Charlie Benante from Anthrax talks about Big 4 experience

[metalzig]

Just coming off the stage from The Big 4, Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante took some time to speak to metalmachine.net and reflect on the experience of playing in front of thousands of screaming metal fans in his home town of the Bronx, in The House That Ruth Built (well actually the house that new yorkers built through a complex bond scheme hatched by then Yankee…well you know what I mean!)

http://www.metalmachine.net/blog/2011/09/15/charlie-benante-speaks-from-the-big-4/

 

[antwax]

Hmmm...what does the downsizing - "shows are more intimate" - he talks about actually mean? Is Anthrax/Testament/Death Angel package going to play in clubs?
From bus back to van?

T

aijoo. thanks for posting

 

[Mikey-Bong]

Glad to hear that Charlie wants to do more Big 4 shows, hopefully Metallica will make this happen in the midwest. Not holding my breath though.

 

[metalzig]

I think what he meant by the downsizing comment was that he was maybe being a bit realistic and thinking that they would play places like 2000 - 5000 venues, as they did in NYC right before The Big 4 show...they played The Best Buy Theatre.

 

[metalzig]

With the showing in Yankee Stadium this week. I would hope that Metallica would be ecouraged to play 2 or 3 more of those. One of the greatest metal show of ALL TIME. And I have seen many in my day.

 

[ironmaidenfan09]

Id much rather see Slayer and Anthrax do their own headlining tours than spend $100 bucks on the big 4 which to me is a total packaged rip off. The bands play their greatest hits and Metallica plays for 2 hours.

They call it the big 4 but the reality is that it's a Metallica headlining tour. If all bands got equal sets I'd be more into it. But Anthrax has to play at 4pm to an almost empty stadium. I don't like the big packaged tours. I'll take a theatre sized tour with Slayer or Anthrax any day. I don't really care if I ever see Megadeth again.

 

[AlexStomp]

Another reason why it seemed so empty was the line to get in. It was lonnnnnnnnng. I'm talking quarter mile it seemed and not even moving. Me and my bud were in this line at like 1:30/2:00 o'clock when we finally realized that our VIP tickets allowed us to get in from a different line on the opposite side which was much shorter and actually moving at a decent clip. We finally made it into that stadium and in our section a little after 3:30 but I couldn't help but think of the thousands in line that might have missed Anthrax's set due to this line. No wonder why Anthrax kept stressing "come early".

 

[antwax]

Id much rather see Slayer and Anthrax do their own headlining tours than spend $100 bucks on the big 4 which to me is a total packaged rip off. The bands play their greatest hits and Metallica plays for 2 hours.

They call it the big 4 but the reality is that it's a Metallica headlining tour. If all bands got equal sets I'd be more into it. But Anthrax has to play at 4pm to an almost empty stadium. I don't like the big packaged tours. I'll take a theatre sized tour with Slayer or Anthrax any day. I don't really care if I ever see Megadeth again.

Agreed - VAU! Can you believe? Can anyone believe?
Anyway I have to add that for some reason Anthrax needs these packages...especially this Joey led version has played very many package tours...86 with Overkill and Agent Steel, then on Euphoria tour they played with Helloween and Exodus - supported Ozzy...on POT tour they supported Iron Maiden, played with Public Enemy and of course with Megadeth and Slayer (and Alice in Chains) on Clash of the Titans package...on reunion tour they played at Ozzfest...

T

 

[johnnieCzech]

on reunion tour they played at Ozzfest...

T

Did they? I don't think so.

 

[Social Distortion]

Did they? I don't think so.

Download was also Ozzfest in 05 year if I remember correctly. Anthrax is on the Ozzfest 10th Anniversary dvd. What's funny is that the guy's in the band didn't even know they had played an Ozzfest before the dvd came out!

 

[THEBALDGUYFROMBLACKLODGEVIDEO]

Id much rather see Slayer and Anthrax do their own headlining tours than spend $100 bucks on the big 4 which to me is a total packaged rip off. The bands play their greatest hits and Metallica plays for 2 hours.

They call it the big 4 but the reality is that it's a Metallica headlining tour. If all bands got equal sets I'd be more into it. But Anthrax has to play at 4pm to an almost empty stadium. I don't like the big packaged tours. I'll take a theatre sized tour with Slayer or Anthrax any day. I don't really care if I ever see Megadeth again.

All the above. Plus, personally I don't like big arenas anymore. The sound is almost always shitty, unless you pay big bucks for those good seats.

 

[Sgt-D]

Id much rather see Slayer and Anthrax do their own headlining tours than spend $100 bucks on the big 4 which to me is a total packaged rip off. The bands play their greatest hits and Metallica plays for 2 hours.

They call it the big 4 but the reality is that it's a Metallica headlining tour. If all bands got equal sets I'd be more into it. But Anthrax has to play at 4pm to an almost empty stadium. I don't like the big packaged tours. I'll take a theatre sized tour with Slayer or Anthrax any day. I don't really care if I ever see Megadeth again.

+1. All of it.

 

[Social Distortion]

While The Big Four concerts have been historical, I too can't get over the fact that it's basically Metallica with 3 opening bands. It has really reignited my hatred for that band.

 

[johnnieCzech]

Yes but all in all, they deserve it.

 

[classical_thrasher]

Id much rather see Slayer and Anthrax do their own headlining tours than spend $100 bucks on the big 4 which to me is a total packaged rip off. The bands play their greatest hits and Metallica plays for 2 hours.

They call it the big 4 but the reality is that it's a Metallica headlining tour. If all bands got equal sets I'd be more into it. But Anthrax has to play at 4pm to an almost empty stadium. I don't like the big packaged tours. I'll take a theatre sized tour with Slayer or Anthrax any day. I don't really care if I ever see Megadeth again.

Indeed. I live in NYC, and I didn't go see Anthrax for the Big 4 (what a moniker!) I went to see them on Monday instead. I enjoyed immensely, it was their show, although a bit on the short side. It was not disappointing to me in the least, though. I will see Anthrax for their upcoming tour, big stadium shows are not my thing, in all honesty-in my heart, I know current Anthrax is better than current Metallica, so why should I just do that to my pocket?