Yankee Stadium 2.0 is a real cage for a real monster of a line-up — Slayer, Megadeth, NYC’s own Anthrax, and the one and only Metallica–and though the show got off to a rocky start, it doesn’t take Sherlock Holmes to spot a downhill snowball getting bigger than Jack Frost as time goes by (and I don’t mean “as portrayed by Michael Keaton”).

Photo by Robert Kidd

At square one, Anthrax loses brownie points for only pulling a third of the venue’s capacity in its own hometown backyard. Nine songs ran the gamut from all-time favorite “Got The Time” to new release “The Devil You Know” to Judge Dredd nostalgia trip “I Am The Law”. The boys donned mock Yankees stripes bearing the band’s title, showing all sorts of love. In the grander scheme of things, this set should have been an all-out war zone; it was disappointing, though also somewhat humbling.

I still can’t wait to hear the new record, and it’s always nice to know that Anthrax is still willing to play any gig anywhere–just ask the folks who hit up their secret show earlier in the week.

Photo by Robert Kidd

Following both a devastatingly awesome 20th anniversary tour for Rust In Peace– and a lame duck we like to call Mayhem Festival shortly thereafter– Megadeth was poised to make a return with the odds 2:1 in its favor. Sadly, a shoulder injury has left Dave Mustaine rather immobile, and a setlist virtually identical to the Mayhem disaster rendered a highly-anticipated Big 4 presence almost devoid of “oomph”. I personally never really tire of hearing “Symphony Of Destruction” or “Peace Sells” live, as they are classics of the thrash genre and Megadeth’s canon, but this was the Big 4! Where were the deep cuts? Where was the spontaneity? Where were the pyrotechnics? Did it all get spent on Sonisphere? For shame.

Enter Slayer.

Photo by Robert Kidd

By this point, the Stadium you know and love magically appeared to have sucked in most of the Bronx’s population, and as Slayer entered the ring for massive bloodshed, everything went according to plan. A hefty sum of World Painted Blood tracks made their grand entry via Tom Araya’s distinctive screaming as though he were calling billiards pockets; the force known as Slayer gave no quarter to the moshing madness that ensued during staple inclusions like “Raining Blood” and the pièce de résistance that will always be “War Ensemble”.

Rarely does the Slayer setlist shift course to rarities, save for the Seasons of the Abyss celebratory spot during Jagermeister Music Tour. The fact is that almost every song in the Slayer catalog is verifiable head-banging material, except for maybe “South Of Heaven” and “Snuff”. It really doesn’t matter what song they choose to play, because everyone there will divebomb and crowdsurf and beat each other senseless with zero remorse; such is the price when a band like this gets involved, and we were all quite happy to see the beast resuscitated in such a depraved, Marshall-heavy fashion.

Photo by Robert Kidd

To close out the evening, however, we needed the West Coast takeover to bring a little “San Frantic” to the boroughs.

Metallica, acting as though 2003′s St. Anger had never existed, brought the noise of several early works to the center stage. Opener “Creeping Death” was met with uproarious applause and bridge-worthy audience participation; Hetfield-favorite “Fuel” pounded and thrust its way into the cranium; two Death Magnetic cuts–”Cyanide”, “All Nightmare Long”–seemed right at home amidst every superior mainstay on the docket; “Nothing Else Matters” and “Orion” both remained relatively somber, while closing encore “Seek & Destroy” tore the diamond down to carbon atoms.

Photo by Robert Kidd

Is there anything else like Metallica? As the sole band on site who bothered with pyrotechnics or video introductions (see: “The Ecstacy Of Gold”), is it any wonder that the Californian metal act managed to live up to its epic reputation? In the mainstream and in the eyes of metal fans, for anyone who may have still had some semblance of doubt about Metallica’s gargantuan return to thrash roots, the Big 4 at Yankee Stadium was a big middle finger to you. If only the first half had been so undeniably raucous.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a Greyhound to catch, a melted face to reconstitute, and a wheelchair-bound metal fan to salute for surfin’ in his seat. Horns up, folks!

Photography by Robert Kidd.
—— 

Gallery by Robert Kidd

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Metal’s Big Four — Megadeth, Slayer, Anthrax, and Lou Reed’s new BFFs — played their second-ever U.S. show last night at Yankee Stadium in New York City. Past performances concluded with all four outfits appearing together on stage for one epic collaborative send-off, and last night was no different. Below, check out footage of the Big Four covering Motörhead’s 1979 classic, “Overkill”.

Stay tuned for our complete coverage of this year’s Big Four performance at Yankees Stadium, which should be up shortly.

With a highly deserved slot on heavy metal’s most coveted lineup, aka The Big Four, New York’s thrash kings Anthrax are still “keeping it real”, even on their 30th birthday. But that’s not the only thing they got going for them. Outside of becoming a hard rocking thirtysomething, the group will also be celebrating a September 13th release of Worship Music, their first studio effort in over eight years. Okay, so a pretty sweet year, indeed.

Originally conceived in 2008, the group’s 10th studio album has had its share of roadblocks. However, time proved fruitful, as three years and three vocalists later, Joey Belladonna returned to the fold, putting his stamp on the quintet’s follow-up to 2003′s We’ve Come for You All. It should be noted that the last time we saw Belladonna on an Anthrax release was 1990′s Persistence of Time. Persistent, indeed.

As aforementioned, Anthrax will be hitting the road this summer as part of The Big Four but also for headlining gigs; however, they’ll be sans guitarist Scott Ian for a number of dates. Starting July 2nd, guitarist Andreas Kisser of Sepultura fame will be filling in for Ian as he takes some time off to welcome a wee one to the family.

Appearances at festivals across Europe run through July 16th before the band heads to Canada upon Ian’s return for sets at Heavy T.O. and Heavy MTL on July 23rd and 24th, respectively. September 14th is the U.S. homecoming at Yankee Stadium with The Big Four. And, according to Blabbermouth.net, Anthrax will also be announcing a huge world tour to support the album release. Details as they come, so keep checking back.

