“It's disappointing when someone you admire talks out their ass about you”: Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine hits out at Peter Frampton in gig cancellation beef

Following the cancellation of their scheduled gigs at Virginia Credit Union Live! at the Richmond Raceway in Richmond, Virginia earlier this week, Megadeth and Peter Frampton have been engaged in a lengthy war of words with Frampton laying the blame for the cancellation of his gig at the door of Mustaine and his Megadeth bandmates.

The trouble started when Megadeth were forced to cancel their gig at the event, which was scheduled to take place on September 15th, dropping their bombshell just hours before being scheduled to take the stage and with fans arriving at the venue. 

In a subsequently deleted social media post the band wrote: "Due to unexpected and unpredictable circumstances, our show tonight, Sunday, Sept. 15, in Richmond, Virginia, has been cancelled and will not be rescheduled." 

At the time, no reason was given and the band – keen to move on and complete their ongoing Destroy All Enemies US tour – effectively made their apologies and left.

Subsequently, two days later on the 17th, rock legend Frampton had also been scheduled to perform at the same event but also called off his show, again catching show-goers by surprise. "Due to unforeseen circumstances, our show tonight at Virginia Credit Union Live has been cancelled," he wrote in a Facebook post.

Both Frampton and Megadeth made no comment on what had unfurled at the Virginia Credit Union Live! event but Frampton’s attempt to clear the air has only prompted Megadeth retaliation.

Speaking on stage at a gig at The Met in Philadelphia, on September 19th Frampton was eager to set the record straight to disappointed fans who may have been at the Richmond, Virginia event.

Frampton told the gig: "So, we had a show cancelled the other day because of weather. And also Megadeth did a soundcheck, I think a couple of days before our show. And after they finished their soundcheck, there was structural damage to the stage. I'm not blaming them – could have been another band – but it looks pretty like it. So, sorry, Megadeth. I had to rat on you."

It’s highly possible that Frampton meant the ‘accusation’ in good spirits, highlighting the hard-rocking nature of the band as being able to structurally destroy venues. Moreso perhaps than his own less heavyweight fare. 

However, Dave Mustaine and crew have grasped the opportunity to take offence. 

Issuing an official statement from the band, Megadeth's publicist, SRO, released: “Based on Peter Frampton's recent statement, Megadeth feels it's important to clear up some misinformation about the group's recent show cancellation (Sunday, September 15 at Virginia Credit Union Live! at Richmond Raceway in Richmond, Virginia). As recently reported, Frampton stated that Megadeth's soundcheck damaged the venue, forcing Frampton to also cancel his show there a few days later.

“Megadeth did not even get a chance to sound check at all in Richmond, Virginia contrary to what Peter Frampton reports. Megadeth's rigger was in the venue's steel grid system above the stage getting ready to hang the lights when he noticed there was damage to the venue's grid. 

"He pointed this out immediately to the promoters and the venue. It was determined that it was unsafe for Megadeth to hang their production or put the band on stage at the risk of in-house grid failure to support the weight of the touring lighting and sound which could fall on the band, crew members, or audience, as it could cause serious injury or death. Therefore, Megadeth, the local promoter, the venue, and booking agents had no other option than to cancel the show.”

The press release was then neatly rounded out with a comment from Megadeth frontman Dave Mustain: "It seems Frampton was misinformed about our show being cancelled. The decision was purely based on safety. It's disappointing when someone you admire talks out their ass about you."

At the time of writing Frampton is yet to respond to Megadeth's "ass" remark and it remains unclear as to whether further explanation and apologies will feature mention of the thrash and speed metal merchants.