Gigantour announced with Megadeth, Dream Theater, Fear Factory, Nevermore, DEP...

[Barking Pumpkin]

Megadeth and Dream Theater to co-headline GIGANTOUR 2005
Added on 04-05-2005

For Immediate Release:

DAVE MUSTAINE'S 'GIGANTOUR'
SET TO LAUNCH IN LATE JULY;
DREAM THEATER, FEAR FACTORY,
DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN AND NEVERMORE
CONFIRMED TO JOIN MEGADETH ON THE MAINSTAGE
FOR SIX-WEEK NORTH AMERICAN TREK

It's called GIGANTOUR, and it's the brainchild of MEGADETH frontman/guitarist DAVE MUSTAINE.

Set to launch in late July, GIGANTOUR is a six-week festival trek co-headlined by MEGADETH and DREAM THEATER, who'll be accompanied by other mainstage acts Fear Factory, Dillinger Escape Plan and Nevermore. Artists for the second stage will be announced in the coming weeks.

GIGANTOUR follows MEGADETH's sold-out 2004 "Blackmail The Universe" Tour in support of 2004's THE SYSTEM HAS FAILED--MEGADETH's tenth studio album--which debuted on the charts at #18 and was critically hailed as a brilliant return to form. Bandmates Glen Drover (guitar), James MacDonough (bass) and Shawn Drover (drums) will once again join MUSTAINE on the road.

GIGANTOUR--whose moniker was inspired by the classic 1960's cartoon "Gigantor"--will criss-cross North America, with stops in amphitheatres and arenas in cities including Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Detroit, Toronto, Montreal, Washington, Philadelphia, Boston, Denver and Minneapolis, among others. The tour is implementing the "fan friendly" ticket price of approximately $35 each. MUSTAINE notes: "I think people may want an affordable alternative to the choices out there--along the lines of a pure music festival--like Monsters of Rock or Clash of the Titans."

MUSTAINE handpicked the bands for GIGANTOUR, with a focus on musicianship. "There are few very successful tours out each summer and in order to be significant, I knew the first Gigantour had to make an impact with top bands like DREAM THEATER, Fear Factory, Dillinger Escape Plan and Nevermore." MUSTAINE wanted to "put together a festival that consisted of positive bands that play heavy music in a high energy environment."

MUSTAINE comments on the other bands he's chosen for the GIGANTOUR mainstage. "I think that the variety of playing styles and the credibility of the different players is really exciting. I'm looking forward to spending time with DREAM THEATER--including my friend Mike Portnoy--while on the road. I think DREAM THEATER is unbelievably talented. I can't wait to see what their set list is going to be for this festival."

Mike Portnoy from DREAM THEATER comments on the band's perspective on the tour. "I think we probably bring some diversity to the bill, because we're kind of like chameleons--we can fit into a lot of different situations. We've done shows in the past with Iron Maiden, Slayer and Pantera, and then we've also done shows with Elton John, Yes and Deep Purple. I think our fan base is very diverse like that too." Portnoy sees GIGANTOUR as a "kind of a meeting of musicians and metal-heads." He adds: "I've been listening to MEGADETH since day one and always admired them and Dave as an artist--he's constantly stuck to his guns and stuck by the music he believes in. MEGADETH are one of the pioneers of the genre." GIGANTOUR marks the first U.S. leg of DREAM THEATER dates in support of their forthcoming release OCTAVARIUM, due out June 7 on Atlantic Records.

MUSTAINE first toured with Fear Factory in 1994. "I think Fear Factory and Dillinger Escape Plan are really going to add something different to the tour and bring some new people in." He continues, "The frontman of Nevermore [Warrell Dane] used to be in a band called Sanctuary and I produced their first record."

MUSTAINE is excited to hit the road and has a positive outlook for GIGANTOUR. "I look forward to watching this develop over the years and seeing how we can turn this into something that's going to stand the test of time. And if this works, and it really works, maybe we'll take it elsewhere."

Stay tuned for tour dates, venues and information about the second stage bands to be announced soon.

This definitely blows the rest of the US summer tours out of the water.

 

[Scourge of Malice]

Interesting. Pretty diverse. Surprised they didn't put Opeth on there.

 

[AsModEe]

I don't see what Opeth have in common with any of those bands.

 

[V.V.V.V.V.]

Yes because touring bands can't just have a general market now.

 

[Kenneth R.]

wow... strange move for Dream Theater. could be good, could be bad.

 

[byrne]

I don't see what Opeth have in common with any of those bands.

from that list, that would be kind of the point.

pretty wicked line up. fear factory, megadeth and nevermore. id love to see that. im going to the aus leg of the blackmail the universe tour. itd be wicked if one of those other two bands were support.

 

[Barking Pumpkin]

I heard a rumor a while ago that Megadeth was going to be touring with Dream Theater.......so with this I found out there was actually something to it. I wouldn't have thought a lineup like this would happen. And Opeth is on the Sounds Of The Underground tour.....so they wouldn't be on this anyway because it conflicts.

 

[MasterOLightning]

This sounds pretty great. Already beats out the other tours.

 

[Post_Scriptum]

Well DT and DEP? Hahahaha should be... hmm... interesting

 

[Arrakis]

sounds good

 

[Edgecrusher]

Ozzy who? Ozz-what?

 

[Scourge of Malice]

I could just see Opeth on that tour.. maybe im crazy?... but ya I don't think any of those bands really have too much in common, that's waht they're kinda going for?

 

[unknown]

Ozzy who? Ozz-what?

this is going to be fucking awesome

 

[The Grimace]

Dillinger & their fans will be slaughtering every fan of every other band on that tour nightly. Especially the DT fanboys. It's gonna be brilliant. I'm there.

 

[AsModEe]

I could just see Opeth on that tour.. maybe im crazy?... but ya I don't think any of those bands really have too much in common, that's waht they're kinda going for?

Yes you made a good point.

 

[Jean-Pierre]

Dillinger & their fans will be slaughtering every fan of every other band on that tour nightly. Especially the DT fanboys. It's gonna be brilliant. I'm there.

Oh yeah, HARDCORE MOSHERS TO THE X-TREEEEEEEEEME. Fuckin' fags.

EDIT: Not as gay as Dream Theater though.

 

[anonymousnick2001]

I'd have thought DT fans would enjoy some avant-garde stuff like Dillinger. Glad to see a tour without Opeth, actually. After seeing them on that setlist with those annoying 'other' bands, I've lost any desire to see them this summer.


And FEAR FACTORY, MOTHERFUCKERS!!!! YAAAAAAAASE!!!

What a summer this will be for metal tours. What a summer.

 

[The Grimace]

I've got front row seats for Ashlee Simpson!

It's the difference between banging your own head and someone else doing it for you.

hXc death moshing > standing there punching the air to Testament

 

[skeptik]

That is an absolutely abominable tour lineup. Complete and utter shit.

 

[The Real Moonchild]

That is an absolutely abominable tour lineup. Complete and utter shit.

Thank you for your sarcastic reply.