Worship Music hits stores September 13th via Megaforce Records.

Anthrax 2011 Tour Dates:
07/02 – Gelsenkirchen, DE @ Veltins Arena *
07/03 – Gothenburg, SE @ Ullevi *
07/05 – Luzerne, CH @ Club Schuur *
07/06 – Milan, IT @ Fiera Open Air Arena *
07/08 – Knebworth, UK @ Sonisphere UK
07/09 – Amneville, FR @ Sonisphere France
07/12 – Aarhus, DK @ Voxhall *
07/14 – Tonsberg, NO @ Slottsfjell Festival *
07/15 – Dour, BE @ Dour Festival *
07/16 – Lichtenvoorde, NL @ Zwarte Cross Festival *
07/23 – Toronto, ON @ Heavy T.O.
07/24 – Monreal, QC @ Heavy Mtl
09/14 – Bronx, NY @ Yankee Stadium #
12/12 – Osaka, JP @ Big Cat
12/13 – Tokyo, JP @ O-East
12/14 – Tokyo, JP @ O-East
12/16 – Nakoya-aichi, JP @ Diamond Hall

* = w/ Andreas Kisser
# = The Big 4

The Big Four of Thrash (Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax) announce New York City show, a new song from Tyler, The Creator, The Flaming Lips release a gummy skull with a marijuana flavored brain and Mike Watt reunites with Dave Grohl, Pat Smear and Eddie Vedder.

Hosted and Edited by : Sami Jarroush

Read the stories here:

• Metal’s Big Four schedule New York City show
• Check Out: Tyler, the Creator – “Tron Cat”
• The Flaming Lips’ gummy skull now features marijuana flavored brain
• Watch: Grohl, Vedder, Smear join Mike Watt on “Big Train”

Though the four outfits have played a series of shows together throughout Europe, last weekend’s performance at the Empire Polo Grounds in Indio, CA marked their first U.S. performance. When asked last why the Big 4 had chosen to schedule just one U.S. show, Metallica’s Lars Ulrich said, “If there is enough demand for it, obviously there’s a very strong possibility that there’ll be more shows, but we don’t wanna overextend the welcome and we also don’t wanna turn it into something that becomes this whole nostalgia trip that’s gonna sort of be, ‘Okay, now it’s just gonna be this for the next few years,’ and ‘Celebrate the past.’ So it’s a balancing act, you know.”

“Listen, we don’t wanna cram this down people’s throats. We don’t wanna sort of overstay the welcome, and we don’t know what kind of response there’s gonna be to this in America, so we’re starting, obviously, without being disrespectful to the rest of the wonderful country…”

– Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich explains to KROQ why the Big Four’s U.S. itinerary consists of only an April 23rd one-off in Indio, California. He then added, “If there is enough demand for it, obviously there’s a very strong possibility that there’ll be more shows, but we don’t wanna overextend the welcome and we also don’t wanna turn it into something that becomes this whole nostalgia trip that’s gonna sort of be, ‘Okay, now it’s just gonna be this for the next few years,’ and ‘Celebrate the past.’ So it’s a balancing act, you know.” In other words, buy your tickets now, get more shows later.

Deluxe edition DVDs are nice and all, but they don’t really compensate for the fact that metal’s big four chose to play their first-ever shows together in Europe. That said, when talking about a tour featuring Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax, we’ll of course take sloppy seconds. After spending 2010 in Europe, the Big Four will come together once again, this time for a massive one-off at the Empire Polo Grounds in Indio, California (aka the site of the Coachella Music Festival).

MyDesert.com reports that the concert still needs to be approved Indio City Council, but promoters GoldenVoice intend to hold the event on the April 23rd — the Saturday between their other two major events, Coachella and the Stagecoach Music Festival. The current proposal has the concert running from 4 to 11 p.m. and tickets will cost $99.00. A general on-sale has been set for Friday, 10 a.m. PST Friday through Ticketmaster.

We’ll update you when everything’s officially official. In the meantime, here’s a reason to go:

P.S. I recommend investing in an extended stay hotel room in Indio.

For the second straight summer, metal’s Big Four will play a show together. On the heels of their 2010 European tour, Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax have been confirmed to play next summer’s Sonisphere Festival UK. Set to take place from July 8-11 in Hertfordshire, England, the festival will also feature performances from Slipknot and Biffy Clyro. Additional acts will be announced in the near future, and a limited number of three-day non-camping tickets are available from £140.

There’s no word on whether the Big Four are planning additional 2011 tour dates, but the groups’ members have already expressed a desire to follow up their 2010 venture. Either way, fans can take solace in the fact there’s a Big Four DVD available as a potential stocking stuffer.

– A 12-inch colored vinyl version of Cee-Lo’s “Fuck You”, which aso includes the instrumental version.

– MGMT’s “Congratulations” on a gatefold 7-inch with a remix by Erol Alkan and a 20-page storybook.

– A 7-inch single from Bruce Springsteen with “Because the Night” and “Save My Love” from The Promise: The Making of Darkness on the Edge of Town.

– The Walking Far From Home EP from Iron & Wine featuring a title track, “Summer in Savannah”, and “Biting Your Tail” on 12-inch vinyl and CD.

– A translucent 7-inch vinyl featuring archival versions of Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are A-Changing” and “Like a Rolling Stone”.

– The Gaslight Anthem covering The Rolling Stones’ “Tumblin’ Dice” plus a previously unreleased track on colored vinyl 7-inch.

– A 12-inch of “Heathen Child” by Grinderman, as well as a version with Robert Fripp.

– Tracks from Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings’ I Learned the Hard Way spread across 11 7-inch singles with 10 bonus songs and 8 instrumental versions.

– Four previously unreleased songs from Dr. Dog on a double 7-inch single.

– A 10-inch Drive By Truckers single with a holiday motif.

