Big 4 festival story

Note: This is a story about the festival and not a concert review. I'll post my thoughts later. Continue to check our website for photos of the event.

The Big 4 festival, featuring Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax, proves timeless metal is not

dead, fans said Saturday.

"There is still a following," said Richard Churchill, 43, of Oceanside at the festival held in Indio.

"Right now, it's more of a nu metal scene but there's still a following for the old stuff."

Josh Wilson, 17, of White Cone, Arizona described the current metal scene as "dying."

It's (expletive) emo bands. People wearing skinny jeans. It's a shame. And (current metalcore band)

The Devil Wears Prada is not like this. Ask a metalhead. This is different."

Wilson said the acts Saturday could all be described as dark bands who played fast "to get the

blood pumping."

Meanwhile, a shuttle stop to the metal festival left from Ontario Airport at 1:30 p.m. Saturday.

Denise Ball, 36, of Chino was at the stop with her son John Ball, 16, and his friends.

Denise said she wanted to see Metallica and Slayer.

"It's the only concert they're all doing in North America and we had to be here," she said.

John was also excited to see Metallica, as he was only 10 or 11 when Denise took him to a

previous concert.

"I expect a lot of moshing," John said.

He was right. Performances featured lots of people slamming into each other while walking in a

circular pattern, throwing up devil horns, where the pinky and index fingers are extended out with the

ring and middle fingers down with the thumb and air guitar showmanship.

Audience members at the event were young and old male and females who mostly wore black, had

tattoos and wore T-shirts of the performers with phrases like "I Hate You" from the group Slayer.

The festival was held on the same Empire Polo Grounds as the three-day Coachella Valley Music

and Arts Festival, which was held the week before.