MACHINE HEAD Scorch Toronto’s Danforth Music Hall on Their ‘Burn My Eyes’ 25th Anniversary Tour [Photos & Show Review]

Oakland California’s thrashers Machine Head scorched the Danforth Music Hall during the Toronto stop on their Burn My Eyes 25th-anniversary tour! I think this was the first time that I’ve ever seen the current lineup of a band open the show for the original lineup of the same band.

You have to be amazed at how frontman Robb Flynn, (who is the vocalist of both versions of the band) is able to do a marathon three hours of raunchy, throaty, metal vocals with only a ten-minute break in between! It would be all the more remarkable if he were able to speak the day after.

Bassist Jared MacEachern, and guitarist Logan Mader spent a lot of time airborne in the second set, which is always cool to see, and a real challenge to capture in photos, even more so with metal lighting.

It’s “Do or Die“ with the most recent music video from Machine Head:

So, both singer and bassist are in both versions of the band with the first set lasting fourteen songs. The first three tracks were; “Imperium,“ “Take My Scars“ and “Now We Die,“ with the ten-minute break coming right after.

At this point, guitarists and drummers switch out, and the second set is Machine Head’s original lineup together again. What was truly special about this set was that the band played their 1994 debut album Burn My Eyes in its entirety. Fans seemed to really appreciate both versions of the band, considering doors opened at 6:30 pm and showtime was an hour later. For 7 p.m. on a Tuesday night, the place was packed pretty early in the evening. All I heard any time there was a (rare) quiet moment were crowd chants of “Machine Fucking Head!“ Along with outstretched arms and clenched fists.

Drinks are flowing, people are rocking and, most importantly, having a good old time thanks to the efforts of a good old fashioned hard-working band. Congratulations on a wicked show to both versions of Machine Head, and hats off to an amazing frontman in Robb Flynn!

Let’s reminisce about Burn My Eyes with the music video for “Old:“

Machine Head’s (original lineup) Toronto Setlist:

01. Imperium
02. Take My Scars
03. Now We Die
04. Beautiful Mourning
05. Locust
06. I Am Hell (Sonata in C#)
07. Aesthetics of Hate
08. Darkness Within
09. Catharsis
10. From This Day
11. Ten Ton Hammer
12. Is There Anybody Out There?
13. Hallowed Be Thy Name (Iron Maiden Cover)
14. Halo
Real Eyes, Realize, Real Lies
15. Davidian
16. Old
17. A Thousand Lies
18. None but My Own
19. The Rage to Overcome
20. Death Church
21. A Nation on Fire
22. Blood for Blood
23. I’m Your God Now
24. Welcome Home (Sanitarium) / One / Thunder Kiss ’65 / Strike of the Beast / South of Heaven / Raining Blood
25. Block

Let’s check out the artwork for “Do or Die,“ shall we?