Megadeth's Powerful Return To Indiana

Megadeth live at Ruoff Music Center 9/20/2024

Review and Photos by John Geiger

On September 20, 2024, thrash metal legends Megadeth made a powerful return to Ruoff

Music Center as part of their "Destroy All Enemies" U.S. tour. Joining them on this journey

were fellow metal bands All That Remains and Mudvayne, setting the stage for a night of

hard-hitting performances.

At the helm of Megadeth, as always, was founder and lead guitarist Dave Mustaine, who

remains the band’s driving force. While Megadeth’s lineup has evolved over the years,

Mustaine consistently brings in highly skilled musicians to maintain the band’s signature

sound. For this tour, the band’s roster featured seasoned bassist James LoMenzo,

drummer Dirk Verbeuren, and rising star Teemu Mantysaari on lead guitar. LoMenzo, who

had been part of Megadeth from 2006 to 2010, rejoined in 2021, while Mantysaari, the

newest addition, delivered a standout performance throughout the night.

Megadeth’s setlist drew from across their extensive discography, blending newer material

with long-standing fan favorites. The show kicked off with "The Sick, The Dying... and the

Dead!" — the title track of their 2022 album — immediately setting an intense tone, after which the band wasted no time diving into their early 2000s catalog, crushing songs from “Dread and the Fugitive Mind” to “The Sick, the Dying… and the Dead!” As the set continued, fans were treated to powerful renditions of "Angry Again," "Skin o' My Teeth," and the classic "Hangar 18."

The performance highlighted Megadeth’s legacy while making room for some surprises.

One of the night’s more unexpected moments came when the band dusted off

“Washington Is Next!” from their 2007 album “United Abominations,” marking its first live

performance since 2009. Meanwhile, tracks from the album “Countdown to Extinction” — such as "Sweating Bullets" and the album’s title track — fueled the crowd’s energy, leading to some of the loudest cheers of the evening.

The show’s pacing was expertly crafted, with Mustaine’s vocal delivery on point and

Mantysaari’s guitar playing proving to be a highlight. Mantysaari, who stepped into the role

of lead guitarist with aplomb, handled the demanding solos with ease, drawing

comparisons to former guitarist Marty Friedman’s iconic contributions to the band. The

rhythm section, anchored by LoMenzo and Verbeuren, was rock-solid, keeping the

momentum steady throughout the set.

As the night progressed, the crowd of 15,000 metalheads remained unfazed by the rain,

which fell steadily during the performance. Undeterred by the weather, Megadeth tore

through hits like “Symphony of Destruction” and a blazing take on “Mechanix” from their

debut album “Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!” The main set concluded with

“Peace Sells,” accompanied by the appearance of Megadeth’s mascot, Vic Rattlehead.

For the encore, Megadeth delivered a punishing rendition of the thrash metal classic "Holy

Wars... The Punishment Due," sending the crowd into a frenzy and closing the show on a

high note.

Megadeth Setlist at Ruoff Music Center 09-20-2024

The Sick, the Dying… and the Dead!

Dread and the Fugitive Mind

Angry Again

Hangar 18

Washington Is Next!

Sweating Bullets

Countdown to Extinction

Skin o' My Teeth

Trust

Tornado of Souls

Symphony of Destruction

Peace Sells

Encore:

Holy Wars... The Punishment Due

You can purchase music by Megadeth from Indy CD & Vinyl HERE.

Megadeth's Powerful Return To Indiana: photo gallery of Megadeth by John Geiger.