Megadeth

Megadeth lands at Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary on February 21, 2026, with Anthrax in tow for a thrash pairing rooted in speed, precision and riff-driven intensity.

Formed in Los Angeles in 1983 by guitarist-vocalist Dave Mustaine and bassist David Ellefson, Megadeth blends thrash, speed and heavy metal with fast, exact riffs, complex song structures and lyrics tackling politics, war, religion and social alienation. Early releases Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good! and Peace Sells... but Who’s Buying? set the tone, while the early 90s era with Marty Friedman and Nick Menza yielded Rust in Peace and Countdown to Extinction. After lineup shifts and a brief pause, the band kept moving with The System Has Failed, Endgame, Dystopia and The Sick, the Dying... and the Dead!, staying active on major stages worldwide.

Anthrax, formed in 1981 in New York around guitarist Scott Ian, stands among thrash’s Big Four. The band shapes a fast, cutting sound built on tight riffing, chant-ready refrains and influences from hardcore punk and classic heavy metal. Fistful of Metal and Spreading the Disease paved the way, with Among the Living crystallizing their approach. Alternating vocal eras with Joey Belladonna and John Bush brought shifts in tone, from the heavier, alternative colors of Sound of White Noise and Stomp 442 to a firm thrash reset on Worship Music and For All Kings, backed by steady festival runs.