The US Mayhem touring festival has come to an end after eight years, says co-creator John Reese.
It follows a war of words between headline act Slayer’s guitarist Kerry King and Reese’s colleague Kevin Lyman.
Lyman accused “old, fat and bald” metal bands of inflicting long-term damage on the genre, although he later apologised. His outburst led King to bite back, criticising the quality of the bill and particularly of a label-sponsored stage.
Reese then admitted the spat had hurt the event financially, and called on supporters of metal to unite behind the genre’s ideals.
Last night he posted a photo of himself with King Diamond on Facebook and said: “So amazing to have The King on the last Mayhem evah.”
Earlier he’d said: “After spending eight years of passion and one full year of my life on the road with the festival, tonight is a very emotional night. We have tried our damned hardest to make Mayhem a home for artists, a platform for bands to increase their fanbase and a place where people feel welcomed.”
Thanking band, crew and colleages, Reese hinted that there might be more to come, saying: “With every end there is a new beginning.”
