Watch: Teemu Mäntysaari plays his first show with Megadeth
Kiko Loureiro has stepped away from their current tour due to family reasons.
Image: Pacific Press / Getty
Guitarist Teemu Mäntysaari has played his first show with Megadeth, after it was announced that Kiko Loureiro had to step away from their current tour due to family reasons.
The band are currently on their Crush The World tour following the release of their 2022 album, The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!. The show which saw Mäntysaari on guitar took place at Revel Entertainment Center in Albuquerque, NM, on the 6 September and was their first run of dates for Autumn.
Loureiro announced that he would be stepping down from the tour in a statement which was shared online just 24 hours prior on 5 September, where he writes: “I have something that is difficult to share, but we always like to keep you informed with the truth. I have to leave the tour for now, to be home with my children, and to help them face the difficult challenges that arise from us being ‘Dads that work away from home’.”
He continues, “I found a guitarist, Teemu Mäntysaari, to fill in for me during the fall, and I think you’ll be very happy. He’s an amazing, incredible player. I have shared this with my partner in shred, Dave Mustaine, and to no surprise he said, ‘Go! Go be there for your family and keep us posted!’”
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Posted by Megadeth on Tuesday, September 5, 2023
In fan filmed footage, Mäntysaari can be seen killing the opening track of the show, Hangar 18, which is of course known for its guitar solos. Take a look below:
Mäntysaari joined the band Wintersun back in 2004 and has toured with them since then, and later joined Smackbound in 2015 who he currently still plays for too.
To view all of the upcoming Megadeth tour dates on the band’s official website.