– Roky Erickson’s DVD, Night of the Vampire, featuring his live performance in L.A. with The Black Angels as support.

– Three live tracks recorded during U2’s European tour in 12-inch format called Wide Awake in Europe.

– Metallica’s 2008 live concert recorded in Nashville’s Grimey’s record store’s basement on CD and double 10-inch.

– The Ting Tings’ “Hands” with a remix by Passion Pit on 7-inch.

– A single from Soundgarden on 7-inch featuring the previously unreleased “The Telephantasm” and a live version of “Gun”.

– Anthrax’s Live At The Sonisphere 10-inch picture disc.

– KT Tunstall’s Have Yourself a Very KT Christmas.

– The long out of print self-titled debut from Queens of the Stone Age on double-gatefold, colored, 180-gram vinyl plus download (hardcopy to come December 7th).

– A 7-inch plus mp3 from Cage the Elephant featuring “Shake Me Down” and “Aberdeen” from their forthcoming album.

The DVD will feature the entire rocking concert that brought together Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax. It’ll also be released as a “Super Deluxe” Box Set, which just happens to contain the two-DVD set, five CDs of over five hours of music (including two hours of material not heard in theaters), the standard photo package and booklet, and a collectible Big Four pick for you to start that imaginary metal band with.

Enjoy the rocking good time here. More clips are bound to premiere before the DVD’s November 2nd release; in the mean time, you can also watch the trailer for the 400th time below. As always, stay tuned for more news as it’s announced.

Okay, FOB doing metal doesn’t quite sound right, but add in Ian’s Anthrax bandmate guitarist Rob Caggiano, and vocalist Keith Buckley from Every Time I Die, and you just might have something. Stick FOB drummer Andy Hurley back there and the band is complete. Oh, and you’ve also got touring bassist Josh Newton from ETID (Caggiano recorded the bass on the record). Stacked? Yeah, just a bit. The group, touting a heavy Thin Lizzy influence, was unveiled back in June with twin concerts in New York and London. Now we’ve got an introductory video and two new songs on the MySpace page.

I’ll be honest: metal isn’t really my bag of chips. Back in the day, you’d likely catch me listening to FOB before ETID. Still, these tracks surprised me by making me give a few mini-head bangs . They’re full of furiously fast riffs, great vocals, and are all around pretty intriguing. This is especially true for lead single “We’ve Got A Situation Here”, which features a hook that really does its job sinking its claws into your brain. I may not be a metal-head, but this stuff has my ears opened for what this supergroup does next. Plus, I finally have something to talk about with my metal-inclined friends.

Spy the introductory video below, which explains how these guys came together. You can also hear the single and the title track of their December 14th debut, Ironiclast. Both tracks will be released on a 7” and CD single on November 26th. You can also try to catch the band on a quick jaunt with only two state-side stops: October 28th in LA, and the 30th in Sauget, IL. Got all those dates? Good. Keep it here and check out the band’s website for more and updated information.

Introducing The Damned Things

“We’ve Got A Situation Here”

“Ironiclast”

The Damned Things 2010 Tour Dates:
10/23 – London, UK @ relentless Garage
10/24 – Sheffield, UK @ Corporation
10/28 – Los Angeles, CA @ Roxy
10/30 – Sauget, IL @ Pop’s

Jagermeister Music Tour 2010 has resurrected the 1991 United States leg of the Clash Of The Titans Tour: Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax. Notably, Alice In Chains is missing from this listing; however, they are currently booked with Black Diamond Skye, and Anthrax has Belladonna back, so all is forgiven. A fair turnout of fans were loyal to the tail end. The generational spectrum went from eight-year-old kids rocking over-sized Mohawks to my age group (in all of its sweat-stained, rock shirt glory) to formerly infatuated groupies turned soccer moms. Did the Titans get their just worship at the altar of metal? It wasn’t a packed house, but the air was thick with loyalty and beer. While the bands in question deserved a much more bombastic send-off than was provided, I joined the floor show enough to know that I appreciated what they brought to our humble American coastline, and my muscles still feel the burn.

Anthrax opened proceedings on a graceful note. Band members entered one by one via an introduction from the tour’s emcee, the highly enthusiastic pharmacist-turned-DJ Jose Mangin of Sirius’s Liquid Metal. During their stringently short setlist, Anthrax’s big selling point of the night was Joey Belladonna’s return and the promise of a new Anthrax CD come 2011; making it work to every advantage, Anthrax culled single after single from Return Of The Killer A’s, striking up “Antisocial”, “Madhouse”, “I Am The Law”, “Indians”, and “Caught In A Mosh”. While the majority of attendees came for the two co-headliners, Anthrax displayed pure professionalism on all fronts; the technical aspects were squared, though frankly, a tuned-down microphone on Belladonna would not have hindered the man much.

Anthrax’s guitarists — the infamous Scott Ian and newcomer Rob Caggiano — played their parts respectfully, the former remaining a steadfast rhythm with courteous backing vocals. With Belladonna returning in full form, the New York thrash and punk outfit was rife with enough energy to hold its own headlining stint. Alas, the set was much shorter than anticipated, due to Anthrax having been included last minute (I know that feeling all too well). This being my first time seeing Anthrax perform, I was left wanting, but the short burst I received got a warm welcome from everyone present.

Both co-headliners were to perform esteemed records in their entirety: Megadeth’s Rust In Peace and Slayer’s Seasons In The Abyss. As previously mentioned in my Rust In Peace: Live album review, the experience is something one should have in person, and here we stand delighted. Megadeth entered the fully decorated stage during a prerecorded voice announcing the enactment of Martial Law (military law, for those not in the know), and suddenly it was a virtual heavy metal opera. Much like the album mentioned, I relived the performance almost spot-on without hesitation.

