Show Review: As I Lay Dying @ Downsview Park – Heavy T.O. (Toronto, ON) on July 23, 2011

This past weekend Canada was graced with the presences of not 1, but 2 heavy metal festivals; one in Montreal and one in Toronto at Downsview Park. If you had tickets to either of these shows you know that it was a weekend that you wouldn’t forget. The Saturday show at Downsview started off with a bang thanks to Quebec band, Endast. With this hard-hitting, heavy hardcore mash-up the day was off to a great start! The whole show had great mixes of both the old school and the new school. Bands like Underoath and As I Lay Dying were mixed in with Anthrax and Motorhead; so there was a great diversity of sounds.

The day started to get more jammed when As I Lay Dying hit the stage; it was around 4 and people started piling through the gate to hear some of their newest songs as well as older classics. As the day progressed the clothes started coming off. Shirtless men and woman in short shorts and bras paraded around the concert with little to no shame. Unfortunately The Sword had border issues so they couldn’t make the show, but no one really seemed to care.

As I Lay Dying destroyed the stage at Heavy T.O.

When Anthrax hit the stage you knew people were at the peak of party mode. Rejoined by former singer Joey Belladonna, the crowd was loving every moment of the old school thrash. Thereafter, Opeth started playing and if you weren’t mesmerized by their melodic classical metal fusion, you were asleep. Thankfully Motorhead was up next and Lemmy kicked everyone’s faces in. They might not move the most on stage and their songs may not be the most technical, but they embody everything rock n roll is! The rain started to come on and off during this time, but it was nothing Drummer Mikkey Dee couldn’t handle. He pretty much lit his kit on fire with the drum solo he provided to the crowd, nothing but unquenchable, hot fire being spit out!

When you thought the show couldn’t get any better, Megadeth came on and boy did they hit the stage hard. Nothing but classic Megadeth all night with a brief interruption for a new single they have coming out. Songs like “Trust”, “In My Darkest Hour”, “Hanger 18”, “Symphony of Destruction” and “Holy Wars” were sung by the crowd just as loud as Dave Mustaine himself. Dave took a moment to congratulate Canada in getting the band their latest Gold record and the crowd was eager to say “you’re welcome.” So all in all, if you missed this show, go invent a time machine so you won’t miss it again.

Check out the song: “Parallels”