Megadeth’s cancelled appearance at tonight’s Evil Live Festival in Lisbon, Portugal, continues to draw attention, with new details emerging from both a fan in attendance and the event’s promoters.
The band had already issued a brief statement confirming the cancellation shortly before showtime: “Due to technical issues beyond our control, we are saddened and frustrated to share with you that we will not be able to perform tonight in Lisbon.
“We never want to let you down…And we are just as disappointed as you are with this situation.
“We look forward to returning to give you the show you deserve.”
Following the announcement, concertgoer Rodrigo Neto shared his account of the situation with Blabbermouth, describing growing confusion in the moments leading up to the decision.
Rodrigo said that, based on what he observed, the stage setup appeared to be complete well before the scheduled start time.
“The stage appeared to be completely ready” for Megadeth‘s performance around 20 minutes before the band’s scheduled start (8:50 p.m.). “However, the band never came on stage.
As the start time passed, he noted unusual activity behind the scenes, suggesting ongoing troubleshooting efforts.
“After the scheduled start time passed, I noticed an increasing amount of unusual technical activity,” he continued. “Crew members repeatedly tested guitars, microphones and other equipment. The background music stopped for a while, raising the crowd’s expectation that the show was about to begin, but then it unexpectedly came back on.
He also recalled seeing members of the band’s technical team moving quickly through the crowd toward the front-of-house area.
“One detail that stood out to me was seeing several members of Megadeth‘s technical crew walking quickly through the audience with flashlights toward the FOH [front of house] mixing area. From my seat, it looked as though they were attempting to troubleshoot a serious technical issue.
According to his account, the situation escalated over the following half hour before an official announcement was made.
“After approximately 30 minutes of troubleshooting, at around 9:20 p.m., an announcement was made informing the audience that Megadeth‘s performance had been cancelled and that Marilyn Manson‘s set would be delayed.
Rodrigo described a tense reaction from the crowd as the news spread.
“The crowd reacted with shock and frustration. Many people booed loudly, chanted for refunds and threw plastic cups toward the stage while the crew began dismantling the equipment. At one point, one of the stage curtains was closed, apparently to shield the technicians from objects being thrown. Food and merchandise stands also began closing shortly afterwards.”
Shortly after the incident, festival organizers Prime Artists issued their own statement addressing the situation, saying the decision came from the band’s representatives shortly before the scheduled performance time.
“Prime Artists informs that Megadeth’s performance scheduled for yesterday at EVILLIV∃ Festival 2026 did not take place following a decision communicated by the band’s representatives moments before the scheduled start time of the show.
“Throughout the day, the organization ensured full compliance with all conditions required for the performance and remained fully available to collaborate with all parties involved, making every effort to find a solution that would have allowed the concert to go ahead.
“Despite these efforts, the band’s representatives maintained their decision to cancel the performance.
“Prime Artists deeply regrets this situation and the impact it has had on the audience who were looking forward to this show, and thanks everyone present for their understanding.
“The organization would also like to thank all technical, artistic and operational teams for their professionalism, dedication and collaboration, which were essential to the realization of EVILLIV∃ Festival 2026.”
