The Big 4 Italy review 2011

Four times harder, four times stronger, four bands: Ladies and Gentleman The Big 4!

Thirty years ago a young James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper, from that moment one of the greatest hard thrash metal bands was formed, and this years, with the “BIG4” tour that involves huge bands known as Anthrax, Megadeth, and Slayer, they are celebrating in a majestic way their 30th anniversary.

The show started in the boiling afternoon with the first amazing performance of the Anthrax. I was not really sure about these artists before hearing them, because I haven’t spent so much time listening to this New York City band. After listening to the first songs and seeing the energy of the incredible Scott Ian and Joey Belladonna I understood why so many people love them: they are pure energy on stage and, even if the sun was still hitting badly they performed in a magnetic style those old success and newer songs that made people mad.

After a short pause the Megadeth made their entrance acclaimed by the audience. Dave Mustaine sang a little under tone but the crowd was screaming and screaming without taking breath. They performed some great old success such as “Symphony of destruction”, “In my darkest hour”, and “Holy Wars… The Punishment Due” but I expected much much more from this band. I am not saying that they left me disappointed but I think they could have done a greater show: they are in the BIG4!

Slayer jumped on the stage and with their power they conquered everyone. This Californian band formed 30 years ago as their friends Metallica is sometimes considered as the strongest member of the Big4 due to its "down tuned rhythms, infectious guitar licks, graphically violent lyrics and grisly artwork which set the standard for dozens of emerging thrash bands", as defined by some music critics.  Playing for more than one hour great songs such as the opening “World Painted blood”, “Black Magic”, “Snuff”, “Dead skin mask”, and “Sweating Bullets” they were overwhelming.

That was the time…the darkest hour reached the arena and the first notes of Ennio Morricone’s “Ecstasy of Gold” related to western videos on shining mega screens opened the dances; and here there are in their splendour and power: James, Kirk, Lars and Robert. “Hit the Lights” enflamed the crowd and in every spot of the arena people were moshing, pushing, slamming and screaming. Then the playlist continued with the explosive “Master of Puppets”, the old but phenomenal “The Shortest Straw”, followed by the over-the-top “Seek and Destroy”.

People were astonished and James made the camera, that was filming themselves with bright colours and shining lights, to be pointed to the arena: it was incredible seeing how many people there were, all there jumping, clapping and pointing their fists to the sky.  There was such a synchrony and syntony among all the members of the band. James laughed and provoked the audience making fun of some crazy fans who claimed his guitar; Kirk forgot to come out for one piece and James made all the people call him and “say hi to Kirk…Hi Kirk!”; Lars stood up from his drum in order to end every piece; and Robert held that enormous bass that seemed a violin between his hands with which he played a fantastic solo. I remained completely breathless when “One” started accompanied by unexpected fireworks that from the top of the stage lighted the dark dark sky. That was the top of the top!

I had never seen a show like the one I was attending that night.

Some other classics were played (“Enter Sadman”, “Sad but true”, “For whom the bell tolls”…) for the happiness of the crowd coming from all Europe, when finally that was the moment in which all the bands joined the stage for playing one song all together…the piece was picked, and the selected one was “Die, Die My Darling” of the Misfits: this was a blast! With the last songs “Damage,Inc.” and “Creeping Death” fiftyish huge black balloons were thrown from the top of the stage and the marvellous show was unfortunately over.
After playing for two hours and a half, made people agitate and super sweaty Metallica concluded their amazing performance and saluted all the fans throwing a bunch of “Big4” plectrums that during all the show James displayed to the cameras.

I was more than happy of having the chance to participate to this overwhelming event that gathered people from different part of Italy as well as from Europe.

“I don't know weather I'm alive or dreaming or dead or remembering, how can you tell what's a dream and what's real”… Left with this lyrics from Metallica’s “One” in my head I wish to these “Big 4” of Metal, these “Big4” of the music world, thirty more years of activity and energy to enflame the stage in order to give us, metal eaters, some metal bites!

Review: Catarina Boiardi
Photos: Enzo Mazzeo
http://www.enzomazzeo.com