Gears of War is all about the metal
by Joystiq Staff 
{ Jul 23rd 2006 at 7:45PM }
Are you ready to rock ... hard? The Megadeth-leading GIGANTOUR tour will be sponsored this year by none other than the next-gen Savior of Microsoft, Gears of War. In fact, Craig Davison, director of global games marketing for Xbox, is quick to count his chickens as he already proclaims GoW to be the "forthcoming Xbox 360 blockbuster."
Woah, slow down there Craig. By all indications, GoW should be a hit, but to call it a blockbuster already? Pfft. Now, we're not sure exactly what role GoW will have at the testosterone-filled GIGANTOUR, but could it be possible there will be playable demo booths for all the anger-driven kids?
Check out the full press release and schedule after the break.
[Thanks, Probot]
GIGANTOUR IS BACK:
'THE MOTHER OF ALL SHRED FESTS'
TO KICK OFF SECOND YEAR IN SEPTEMBER;
MEGADETH RETURNS AS MAIN STAGE HEADLINER
WITH LAMB OF GOD CONFIRMED
GIGANTOUR is back.
The fast and furious traveling festival that was hailed last year by Revolver magazine as "the mother of all shred fests" will kick off its second year in early September.
Look for the tour -- the brainchild of MEGADETH frontman DAVE MUSTAINE -- to launch in the Northeast and to work its way through 25 major markets before wrapping in mid-October, with Xbox's "Gears of War" sponsoring the trek. MEGADETH will return as the festival headliner on a bill that includes fellow heavy-hitters Lamb of God, plus Opeth, Arch Enemy, Overkill, Into Eternity, Sanctity and The Smashup all confirmed for these mostly outdoor shows. Other second stage artists will be announced soon.
MUSTAINE personally hand-picks all the GIGANTOUR bands, with a sharp eye on true musicianship. He says GIGANTOUR is a great place for like-minded music fans to see a full day of music on two stages without breaking the bank, and he's glad the tour is back in '06. " This is the concert that I, as a heavy metal music fan, would want to see," says MUSTAINE. "It is going to be something to look forward to each year, to see what kind of tremendous talent we can assemble, for GIGANTOUR festivals in the years to come."
Lamb of God's Mark Morton says, "Megadeth is one of the main reasons I started playing metal guitar in the first place. To finally tour with them is really exciting and it's a great way to start off our world tour supporting Sacrament . We've been dying to get the new material up and running on the live stage. We've worked so hard on the new record--it's really a great sense of accomplishment to see the new tunes come to life in a live setting. We're really looking forward to this one." The group's Chris Adler says, "Teaming up with Megadeth on GIGANTOUR is a metal dream come true. The lineup represents some of the most proficient metal bands and players from across the world and we are looking forward to joining forces and kicking ass. We're planning on a nice long set, introducing a lot of new and very heavy material from Sacrament as well as keeping the brutal live tracks from our previous albums. We can't wait to take the stage and destroy it."
Last year's inaugural GIGANTOUR was a six-week trek that was hailed by the Miami Herald for featuring "only bands whose musicianship matches their ability to melt faces with sheer volume and power." The Orange County Register agreed, saying, "...it does a heart good to see Mustaine able to buck the chameleon trend of rock and stay firm to his ideals, keeping the music the priority and not the image."
As for joining forces with GIGANTOUR, Craig Davison, Director of Global Games Marketing for Xbox, says, "We're totally jazzed about the partnership between Gigantour 2006 and our forthcoming Xbox 360 blockbuster, Gears of War ! Partnering a music extravaganza like GIGANTOUR with the launch of a mega-hit game like Gears of War captures the excitement around two awesome happenings for fans of music and video games!" Gears of War is a blockbuster video game exclusively for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system that blends tactical action with survival horror. Gears of War thrusts gamers into a harrowing story of humankind's epic battle for survival and is available this holiday.
In other GIGANTOUR news, Image Entertainment will release two-DVD and two-CD sets of GIGANTOUR 2005, which included Megadeth, Dream Theatre, Fear Factory, Anthrax, Nevermore, Life of Agony, Symphony X, Dry Kill Logic and Bobaflex. The CD is out August 22, with the DVD hitting stores September 5--just in time for this year's tour.
