Four Winds Field hosts first-ever metal concert

The event was headlined by Killswitch Engage, a metalcore band hailing from Massachusetts. Openers included Havok, a Denver-based thrash metal band, Iron Reagan, a thrash supergroup touring for the first time in seven years, and Machine Head, a group noted for their influence on new wave American heavy metal.

Notably, this event marks the first time that Four Winds Field has ever hosted a metal show. Joe Hart, president of the South Bend Cubs, shared more on the decision.

“It’s a genre that has a huge following. We’ve done concerts, we’ve done rock and pop, so we were like, ‘Let’s do this, and give people the opportunity that maybe wouldn’t come to one of our other concerts to come out here,’” Hart said. “I’ve talked to so many people already that have actually thanked me for considering doing a heavy metal show, because even though there are a lot of venues, there’s just not a ton of heavy metal shows.”

Hart noted Federated Media and South Bend’s active rock station, The Bear 103.9, as instrumental figures in the process of organizing Full Metal Sunday.

Since 1987, Four Winds Field has served as a reliable gathering spot for baseball fans and players alike. However, in more recent years, the stadium has worked to establish itself as a strong venue for music as well. Full Metal Sunday is the latest entry in a long-standing line of concerts focused on bringing people together.

“We play 66 home games, but we also want to be able to utilize the facility for more than just baseball,” Hart said. “We love doing these events. It’s a great opportunity to get people out here that may not come out to a baseball game.”

Hart also spoke of the importance of the staff involved with making the event happen, highlighting groundskeeping in particular as an important area to recognize. He extended his gratitude to the community and the role that it plays in keeping events like this going.

“We have people here from all over the area — it’s not just folks from South Bend,” Hart said. “It’s our goal and mission to bring people down to downtown South Bend, whether it’s baseball, concerts, Beer Fest, you name it. We want to try to do stuff.”

In the upcoming summer months, Four Winds Field plans to host a few other concert opportunities, including their Big Perm’s Birthday Bash event which is slated for July 3. The event will feature tribute band Larger Than Life, as well as fireworks after the show. The event is open to all ages.

Hart hopes that celebrations like Full Metal Sunday and Big Perm’s Birthday Bash allow other events to view Four Winds Field as a plausible venue, especially if it means bringing different people together.

“We’re open to doing all sorts of shows out here, and if the support is here and people want to take part and enjoy it, then we’re always going to look at doing shows out here,” Hart said. “It’s a great venue, so let’s use it as much as we can.”

For more information about the South Bend Cubs and Four Winds Field, you can visit this website.