Do you believe in monsters? Most of Richmond didn’t until last night when the Mighty Mastodon & Giant Gojira had a massive onslaught at Virginia Credit Union Live. What’s left is mostly destruction but a surprising amount of happy metal fans who saw the chaos firsthand at The Mega-Monsters Tour.
Troy Sanders said that this was the largest crowd Mastodon had ever played for in Richmond, a city that was helpful in launching Mastodon’s career. This performance was the visual entry to stoner and psychedelic metal that entranced the crowd at Virginia Credit Union Live through over an hour of hypnotic visuals and jam sessions.
Along with the Mighty Mastodon was the Giant Gojira wreaking havoc in the east. Gojira had the spectacle of pyro, smoke guns, and confetti, and the French metal juggernauts were also joined by Richmond’s own Randy Blythe of Lamb Of God. This was a big surprise for the crowd as this was an unannounced appearance.
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Top 10 WORST Metal Albums Ever
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Opening for the mega-monsters was one of the more popular names in metal, Lorna Shore. The formal address from Will Ramos was quickly forgotten as the impactful screaming through the band’s symphonic deathcore style ripped through the venue. The biggest shock was the look on the venue staff’s faces as they weren’t expecting such a sound.
This was one of the more enjoyable metal shows I’ve been to in years. The crowd was packed at the venue but it was a focused group all wanting to hear these bands play. The venue and stage were perfect for this setup so the bands, labels, and publicists all nailed it with venue choice. Richmond has a much larger metal audience than the rest of the United States may give credit, and last night showed that as over 50% of the audience had metal t-shirts on for different bands. That’s not including the Mastodon, Gojira, and Lorna Shore merch that was already worn and being sold that night.
The Mega-Monsters Tour highlights a better side of metal from the stage. Mastodon and Gojira are well-traveled and well-respected names that both know exactly how to deliver a consistent show. Each band played for an hour and there wasn’t the typical banter or time-filling that other bands rely on to make a performance seem longer. Mastodon and Gojira have the material that any metal audience would know and want to hear. The drumming from Mario Duplantier and screaming from Joe Duplantier always got cheering. The growl from Troy Sanders created crowd energy in every song. This tour was monstrous, and it left the fans going home happy.
The Mega-Monsters Tour 2023 will continue later this summer going from Ohio to Colorado in the United States.
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From Google Bard:
“The Mega-Monsters Tour 2023 is a co-headlining concert tour by American heavy metal bands Mastodon and Gojira, with support from American deathcore band Lorna Shore. The tour will begin on April 18, 2023, in Portland, Oregon, and will conclude on September 16, 2023, in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Mastodon is an American heavy metal band from Atlanta, Georgia, formed in 1999. The band consists of Troy Sanders (bass, vocals), Brent Hinds (guitar, vocals), Bill Kelliher (guitar), and Brann Dailor (drums, vocals). Mastodon has released seven studio albums, all of which have been met with critical acclaim. The band’s most recent album, Hushed and Grim, was released in 2021 and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart.
Gojira is a French heavy metal band from Bayonne, formed in 1996. The band consists of Joe Duplantier (vocals, guitar), Mario Duplantier (drums), Christian Andreu (guitar), and Jean-Michel Labadie (bass). Gojira has released seven studio albums, all of which have been met with critical acclaim. The band’s most recent album, Fortitude, was released in 2021 and debuted at number six on the Billboard 200 chart.
Lorna Shore is an American deathcore band from New Jersey, formed in 2010. The band consists of Austin Dickey (vocals), Adam DeMicco (guitar), Erik Rutan (guitar), Will Ramos (bass), and Austin Archey (drums). Lorna Shore has released three studio albums, all of which have been met with critical acclaim. The band’s most recent album, To The Hellfire, was released in 2022 and debuted at number 11 on the Billboard 200 chart.
The Mega-Monsters Tour is a must-see for fans of heavy metal music. The two headlining bands are both at the top of their game, and Lorna Shore is a rising star. This is a tour that is sure to be filled with heavy riffs, pounding drums, and soaring vocals.”
