The legendary outdoor thrash metal gathering Day in the Dirt is one of the set pieces ofMURDER IN THE FRONT ROW: Shots From the Bay Area Thrash Metal Epicenter, by Harald Oimoen and Brian Lew. The plywood stage went up in Berkeley on today’s date in 1984, and Exodus, Slayer, Suicidal Tendencies and Blue Cheer (?) bonded and bled. We brought out the muddy party hats last year for the 30th anniversary, so check out that post with quotes from Tom Araya and his brother Johnny Araya, plus Brian Lew and Bay Area thrash metal OGs the Goodman brothers: Thirty Years Ago Today, Slayer Played on a Plywood Stage in a Park.
MURDER IN THE FRONT ROW includes over 400 photos from the intense starting line of thrash metal in the SF Bay Area. Get the book: www.murderinthefrontrow.com
