RevDrucifer
Well-known member
I was definitely anxious for this, but wasn’t sure how much I was going to dig it at the actual show. While I’ve got no problems with this tour, I suppose I figured worst case scenario I’d be hearing some songs I love played at arena volume with a couple of my biggest influences involved. Well, within about 3 seconds of the first song I was fucking ecstatic.
LoG killed it, as they always do. That was probably the 7th-9th time I’ve seen them, starting 18 years ago in the same venue on Gigantour. I dunno how that band just stays consistent like that. Seeing Mark Morton jumping around now with his new-found health/sobriety was pretty cool. Randy must hold the title for most jumps off a drum riser of any frontman ever and that dude won’t be able to walk in his older age.
The thing I was curious about the most was if it was going to feel like it did when I saw Pantera back in the day. Some stuff can be done to recreate that, drum samples, sound effects, stage lights, but not much else. I’m not sure I’ve felt that kind of energy at an arena show since the last time I saw Pantera in ‘01. Metallica at the Garden might be the only show that I could realistically compare.
The audience going apeshit, screaming louder than the PA (which as fucking LOUD), the sound of those drums booming across the arena, that snare reverb traveling up in the rafters, the wave of volume from the audience singing, that’s the shit that made me happy.
Before you even get to inside the venue, you know what this tour is about. Walking into the venue from the parking lot you just hear stories about Pantera, Vinnie, Dime, people’s first time hearing them, meeting them, watching the home videos, the time they saw them on this tour and that tour, etc. As an actual fan of the band, it was really fucking nice to have a few hours where I got to talk Pantera without all the auxiliary bullshit like “doing it for the money” or “Phil’s racist” or “Dime had a confederate flag guitar”, just people talking about why they loved the band as much as they do, because the fucking music.
Setlist was killer, everything I expected…..and then they fucking played this-
I was already stoked with Zakk, he’s put his time in with the solos and delivered them about 90%-95%. When they started “Floods” I was thinking “Man, I really hope he put time in on this one” and aside from a couple tiny things that I didn’t even notice at the show, he brought it. My only gripe with him was his tone just ain’t cuttin’ it, literally. Too mushy and too much distortion. That probably works with his guitars tuned up, but can be so much better than what it is. The noise gate and Whammy ain’t enough.
I was glad to see Rex playing nothing but Spector’s all night. You can’t play fucking Pantera songs on a fucking Firebird bass when you’re actually IN fucking Pantera. Would have preferred the Ampegs onstage but at least there was some resemblance of his original tone going on.
Phil was outstanding. That dude hasn’t sounded that good since the early fucking 90’s, which is pretty damn impressive considering all he’s done to himself. That’s gotta take some serious restraint on his part to not just go for it, which is pretty much what he’s done his entire career.
I know I’m damn well looking forward to hearing “Floods” in a stadium this August!
One thing I definitely noticed, nothing of the band’s fault, but PA systems have gotten so much more hi-fi in recent years. There’s definitely an aspect of arena shows in the 90’s, with not quite as much clarity on everything, that I find charming looking back.
