The Big 4: Metal in da Bronx!

Big 4, baby. The big day finally came and I was off to Yankee Stadium. The metal love was totally felt, even on the 4 train where kids in metal t-shirts gave nods to each other. We knew we were all headed to the Big 4. Where else would we be going?

First impressions: I splurged and got tickets for the floor (not the floor VIP -- which would have been even more) and it was totally worth it. Getting to stand in the outfield of Yankee Stadium (albeit on temporarily installed plastic flooring) was amazing. I literally could stand just shy of where Mark Teixiera would be by first base. Amazing.




First up: Anthrax!

Anthrax took the stage at 4:00 and we were off thrashing. Since a few of the boys in the band are from the Bronx -- it was officially declared as "Anthrax Day" in the borough. Joey Belladonna sounded great. Scott Ian and Frankie Bello got the crowd psyched up. The set was capped with a group photo -- complete with the band in Anthrax/Yankee shirts and jerseys. There was also a pinstripe banner with the Anthrax logo merged with a Yankees one. Pretty effin' cool.

[On the whole Anthrax using pentagrams thing -- supposedly a lot of fans are divided about them using this cliche so late in their career. Basically, someone designed it with an Anthrax "A" in it and it looked badass and stuck. Even though it's not the 80s and as controversial -- I think the perceived use of the pentagram symbol is more "horror film/ comic book/ metal fun" than anything more sinister. Case in point: Alex Ross -- one of my favorite comic book artists has done a few album covers with it. Also-- they are freakin' Anthrax. Fun guys of metal -- not gloom and doom.]

There were a few pits started -- but mostly friendly pushing and stomping. It was a quick 45 minute or so set -- with two songs from their new album. Highlights for me were "Caught in a Mosh", "Antisocial", and "I Am the Law" (about Judge Dredd -- tapping into the geek side!) -- a great way to start the evening.

Setlist:

1. Fight 'Em Till You Can't
2. Got the Time
3. Madhouse
4. Caught in a Mosh
5. Antisocial
6. The Devil You Know
7. Indians
8. Metal Thrashing Mad
9. I Am The Law

Next up: MEGADETH!

I have a long history with Megadeth. Admittedly, I was a Metallica fan first, but it wasn't much later that I got into Megadeth. I was always fascinated with the back story -- of how Dave Mustaine was originally in Metallica and how he got kicked out. He always seemed to have a chip on his shoulder because of it. (Famously caught on film in the Some Kind of Monster documentary.) His attitude -- all sneer and snottiness -- was pretty amusing to me. Add his struggle with addiction, the possibly career ending injury,  and his journey of faith (which really got me) and I was a fan for life. (For more on Mustaine-- check out his awesome, eponymous memoir that was released not too long ago.) I even won a contest and got a limited edition LP of Youthanasia back in college!  But the killer riffs and grooves were what got me hooked. (And the fact that they had a song about Hangar 18.)

Mustaine looked like Mustaine -- button down shirt with that head of hair. I was a little worried that they wouldn't play since he was injured over the summer. Mustaine said that he was due for surgery, but wanted to kick ass and play this last show for us. Thanks, Dave. I would have been really disappointed if they weren't on the bill. Great to see Dave Ellefson (The "Owen Wilson of Metal" -- as I'd call him) back with Mustaine -- it really isn't Megadeth without "Junior" in tow.

It was a pretty amazing hour of metal. The band sounded incredible and tight. Megadeth's music was definitely the most melodic of the day. The crowd even sang along to the guitar riffs of "Symphony of Destruction" with the chant of "MegaDETH, MegaDETH, I'm watching MegaDETH!!!" (it makes sense if you know the song). Vic Rattlehead even made an appearance at the end. (The "American Eddie --Iron Maiden's mascot"-- as I'd call him).

Dave came out at the end with hands in prayer and thanks and closed out the show with the band together. It was awesome. I really need to catch them on their own tour the next time they come around.

Highlights for me: "Hangar 18", "Symphony of Destruction", "Peace Sells",  "Holy Wars" (the only way to close out the set)

Setlist:

1. Trust
2. Hangar 18
3. She-Wolf
4. Public Enemy No. 1
5. Head Crusher
6. A Tout Le Monde
7. Sweating Bullets
8. Symphony of Destruction
9. Peace Sells
10. Holy Wars... The Punishment Due

Next up: Slayer

Okay, first off. I am not a fan. I'm sure any metalhead worth their salt has at one point bellowed out "SLAAAAAYYYEEERRRR!" -- but not me. Credit my scaredy pants growing up, my church upbringing, or my need for melodic singing in my metal (ie. hairmetal leanings) and it does not add up to a prototypical Slayer fan.

