PANTERA BLASTS LAS VEGAS WITH THE HEAVIEST TOUR OF THE SUMMER WITH AMON AMARTH AND KING PARROT

words/photos: Jo Anna Jackson/Stardogphotos
Sep 6
4 min read

PANTERA blasted through Vegas on their 'Heaviest Tour of the Summer' trek across the US, pummeling the crowd at the T-Mobile Arena with a fiery headbanging implosion. The tour also brought a varied line up with support from Amon Amarth, and King Parrot who got the night off to a hard hitting start.

King Parrot's brand of punk grindcore made for an aggressive start to the night, an Aussie band that has a second home at Anselmo's Housecore Records and was a great fit for this Pantera Tour. The band is a five piece with Matthew 'Youngy' Young on vocal, Ari White and Andrew Livingstone-Squires on guitar, Wayne Slattery on bass, and drummer Max Dangerfield. King Parrot is no new-metal-kid-on-the-block, the band has been together recording and touring since 2010, and have a new record, A Young Person's Guide to King Parrot, that was released earlier this year. King Parrot has is intense with a side of humor, and the revelry shone through in their Vegas set - in your face and a lot of fun. Check out more on King Parrot and the new Album HERE.

King Parrot "Target Pig Elite" from A Young Person's Guide to King Parrot

Ah, Amon Amarth. The death metal Vikings brought out all the stops (and props) for their set, Vikings and warriors and smoke and strobes and horns, and blasted us away with "Guardians of Asgaard", and really got the main floor moving and the hair flying over the barricade. The crowd screamed, and fists and horns filed the air for this opening anthem, and the pace never wavered. AA is a highly theatrical show that blasts your face off in the process, with vocalist Johan Hegg leading the masses yelling "we are Vikings", with the fans making it interactive, 'rowing' in the seats and throughout the main floor during "Put Your Back Into the Oar" and a frenzy of pits and fists for "Raise Your Horns".

Amon Amarth clearly is a legend in the genre, and seeing them on this grand stage with all the embellishments really was an amazing thing. The sheer energy was off the charts, with the crowd screaming and chanting and loving it all. "Twilight of the Thunder God" brought the set home, with Hegg bashing the stage with the hammer of Thor, to a resounding roar. Amon Amarth is not just a melodic metal show, it is an experience. Keep up with the Vikings HERE.

An enormous PANTERA banner stretched across the stage during the break, and the excitement rose in the venue with the anticipation of the main event. As "Suicide Note Pt. I" started to play, large video screens showed a rolling montage of early Pantera memories, the brothers Abbott, live stage clips and backstage antics, family and friends. The banner dropped, and the reunited Pantera slammed into "Suicide Note Pt. II", and the arena exploded in a melee of metal noise and bodies flying.

Phil Anselmo voiced "May they RIP", before continuing the carnage with "Hellbound", and the fans screamed so loud you could barely hear him lead. Standout moments came when Anselmo took Dime's legendary 'Dean from hell' guitar for "Goddamn Electric", and the crowd singing to "This Love" mid set. But the real insanity peaked with sky high pyro, massive pits and rolling bodies for "Cowboys From Hell", that created a climactic moment before the band exited the stage.

But the night was far from over. "A New Level" just reignited the energy, before Anselmo turned on the house lights and told the the crowd to sing, Zakk Wylde broke into the starting riff to "Walk", and the entire place nearly imploded. Amon Amarth and King Parrot members came back on stage for the chorus, and it was truly out of control and soooooo good. The night rolled to a ferocious close with "Domination/Hollow and finale "Fucking Hostile" to roars.

This reincarnation of Pantera hit the road with the first US dates in 2022, and it has been a debacle with the fans - it is not true 'Pantera' without Vinnie Paul and Dimebag, and it hurts to know they are not here. But watching the crowd on fire, and their genuine love for the songs, and the energy and pride in the music - for those that never got to see the original four live, it gives all of us a chance to celebrate and keep the music alive. Phil Anselmo and Rex Brown, along with Charlie Benante and Zakk Wylde, portray the power and aggression of Pantera, and make sure the brothers Abbott are a steadfast spotlight in the set. The players are different, but the message and memories remain. It was a real tribute and celebration.

This US Pantera tour extends through mid September, but they already have dates set in 2026. Keep us with news, merchandise, tour dates and more on Pantera HERE. Music on the Pantera YouTube Channel HERE.