THE BIG 4: ANTHRAX, MEGADETH, SLAYER & METALLICA

Live Review and Photos by: Jacob Gaitan

photo b: Jacob Gaitan

The four bands that started thrash metal in the 80’s played together for the first time on US soil. Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax delivered eight hours of head banging music for 50,000 metal heads in attendance. Fans stood before the agonizing sun as they filled the Polo Fields in Indio watching Anthrax start the historic day. Nostalgia flooded the stage while Joey Belladonna stood behind the microphone after a five-year hiatus. Scott Ian’s insane shredding provoked mosh pit outbursts that scattered everywhere during classic hits “Madhouse” and “Indians”.

Following Anthrax, Dave Mustaine and Megadeth stormed onto stage with “Trust.” Playing with a twelve string double guitar, Mustaine delivered signature riffs and fast past solos, which have solidified them into a household name. Founding member Dave Ellefson taunted the crowd while posing alongside Mustaine embracing the live reaction. Songs “Hangar 18, Sweating Bullets” and “Symphony For Destruction” sent fans into a wild frenzy, combining double bass drums to echo across the wide-open space. Their twelve song set list ended with “Holy Wars… The Punishment Due” before thanking the audience for an amazing career and loyal support.

As the sun went down, Slayer completely desecrated everything in sight with “World Painted Blood”. Countless mosh pits spread like wild fire and crowd surfers collided across dozens of bodies. The speed and instrumental prowess of Kerry King and Tom Araya flooded the Polo Fields with destructive tones during “Raining Blood” and “Seasons in the Abyss”. Over seventy minutes of hardcore tempos and chaotic aggression were performed causing Araya to blush with excitement as he thanked the sea of people for being part of music history. Upon returning for a two-song encore, guitarist Jeff Hennamen made a surprise appearance since having surgery on his arm. He performed “South Of Heaven” and “Angel of Death” before Slayer posed for cameras and walked off stage.

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Finally, headliners Metallica opened with a massive video screen package and pyrotechnics. James Hetfield and company kicked the night off with “Creeping Death” causing complete destruction inside pits. Robert Trujillo appeared with a Metallica basketball jersey while shredding thumping bass lines. Kirk Hammet embraced countless spotlights showcasing his incredible guitar solos. Hetfield thanked fans for the amazing homecoming reaction on behalf of the entire bill. A special instrumental performance of “Orion” led Hetfield to dedicate the nine-minute track to fallen member Cliff Burton. Fans erupted with Cliff chants as the ex bassist’s presence filled the air. Towards the end of the night, Metallica invited members from all three bands on stage to perform a cover of Diamond Head’s Am I Evil? All four bands stood tall before thousands of screaming fans repeatedly thanking everyone for their lustrous careers. Metallica ended the night with “Seek and Destroy” while dozens of large black balls fell from the sky extending across the audience.

The Big Four continue tour world tour in Europe this summer adding dates in Canada and Brazil. They recently announced an east coast appearance this fall and tease a Midwest or south show as well.

ANTHRAX’s setlist was as follows:
01. Caught In A Mosh
02. Got the Time
03. Madhouse
04. Among the Living
05. Antisocial
06. Indians
07. Fight ‘Em Till You Can’t
08. A.I.R.
09. I Am The Law

MEGADETH’s setlist was as follows:
01. Trust
02. In My Darkest Hour
03. Hangar 18
04. Wake Up Dead
05. Poison Was the Cure
06. She-Wolf
07. Sweating Bullets
08. Head Crusher
09. A Tout Le Monde
10. Symphony of Destruction
11. Peace Sells
12. Holy Wars… The Punishment Due

SLAYER’s setlist was as follows:
01. World Painted Blood
02. Hate Worldwide
03. War Ensemble
04. Postmortem
05. Raining Blood
06. Black Magic
07. Dead Skin Mask
08. Americon
09. Silent Scream
10. Antichrist
11. Seasons in the Abyss
12. Payback
13. Snuff
14. South of Heaven (with Jeff Hanneman)
15. Angel of Death (with Jeff Hanneman)

METALLICA’s setlist was as follows:
01. Creeping Death
02. For Whom the Bell Tolls
03. Fuel
04. Ride the Lightning
05. Fade to Black
06. Cyanide
07. All Nightmare Long
08. Sad But True
09. Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
10. Orion
11. One
12. Master of Puppets
13. Blackened
14. Nothing Else Matters
15. Enter Sandman
Encore:
16. Am I Evil? (DIAMOND HEAD cover) (with MEGADETH, ANTHRAX and SLAYER)
17. Hit The Lights
18. Seek And Destroy

For more Big4
The Big 4 September 14th Yankee Stadium
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