Stay tuned for more details, or check out www.GIGANTOUR.com , www.megadeth.com , www.myspace.com/gigantour2006 , and www.myspace.com/megadeth .
The current itinerary is below (note: exact line-up for shows subject to change).
September:
7 San Diego - TBA
8 Oakland - Oakland Coliseum
9 San Luis Obispo - Pozo Saloon Amphitheatre
10 San Bernardino - Hyundai Pavilion
12 Las Vegas - TBA
13 Phoenix - Dodge Theatre
15 Salt Lake City - USANA
16 Denver - Coors Amphitheatre
17 Albuquerque - Journal Pavilion
19 TBD
21 Milwaukee - Eagles Ballroom
22 Chicago - Congress Theatre
23 Columbus - Nationwide Arena
24 Detroit - DTE Energy Amphitheatre
25 Toronto - Molson Amphitheatre
27 Montreal - Bell Centre
28 Nassau - Nassau Coliseum
29 TBD
30 Holmdel - PNC Bank Center
October:
1 TBD
3 TBD
5 TBD
6 Tampa - St Pete Times Forum
7 Orlando - Hard Rock Live
8 Sunrise FL - Bank Atlantic Forum
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Probot @ Jul 23rd 2006 7:55PM
Also, one of the first tracks unveiled on Megadeth's upcoming album, United Abominations, is called "Gears of War." No word on whether it'll be on the game soundtrack, but more details about the album and the tour are coming soon.
Vinnie @ Jul 23rd 2006 7:59PM
not for the money...not for the fame...not for the power... just no more games... yyaarrgh!"
ill trooper @ Jul 23rd 2006 8:10PM
Megadeth = rad
Gears of War = As-of-yet unproven
Sam @ Jul 23rd 2006 8:17PM
Ya know, the real problem with Xbox 360 era "flagship" titles is that it won't be as easy to get people in this generation to go out and buy a console because they want one game badly enough. Obviously, that's not how it worked in the past- the Xbox got it's popularity in the US mainly from sales of Halo, which miraculously for Microsoft was good enough that it really did make people want to go out and get Xboxes just to play the damn thing.
So why can't it work in this new HD generation?
Sam @ Jul 23rd 2006 8:19PM
Fuckin' A, i got cut off. Anyway... to make a long story short, HDTV's are too expensive and have to be considered in as part of the Xbox 360 cost, because it just doesn't look that nice on a standard 4:3 tube. Also, an HDTV in a college dorm room is asking for trouble. So I don't think Microsoft is going to be able to make system selling games anywhere near as easily in this generation.
Diskoboy @ Jul 23rd 2006 8:20PM
Oh, dear God.... Please stop me from laughing hystericaly.
So people still actually listen to that shit? I'm having a mid-80's flashback.
PreZ @ Jul 23rd 2006 8:45PM
Lamb of God and Megadeath woooohoooo!!!!! People are gonna get thrashed
BlackYoshi @ Jul 23rd 2006 8:48PM
A HDTV is hardly necesarry. For those on a budget, forgoing the high-def for the time being is more than acceptable, especially with the stellar upcoming 360 lineup. And yes, one game does sell systems. Halo 3 will certainly sell 360s.
Megadeth76 @ Jul 23rd 2006 8:57PM
Diskoboy, not everyone is trendy...judging by your username, I'm sure your music is far superior :rolleyes:
marcin @ Jul 23rd 2006 9:04PM
sam, hdtvs do fine in a college dorm room if youre not an idiot about your property.
drink somewhere else...
The3rdNuisance @ Jul 23rd 2006 9:05PM
Nassau Coliseum is the closest venue to me... damn 2 and a half hours is too far. Thanks for this bit of information, I would never of heard of Gigantor without this. I hope that they change on of those TBD's with the Dodge Music Theatre. Lamb of God and Opeth :D
Baboon @ Jul 23rd 2006 9:09PM
@ Marcin
I would have to disagree with you. I would be fine with an HDTV in my dorm this upcoming year, but if I had one last year... I am pretty sure at some point one of my roommates heads would have gone through it. It really depends on if your roommates are people you picked and trust, or if they were assigned to you by the University.
Danny @ Jul 23rd 2006 9:10PM
"Woah, slow down there Craig. By all indications, GoW should be a hit, but to call it a blockbuster already? Pfft."
