American Carnage Tour @ Cow Palace

"Most long-running thrash metal acts either pepper their set with goofy, ghoulish shtick or stick to the hard-pounding basics. Megadeth and Slayer, both members of the elite "Big Four" of thrash metal (along with Metallica and Anthrax), represent opposite sides of the shtick spectrum: Megadeth is slightly more about look than substance, while Slayer lacks in visuals but carries a fearsome punch. The American Carnage Tour's stop at Cow Palace began Monday evening with Berkeley's native sons, Testament, speeding through hits from the band's three-decade catalog, while crowds and daylight still streamed in through open doorways." Read the rest of Emily Savage's review of the American Carnage Tour. All photos by Richard Haick.