Kiko Loureiro and Marty Friedman reveal more insight about Megadeth’s show at Budokan in Tokyo

In an interview with Japan’s Young Guitar magazine, former Megadeth guitarists Marty Friedman and Kiko Loureiro discussed Marty’s guest appearance at Megadeth’s inaugural performance at Tokyo’s renowned Budokan, as per Blabbermouth. Friedman participated on stage for three compositions towards the conclusion of the main set on February 27, 2023. The songs performed were “Countdown To Extinction,” “Tornado Of Souls,” and “Symphony Of Destruction.”

Oh, for me, when I played with Megadeth at Budokan, it was wonderful. When I heard them playing, I thought, ‘This sounds better than when I was in Megadeth originally.’ [Laughs] It just sounded better. The whole thing just sounded better. And I’m, like, ‘Wow, I’m gonna play in this-sounding Megadeth now.’ It was so fun. And watching the Japanese audience, it was a thrill. People were crying, people were smiling, people were screaming. It was great. I enjoyed it a lot. – Marty Friedman

Yeah, I think what Marty is saying, I cannot compare. And actually, I remember watching the videos from the ’90s, and then I always thought that there was some sort of attitude or freshness or excitement that was very hard to reproduce. But, of course, you have the technology, and the sound of Dirk [Verbeuren, Megadeth drummer], the drummer, is really solid. So when you play with him, you feel like how solid the band is because of the drums.

Yeah, I think it was a very important concert for the band and for Dave Mustaine. And I felt that tension there, probably because of the respect for the place. But also it was a weird feeling, because I’m playing [Marty’s] solos [in some of the other songs from Friedman’s Megadeth era] and he’s right here. He doesn’t go and play [those songs himself at the show]. So that’s this weird, mixed feeling. Because we were opening with ‘Hangar 18’, and that’s, for me, one of the best guitar works in Megadeth, the solo [and] the whole [thing]. And then [I was], like, ‘Marty should play this,’ because I knew he was right there. So there was this extra pressure — ‘I’m playing his solo, and he’s right here checking me out.’ – Kiko Loureiro

You totally nailed it, man. You totally nailed everything. – Marty Friedman

I mean, how can anyone not love them?