SLAYER's KING Says Having 80,000 People Show Up For 'Big Four' Debut Was 'Pretty Awesome'

June 18, 2010

METALLICA, SLAYER, MEGADETH and ANTHRAX — the so-called "Big Four" of 1980s thrash metal — played together for the first time in history this past Wednesday night (June 16) in front of 81,000 fans at the Sonisphere festival at Bemowo Airport in Warsaw, Poland.

A video interview with SLAYER guitarist Kerry King conducted by NME TV before the band performed in Warsaw can be viewed below.

"We haven't ever done this, and we've been around 28 years or something like that. So it's finally happening. It's awesome," King said."

"Who would have ever thought the four of us getting together would be important enough to have 80,000 people to show up in Poland? It's pretty awesome."

"We've already been over here over three weeks, so we're firing on all cylinders, for sure."

"It's hard to make up a short setlist, 'cause you've got so many things you want to play. But it's gonna be brutal, man. I'm anxious to try it out. We haven't tried it yet."

"We all hung out last night. METALLICA threw a dinner for all the bands, and it was a cool hang. I was sitting at a table with Shawn [Drover, MEGADETH drummer] and the guitar player of MEGADETH, Chris [Broderick], and I just looked up and said, 'Dude, there's a lot of famous people in here.' [Laughs] It's kind of surreal."

For the occasion, SLAYER played a set packed with fan favorites:

01. World Painted Blood
02. Jihad
03. War Ensemble
04. Hate Worldwide
05. Dead skin Mask
06. Angel of Death
07. Beauty through order
08. Disciple
09. Mandatory Suicide
10. Chemical Warfare
11. South of Heaven
12. Raining Blood

This history-making "Big Four" lineup will headline six more Sonisphere festivals over the summer in Europe (check Slayer.net for details). In addition, the show scheduled for Sofia Bulgaria will be broadcast via satellite on Tuesday, June 22 to more than 450 movie theaters in more than 140 markets in the U.S., Europe, Canada and Latin America. Delayed screenings will take place in Australia, South Africa and New Zealand.

NME TV interview (June 16, 2010 in Warsaw):

SLAYER performance (June 16, 2010 in Warsaw):

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