Pantera’s return to Glasgow’s OVO Hydro was A Vulgar Display of Cowboys from Hell, celebrating their legacy with unrelenting power. Zakk Wylde and Charlie Benante joined Phil and Rex for a night of pure metal fury.
Pantera are one of those genre defining bands who set the bar and also wreck it! Now, being a fan of the southern chaps since I had long hair and pimples and a Mars Bar only cost 20p but was the size of a house brick, it’s fair to say I’m very familiar with their catalogue of music. They are on rotation on my playlist! When I first heard they were going to be coming back, sans the Abbott Brothers, I was initially dead-against that. It did not take long to think about this more philosophically and when it was announced that Black Label Society’s Zakk Wyld and Charlie from Anthrax would be stealing into the cowboy boots, I was as easy with this new phase. And why not, bands move forward all the time and I think the right amount of time has passed to help with the healing process for Phil and Rex, although how does one get over such a traumatic loss as Dime who was stolen in the most heinous way?
Well tonight the setting is OVO Hydro, Glasgow’s premier arena venue for shows of a particular magnitude and with Pantera in town, this place is going to be filled to the gunnels and it was! However, I was immediately disappointed when a security officer informed me that there would be no photography permitted of the second band on tonight’s bill, Power Trip. No further information was given, despite enquiring as to why this was the case.
A cracking open at the Hydro tonight was Australia’s King Parrot who played to the Glasgow crowd with a fair bit of smut – the band’s walk on music was Kevin Bloody Wilson’s Cunt of a Day and we had a feast for the eyes as the portly bassist took his top off to reveal a fine figure of a man, all to the Glasgow audience giving it…” Here we, here we, here we fucking go”. It did not take too long for the fusion of Hardcore-Thrash and D-Beat to filter through the speakers. The guys played well and to me floated somewhere between Extreme Noise Terror and Slayer, although with high end register vocals which can dip to the low end with ease… Not an easy talent! It was my first time seeing these chaps and I hope it’s not the last.
As mentioned, Power Trip was a no-go, so I’ve nothing to report other than what I heard coming from the doors which sounded good…End report. By the end of Power Trip’s set, those checking out the merch and scanning up started to rush to get to their spot within the seats or standing. The time had arrived for Pantera. As all the photographers stood in the pit, waiting for the show to begin, Zakk, with something on his face that made him look like WWF’s The Ultimate Warrior, came running out for backstage, into the pit. Phone in hand, he took a moment to make a few high-fives and say hello to the folks at the barrier. An energetic Zakk ran up and down to the screams of fans…Those behind who could not see, wondering what was going on. It’s touches like that that make the show for so many. And like that, the lights were low, the massive banner was illuminated and dropped to the sound of the first song ‘A new Level’ which set the tone. Phill strode out on stage and did his thing, his vocals were superb, and the power and accuracy of the live performance was as every bit as good as the recordings which we’re all so familiar with. Rex, who is very understated and cool, held down the low end and looked like he was not going to break a sweat, his precision and timing and general awesomeness oozed from the stage like a ton bag of liquid Fonzie’s… I never saw Zakk’s face even once – his mop of hair constantly banging and swaying as he delivered the Pantera sound like only he can, all the while sounding just like Dime. It’s always hard to get a shot of Charlie on Drums. I shot Anthrax at the same venue a matter of weeks ago and I was hard pressed to see him over his kit. And speaking of the kit, the two bass drums both depicted the departed duo, Vinnie and Dime. Their portraits looked out over the guys and the audience in an almost approval of the unfolding new Pantera. And speaking of which…Will there be new music> in the pipeline? Only time will tell.
The time is now, the band is Pantera. You need to witness this musical explosion that showcases some of the greatest talents in the biz, coming together to pay homage to the music that paved the way for one of the most important bands in Thrash. You need to see this band as they are and experience the music. I have no doubt in my heart that both Dimebag and Vinnie would be proud of the evolution of the Pantera legacy.
Words and pictures: Stevie Oi! @gig_photography_glasgow