The Dystopia World Tour 2016 in Council Bluffs, Iowa on October 3rd, 2016.
The Dystopia World Tour stopped at The Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa on October 3rd, 2016.
Heavy AF. It felt like I had waited forever to cover the Dystopia World Tour stop at Mid-America Center and it was uncertain if I would be covering the headliner, Megadeth. When I got the email confirming my spot I almost passed out. I was going to get to cover Megadeth and some of my favorite bands from the late 80’s, Metal Church and Suicidal Tendencies, along with newer established bands, Amon Amarth and Butcher Babies. Ecstatic is still the understatement I felt about this show.
The Butcher Babies have been one of my favorite bands to cover for the past few years. They are energetic and entertaining. Led by the two beauties of Heidi Shepherd and Carla Harvey, they put all of that energy into the rather abbreviated set of 20 minutes with Monster’s Ball, The Butcher, and Igniter. Although not a capacity crowd, those that were there got one of their best sets I have seen.
View Butcher Babies gallery HERE!
Metal Church owned the stage next on the Dystopia World Tour. They are a band I have not seen since I was stationed in Germany in the mid 80’s. Led by returning vocalist Mike Howe, Metal Church crushed their set with old and new songs like Faith Healer, Start the Fire, and No Tomorrow. They polished off their set with one of my favorites, Beyond the Black. The only disappointment is the omission of Gods of Wrath on their set list. I will take what they gave me because the set was a powerful as I can remember.
View the Metal Church gallery HERE!
On stage next for the Dystopia World Tour was another long time favorite and first time seeing them, Suicidal Tendencies. My first dose ever of ST was “I Saw Your Mommy” and “Institutionalized” two songs that I had hoped would be part of their set. I was hooked, I could not get enough of them in my ears. Their set started fast with “You Can’t Bring Me Down,” “Freedumb,” and “Trip at the Brain” then kept the pace ending their set with “Pledge Your Allegiance.”Mike Muir…all I wanted was a Pepsi.
View the Suicidal Tendencies gallery HERE!
Next stop on the Dystopia World Tour are familiar to me because I covered Amon Amarth earlier this year. This time, they had a much bigger stage and venue, which garnered them a much larger audience. Amon Amarth is true to definition Viking Metal. The stage was split down the middle with a massive Viking ship with seascape and battle ground backdrops. Johan Hegg appeard much larger than life on top of the ship on stage. Their music is also in keeping with their Viking them with “Twilight of the Thunder God,” “The Pursuit of Vikings,” and “As Loke Falls.” This is exactly what I expected of an Amon Amarth show.
View the Amon Amarth gallery HERE!
Finally! The dystopia of the Dystopia World Tour, MEGADETH! The final piece of my three favorite thrash metal bands of all time to see in concert. They were my last great hold out to allow me to cover this stop in their journey. The day before the show I was granted access to photograph one of my favorite bands from the late 80’s and early 90’s. A little older and not quite as much pep in his step, Dave Mustaine, delivered great guitar solos and riffs that I had expected to hear from such a metal mastermind. He is surrounded by extremely talented musicians who all complemented each other during their set, which included “Hangar 18,” “The Threat is Real,” and “Tornado of Souls.” I stayed until the end and got an ear shot of “Symphony of Destruction” and “Peace Sells.”
View the Megadeth gallery HERE!
The Dystopia World Tour 2016 gave me tons of face melting metal that I truly craved.
Photos courtesy of Winsel Photography in Omaha, Nebraska. ©2016.
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