David Ellefson Shares Thoughts on Seeing Megadeth Live at Louder Than Life 2026
The Metal Church bassist detailed his backstage experience and front-of-house perspective during the September festival.
Event Breakdown
- Event: Louder Than Life Festival (Main Stage)
- Date: September 17, 2026
- Bands Featured: Metal Church and Megadeth
Bassist David Ellefson recently detailed his experience watching his former group, Megadeth, perform live at the Louder Than Life festival. Speaking on an episode of The David Ellefson Show with co-host Joshua Toomey, whose band Primer 55 performed on Sept. 18, Ellefson described the festival encounter as a "rearview mirror moment" that felt akin to seeing his very first Megadeth show.
Both Metal Church—Ellefson's current band—and Megadeth performed on the main stage on Sept. 17, with Metal Church hitting the stage approximately five hours prior to Megadeth. Ellefson explained that while he visited the catering area backstage, he did not run into Dave Mustaine. However, he did introduce himself to guitarist Teemu Mäntysaari and reconnected with drummer Dirk Verbeuren and bassist James LoMenzo.
Key Insights from The David Ellefson Show
"I watched the band play. Me and [Metal Church drummer] Ken Mary went out front and sat front of house and watched it. It was like, 'Well, there's Dave and three other guys playing our songs.' That's all that it really – that it was..."
Ellefson mentioned speaking with Alice Cooper right before heading to front-of-house to watch the set, noting that Cooper was encouraging about him going out to view the performance.
Addressing a question from Toomey regarding James LoMenzo's bass playing, Ellefson noted that LoMenzo does a fine job handling the parts with his own distinct tone. Ellefson reflected on the current lineup by pointing out that Mustaine remains the sole original member in that version of Megadeth, while expressing respect for Verbeuren's drumming abilities.
Upcoming Activity & Tour Notes
- Bass Warrior Tour: Ellefson is preparing for a three-week European run playing Countdown To Extinction.
- Kings of Thrash: Ellefson continues working alongside former Megadeth guitarist Jeff Young, drummer Fred Aching, and vocalist Chaz Leon.
- Metal Church Tour Schedule: Supporting their 2026 release Dead to Rights, Metal Church has U.S. dates scheduled through November, followed by additional dates in the U.S. and Brazil in March and April 2027.
