James Perovich
A night before playing US Bank Stadium for Metallica’s M72 tour, Pantera put on a display of power at a surprise First Avenue concert that electrified their dedicated fan base.
Days prior to the concert, First Avenue’s social media posted a simple “CFH” on the First Avenue star wall. Fans recognized the reference to the Cowboys From Hell album and pounced on tickets, selling the show out immediately. The legendary heavy metal band (possibly considered a supergroup in its current iteration) did not disappoint in its raging return to the venue.
Long-time members Phil Anselmo (vocals) and Rex Brown (bass) teamed up with Zakk Wylde (Ozzy Osbourne, Black Label Society) and Charlie Benante (Anthrax) to replaced the late, revered Abbott brothers. While some fans have suggested that Pantera “died” with the absence of the brothers, to me the band honored every bit of their iconic power groove metal in this show.
Leading off the show, comedian Craig Gass made a few jokes about life on the road before making a “big announcement”: Pantera was playing, not CFH. Jokes aside, the actual big news was the recording of the show for a live album – the first one with the current lineup and first since 1997’s Official Live: 101 Proof.
Gass also warmed up the audience by instructing them to make some comments towards individual members during the show, suggesting there would be prompts for the recording. For example, one suggestion was wishing bassist Brown a happy birthday. Strangely, no such interactive moments occurred during the show.
They were not necessary. Soon after Gass left the stage, Pantera’s logo projected onto the screen. After that, two silhouettes of their deceased bandmates Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul showed on screen to a round of applause and cheers. That gave way to a riff-fueled segment of “Regular People” and a montage of old Pantera clips. And as the screen rose, the venue erupted.
Pantera opened with “A New Level” and fans went to a new level. Closing your eyes, Wylde’s guitar sounded fluidly reminiscent of Dimebag’s, and his guitar work delivered their iconic sound flawlessly.
By the second song, the faster-paced “Mouth For War,” the venue escalated to a frenzy. A sizeable mosh pit engrossed the main room floor. Crowd surfing ensued, with fans needing to be passed over the barrier while Anselmo ripped off lyrics from the hit Vulgar Display of Power.
Speaking of Anselmo’s vocals, his gravelly voice soared throughout most of the night. There were times where he held a mic to the crowd or asked to sing along. But it was not like he was taking a break from singing, instead it was sharing their mantra of “for the fans, for the brothers, for the legacy.”
He also frequently gestured in gratitude towards to crowd: hands clasped, head bowed, fists pumped.
The crescendo of the evening was a trifecta of hits: “This Love,” “(expletive) Hostile,” and “Walk.” Anselmo remarked over the instantly recognizable “Walk” riff that many fans say that song got them into Pantera. And as the song began, and the singalong chorus echoed over the music, fans had no idea of the surprise ahead.
Metallica members Robert Trujillo and Kirk Hammett joined Pantera onstage to almost deafening cheers. The two got on the mics for the trisyllabic intro to the chorus: RE, SPECT, WALK. And waved to the crowd and numerous camera phones recording the memorable moment.
Perhaps predictably, the band closed with “Cowboys From Hell,” their eponymous alter ego band name. Slightly less predictably, after some onstage chatting, the band returned for “the only way to close the show” and a performance of “Yesterday Don’t Mean (expletive).” The band then gestured in thanks to the cheering crowd while showering them with guitar picks, drumsticks, and other instrument accessories.
We’re taking over this town…for Pantera’s devoted fanbase, many also planning on attending the M72 show, there was no resistance to these heavy metal gods.
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