Eww, you got opinion in my news! But I suppose thats what a blog is. Anywho I wonder if the average Megadeath fan is a gamer. Regaurdless they should love the violence it offers. The sweet gratuitous violence. :drool:
ELPsteel @ Jul 23rd 2006 10:16PM
lol, angry kids? Megadeth is not music for "angry kids"...that status should be reserved for Linkin Park, Limp Bizkit, Slipknot, etc.
devo @ Jul 23rd 2006 10:24PM
dammit, why couldn't Nintendo go with this instead of that Fusion Tour. I guess MS fits this image a little better.
Anyway, Megadeth and gaming...get those tickets on sale!
Grimpuppy @ Jul 23rd 2006 10:45PM
Megadeth rocks. The last album and Gigantour was the best show ever. How ever I am not a big Xbox fan and I am not going to buy one just because of one game. :( I can't wait to hear the new songs! Album comes out on Halloween!
copa @ Jul 23rd 2006 11:07PM
This is a terrific endorsement, and it should really help to raise awareness of Gears of War through its association with relevant, edgy, pop culture.
Oh, wait, I'm sorry, it's not 1986 anymore? Scratch that last paragraph.
Rare Hare @ Jul 23rd 2006 11:24PM
""Woah, slow down there Craig. By all indications, GoW should be a hit, but to call it a blockbuster already? Pfft."
Eww, you got opinion in my news! But I suppose thats what a blog is. Anywho I wonder if the average Megadeath fan is a gamer. Regaurdless they should love the violence it offers. The sweet gratuitous violence. :drool: "
First of all, it isn't YOUR news. It's THEIR blog. Secondly, you're ignorant if you think opinion and news can't mix. Finally, what Mr. Summa offered was hardly an opinion. To call something a blockbuster before it is released is not only stupid, but flatout incorrect. The term 'blockbuster' has to do with how well something sells.
Quit being a dick and go away.
Raffi @ Jul 24th 2006 12:36AM
WOO! Went to Gigantour 2005, going to this one too.
KrazyIan @ Jul 24th 2006 2:02AM
Megadeth, Lamb of God, Opeth, Arch Enemy.... all those bands would sound great on a Gears of War soundtrack.
Crowbar @ Jul 24th 2006 2:57AM
I was at the Cincinati show of Gigantour last year, and even with only one stage due to size limitations, I had a blast. Seeing Dream Theater and Megadet back-to-back was one of the greatest times I've had in recent years. Seeing Nevermore was a big plus too, thought the set was far too short.
That being said, if I do go again this year, the chances of me actually appearing at the Gears of War booth are... Probable, but not in any high priority. I've managed to stealthily move past anything resembling hype or details to Gears of War though (On accident and not malice, I assure you.), so you never know. It'll at least be something interesting to look at while taking a break, rather than be pummeled by FYE goons trying to sell us an overpriced CD.
Keke Cola @ Jul 24th 2006 5:13AM
"This is a terrific endorsement, and it should really help to raise awareness of Gears of War through its association with relevant, edgy, pop culture.
Oh, wait, I'm sorry, it's not 1986 anymore? Scratch that last paragraph."
Why should it associate anything with anything? A game being promoted on a metal tour will stand out, and people will notice it. All it comes down to is how many people will be attending the concerts, and with the likes of Lamb of God headlining I can see no problem.
And a lot of the bands playing last year's Gigantour did not even *exist* in 1986, so there.
VicRattlehead @ Jul 24th 2006 8:06AM
Never been a fan of consoles (I am more of a PC gamer), but getting Megadeth onboard surely makes this game a lot more interesting.
I mean, some people are dissing Megadeth here, but they obviously don't know sh*t about their music.
I'm really looking forward to see how this evolves.
Now playing: Megadeth - Duke Nukem Theme ;)
cap-n-crunch @ Jul 24th 2006 8:11AM
I saw gigantor in huntington wva last year. Fear Factory is the greatest. Their lead singer, Burton Bell, is a Halo fan.
try playing fear factory's album digimortal while playing geomatry wars it total syncs up.
Tuoms @ Jul 24th 2006 9:00AM
"Fear Factory is the greatest."
Amen to that. I prefer Obsolete over Digimortal though :)
Ahms @ Jul 24th 2006 9:21AM
"People have round shoulders, from bearing heavy loads!"
