Then-former Pantera guitarist Dimebag Darrell was sadly shot on stage on December 8, 2004 at the Alrosa Villa nightclub in Columbus, OH while performing with Damageplan. The shooter was a schizophrenic man who believed Pantera was stealing his music and was upset over the band's breakup.
Of course Damageplan only formed in the wake of Pantera's nasty breakup the year prior, which resulted in a very public war of words between brothers Dimebag and drummer Vinnie Paul, and vocalist Phil Anselmo. Anselmo and the brothers refused to speak to one another, with them accusing Anselmo of heavy drug use and Anselmo famously saying in a 2004 interview with Metal Hammer that Dimebag "deserves to be beaten severely."
Essentially the sentiment was that if Pantera never broke up, Damageplan would've never formed, and Dimebag would've never been shot. Now in a new interview with Gibson TV, Pantera bassist Rex Brown said he disagrees that Anselmo caused Dimebag's death, saying the shooter had already made his decision on what to do and would've made his move regardless.
"[Vinnie] would not have anything to do with Phil — period," Rex said. "He thought that that was the reason his brother was dead. I disagree with that. I think this was a nut that had already been out there planning and premeditating whatever move he was gonna make."
Pantera is currently Anselmo and Brown alongside Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante and Black Label Society guitarist Zakk Wylde. Pantera's coming live dates are as follows.
12/6/22 – Monterrey, Mexico – Monterrey Metal Fest
12/9/22 – Bogotá, Colombia – Knotfest Colombia
12/11/22 – Santiago, Chile – Knotfest Chile
12/12/22 – Santiago, Chile – Movistar Arena
12/15/22 – São Paulo, Brazil – Vibra São Paulo
12/18/22 – São Paulo, Brazil – Knotfest Brazil
5/26/23 – Sofia, Bulgaria – Armeets Arena
5/27/23 – Bucharest, Romania – Metalhead Meeting Open Air Festival
5/30/23 – Budapest, Hungary – Barba Negra
5/31/23 – Vienna, Austria – Gasometer
6/2-4/23 – Nürburgring, Germany – Rock Am Ring
6/2-4/23 – Nürnberg, Germany – Rock Im Park
6/5/23 – Lodz, Poland – Atlas Arena
6/8-10/23 – Hyvinkää, Finland – Rockfest
6/10/23 – Sölvesborg, Sweden – Sweden Rock Festival
6/12/23 – Prague, Czech Republic – O2 Arena
6/13/23 – Berlin, Germany – Verti Music Hall
6/15/23 – Copenhagen, Denmark – Copenhell
6/15-18/23 – Dessel, Belgium – Graspop Metal Meeting
6/21/23 – Hamburg, Germany – Edel Optics
6/22-24/23 – Oslo, Norway – Tons Of Rock
Pantera will also tour with Metallica in 2023 and 2024 at one of the very many dates below alongside Mammoth WVH.
8/4/23 – East Rutherford NJ – MetLife Stadium [Tickets]
8/11/23 – Montreal QC – Stade Olympique [Tickets]
8/18/23 – Arlington TX – AT&T Stadium [Tickets]
8/25/23 – Inglewood CA – SoFi Stadium [Tickets]
9/1/23 – Glendale AZ – State Farm Stadium [Tickets]
10/3/23 – St. Louis MO – The Dome at America’s Center [Tickets]
10/10/23 – Detroit MI – Ford Field [Tickets]
5/24/24 – Munich DE – Olympiastadion
6/7/24 – Helsinki FI – Olympic Stadium
6/14/24 – Copenhagen DK – Parken Stadium
7/5/24 – Warsaw PL – PGE Narodowy
7/12/24 – Madrid ES – Estadio Cívitas Metropolitano
8/2/24 – Foxborough MA – Gillette Stadium [Tickets]
8/9/24 – Chicago IL – Soldier Field [Tickets]
8/16/24 – Minneapolis MN – US Bank Stadium [
