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THAT WAS SONISPHERE ISTANBUL

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

The seventh and final show of this Big Four tour was the biggest gig Turkey has ever seen with more than 100,000 fans helping create a cauldron of noise over the weekend. The crowd reaction toMetallica, Slayer, Megadeth andAnthrax on the final day of the festival was something else, although the bands at least were anticipating the reaction.

“Tonight, at the end of the Big Four tour I want to turn on the house lights so you can all be on stage and make this the loudest crowd in the history of Istanbul,” said Metallica’s James Hetfield. He had tipped off Anthrax who were paying Turkey for the first time.

“We’ve heard from Metallica about playing in Istanbul and we expect a really, really crazy crowd,” said guitarist Scott Ian before they went on. Meanwhile Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo said: “Greece was crazy for Slayer and I anticipate this one to be something similar. I expect energy and them to chant and have a really good time.”

It was a fitting finale after the four thrash titans had marauded across Europe leaving a trail of satisfied metallers in their wake. But Sonisphere Turkey was about a lot more than just Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax.

Rammstein set the tone of the festival with their Friday night headline set, serving up the most startling thing Turks have seen in a stadium since the country’s answer to Liberace, Zeki Muren died on stage during a comeback concert in 1996. Earlier in the day Alice in Chains and Stone Sour put in stirring sets that whetted the crowd’s appetite, but nothing could prepare them for what came next. Playing inTurkey for the first time the fans were treated to the full-on Rammstein experience involving pyrotechnics no other band can match, the foam-throwing phallus and a series of obscenity-filled lyrics that could conceivably get the band barred from a country that’s banned YouTube.

On Saturday came more of the same in terms of epic sets although excitement was already brewing for what was about to happen the next day. But at least three people were underwhelmed by the prospect of seeing Sunday’s headliners. In Turkish, metal mythologists Manowar chanted to the crowd: “They call them the Big Four. Fuck them. Who is the biggest crowd here? Manowar! Who are you here for? Manowar! Who are you here to see? Manowar!”

Surely a band that is more than comfortable with their own magnificence weren’t feeling a tiny bit jealous? In any case, the crowd was intense during an excellent Manowar show, but everything – the number of people, the atmosphere, the excitement, the decibel level, even the sun – hit another level on Sunday. Megadeth were perhaps the best they’ve ever been, with Dave Mustaine in front of a capacity turnout happily moshing in the sort of sunshine that could make you melt.

“It was insane,” simply said bassistDavid Ellefson after the show. WatchingMegadeth from the stage Metallicadrummer Lar Ulrich agreed: “They were so involved in Megadeth and the Turkish metal fans really give. People here are so passionate and loud and so involved.”

By now the Turkish throng filling out the stadium were in full-on metal carnival mode. The anticipation for Slayer didn’t so much fill the air as almost strangle it in excitement. The excess of energy found an outlet in incessant, noisy Mexican waves and football-style chants about the bands. But the Mexican waves soon morphed into moshing once the first bars of ‘World Painted Blood’ began to ring out. Cue mayhem. Slayer frontman Tom Araya couldn’t help smiling as he strutted down the stage surveying the crowd during the set, reserving a couple of wry, satisfied grins for the number of circle pits.

Metallica’s last festival appearance of the summer did indeed appear to create “the loudest crowd in the history of Istanbul,” during the band’s customary encore of ‘Seek and Destroy’.

“I can’t think of a better place to end the tour than Istanbul. Next year will be another round of Sonisphere festivals,” said Lars. “I think 2011 will hopefully take us back to a few of the same countries and probably a few new ones.”

Whether that’s as part of another Big Four tour remains to be seen. Stay tuned though. As soon as we’re sure what’s happening Team Sonisphere will let you know.