The Big 4 – Metallica – Slayer – Megadeth – Anthrax – At Empire Polo Fields – Indio, CA

Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax were hosts this past Saturday to the largest heavy metal concert to take place in North America since the historic US festival of 1983. Unlike the US festival which consisted of more than a dozen bands on the bill, this concert only had four, four bands that ultimately changed the face of heavy metal forever. Nearing the 30th anniversary since each of the bands formations, it seemed that 2011 was the best possible time for all 4 of the thrash titans to finally come together and celebrate their pasts, present, and futures together with a crowd just shy of 55,00 fans ready to rock like never before on US soil. The day’s festivities began rather early, mainly to allow time for the masses to settle into the venues grounds.

Around the time the openers hit the stage, a crowd already double the size of the Warped tour had gathered front and center to catch the Joey Belladonna fronted Anthrax. Having the opening slot at a concert generally doesn’t generate the best reactions or crowd turn outs, but with the majority of the crowds fans already very familiar with Anthrax they might as well have been headlining the Long Beach arena! Anthrax’s Scott Ian owned much of the stage as he often jumped around like a gymnast never missing a riff during the classics “Caught In a Mosh”, “Metal Thrashin Mad” and “Indians”. The hour long Anthrax set served as a great beginning to the full day’s worth of metal onslaught that lay ahead. Vocalist Joey Belladonna’s prestige voice is and always will be the perfect for Anthrax, and this concert is proof enough that they should never get another singer to fill his shoes if he decides to retire again.

During the changeover, one couldn’t help but notice the amount of people who enclosed on Indio that day, fans sporting Mexican, Canadian, British, Guatemalan, Puerto Rican and Brazilian flags made up huge populations of the crowd. Fans from other bands known through out the Punk and Metal world were also seen hanging around such as Chuck Billy of Testament, Dez of Devildriver, Matt Sorum of Guns N’ Roses/The Cult/Velvet Revolver, members of Sum 41, Chino Moreno of Deftones, and Ricky Racthman of MTV’s Headbangers ball. TV personalities from Jackass were also present. The crowd boasted fans from every generation as well as people from different music scene backgrounds coming together for one hell of a time, the power of great music can do that oh so well.

Los Angeles’s very own Megadeth were next on the bill and quickly made it known that they were there to make all heads bang and fire on all four cylinders. Their set opener Trust (reminiscent of Metallica's Enter Sandman) was the first eardrum shattering sing along of the day, causing front man Dave Mustaine to smirk and thank the already stadium sized crowd for coming out so early to be apart of metal history. The majority of their 80’s era set list went over best with the crowd as large mosh pits formed all over the fields starting up a tornado clouds of dust. Though it is to be noted that new track Headcrusher off 2009’s Endgame has already taken a life of its own and is ranked up there with other classic Megadeth hits. It was bassist’s David Ellefsons bass intro riff to “Peace Sells” that caused fan pandemonium and served as a perfect closer to their set. Due to the crowd’s reaction, Dave and co. came out and belted out two more fan favorites before surrendering the stage to Slayer. Dave Mustaine did sound better than he has in years (due to not being on tour constantly like their last 2 LA appearances) and seemed more than grateful to be playing for such a massive crowd along side ex rivals and new found friends.

Perhaps the evilest band of all time to ever play music, and most ferocious as well; Slayer took the stage and burst right into their 2009’ title track “World Painted Blood”. The stage was set, and more perfect than ever before, the desert air had began to smell of burning flesh (food vendor bbq stands were not far!) The vicious impact was felt by all as every area began to form slam pits capable of seismic measures on the Richter scale. The devilish snarl and growls of Slayer front man Tom Araya during the transition from 2009’s “Hate Worldwide” into 1990’s “War Ensemble” sent shivers down my already evil spine and all those in the photo pit. Drummer Dave Lombardo’s blast beats and Kerry King’s sinful riffs offered the perfect soundtrack as the desert sun began to set. Slayers set seemed to be as tight as one could expect, which was quite the feat considering they had a fill in guitarist (Gary Holt of Exodus) as Jeff Hanneman (undergoing operations after being bit by a poisonous spider) sat this show out. All of Jeff’s duties were carried out in perfect notation as Gary belted out solo after solo in the same manner Jeff would have, bravo, seeing as a Slayer set without high pitched evil guitar solos would have been less than stellar. The sets biggest surprise came about during Slayers encore as Jeff Hanneman took the stage and riffed the intro to the anthemic “South of Heaven”. His surprise appearance sent the crowd into a frenzy that could only be topped by the bands closing song of the night; the highly controversial and ever devastating “Angel Of Death”. The stakes had been raised, at this point Slayer had owned the night, would it be possible for Metallica to play a more epic set?

