Slayer - Mystic Lake Amphitheater - Shakopee MN - September 4th 2026

Live Nation presents Slayer with special guests Down, Suicidal Tendencies and Hatebreed

Review and photos by Jesse McKinney

Hatebreed

I’ve seen Hatebreed a handful of times now, including just a few months ago at Rock Fest in Cadott, Wisconsin, and it never gets old! Hatebreed has been doing this for over 30 years at this point and you can tell the second they hit the stage. They are a band that even if you only kind of like their music going in, seeing them live usually changes your opinion pretty fast.

They are a rare crossover between hardcore and metal that brings in fans of both generes. They became one of the most influential hardcore bands around while still breaking into the mainstream metal world thanks to playing major festivals like Ozzfest. Vocalist Jamey Jasta has been a huge part of that scene for years beyond just fronting the band. Between hosting Headbangers Ball and buying the rights to Milwaukee Metal Fest, he’s stayed connected to heavy music in a way that goes way beyond Hatebreed and has always been a staple in both the metal and hardcore scene. As a fan of hardcore, it’s always awesome seeing Carl Schwartz (First Blood vocalist) ripping the bass for Hatebreed.

I was curious how their style would translate to an amphitheater since this was the biggest stage I’ve seen them on. It was no surprise the stage was not too big for them and they got the pit going from start to finish. At one point I walked all the way to the back top of the ampithere and even in grass there were still people moshing! Hatebreed just knows how to get a crowd moving no matter the room. After this many years they still play with the intensity that makes every set feel worth seeing!

Hatebreed performing live at Mystic Lake Amphitheater in Shakopee, Minnesota, on September 4, 2026, with Slayer and Down.

Suicidal Tendencies

This was my first time seeing Suicidal Tendencies live and I had always heard how insane their energy was but I was not expecting this level of movement! I honestly don’t think I’ve ever seen a band move that much for an entire set while still sounding as tight as they did. Everybody was all over the stage and nothing ever felt sloppy.

For me personally, I was especially excited to finally see Ben Weinman play live. The Dillinger Escape Plan is one of my all-time favorite bands so seeing one of its founding members and primary writers up there with Suicidal Tendencies was amazing to see. Weinman joining the band in 2018 makes perfect sense considering Dillinger is known for that same nonstop chaotic stage energy. Vocalist Mike Muir might have impressed me most though! Suicidal Tendencies has been around since the 80s and he still goes full speed the entire time, even jumping into the crowd at points. That kind of longevity is always crazy to see in person.

This may have been my first time seeing ST live but this wasn’t my first time seeing drummer Xavier Ware live. Last time I saw Ware was back in 2024 at the Fine Line when he was drumming for Bilmuri. I remember during the first few songs thinking the basist looked familiar but I coulnd’t think of why until it hit me, the bassist is Tye Trujillo, son of Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo, who was also the bassist for ST from 89-95. If you ever get the chance to see Suicidal Tendencies live, do yourself a favor and don’t miss it!

Suicidal Tendencies performing live at Mystic Lake Amphitheater in Shakopee, Minnesota, on September 4, 2026, with Slayer and Hatebreed.

Down

Down was another first for me on a lineup full of bands with ridiculous history behind them. I had listened to Down before this show but the biggest thing that hit me seeing them live was how much heavier they sound in person. That southern groove sludge metal tone came through way bigger than I had expected!

The lineup itself is stacked with guys who have been part of some massive bands. Phil Anselmo obviously brings the Pantera connection, Pepper Keenan has Corrosion of Conformity, and Jimmy Bower, Kirk Windstein, and Pat Bruders all have ties to Crowbar.

Phil still sounded strong and always brings a ton of personality to the set. He was constantly interacting with the crowd and has that kind of presence where even between songs you stay focused on what he is doing and what he has to say. The whole band matched that heavy southern sound perfectly and kept everything feeling massive!

The crowd shifted a little during Down compared to Hatebreed and Suicidal Tendencies. There was still plenty of movement but it was more big pits and constant headbanging instead of the faster hardcore chaos. Closing with “Bury Me in Smoke” was expected but always the best way to end the set!

Down performing live at Mystic Lake Amphitheater in Shakopee, Minnesota, on September 4, 2026, with Slayer and Hatebreed.

Slayer

Where do you even begin with Slayer! Before I even made it to Mystic Lake, it already felt like Slayer had taken over the area. I stopped at a gas station on the way and there were Slayer shirts everywhere! Once I got closer to the venue it got even better. No matter where you were somebody would randomly yell “SLAYER!” as loud as they could, and somewhere across the parking lot or venue somebody else would yell it right back. That was the perfect example of the intesity of Slayer fans and their excitment to seeing them live!

Before the curtain dropped, a video played going through a brief history of Slayer and by the end of it the crowd was more than ready. Once the set started everything immediately felt massive and that feeling didnt go away the entire set. The whole production had a dark and heavy look that fit Slayer perfectly! And the pyro was completely over the top but in the best way. I loved how they had fire surrounding the speakers, it just added the perfect touch to their already dark and heavy set! It made the entire stage look like it was built specifically for this band.

The crowd definitely leaned older so there were not as many nonstop pits as some of the earlier sets but people were still completely into it. There was constant headbanging, yelling, and people losing their minds every time another recognizable riff kicked in. Getting to watch Kerry King shred live was something I had wanted to see for a long time, and Tom Araya still sounded great.

Seeing Slayer live for the first time was already a memorable event, but getting to hear Reign in Blood played in its entirety made the night one to never forget! There is something different about hearing an album that important played front to back, the way the band intended to be heard. And when “Raining Blood” finally hit it sounded every bit as huge and crushing as I had hoped it would. That was one of those moments where you just look around and realize how many people came from all over to be there for the same reason.

Even the next day I was still seeing Slayer shirts around town. That kind of following should tell you everything you need to know. I had Slayer on my bucket list for a long time and finally getting to cross them off was absolutely worth the wait. If you ever get the chance to see Slayer live, you go see Slayer live!