Slayer's album cover imagery, thematic choices for their songs, etc. -- to this 12 year old kid (when I first got into metal) -- was just too much. Over the years, I had too much music to get into that I never got around to giving them a try. Despite reports of Tom Araya and Dave Lombardo's Christian side band (if that was ever true or not) and my fascination with horror movies and comics -- one thing kept me from Slayer and that would be Kerry King's feud with Mustaine...and pretty much anyone he didn't like.

All-in-all -- they are ok in my book. I don't think I will ever be a fan, but I can appreciate why other fans like them and understand their influence (newer bands I do like: Slipknot, Lamb of God, Mastodon, etc.). All I can say is they no longer scare me (the 12 year old grew up...a little. * Funny thing: I went to the bathroom just before the Slayer set and stood on line for five minutes -- the sun was still out when I went in, when I came out the stadium was dark and the sun was down...and Slayer was on. Spooky!*)  and I do like a few of their songs, but that doesn't mean I am going to love them.

Setlist:

1. Disciple
2. Postmortem
3. Hate Worldwide
4. War Ensemble
5. Psychopathy Red
6. Mandatory Suicide
7. Chemical Warfare
8. Silent Scream
9. Dead Skin Mask
10. Snuff
11. South of Heaven
12. Raining Blood

Next up: METALLICA!

The big boys came out to a clip from The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly and just ripped into it with "Creeping Death". I FINALLY got to see Metallica live. Ever since ...And Justice For All, I've been waiting to see them. So many years ago and so much has changed....but they sounded amazing.

My memories of Metallica are inexorably linked to junior high/high school, learning to play music, jamming and listening to music with my friends (Jack, Ben, Brian, Chris, Marisa, Danielle in particular), and making sense of the world and my place in it. Metallica offered something different ...and heavier (music and theme-wise) than what I had known before. I busted my fingers learning to play "Fade to Black." I read Dalton Trumbo's Johnny Got His Gun because of "One". I had a denim jacket with three patches: Def Leppard, Guns n' Roses, and Metallica. These are just some of my memories.

In the years that followed, Metallica has come and gone in my life. I've bought all their albums, seen their film, etc. But it wasn't the same as it was back then. But I am thrilled to have been able to see them live and in Yankee Stadium of all places. The old songs (and even some of the newer ones) really hit me and helped the adrenaline get pumping again. I kind of wished they were the Metallica from my memories: long hair, mustaches, with Jason Newstead -- but the current Metallica is as awesome as I imagined. (And yes, there was pyro -- especially during "Fuel" and "One" ... and there was a killer laser show during "Blackened".)

Highlights for me: "Creeping Death", "Fade to Black", "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)", "One", "Master of Puppets", "Blackened", "Enter Sandman"

Setlist:

1. Creeping Death
2. For Whom the Bell Tolls
3. Fuel
4. Ride the Lightning
5. Fade to Black
6. Cyanide
7. All Nightmare Long
8. Sad But True
9. Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
10. Orion
11. One
12. Master of Puppets
13. Blackened
14. Nothing Else Matters
15. Enter Sandman
16. Overkill (Motorhead cover -- with Big 4)
17. Battery
18. Seek and Destroy

It was cool seeing the Big 4 come out to jam on a Motorhead song (though Mustaine was a no-show--likely due to his injury), but the song wasn't all that great. It was more novelty than anything else -- but considering the past feuds and egos, it was great to see some metal love. 

The way I see it: Metallica is the good looking brother that's got deep pockets; Anthrax is the class clown / little brother that is growing up; Megadeth is the black sheep / prodigal with something to prove; Slayer is the overweight scary uncle with a belt in hand. 

Whatever the case -- it was absolutely worth it. 7 hours of metal on our home turf. Flat out amazing. My neck still hurts. 

And like old school metal concerts of days gone by --- there were bootleg t-shirts! $10 bucks and I got me one. Now, that's effin' metal. 

 

 

GeekOmnivore rating: RAAAAAAAAAWWWWWK.