On a chilly Thursday night, February 22nd, Pantera rocked New York City's Madison Square Garden like it was their backyard, marking their first-ever headline show there. The vibe was electric, packed with fans ready to headbang and pay homage to the legendary Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul, who were remembered in spirit throughout the night. Lamb of God warmed up the crowd earlier, setting the stage for an unforgettable evening.
Madison Square Garden, the epicenter of epic gigs, was buzzing with energy. The night kicked off with Child Bite, setting the tone, but when Lamb of God hit the stage, things got real. Randy Blythe, just a day past his 53rd birthday and still killing it nearly three decades in, led the charge. They ripped through a set that included bangers like “Memento Mori” and crowd-pleasers like “Walk With Me in Hell” and “Laid to Rest,” complete with pyro and Blythe’s signature leaps.
The crowd went nuts when Blythe brought out a birthday cake on stage, dedicating their final song, “Redneck,” to the late Dimebag and Vinnie Paul. It was a heartfelt moment that perfectly teed up the crowd for Pantera. As the clock struck 9:30 p.m., the screens lit up with clips of Pantera’s glory days, pumping the crowd up before the band smashed into “A New Level.” Philip Anselmo and Rex Brown, alongside Zakk Wylde and Charlie Benante, tore through a set of classics that felt like a tribute to their own legacy.
Anselmo was all heart, soaking in the love from the crowd and giving it back tenfold, especially when he remembered Dimebag and Vinnie. The emotional peak was during “Floods,” with a video tribute that had everyone feeling the brotherhood that made Pantera iconic.
“Walk” was a standout, with Anselmo joking it's the one song everyone knows. The stage turned into a party, with Randy Blythe, some of the Child Bite crew, a bunch of kids, and even a trick bicyclist joining in.
After blasting through hits like “Domination/Hollow” and “Cowboys From Hell,” Pantera wrapped up the night with a fiery encore of “Fucking Hostile.” It was bittersweet seeing Pantera without the Abbott brothers, but the spirit was there, with Anselmo and Brown leading the charge and Wylde and Benante filling in seamlessly.
As Pantera’s tour winds down, with a final stop in Quebec City on February 27th, the buzz is far from over. They’ve got more gigs lined up with Metallica this summer, and Lamb of God is hitting the road with Mastodon. The show at Madison Square Garden wasn’t just a concert; it was a gathering of the metal tribe, celebrating the legacy of Pantera in the coolest way possible.
