Megadeth kicked off their Canada Tour 2026 in Victoria, British Columbia on Sunday (2/15).
Dave Mustaine (vocals and guitar), Teemu Mäntysaari (lead guitar), James LoMenzo (bass), and Dirk Verbeuren on drums plowed through a 17-song set at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre.
The setlist pulled heavily on the band’s late 1980s and early '90s albums. Classics from Peace Sells... But Who's Buying (1986), Rust in Peace (1990), Countdown to Extinction (1992) accounted for more than half the show.
The Memorial Centre is Victoria's go-to spot for hockey and indoor concerts, holding roughly 8,000 people for concerts
Mäntysaari, who joined as touring guitarist in 2023, shreds the runs originally played by Chris Poland, Marty Friedman, and Kiko Loureiro across different eras. LoMenzo returned to the band in 2021, and Verbeuren has been the drummer since 2016.
The group is touring in support of their self titled final album, nicknamed The White Album
Released last month, it was the group's first and only LP to reach #1 on the album chart.
And if you get the bonus version there's a cover of Metallica's "Ride The Lightning," a song Mustaine famously co-wrote back when he was in the band.
"Tipping Point" from the new album started the show. They only played one other tune from it, "I Don't Care," which was sixth in the set.
On Wednesday (2/18) in Kelowna they live debuted "Let There Be Shred" at the Prospera Place. While it may not be "Let There Be Rock," Mäntysaari's solos are remarkable.
In a statement Mustaine made last month, this will be the last new material and tour. The singer/shredder was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2019.
He says it is now in remission thanks to "51 radiation treatments and nine chemotherapy sessions."
On their website Mustaine wrote, “there's so many musicians that have come to the end of their career, whether accidental or intentional. Most of them don't get to go out on their own terms on top, and that's where I'm at in my life right now.
"I have traveled the world and have made millions upon millions of fans and the hardest part of all of this is saying goodbye to them. We can't wait for you to hear this album and see us on tour. If there was ever a perfect time for us to put out a new album, it's now. If there was ever a perfect time to tour the world, it's now.
"This is also a perfect time for us to tell you that it's our last studio album," he wrote.
After Canada, Megadeth hits Europe then comes to the States. Will they play "Ride The Lightning" for the first time?
Seems like they must. Find out in person by getting tix on the Megadeth website.
Megadeth 2026 World Tour
Feb 20 Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary, AB, Canada
Feb 21 Rogers Place, Edmonton, AB, Canada
Feb 24 SaskTel Centre, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
Feb 25 Canada Life Centre, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Feb 28 Canada Life Place, London, ON, Canada
Mar 1 Canadian Tire Centre, Ottawa, ON, Canada
Mar 3 Scotiabank Centre, Halifax, NS, Canada
Mar 4 Avenir Centre, Moncton, NB, Canada
Mar 6 Videotron Centre, Quebec City, QC, Canada
Late April Movistar Arena, Bogotá, Colombia
Early May Movistar Arena, Santiago, Chile
Jun 7 Amphitheater, Xanten, Germany
Jun 11 Rockhal, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
Jun 15 Halle 622, Zurich, Switzerland
Jun 16 Raiffeisen Halle, Vienna, Austria
Jun 23 KüçükÇiftlik Park, Istanbul, Turkey
Jun 28 Spartak Stadium, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Aug 29–30 Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON, Canada
Sep 3 Parc Jean Drapeau, Montreal, QC, Canada
Sep 5–6 Sports Illustrated Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
Sep 9 TD Garden, Boston, MA
Sep 11 Jiffy Lube Live, Bristow, VA
Sep 12 PNC Music Pavilion, Charlotte, NC
Sep 15 Hersheypark Stadium, Hershey, PA
Sep 19 Mystic Lake Amphitheater, Shakopee, MN
Sep 22 Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre, Tinley Park, IL
Sep 25–26 BMO Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
Sep 29 Alamodome, San Antonio, TX
