In a new video update, MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson checks in from Seattle, WA on the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival Watch the video below:

Along With Megadeth, Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival's 2011 lineup includes DISTURBED, GODSMACK, IN FLAMES, TRIVIUM, and many more of today’s most electrifying artists.

The tour began its 26 date trek across the country beginning on July 9th at the San Manuel Amphitheater in San Bernardino, CA.

Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival Tour dates:

July

12 - White River Amphitheatre - Auburn, WA
13 - Idaho Center Amphitheater - Nampa, ID
15 - Desert Sky Pavilion - Phoenix, AZ
16 - Hard Rock Casino Albuquerque Presents The Pavilion - Albuquerque, NM
17 - Comfort Dental Amphitheater - Englewood, CO
19 - Verizon Wireless Amphitheater - Maryland Heights, MO
20 - Riverbend Music Center - Cincinnati, OH
22 - Comcast Center - Mansfield, MA
23 - Parc Jean-Drapeau - (Heavy MTL) - Montreal, QC
24 - Comcast Theater - Hartford, CT
27 - PNC Bank Arts Center - Holmdel, NJ
29 - First Niagara Pavilion - Burgettstown, PA
30 - Jiffy Lube Live - Bristow, VA
31 - Susquehanna Bank Center - Camden, NJ

August

2 - Virginia Beach Amphitheater - Virginia Beach, VA
3 - Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek - Raleigh, NC
5 - First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre - Tinley Park, IL
6 - DTE Energy Music Theatre - Clarkston, MI
7 - Verizon Wireless Music Center - Noblesville, IN
9 - Zoo Amphitheatre - Oklahoma City, OK
10 – Gexa Energy Pavilion - Dallas, TX
12 - Aaron's Amphitheatre at Lakewood - Atlanta, GA
13 - 1-800-ASK-GARY Amphitheatre - Tampa, FL
14 - Cruzan Amphitheatre - West Palm Beach, FL

In a new interview with Rolling Stone Music, Megadeth leader Dave Mustaine talks to Greg Prato about the band's upcoming 13th studio release, TH1RT3EN (tentatively due this fall via Roadrunner Records), and the 25th Anniversary edition of the band's Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying? album. An excerpt follows:

Q: How did you find the time to record TH1RT3EN, since Megadeth has been on the road constantly?

A: "We only had a little bit of time to do this, and realistically, expecting a band of our nature, stature, our songwriting process, [and] the availability of all the band members – to try to squeeze a record in two month's timeframe, who were we kidding? But we did it. Man, we worked our butts off on that. I had some seriously long days. There were some days that I woke up at my computer, with an imprint on my face from sleeping on the keyboard."

Q: Does the album title have a deeper meaning besides being the group's 13th release?

A: "I was born on September 13th; this is my thirteenth record. It just seemed like it was the right thing to do to call it TH1RT3EN."

Q: What are some of the song titles?

A: "There's a title track, a couple of songs, there's 'Sudden Death', which was on the Guitar Hero game – that was extremely successful and garnered us another Grammy nomination. Then there was 'Never Dead', which came out for the Kunami video game Never Dead. The record itself will probably be coming out around November 1st."

Read more at this location.

At a one-off gig from the European Big 4 shows (July 4th), Megadeth debuted their new track, 'Public Enemy No.1', live in Hamburg, Germany at the Docks.

"I wanted to do something for you tonight to show you how much we appreciate you instead of saying you're a great audience," leader Dave Mustaine told the crowd. "We're gonna play a new song for you. This song is from our new record, [it's] never been played anywhere, never been heard by anybody but us. This song is called 'Public Enemy No. 1'."

Watch fan-filmed footage of the new track below: