On the evening of 28 April 2026, LAV – Lisboa ao Vivo hosted the “An Evening With Machine Head” tour, bringing Machine Head back to Portugal for a special show, with no support acts and a more intimate setting. Following their appearances at the Coliseums in 2016 and 2018, the choice of a smaller venue proved spot on: tickets sold out in no time, and there were plenty of fans from out of town to gain a chance at a rare closeness between the band and the audience.
The atmosphere was one of anticipation and reunion. For many, it wasn’t the first time they’d seen the band led by Robb Flynn, but that only strengthened the bond. The audience remained euphoric from start to finish, always with a smile on their faces and total dedication. A few minutes before 9 pm, Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” warmed up the room. At the appointed hour, the lights went out and the collective shout of “Machine Fucking Head!” echoed through the venue. The intro “In Comes The Flood” paved the way for “Imperium”, which immediately unleashed chaos: constant crowd surfing, fists in the air, and a venue completely swept up in the moment.
“Ten Ton Hammer” kept the momentum going, with Robb Flynn getting the crowd going right from the start. Although the sound was still a bit off in the early stages, the intensity of the performance quickly made the audience forget any technical issues. The setlist spanned various stages of the band’s career. “Choke on the Ashes of Your Hate” brought the band’s most recent heavy sound, before a brief interlude. The return with “Now We Die” reignited the venue and led into “Crashing Around You”, at which point Flynn chanted “the blood, the sweat, the tears”, prompting the crowd to erupt into a collective wave of jumping. “Is There Anybody Out There?” united the venue once more in a single voice, with the Portuguese flag on the screen and the chant “This shit is the best!”. In a light-hearted moment, Flynn responded with the melody of “Seven Nation Army” by The White Stripes, drawing widespread smiles.
The return to the “Burn My Eyes” album kicked off with “The Rage to Overcome” (preceded by a drum solo from Matt) and “Unhalløwed” extracted from the “Of Kingdom and Crown” album, culminating in a massive circle pit. “This Is the End” kept the intensity high before another break. Then, one of the most dynamic moments of the night took place: “Slaughter the Martyr”, alternating between more atmospheric sections and bursts of energy. This was followed by “Blood for Blood”, reigniting the chaos in the venue, and “Game Over”, which once again sparked massive circle pits. “Old” served as the band’s introduction, including Jared MacEachern and Wacław ‘Vogg’ Kiełtyka (widely known for his devastating guitar work in Decapitated), before another brief pause. On their return, “Outsider” showcased the power of their more recent material, with the crowd clapping along, followed by “The Locust” and “BØNESCRAPER”, which saw no shortage of circle pits and an intense wall of death.
In stark contrast, the acoustic versions of “Circle the Drain” and “Darkness Within” created one of the most spine-tingling moments of the night, with the entire audience singing in unison, whilst Flynn shared the importance of music in his life. The final stretch featured “Catharsis”, “Bulldozer” and “From This Day”, bringing the venue back to full volume, culminating in “Davidian”, with constant crowd surfing and unstoppable moshing. With the Portuguese flag draped over his shoulders, Flynn thanked the audience before the show ended. “Halo” brought the night to an epic close, with columns of fire marking the end and an audience that clearly didn’t want the concert to end.
More than just a concert, this night at LAV – Lisboa ao Vivo was a true celebration between the band and the audience. In a more intimate setting, Machine Head reinforced the unique bond they share with their Portuguese fans. From the audience’s side, the response was clear: euphoria, smiles and total devotion from start to finish. For many, it was truly the band’s best concert in Portugal — and it was clear that, when it comes to Machine Head, you can never get enough.
Special thanks to Serene Prophecy.
Text by Patrícia Veludo. Photos by Gonçalo Delgado (@goncalodelgado), courtesy of Serene Prophecy
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