From opening leviathan “Holy Wars…The Punishment Due” to the bass notes of “Dawn Patrol” (featuring someone costumed as its album cover’s main antagonist) to the titular closing track, no one missed a step. The down side? Hearing Mustaine over everything else going on was damn near impossible during the Rust In Peace portion, although he truly played to the crowd from A to Z. Highlights of the Rust set were covered in about the first half of the namesake album, particularly “Hangar 18″, “Holy Wars”, and “Five Magics”, though “Dawn Patrol” was short and sweet awesomeness in and of itself. Megadeth gave a finale of standards like “Symphony Of Destruction”, a revenge-laced “Headcrusher”, a “Peace Sells” encore, and a biting interlude from Mustaine about talking French to women before entering “A Tout La Monde”. A fond farewell, a thousand thanks, and it’s on to the next one.

A troll on my ’09 Mayhem Festival review went on to state that a stack of Marshall amplifiers does not make a metal show, and he is partially correct. The Marshall stacks cannot do all the work. They can only provide your ears with appropriate amounts of deafening roars and deadly decibels. Slayer is and always will be metal, both on and off the records, and tonight was no exception. Unlike Megadeth, Slayer opened with two tracks from its latest offering (“World Painted Blood” and “Hate Worldwide”) before launching right into Seasons In The Abyss — the release noted for introducing the world to “War Ensemble”, amongst others — and book-ending with a finale of “Aggressive Perfector” and ”Angel Of Death”.

Aside from Hanneman’s guitar hitting a technical snag during “World Painted Blood” and the near incoherence of Tom Araya throughout the set, most of Slayer was sheer noise and moshes, an unadulterated frenzy as expected from the band whose notoriety in the mainstream stems from a song about a sadistic scientist at the Holocaust encampments. Like Seasons ought to be, the energy of every song never waned for a second; the punch of “Expendable Youth”, the derision of “Dead Skin Mask”, the titular track’s mighty closing echoes–the King/Hanneman solos, the sheer loudness of everything going on around me, even in a partially filled theater. This is metal, ladies, pure and simple.

For a summation of the evening’s overall tone, please refer to Rust In Peace: Live, Slayer’s Seasons In The Abyss and World Painted Blood, or get some balls and catch Jagermeister Music Tour yourself. Also…drink responsibly, or the hyperactive Bill & Ted reenactment known as Jose Mangin will come to your house and scalp you like a savage with a…linoleum knife! Metal, bitches. Also, another shout-out to Dave Lombardo for totally holding up his end of the percussion during Slayer’s set — always a pleasure, man.

Photography by David Gomez.

Jagermeister Music Tour 2010 Setlists:

Anthrax
Caught in a Mosh
Madhouse
Antisocial
Indians
A.I.R.
Metal Thrashing Mad
I Am the Law

Megadeth
Holy Wars…The Punishment Due
Hangar 18
Take No Prisoners
Five Magics
Poison Was the Cure
Lucretia
Tornado of Souls
Dawn Patrol
Rust in Peace…Polaris
Trust
Headcrusher
A Tout Le Monde
Symphony of Destruction
Peace Sells/Holy Wars Reprise

Slayer
World Painted Blood
Hate Worldwide
War Ensemble
Blood Red
Spirit in Black
Expendable Youth
Dead Skin Mask
Hallowed Point
Skeletons of Society
Temptation
Born of Fire
Seasons in the Abyss
South of Heaven
Raining Blood
Aggressive Perfector
Angel of Death
——

Gallery by David Gomez

[nggallery id=127]

Who’s the most metal of all up there? Who has the widest metal stance? If there were a “Big 5″, who would you add? How close were they to putting a wig on Scott Ian so he would fit in? Could the members of The Big Four cover any song and make it metal? Even Wham’s “Careless Whispers”? Would the sax part in “Careless Whispers” sound metal if it came out of Hammett’s Ibanez? Do you kind of want to see James Murphy come up to that retro microphone and start rambling about how he’s “losing his edge”?  Do you think Dave Mustaine would call James Murphy a “pussy?” Do you still pirate Metallica albums just to stick it to Lars? Would you pirate this DVD, even though Lars is only involved in about 1/16th of it?

I think that’s plenty to mull over while you watch this amazing, professional video from The Big Four: Live From Sofia, Bulgaria DVD, which will be shipping to homes everywhere October 19th.

Also, don’t pirate this DVD.

“Am I Evil?”

Need I say more?

And don’t forget everything else in between. That’s why we’re here after all: to help you sort through everything major and not so much.

Before we begin, here’s a brief look at what happened while everyone else was out at Pitchfork:

– Rumors of a Janis Joplin biopic starring Amy Adams surfaced. This should pair nicely with the Jerry Garcia biopic that’s also reportedly in the works.

– Roxy Music will tour for the first time in a decade.

– Let’s just say that Van Halen fans might want to get their hopes up after all.

– Clinic are back.

See? You didn’t miss that much. And now for this week’s news…

– The list of nominees for the prestigious Mercury Prize went public.

– Virgin Mobile FreeFest revealed its 2010 lineup.

– Love Arcade Fire but don’t want to pay an arm and a limb to see them play Madison Square Garden in August? Check out the YouTube webcast that night.

– As always, there are plenty of Arcade Fire-related items to report. The Suburbs drops early next month, but this week 30-second samples of the tracks became available. Oh, and apparently it’s better than OK Computer.

– Guns N’ Roses (or what’s left of them) will play their first stateside gig in four years.

– Metalheads have another reason to rejoyce: Big Four might make a few stops in the US in 2011.

– Gorillaz announced plans to tour North America.

– Daft Punk‘s contributions to the forthcoming Tron remark have sparked a lot of speculation. Now you can actually hear some of it.

– Fans couldn’t wait for the new Lupe Fiasco album, so they took action.

– The Nigel Godrich-helmed soundtrack for Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World got detailed.

– This really shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone, David Byrne has been up to a lot lately.

– Crystal Castles can never stay out of trouble. This week was no exception.

– Solange Knowles collaborated with Of Montreal. Whether or not this tops her cover of “Stillness Is the Move” is up for debate.

– While we’re on the subject, don’t download Of Montreal‘s new album yet. You’ll be sorry if you do. Trust me.

– Big Star bassist Andy Hummel passed away.

– It’s as though everyone’s working with Dirty Projectors nowadays, including Bjork. Here’s what Carson O’Shoney had to say about Mount Wittenberg Orca, their first collaborative effort.

– The Books are back with their first LP since 2005′s Lost and Safe. Philip Cosores shared his thoughts on the duo’s highly anticipated release.

– Jeremy Larson went to Pitchfork so you didn’t have to. Read his report here.

– Karina Halle covered Ilosaarirock , a Finnish festival whose 2010 lineup included the likes of Faith No More and Imogen Heap.

– Remember our Ultimate Giveaway? The results are in. See for yourself how creative and devoted your fellow readers really are.

– We’re supporting the Philadelphia Film and Music Festival.  Get your tickets for our showcase now.

Among the tickets on sale Friday include !!!, Blonde Redhead, Brandon Flowers, Broken Bells, Pennywise, Rodrigo Y Gabriela, The Dandy Warhols, The Gaslight Anthem, and Thirty Seconds to Mars. American Carnage tickets are also available to the general public.

Editors Note: Ticketmaster efficiently killed its Affiliate Program this week, putting a halt on all commissions from concert tickets sold within the first 24 hours of their on-sale date. (90 – 95% of all commissions made come during this window.) As a result, this is the last week you can support CoS by purchasing tickets, so please buy while you can!

!!!:

What: North American tour

When: September – November

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster at 10:00 AM Local Time

30 Seconds to Mars:

What: North American tour

When: September – October

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster at 10:00 AM Local Time

American Carnage:

What: North American Tour featuring Anthrax, Megadeth, and Slayer

When: September – October

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster at 10:00 AM Local Time

Blonde Redhead:

What: North American tour

When: September – December

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster at 10:00 AM Local Time

Brandon Flowers (of The Killers):

What: North American warm-up tour

When: August

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster at 10:00 AM Local Time

Broken Bells:

What: Tour dates for Los Angeles and New York City

When: October 6th and 11th, respectively

Tixs: $27.50 – $32.50

Buy: Ticketmaster at 12:00 PM Local Time

The Dandy Warhols:

What: North American tour

When: November

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster at 10:00 AM Local Time

The Gaslight Anthem:

What: North American tour

When: September

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster at 10:00 AM Local Time

Margot & the Nuclear So & So’s:

What: North American tour

When: September – November

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster at 10:00 AM Local Time

Pennywise:

What: North American tour

When: September

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster at 10:00 AM Local Time

Rodrigo Y Gabriela:

What: North American tour

When: August – October

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster at 10:00 AM Local Time

Are we missing anything? Let us know below! Also, if you’re looking for shows for an already sold-out show, try our partner site Seatgeek.com.

Of course, it might not be that soon. Metallica themselves have been touring since 2008 and are in need of a little rest and relaxation. But once the band’s all rested up, Ulrich did say that he “would champion trying to do this (the Big Four tour) in 2011 or 2012, obviously in England and the United States . It’s just a matter of logistics. I don’t think there’s anybody involved who considers there’s a sell-by date on this.” Awesome to know good metal isn’t like a carton of milk.

As always, stay tuned for more Big Four news as it’s announced.

Among the tickets on sale Friday include The Airborne Toxic Event, Band of Horses, The Black Crowes, Corin Tucker Band, Dr. Dog, Foals, Frightened Rabbit, Ghostland Observatory, Guided By Voices, The Hold Steady, Klaxons, MGMT, Queens of the Stone Age, and The Vaselines. Plus, American Carnage and FYF Fest tickets are also up for grabs.

The Airborne Toxic Event:

What: North American tour

When: September

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster at 10:00 AM Local Time

American Carnage:

What: Tour featuring Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax

When: September – October

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster or Live Nation at 10:00 AM Local Time

Band of Horses:

What: North American tour

When: October

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster at 10:00 AM Local Time

The Black Crowes:

What: North American tour

When: December

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster at 10:00 AM Local Time

Corin Tucker Band:

What: North American tour, New York

When: October 25th

Tixs: $15.00

Buy: Ticketmaster at 12:00 PM EST

Dr. Dog w/Here We Go Magic:

What: North American tour

When: October – November

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster at 10:00 AM Local Time

Foals:

What: North American tour

When: September – October

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Band’s website or Ticketmaster at 10:00 AM Local Time

Frightened Rabbit:

What: North American tour

When: October – November

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster or Live Nation at 10:00 AM Local Time

FYF Fest:

What: LA-based festival featuring The Rapture, Panda Bear, Sleep, and more

When: September 4th

Tixs: $25.00

Buy: Ticketweb at 12:00 AM PST

Ghostland Observatory:

What: North American tour

When: September – November

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster at 10:oo AM Local Time

Guided By Voices:

What: Tour dates for Austin, TX; Minneapolis, MN; Newport, KY; & Carrboro, NC

When: October – November

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster at 10:oo AM Local Time

The Hold Steady:

What: North American tour

When: September – October

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster at 10:00 AM Local Time

Klaxons:

What: North American tour

When: September – October

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster at 10:00 AM Local Time

MGMT:

What: North American tour

When: October – November

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster or Live Nation at 10:00 AM Local Time

Queens of the Stone Age w/ Eagles of Death Metal:

What: North American tour, Los Angles date

When: August 12th

Tixs: $50.00

Buy: Ticketmaster at 10:00 AM PST

The Vaselines:

What: North American tour

When: September – October

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster at 10:00 AM Local Time

This particular endeavor is set to begin on September 24th in Dallas and will take the bands to locations across the United States south, including Florida. After making their way up north with dates in Baltimore, Long Island, and Scranton, the metal gods will turn west, traveling through mid-west cities like Columbus, Grand Rapids, and Milwaukee, before coming to a conclusion on October 21st in Hollwood, CA.

The second leg will once again see Megadeth and Slayer revisit its respective 1990 classics, Rust in Peace and Seasons in the Abyss, as both albums will be performed in their entirety at each date.

A special pre-sale will launch this Wednesday, July 14th. The public on sale date will follow on July 23rd in most markets.

“In the spirit of beating the recession,” there will be special pre-sale discounts on all tickets in most markets (see below for more details), plus a limited amount of $10 tickets will be available in many cities — log onto any of the bands’ websites or onto Ticketmaster‘s site for those details. What’s more, Megadeth has teamed up with iloveallaccess.com to provide fans with VIP experiences including priority venue access, meet and greets, parties, exclusive gifts and more. Click here for more info. Plus, fans who purchase their tickets online at either www.slayer.net or Ticketmaster – will receive a free download of the live audio track “War Ensemble”, set to be included on Slayer’s forthcoming, as yet unannounced, Live Intrusion DVD release.

Of course, all this comes in addition to the previously announced DVD featuring footage from the aforementioned Sonisphere Bulgaria concert. A September release is expected.

American Carnage 2010 Tour Dates:
07/23 – Quebec City, QC @ Pavillon de la Jeunesse *
07/24 – Montreal, QC @ Parc Jean-Drapeau *
07/26 – Halifax, NS @ Metro Centre *
07/27 – Moncton, NB @ Moncton Coliseum *
07/29 – Toronto, ON @ Molson Amphitheatre *
07/30 – London, ON @ John Labatt Centre Center *
08/11 – Glenn Falls, NY @ Glens Falls Civic Center *
08/12 – E. Rutherford, NJ @ IZOD Center *
08/14 – Boston, MA @ Tsongas Arena *
08/15 – Camden, NJ @ Susquehanna Bank Center *
08/16 – Wallingford, CT @ Chevrolet Theatre *
08/18 – Cleveland, OH @ Tower City Amphitheatre *
08/19 – Detroit, MI @ Joe Louis Arena *
08/20 – Chicago, IL @ UIC Pavilion *
08/21 – Minneapolis, MN @ Roy Wilkins Auditorium *
08/23 – Kansas City, KS @ Cap Fed Park *
08/25 – Denver, CO @ Magness Arena *
08/26 – Albuquerque, NM @ TIngley Coliseum *
08/27 – Phoenix, AZ @ Dodge Theatre *
08/29 – San Diego, CA @ Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre *
08/30 – Long Beach, CA @ Long Beach Arena *
08/31 – San Francisco, CA @ Cow Palace *
09/01 – Sacramento, CA @ ARCO Arena *
09/03 – Seattle, WA @ Wamu Theatre *
09/04 – Portland, OR @ Washington County Fairgrounds *
09/24 – Dallas, TX @ Verizon Wireless Theatre
09/25 – San Antonio, TX @ AT&T  Center
09/26 – Houston, TX @ Verizon Wireless Theatre
09/28 – New Orleans, LA @ Lakefront Arena
09/30 – Knoxville, TN @ Civic Coliseum
10/01 – Atlanta, GA @ The Arena at Gwinnett Center
10/02 – Orlando, FL @ Hard Rock Live
10/03 – Miami, FL @ Bayfront Park Amphitheatre
10/05 – Hampton, VA @ Hampton Coliseum
10/06 – Baltimore, MD @ Mariner Arena
10/08 – Uniondale, NY @ Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
10/09 – Scranton, PA @ Toyota Pavilion
10/10 – Columbus, OH @ Montage Mountain
10/12 – Louisville, KY @ Freedom Hall
10/14 – Ft. Wayne, IN @ War Memorial Coliseum
10/15 – Grand Rapids, MI @ DeltaPlex
10/16 – Milwaukee, WI @ Eagles Ballroom
10/19 – Salt Lake City, UT @ E Center
10/20 – Las Vegas, NV @ The Pearl
10/21 – Hollywood, CA @ Gibson Amphitheatre

* = Featuring Testament instead of Anthrax

And if you missed the show, or missed the broadcast of the shows at your local cineplex, then worry not, because it will be immortalized for all time in the canon of metal. According to BW&BK, the Bulgaria concert will see a DVD/Blu-Ray release showcasing the entire concert including 2 hours of Metallica, and 1 hour each of Anthrax, Megadeth, and Slayer. The 2-disc package is due out in September and will include the “Am I Evil” jam, backstage footage, and, Lord willing, a group commentary.

To solidify the decision to make this purchase, check out the big jam session here. Also, listed below are the set lists from the concerts. Real choice stuff from all, especially Metallica opening with “Creeping Death” again.

And, for the sake of fun, next time you’re on the train or at a public fountain or something, arm yourself with your best Dave Mustaine impression and recite one of the verses from “Sweating Bullets” real loud. Everyone will probably ignore you, but you’ll know the real score. Metal forever!

Metallica setlist:
Creeping Death
For Whom The Bell Tolls
Fuel
Harvester Of Sorrow
Fade To Black
That Was Just Your Life
Cyanide
Sad But True
Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
All Nightmare Long
One
Master Of Puppets
Blackened
Nothing Else Matters
Enter Sandman

Encore:
Am I Evil? (with the Big Four)
Hit The Lights
Seek and Destroy

Slayer setlist:
World Painted Blood
Jihad
War Ensemble
Hate Worldwide
Seasons In The Abyss
Angel of Death
Beauty Through Order
Disciple
Mandatory Suicide
Chemical Warfare
South of Heaven
Raining Blood

Megadeth setlest:
Holy Wars… The Punishment Due
Hangar 18
Wake Up Dead
Headcrusher
In My Darkest Hour
Skin O’ My Teeth
A Tout Le Monde
Hook In Mouth
Trust
Sweating Bullets
Symphony Of Destruction
Peace Sells

Anthrax setlist:
Caught In A Mosh
Got the Time
Madhouse
Be All, End All
Antisocial
Indians
Medusa
Only
Metal Thrashing Mad
I Am The Law

Ladies and gentlemen, the definition of “epic” now follows, courtesy of Rock It Out! Blog and Scott Ian’s Twitter:

“After 29 years of doing this to reach this apex is just so fucking cool. It was a monumental moment of epic proportions. I’m so high from the experience I can’t sleep.”

