Tales from the pit

In summer 2011 Slayer was playing the Heavy festival in Toronto so I knew I'd have to make the journey to the big city. The last night's top three headliners (in order of time playing) were Slayer, Billy Talent and then Rob Zombie. Well everyone thought that Slayer was going to close out the festival but to everyone's dismay it looked as if Slayer would technically be opening for Rob Zombie... and Billy Talent. This did not sit well with the hardcore metal crowd of thousands who had been drinking 8 dollar beers all day. The Slayer pit looked like an old war painting with bodies mangled and belongings thrown about. I made the stupid choice to wear my back pack into the pit and it was pushed side to side by the mob of people, sending me hurdling down into the hard dirt ground. My legs were cut up and covered in blood but I was helped up by some of my metal brothers and I stayed in the pit until the end of Raining Blood. Now every time I see the small scars on my legs I smile and think of that magical summer that I saw Slayer.