And of course-
"Eddie Vedder needs to CHEER THE F*CK UP!"
-Dave Mustainr
Vejadu @ Jul 24th 2006 9:48AM
"This is a terrific endorsement, and it should really help to raise awareness of Gears of War through its association with relevant, edgy, pop culture.
Oh, wait, I'm sorry, it's not 1986 anymore? Scratch that last paragraph."
Would you prefer Gears of War to sponsor something more edgy and relevant, like The Pussycat Dolls or Shakira? That's some good deathmatch music.
Anything you're familiar with from watching TRL is watered-down commercial tripe. Real music is being made outside of the corporate "what can we make them buy this week" system.
From the footage I've seen, Megadeth and the other bands on Gigantour are the perfect compliment to GOW's gritty, industrial atmosphere.
DG @ Jul 24th 2006 9:59AM
Wait, isn't Dave Mustaine some kind of war-mongeering conservative super-Christian now? I thought he underwent the inevitable old-white-guy-with-money political switch. If so, the whole Megadeth concept (into the man's 40's, no less) is laughable.
Whatever makes him the big bucks.
TheDude @ Jul 24th 2006 10:21AM
"Wait, isn't Dave Mustaine some kind of war-mongeering conservative super-Christian now?"
Conservative? Look at that artwork, that is from their last album. Recognize anyone in line?
Super Christian?
"Even though I've found God, I still love blow jobs, and I still say f*ck." -- Dave Mustaine
Ya'll need to chill out. It's music.. It's fast, loud aggressive music, and it's being put to one aggressive game. This is goodness all around.
lothar @ Jul 24th 2006 10:46AM
Mustaine has tamed down but you would of never known that with their last disc, The System Has Failed. Its easily the best MG release since Rust In Peace. Gigantour was a mixed bag of sorts in terms of success last year. The line up was amazing Megadeth, Dream Theater, Symphony X and Nevermore are amazing bands. The only problem with last years tour was some venues not selling as many tickets as expected. Part of the problem was a number of other multi-band tours at the same time as Gigantour. If you notice this years tour some of the venues have changed from last year. There is a number of quality acts this on this years tour, Opeth is a big band for the tour and Into Eternity will pretty much blow people away, I've seen them 4 times and they're a brilliant mix of Death/Prog/Technical metal. They would be awesome addition for the GoW soundtrack.
Lastly yeah its not 1986, its 20 years later and these bands are still around, if anything thats a testament of the staying power of real music, not that loop based crap that anyone with with no musical talent knowledge can turn out with their pc or an Akai MP1000.
Rock On m/
Razer @ Jul 24th 2006 2:21PM
Musical tastes very so much that it's hard to make anyone happy but I have to say it's surprising that such an "out of date, out of style, has-been" group would get the promo benefits of Gears of War. To say I'm disappointed is an understatement. So much for an "epic" style sound track. I had a feeling as the hype machine wears on and we get closer to the release date that I would get more and more disappointed with this game. THANK YOU MS for allowing custom soundtracks because that will be the first thing I do when I fire up this game.
Probot @ Jul 24th 2006 3:41PM
@Razer
It's obvious that you've never heard any of the bands, and it's likely that you only recognize one or two of the names.
First of all, the tour has nothing to do with the game soundtrack. MS is just paying to show some posters, ect. Maybe one of these bands will provide a song or two, but that hasn't been confirmed.
"out of date" - They released an album in 2004 which debuted at #17 and led to a successful world tour. And Gigantour 2005 went over pretty well for an inagural run.
"out of style" - You can keep your Nelly Furtado, Shakira and Christina Aguilera, which are all in style right now.
"has-been" - By all accounts, they were seminal to early thrash metal, commercially successful in their progressive rock era, and now are mounting a pretty successful return to form.
Musical tastes do vary, but if you've actually heard any of the bands, you would know this is a pretty obvious choice.
flair1111 @ Jul 25th 2006 10:57PM
Megadeth, out of style, date and has been??? Some of you have obviously never listened to them at all to make such a stupid statement. This band and the ones that are on their tour, are nothing short of pure talent. Dave Mustaine is one of the absolute best guitarist to ever live. Their music at anytime in their history rips anyone of these pop stars to shreds. At least go read some Megadeth lyrics before you judge them as a band or their fans. They will make you think very deep.