Security is a necessary service at concerts, but on occasion the guards can get overzealous and step out of bounds. When this happens, musicians will sometimes stop their performance mid-song or address it at the conclusion of a track and, at a stop in Nashville, Tennessee, Megadeth's Dave Mustaine did just that and scolded a security guard, telling him "cool it" or else.
The concert at Bridgestone Arena on May 7 was another on the ongoing "Metal Tour of the Year," also featuring co-headliner Lamb of God as well as special guests Trivium and In Flames, and happened to be a hometown gig for Mustaine, who relocated to the Tennessee capital in 2015.
The frontman's admonishment came as Megadeth finished up "Trust," the fourth song in their set.
In two fan-shot video clips seen below, Mustaine bellowed, "Hey, mister security dude... You there... Stop interfering with our show. Okay? You don't need to go up on the fucking barricade and point at people. Everybody's having fun. Cool it or I'll ask for you to be taken out of the pit. Do you understand me? Do we have a fucking understanding here? Don't do it again."
Taking pause for a moment, Mustaine again took the mic and, this time, addressed the crowd when he continued, "I'm sorry, you guys," he said. "It's just I don't want your show to be fucked with by a bunch of fucking people that don't know why they're here."
At a different show on the "Metal Tour of the Year" last month, Trivium's Matt Heafy had to take on the role of spotting crowd surfers with lackadaisical security personnel potentially leaving fans in danger of being thrust over the barricade without anyone waiting to catch them before hitting the floor on the other side. One of Trivium's own crew members wound up catching the crowd surfer, after which Heafy said, "Wake the fuck up, security. Wake up."
Citing high incidents of death and injuries at Live Nation concerts, New Jersey Congressman Bill Pascrell called for the anti-monopolistic break up of the live entertainment business, which also owns Ticketmaster. "About 200 deaths and 750 injuries occurred at Live Nation events since 2006," Pascrell recently told the New York Post. "Have safety measures not improved?" he asked. "Has Live Nation silenced organizers? I want answers. I think the public deserves to know."
The "Metal Tour of the Year" concludes on May 15 and, to see the remaining dates, head here.
Dave Mustaine Tells Security Guard to "Cool It" at Nashville, Tennessee Show
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