Gigantour is coming

MEGADETH frontman DAVE MUSTAINE has big news for metal fans: GIGANTOUR is back, and MEGADETH has a new guitarist. The third installment of GIGANTOUR--the acclaimed traveling heavy music festival launched in 2005 by MUSTAINE--will kick off April 12 in Denver, CO with headliner MEGADETH, Scandinavian death metal band IN FLAMES, Finland’s CHILDREN OF BODOM, Arizona’s modern extreme JOB FOR A COWBOY and Oakland, CA heavy power trio HIGH ON FIRE all confirmed. The 29-date trek will criss-cross North America and wraps May 22 in Phoenix, AZ.

MUSTAINE sums up the philosophy behind GIGANTOUR, hailed by Revolver magazine as “the mother of all shred-fests”: “If the bands and the fans are treated well, then the entertained and the entertainers go home happy--it’s a win-win situation.” Since its inception in 2005, GIGANTOUR has galvanized bands that emphasize true musicianship and virtuosity, offering them a new opportunity to showcase their talents. “I think that in a small way, we are cleaning up the environment of crappy bands,” he says, laughing. “All of the people that really love this kind of music know that they can count on these bands to deliver the goods this year.”

In other MEGADETH news, the group has officially welcomed new guitarist CHRIS BRODERICK (Nevermore, Jag Panzer) to the band after parting ways with Glen Drover--which was hinted at back in November. “I’ve noticed [on the Internet] that people are pissed with me over the way things were handled with Glen quitting the group,” says MUSTAINE, “but they’re gonna be pissed even more when they hear how fierce we are with Chris! Megadeth is playing at a new level.” BRODERICK will make his live debut with MEGADETH February 4 in Finland, where the group--guitarist/singer MUSTAINE, guitarist BRODERICK, drummer SHAWN DROVER and JAMES LOMENZO on bass--is kicking off a long string of international dates which wrap March 14 in Bangalore, India. The full itinerary, including GIGANTOUR UK dates, is below. To see BRODERICK in action, check out http://www.chrisbroderick.com/video/fiveoctave.html.

GIGANTOUR features bands hand-picked by MUSTAINE with a sharp eye on true musicianship and a heavy focus on top-notch guitarists. The first incarnation in 2005 included Dream Theater, Fear Factory, Nevermore, Life of Agony, Symphony X, Dry Kill Logic and Bobaflex, while the 2006 trek included Lamb of God, Opeth, Arch Enemy, Overkill, Into Eternity, Sanctity and The Smashup. The trek always offers a strong connection between fans and musicians.

VIP ticket packages are available--via www.gigantour.com, www.megadeth.com and www.ticketmaster.com--whereby fans can take a personal photo with MEGADETH at an exclusive meet & greet session and receive an official tour laminate, guitar picks, etc.

For more MEGADETH news, check out www.theliveline.com or leave a message for DAVE MUSTAINE at 866-597-MEGA.

Date City Venue
Megadeth International
Mon 2/4 Helsinki, FIN Old Ice Hall
Wed 2/6 Stockholm, SWE Arena
Thu 2/7 Oslo, NOR Sentrum Scene
Fri 2/8 Copenhagen, DEN KB Halle
Sun 2/10 Berlin, GER Columbiahalle
Mon 2/11 Dortmund, GER Westfallenhalle
Wed 2/13 Luxembourg City, LUX Den Atelier
Thu 2/14 Amsterdam, HOL Paradiso
Fri 2/15 Antwerp, BEL Hof Ter Lo
GIGANTOUR UK - Megadeth, Job For a Cowboy, Evile
Sun 2/17 Norwich, UK UEA
Mon 2/18 Nottingham, UK Rock City
Tue 2/19 Glasgow, Scotland Academy
Wed 2/20 Newcastle, UK Academy
Fri 2/22 Birmingham, UK Academy
Sat 2/23 Manchester, UK Academy
Sun 2/24 London, UK Brixton Academy
Megadeth International
Tue 2/26 Paris, FRA Elysee Montmartre
Thu 2/28 Barcelona, SPA Razzmatazz
Fri 2/29 Madrid, SPA Macumba
Sat 3/1 Bilbao, SPA Santana 27
Mon 3/3 Zurich, SWI Rohstofflager
Tue 3/4 Milan, ITA Alcatraz
Wed 3/5 Pordenone, ITA Palasport
Fri 3/7 Zlin, CZE Zimni Stadion (Metalmania 2008)
Sat 3/8 Katowice, POL Spodek (Metalmania 2008)
Mon 3/10 Munich, GER Zenith
Tue 3/11 Frankfurt, GER Hugenottenhalle
Fri 3/14 Bangalore, IND Rock In India Festival
GIGANTOUR - Megadeth, In Flames, Children of Bodom, Job For a Cowboy, High on Fire
Sat 4/12 Denver, CO The Fillmore
Sun 4/13 Albuquerque, NM Journal Pavilion
Tue 4/15 Dallas, TX Nokia Theatre
Wed 4/16 Corpus Christi, TX Concrete Street Pavilion
Thu 4/17 Houston, TX Verizon Wireless Theatre
Sat 4/19 Louisville, KY Louisville Gardens
Sun 4/20 Atlanta, GA Tabernacle
Tue 4/22 New York, NY Hammerstein Ballroom
Thu 4/24 Worcester, MA Palladium
Sat 4/26 Baltimore, MD Merriweather Post Pavilion
Mon 4/28 Quebec City, QC Pavilion De La Jeunesse
Tue 4/29 Montreal, QC Bell Centre
Wed 4/30 Toronto, ON Arrow Hall
Thu 5/1 London, ON John Labatt Centre
Sat 5/3 Detroit, MI DTE Music Center
Sun 5/4 Cleveland, OH Time Warner Cable Amphitheater
Tue 5/6 Chicago, IL Aragon
Wed 5/7 Milwaukee, WI Eagles Ballroom
Fri 5/9 Minneapolis, MN Myth
Sat 5/10 Winnipeg, MB Convention Center
Sun 5/11 Saskatoon, SK Prairieland Exhibition Hall
Mon 5/12 Edmonton, AB Shaw Conference Center
Wed 5/14 Calgary, AB The Corral
Fri 5/16 Vancouver, BC Pacific Coliseum
Sat 5/17 Salem, OR Salem Armory
Mon 5/19 San Jose, CA Event Center @ San Jose State
Tue 5/20 San Diego, CA Cox Arena
Wed 5/21 Los Angeles, CA Long Beach Arena
Thu 5/22 Phoenix, AZ Mesa Amphitheatre