Kerry King Reigns Over Jannus Live With Special Guests Alien Weaponry And Municipal Waste
St. Petersburg, FL. (February 11th, 2025)
On February 11, 2025, Jannus Live in St. Petersburg, Florida, became a battleground of thrash and heavy metal as Kerry King headlined a ferocious lineup, supported by Municipal Waste and Alien Weaponry.
Kicking off the evening, New Zealand’s Alien Weaponry delivered a performance that seamlessly blended their Māori heritage with modern metal. Drummer Henry de Jong initiated their set with a traditional haka, setting the tone for their powerful set. Their unique fusion of ancestral rhythms and heavy riffs set the tone for the night. While their set was only five songs long, they made the most of the night and without question they had the full attention of the crowd.
Following up, Municipal Waste ignited the crowd with their high-octane thrash-punk sound. From the moment the band hit the stage, they went into overdrive and proceeded to deliver a blistering set. The venue erupted into mosh pits as the band tore through a setlist filled with fan favorites. Frontman Tony Foresta was a ball of energy. When he wasn’t belting out songs, he was covering every inch of the stage getting the audience into the show. Their relentless energy and stage presence transformed Jannus Live into a whirlwind of headbanging and crowd surfing, embodying the true spirit of thrash.
Finally it was time for Kerry King to take to the stage. When King and his all-star band took the stage downtown St. Petersburg was witness to a thunderous applause. The band that King assembled was nothing short of thrash royalty. Singing would be Mark Osegueda of Death Angel, on guitar Phil Demmel formerly of Machine Head, on bass Kyle Sanders from Hell Yeah, and on drums was Kings bandmate from Slayer Paul Bostaph.
The moment that King struck the first chords of “Where I Reign,” on his guitar, it was on. Tonight would be a master class in thrash metal and King and his cohorts would be showing everyone how its done. He demonstrated his signature guitar prowess, leading into tracks like “Rage,” “Trophies of the Tyrant,” and “Residue.” The crowd reached a fever pitch with renditions of Slayer anthems, including “Repentless” and “Disciple.” King’s commanding stage presence, combined with the band’s tight performance, reaffirmed his status as a thrash metal legend.
When Kerry King hit the notes to one of his most iconic songs, the packed crowd collectively went nuts. Yes it was the point where King and his band ripped into one of the most famous songs in all of thrash, yes they played “Raining Blood”. Even though this wasn’t Slayer playing, there was enough of the original bands DNA and the sheer talent of the other members to do justice to this classic. This was clearly the highlight of the show for everyone there.
They weren’t done with their performances of Slayer songs. They pulled out another classic in “Black Magic”. Even this late into the show King and his cohorts kept up the ferocity and never backed off an inch. They capped off the night with a powerful track from his solo album “From Hell I Raise”.
For many getting a chance to see a legendary guitarist makes for the perfect night. That’s exactly what everyone at Jannus Live got. Not only did the concert goers get to hear some of their favorite Slayer songs played by arguably one of the greatest guitarists alive, but they were also treated to hearing his hot new solo material. From Alien Weaponry’s culturally infused metal to Municipal Waste’s thrash-punk onslaught, culminating in Kerry King’s masterful performance, fans were treated to an evening of pure thrash metal bliss.
Alien Weaponry:
Municipal Waste:
Kerry King: