METALLICA, SLAYER, MEGADETH, ANTHRAX: California 'Big Four' Show Announced

The U.S. edition of the touring rock festival featuring the "Big Four" of 1980s thrash metal — METALLICA, SLAYER, MEGADETH and ANTHRAX — will take place on Saturday, April 23 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California.

Commented METALLICA: "You've probably heard us all say it . . . the vibe was just so incredible at last year's 'Big Four' shows that we can't stop now!! So we're finally bringing the love to our home turf on April 23, 2011 with 'TALLICA, SLAYER, MEGADETH, and ANTHRAX in Indio, California at the Empire Polo Club (yes, the more observant of you will note that this is the same spot where the Coachella festival takes place the weekend before).

"It's true — this is indeed the only scheduled stop in America this go around, so we're hoping that you can head West to join us. Tickets go on sale this Friday, January 28 at 10 a.m. PST and Fan Club members can check MetClub.com for pre-sale and VIP package info."

For more information about the show, including ticket pricing and transportation information, check out TheBig4Festival.com.

One of the big questions regarding last year's tour was how the members of METALLICA would get along with MEGADETH frontman Dave Mustaine, who was famously thrown out of METALLICA in 1983. METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich told The Pulse Of Radio that all the reports of animosity over the years have been overblown. "I mean, so much has been made of these relationships, and certainly speaking for myself, Dave and I have two separate relationships — one that exists between Dave and I, and one that exists in the press and with everybody else," he said. "And I always know that, you know, my and Dave's private relationship is always fine, and it's always one that's rooted in love and respect."

The so-called "Big Four" are arguably the biggest and longest-lasting acts to emerge from the thrash/speed metal underground of the late '80s, but never shared a stage together until last year.

The two-disc DVD release of "The Big Four: Live From Sofia, Bulgaria", containing footage of the June 22, 2010 Sonisphere cinecast from the Sofia, Bulgaria leg of the "Big Four" tour has been certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments in excess of 100,000 copies. (Note: Due to the fact that the set consists of two discs, it was eligible for platinum certification after shipping 50,000 copies; platinum certification for a single-disc release is 100,000 copies.)

"The Big Four: Live From Sofia, Bulgaria" debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard "Top Music Videos" sales chart in November with first-week sales of 22,000 copies. The set also debuted at No. 1 in Canada, the U.K. and Austria, while entering at No. 4 in Germany.

The show was part of a two-week European tour featuring the four biggest names from the Eighties thrash metal era. The idea first came up last year and Ulrich told The Pulse of Radio he was glad to finally see it happen. "It's pretty amazing if you think about it, that it's the first time basically in 25 years or 30 or whatever that the four of us have actually played shows together," he said. "So it was a lot of fun, a lot of memories, a lot of fun times — new fun times, and fun times talking about the old fun times. So it sort of was a, it was a winner on every front."

"The Big Four: Live From Sofia, Bulgaria" set features full shows from all four bands along with behind-the-scenes and interview footage.

A "Big Four" tour of other parts of Europe is being planned for this summer.

METALLICA finished out its "Death Magnetic" touring cycle in November in New Zealand and Australia, but is already confirmed to headline the Rock In Rio festival in Brazil on September 24, 2011.

(Thanks: NJthrasher)