Members from all four bands performed our finale piece, while three bands’ vocalists — James Hetfield (Metallica), Joey Belladonna (Anthrax), and Dave Mustaine (Megadeth) — alternated verses. The song chosen? Diamond Head’s 1980 classic, “Am I Evil?” (a song previously covered by Metallica on their covers release, Garage, Inc.). It should be noted that this show took place despite varying degrees of past tension between different members of each band, most notably Hetfield and Mustaine, who were former band mates during the early Metallica days circa Kill ‘Em All.

None of that matters tonight. Zero, zip, nada. Why? Witness the “epic”.

So what are metal fans in the rest of the world supposed to do? How about go to the movies? After all, on June 24th, the metal greats will broadcast their concert at the Sonisphere Festival in Sofia, Bulgaria in a movie theater near you. One-day only screenings are currently set for 450 theaters in more than 140 markets in the U.S., as well as in Europe, Canada, and Latin America. Plus, delayed screenings are planned in Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand.

According to Billboard, showtime will be 7:30 p.m. in each respective time zone, and the film will feature each group’s full sets — 75 minutes for Metallica, 45 minutes for the other groups.

Tickets go on sale starting today Friday, May 21st in the U.S. and internationally starting Friday, May 28th at participating theater box offices and at thebigfourlive.com. Below, we have a trailer for you, just in case you need one.

The Big Four 2010 Tour Dates:
06/16 – Warsaw, PL @ Sonisphere Poland
06/18 – Zurich, CH @ Sonisphere Switzerland
06/19 – Prague, CZ @ Sonisphere Czech Republic
06/22 – Sofia, BG @ Sonisphere Bulgaria
06/24 – Athens, GR @ Sonisphere Greece
06/26 – Bucharest, RO @ Sonisphere Romania
06/27 – Istanbul, TR @ Sonisphere Turkey

The statement read: “Sonisphere Update – The Last Big Four Announcement. Bucharest, Romania Added! We promised you one more Sonisphere date, so here you have it! The Sonisphere Festival will be hitting Bucharest, Romania on June 26, 2010 at Romexpo. ‘The Big Four’ (that’s ‘Tallica, Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax) will be there, along with our friends Heaven & Hell. For more info, check out this location. Tickets are on sale now.”

As of now, the Big Four are scheduled to partake in seven dates together, all of which will be part of this summer’s Sonishphere Festival series. Don’t get your hopes up for any U.S. touring, but since Metallica knows how to make money, never say never. Get tickets for all Sonisphere dates here.

The Big Four 2010 Tour Dates:
06/16 – Warsaw, PL @ Sonisphere Poland
06/18 – Zurich, CH @ Sonisphere Switzerland
06/19 – Prague, CZ @ Sonisphere Czech Republic
06/22 – Sofia, BG @ Sonisphere Bulgaria
06/24 – Athens, GR @ Sonisphere Greece
06/26 – Bucharest, RO @ Sonisphere Romania
06/27 – Istanbul, TR @ Sonisphere Turkey

As it stands now, the high-profile foursome is scheduled to perform at two editions of next year’s traveling Sonisphere Festival, starting June 16th in Warsaw, Poland and continuing June 19th in Prague, Czech Republic. Billboard reports more dates are likely forthcoming, however, there is no word on plans for possible North American engagements.

All participants appear to be quite thrilled by the news, as evident by the following issued statements:

Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich proclaims, “Who would have thought that more than 25 years after its inception, thrash metal’s big 4 would not only still be around and more popular than ever, but will now play together for the first time…what a mindfuck! Bring it on!” Slayer’s Kerry King adds that, “It’s about fucking time this happened, and about time the fans finally get what they want. This is fucking awesome.”

Megadeth leader Dave Mustaine goes on to note that the Big Four shows are “a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ opportunity for heavy metal ‘fans’ to see the four greatest heavy metal ‘bands’ in American history back together on one stage. If there are any heads left at the end of this Festival that haven’t banged, they don’t belong there.”

Sounds like it will be a good time. Tickets to the Sonisphere Festivals are available at their respective websites.

According to Rock Sound (via Idolator), guitarist Joe Trohman and drummer Andy Hurley have gotten together with Scott Ian and Rob Caggiano from Anthrax and Keith Buckley and David Karon from Every Time I Die to form The Damned Things. According to Ian, the band’s sound is “Kyuss meeting Thin Lizzy”. Color us intrigued thus far.

“We just started working on songs together and I really dug it,” Ian told Rock Sound of working with Trohman. “It just felt really good. From there we decided that obviously both of us are pretty busy in our day jobs but let’s see what we can do with this. Even if it takes us five years to make a record, why not?”

Thankfully, they didn’t have to wait long and the band has already written 15 songs. Despite their very different musical experiences, Ian said that the often overlooked members of FOB have every right to join the metal lords in the business of rupturing ear drums.

“It’s super fun and it’s something that we do totally take seriously because we love the music we’ve created,” Ian said. “People think of Fall Out Boy and they think of Pete Wentz and Patrick. These two guys, man, they’re fucking hardcore dudes. Joe writes some amazing riffs. We have this song called ‘A Great Reckoning’ that I swear to God, this song could be on any Thin Lizzy record. He fucking blew my mind with this song and I just can’t wait for people to hear it.”

Of course, Trohman is just as gleefully excited to be working with Ian and Buckley. In fact, he’s hoping to expand the ETID singer’s primal range.

“Scott’s right hand is the reason I got into playing punk rock, hardcore and metal!” Trohman said. “Having Keith as part of the mix is insane. We all know he writes incredible lyrics but he is also a really good singer. That is showcased in Every Time I Die, but we want him to go more into singing than screaming on this project.”