I hesitate to use the word “epic” to describe anything in 2011 seeing as it’s been overused to death in the last year alongside the phrases “OMG” or “FML”. Though Metallicas set Saturday night was anything but Epic, and an overall milestone by a band not afraid to live in the now and not stray away from its roots. The set opener “Creeping Death” off the 1984 album “Ride The Lightning” accelerated like a jet about to surpass mach speed. Lead vocalist and axe man James Hetfield shined through the night belting out verse after verse and chorus after chorus never sounding tired or hoarse. He lifted his microphone and pointed it towards the crowd as the 50,000 plus crowd shouted “Die by my hand, I creep across the land Killing first born man, I’m Creeping Death!” at the top of their collective lungs, sounding much like a choir of death. Their third song of the night was the first of many to include pyrotechnics which spit out blazing flames on and above the stage. “Fuel” was the only track from their mid 90’s era to find its way into the set, while most songs either came from the mid 80’s and a few off their 2008 return to form album “Death Magnetic”

Not one trick ponies in any sense, Metallica quickly changed the pace of their set by throwing in a variety of songs, an instrumental (Orion, a tribute to deceased bassist Cliff Burton) and differently arranged sets of classics. The ballads like “Fade to Black” and “Nothing Else Matters” would have sent the local fire marshal into a panic as thousands of bic lighters illuminated the crowd looking much like a scene out of some a 1980’s concert video. Metallica's Magnum opus came during their breakthrough hit “Enter Sandman” as the whole venue sang along to the chorus making it a perfect set closer. Though with a crowd of many still hungry for more metal, and Metallica still having a few songs in their back catalogue worthy of being played on such a historic night, it was only right that they’d make their encore one to remember. As roadies made their way on stage, it became clear that whatever was coming next was not to be your typical one-two punch knockout. Guitar amps lined the now lit stage as members of Anthrax, Slayer and Megadeth began to strap their guitars on and riff it up. James then picked the riff of Diamondhead’s classic “Am I Evil” and all hell broke loose as the all star jam began. Unlike what was captured on the Big 4 DVD shot in Europe last summer, the jam in Indio featured Kerry King of Slayer and shared vocal duties by every singer accept Tom Araya. As everyone left the stage the band then went right into “Hit the Lights” which was the last big slam pit anthem before the sing along structured “Seek & Destroy” Giant inflatable Metallica beach balls then began to bounce around the crowd as the band jammed through an extended version of Seek. The crowd in unison really showed their display of love as many held each other arm in arm embracing this moment in metal history. As their set concluded, each member of Metallica made their way to the mic to thank the crowd for really just showing their love and support the 30 years of their existence and for continuing to keep metal and heavy music alive. “You’re all apart of the Metallica family now, and a part of history, each and every one of you and were so glad you could be here.” - James Hetfield As the masses of fans made their way towards their cars, it was apparent that everyone had really enjoyed the day’s offerings. Perfect weather and perfect sets by 4 indisputable bands made for such an experience that there was no place to go but down. The high created by the music had really been shared by everyone, and was quite the high that only great music in the company of great friends can bring.

The Big 4 concert was as big of a success as it could have been, which will hopefully inspire the good folks over at Goldenvoice to throw together other legendary billed concerts using the empty Coachella fields and stage for unforgettable concerts just like Saturdays. Could next year see an Iron Maiden - Judas Priest - Motorhead or AC/DC lineup? Perhaps a Rolling Stones - Aerosmith co headline concert ? A joining together of Morrissey and Johnny Marr for that ever talked about Smiths reunion ? Oh the possibilities seem endless! Only time will tell, but one would hope that promoters take notice and continue to do something big for music’s sake!

Big 4 Setlist’s:
Metallica: The Ecstasy of Gold (INTRO) / Creeping Death / For Whom the Bell Tolls / Fuel / Ride the Lightning / Fade to Black / Cyanide / All Nightmare Long / Sad But True / Welcome Home (Sanitarium) / Orion / One / Master of Puppets / Blackened / Nothing Else Matters / Enter Sandman
Encore: Am I Evil? (with all four bands) / Hit the Lights / Seek & Destroy
　
Slayer: World Painted Blood / Hate Worldwide / War Ensemble / Postmortem / Raining Blood / Black Magic / Dead Skin Mask / Americon / Silent Scream / The Antichrist / Seasons in the Abyss / Payback / Snuff / South of Heaven / Angel of Death
　
Megadeth: Trust / In My Darkest Hour / Hangar 18 / Wake Up Dead / Poison Was the Cure / She-Wolf / Sweating Bullets / Head Crusher / A Tout le Monde / Symphony of Destruction / Peace Sells / Holy Wars … The Punishment Due/Mechanix
　
Anthrax: Caught in a Mosh / Got the Time / Madhouse / Among the Living / Antisocial / Indians / Fight ’Em Till You Can’t Play / Metal Thrashing Mad / A.I.R. / I Am the Law
 

 

-Louie B.-
Big Wheel Music Scene Reporter

                   More photos of the show can be seen HERE

 

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