will be available at windcreekeventcenter.com, the Event Center box office (77 Wind Creek Blvd., Bethlehem), ticketmaster.com and all Ticketmaster outlets, and by phone at 800-745-3000. A pre-sale for members of the venue’s Music Insiders Club will take place on Thursday, Feb. 13 from 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
Citi is the official pre-sale credit card of the tour. As such, Citi cardmembers will have access to purchase pre-sale tickets beginning Tuesday, Feb. 11 at 10 a.m. until Thursday, Feb. 13 at 10 p.m. through citientertainment.com.
Megadeth, fueled by Dave Mustaine’s triumphant return to the stage following his diagnosis and recovery of throat cancer, will embark on their first North American tour since 2017. Speaking on the epic announcement, Megadeth’s leader and frontman said, “Hello me! I’m back again, better than ever, and coming to a town near you with Lamb of God, Trivium, and In Flames. If you want high-octane metal madness, this is the tour for you.”
Lamb of God released their first new music in five years last week with the single “Checkmate.” The track is the first to be released from the band’s self-titled eighth studio album, due out May 8, which is one of the most anticipated and important metal records of the year.
Commenting on their upcoming co-headlining run, lead guitarist Mark Morton added, “The world has never needed heavy more than it does today and, top to bottom, this tour delivers! Lamb of God has toured with and been friends with all of these bands for years, but for all of us to be on the same bill is something extra special. Come early and stay late. This is the metal tour of the year.”
Trivium vocalist/guitarist Matt Heafy said, “We are happy to be a part of the biggest real metal tour of the year. This tour is the main event and represents heavy metal and the culture that goes with it.“
In Flames singer Anders Fridén stated, “We were honored to be asked to join this package. We were actually supposed to take this summer off, but of course we couldn’t say no. After playing shows with all of these guys for years, 2020 is going to feel like a kickass reunion. See you on the road, Jesterheads!”
Produced by Live Nation, this epic 55-city tour will stretch across the summer and fall, kicking off June 12 in Bristow, Virginia and hit every region of the U.S. before wrapping on Nov. 13 in Reno, Nevada. Multiple Canadian shows are scheduled as well.
It was over 30 years ago that Mustaine founded Megadeth, in the process pioneering the sound that would become known the world over as thrash metal. And from the very beginning, the band proved to be the most lethal and audacious unit on the heavy music scene, pushing thrash to the limits of musical ferocity and instrumental virtuosity on early efforts like their 1985 debut, “Killing Is My Business… and Business Is Good!” and 1986’s seminal “Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying?”
Megadeth has taken their place as one of metal’s most influential and respected acts – not to mention among its most successful. They have gone on to sell more than 38 million albums worldwide, earning numerous accolades, including a 2017 Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance for the title track “Dystopia,” 12 Grammy nominations, and scoring five consecutive platinum albums. With sheer determination and a relentless recording and touring schedule, Megadeth worked their way up from headlining clubs to headlining arenas, festivals, and stadiums, cementing a legacy that continues to grow and spread throughout the world. They are slated to release their 16th studio album later this year.
Lamb of God propelled heavy metal into the new millennium two decades ago with the prophetically titled “New American Gospel.” They followed with 2003’s “As the Palaces Burn,” which made the Rolling Stone list of the “Top 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time.” “Ashes of the Wake,” released in 2004, was the first Lamb of God album to be certified gold by the RIAA, as was 2006’s “Sacrament,” which also made a Top 10 Billboard 200 chart debut. In 2009, they released “Wrath,” their first with Josh Wilbur as producer, and earned the No. 1 album spot on Billboard’s Hard Rock, Rock, and Tastemaker charts, with a No. 2 position on the Billboard 200.
Those No. 1 positions were repeated with 2012’s “Resolution,” which swung effortlessly between thrash, traditional metal, and sludgy doom, with flashes of crust punk swagger and bravado. Lamb of God’s last album, “VII: Sturm und Drang,” made its debut on the Billboard 200 at No. 3 in 2015 and finished at No. 2 on the world charts, reaching the Top 5 in five countries and six addition Top 15 positions.
In 2020, Lamb of God is re-energized and unrelenting, ready to lay claim to the metal throne.
See NEPA Scene’s review and photos of Megadeth’s concert at this venue when it was called the Sands Bethlehem Event Center back in 2016 here and see more photos of Megadeth from the 2016 Rock’N Derby in New York here.