The band plans on hitting the studio sometime before Christmas. We’ll update you once their MySpace becomes a bit more fleshed out.

Now, Pete and Patrick, ball’s in your court now, fellas.

“That tour is not gonna happen. I’ve been hearing that, we’ve all been hearing that for awhile. I get asked [about] it regularly. And as far as a tour going on, it’s not gonna happen. Conflicting schedules, conflicting personalities, [a lot of] conflicting things. It’s a good idea, though. And personally, I can see the significance of playing a tour like that, but… it’s not gonna happen.”

— Metallica’s Kirk Hammett on why the much rumored “Big Four” tour featuring Metallica, Anthrax, Megadeth, and Slayer was probably a waste of time writing about (via Metal Hammer).

Nothing is yet confirmed, but apparently Metallica‘s Lars Ulrich has been talking up certain things regarding this mythical creature. Slayer guitarist Kerry King was rumored to be in the grapevine, but he has a small reality check to dispense and some suggestions for Lars’ supposed lineup (via Metal Hammer):

“I’ve heard people referencing Lars. I don’t know Lars that well and I haven’t heard it from Lars, but apparently he’s talking to somebody about it. Maybe us, Metallica, Megadeth and, I think he even threw in Anthrax and I said in this day and age, I know we had that time together, but how do you leave out Machine Head? There’s better options than Anthrax and that’s nothing against Anthrax, but they’ve just been in pieces for quite some time and that doesn’t make as much sense to me.”

While some would gladly take Anthrax over Machine Head (no disrespect King), the tour itself currently resides in imaginations alone for now. Here is to hoping for the ultimate thrash to remember, but always hope for the best and expect the worst until delivered the best.

This week it’s all about beards. We all know that music is just better when the guy who wrote it has some sweet facial hair. I know this excludes the ladies, but quite frankly, the world isn’t fair (I’ll do one on breasts sometime, okay?). Only us guys can grow a beard (with some exception to this rule), and thus, only us guys can make awesomely bearded songs. Of course, it has been scientifically proven that a mouth surrounded by a beard actually improves one’s singing voice, which is not surprising at all, given the wide array of awesomely bearded musicians.

There’s just something about some nice beardage that makes the music all that much better. Thus, based on many parameters, I have compiled a comprehensive, and well researched list of my ten favorite songs by guys who have some serious face fur. The music is quite important, but the beard held most of the weight in my decisions. Keep in mind these are my favorite beards and songs, so I’m not saying it’s the end all be all, it’s just that I’m right.

On with the list, then check out the full playlist after that…

10. “Waitin’ For Superman” -The Flaming Lips

Well kempt, yet disheveled. Sophisticated yet unique. This is the kind of beard that a working man can get away with, but still seem cool. Wayne Coyne is the quirky businessman of psych pop.

9. “How Can I Tell You?” – Cat Stevens

Not the best beard, but still a beard nonetheless. A great song. How can I tell you that I love your beard? Maybe we should ask Yusuf instead . . .

8. “Run Thru” – My Morning Jacket

This beard has character. It comes from the dirty south. Not the best, but a very unique looking beard, has just the right amount of nappiness and scruff. Well balanced, not too over the top, great song.

7. “Bring the Noise” – Anthrax

This is a red and black long goatee. Red and Black.  ‘Nuff said. Also, he worked with Flava Flav, I think that’s reason enough for a spot. Not one of my favorite songs, but definitely a favorite beard.

6. “Car” – Built to Spill

Doug Martsch used the hair from his head to make this gem, that’s the only reason why he’s bald. He told me so.

5. “The Great Salt Lake” – Band of Horses

What a beard. Not to mention, Ben Bridwell’s band combines the stylings of two of the other beard bearing artists on this list. Take a guess.

Hint: My Built to Jacket

4. “La Grange” – ZZ Top

Okay, so the song isn’t one of my favorites, and it’s kind of a cliche, but come on people. Look at those beards. Could I really leave them out? Could I? Would you? If the song was amazing they’d be number 1.

3. “Chinese Children” – Devendra Banhart

Have you heard this song? hilarious. Have you seen this beard? just wow. I don’t know if I should laugh or cry at the idea that I’ll never be this inadvertently hysterical or have a beard of this magnitude.

2. “Upward Over the Mountain” – Iron & Wine

Speaks for itself.  Sam Beam is the Lion of indie folk. Maybe I should have chosen “Lion’s Mane”.  Sentimental whispery folk music . . . ROOOAAAR!

1. “I See a Darkness” – Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy

Just look at that beard. It is a monster. It is what god’s beard would look like if Will Oldham groomed it. Not to mention the song is one of the better I’ve ever heard. I would put “The World’s Greatest” on here, but that was written by Robert Kelly (does he have a beard?).

Hold up: Up for discussion

So I left a lot of bands and artists out (Sorry Deadheads, I don’t care about you), but some bands have or did at some point have occasional beardage.

For instance:

Though Thom Yorke nearly never has facial hair, aside from some occasional scruff, this picture alone makes the entire Radiohead catalog pushed up to number 1. Plus that’s a pretty sweet beard there Thom. That’s just how it has to be. Hail to the Beard.

Then there’s these guys . . .

When the Beatles did have beards, they were especially awesome. The band’s catalog can go up there as well. Okay, this is getting out of hand.

There’s also this other BAND . .

Can’t tell if there’s enough beard worthiness here. Probably.
“Tears of Rage”?

Finally, I couldn’t neglect a group that’s coincidentally been in the news a lot recently . . .

“In the Aeroplane Over the Sea” – Neutral Milk Hotel

Though not written by massive beard bearer Scott Spillane, his white tuba and awesome beard warrant a place in here somewhere. Plus this song is just undeniably amazing.

Ok, I’m done now.

Check Out:

Thanks to Adam for brainstorming with me…