Pantera Hit Heavy At The Target Center
August brings the heat and humidity to Minnesota, Pantera was a most perfect fiery finale to the first week of the month. Wasn’t too long ago the band was welcome to the Twin Cities. Thankfully I had the opportunity to see them at the surprise First Ave performance last year on August 15th before seeing them immediately the next day for their big kahuna of a show at U.S. Bank when they opened for Metallica. Absolutely fantastic shows with stellar audience participation, knew they wouldn't be gone for long.
This time as headliners, Pantera brought two killer bands along for the ride; 2010-founded King Parrot from Australia, plus Swedish legends, Amon Amarth.
Having secured the most important and highly coveted $1-an-hour metered parking spot, made my way to Modist Brewing to meet with fellow TCM photographer + writer, James Perovich for a chat and beer before moseying over to the Target Center. If you are looking for a fantastic pint with an HVAC system that doesn’t quit, make sure it’s your next stop while over in that part of town. Actually, make a special trip. The Teal Label IPAs are worth it. And you’ll be comfortable sipping your brew in crisp actually working AC.
Time for Target.
About a ten minute jaunt, hybrid of construction dodging and skyway walking, made it with plenty of time to relax before the first performance. Been a hot minute since seeing a show or game at TC, and really enjoy the layout. Great beer choices, clean restrooms, and friendly staff. What else could a gal want? Well…Maybe a few bucks LESS clams per beer, but will let that slide since seems every arena and festival is charging $15-20 for a tallboy these days. Ooof. Let the wallets scream. Talked with a few fellow concert goers before King Parrot, nice variety of middle-olds like myself mixing with parents bringing their kids. For a midweek show and opening band, great turnout. Target was about a third full already when the music started. Not being familiar with their songs, was easy to get into the groove with such an interactive singer. Being the first support for a show like this is a mighty undertaking. King Parrot knocked it out of the park. Even though they had a small footprint on the stage with all the fun accessories Amon Amarth brings, the members used it to the fullest.
Not a greenhorn to the metal scene, Amon Amarth is one of a handful of bands I almost never miss when they are in town. They have been shredding since 1992, so have toured a few times. They have it all and more. Sick riffs, addictive and intricate melodies, badass stage props and pyro, and a die hard fanbase that makes every show electric. A pair of giant looming statues with glowing eyes guarded the two sides of the stage, the drummer nestled in a horned helmet adorned in Norse symbolism with an LED display for the eyes (and yes it changes and interacts with the crowd and song changes.) Oh, and two armor-clad knights come out and have full fights on-stage with swords, occasionally coming back out to interact with their audience and wave Amon Amarth flags. Lead vocalist Johan Hegg was just excellent, of course interacting with the costumed characters throughout his performance like a Broadway play. The band is seasoned so exquisitely in their ability to balance a truly theatrical performance with every pesky variable that can inhabit a metal show.
When you have a song that’s called “Put Your Back Into The Oar,” you gotta get to rowing. A few years ago when they were at Fillmore, I took a sick video that got some viral traction of the ENTIRE floor doing the seated rowing together. Again, their fan-base is awesome. You know how gross the floor of a show can get. During their Target Center attempt last night, a decent chunk of the audience got down and dirty. Being a bit of a larger space than Fillmore, wasn’t everyone, but still a fine attempt.
Warmed up and ready to go, the crowd was no less than amped for Pantera’s set to start. An immense black flag emblazened with bold red PANTERA was dropped from the ceiling to cover the stage right after Amon Amarth finished up. Gotta keep some razzle dazzle in showbiz, I love a big reveal. The venue was a flurry of people by that time. The floor and front rail was getting mighty congested. Saw a few fighters from King Parrot’s opening set still clinging on to the bar. That was one of my favorite things during highschool to try and do. Get front row for all the bands, holding out to see all of your favorite musicians up close and personal. Takes dedication, solid bladder control, and the ability to ignore the constant squishy sweaty bodies ping ponging into you. Alas, that is not my path tonight. My comfy seat would only be used for a hot minute. Once our beloved headliner started everyone sprung up like a field of metalhead jack-in-the-boxes to fully revel.
Starting out their set with an assortment of videos including members of the band who have sadly passed, the desperately missed drummer Vinnie Paul and guitarist extraordinaire, Dimebag Darrel. Lead vocalist Phil Anselmo also made mention of their fellow musicians sad absence, reiterating that this is “all for them.” The crowd thundered back in a roar of agreement. For as much as music is a salve for the listener, it is of course an equal healer for the player. Five songs from 1992 album “Vulgar Display of Power” were stacked into the setlist, four from 1996’s “Far Beyond Driven,” the 90s will never and should never leave. Embodying their own self-popularized style of groove metal feels as natural as snow in winter. Frosted over hard and fast when you need it, chill and smooth lazy river riding the next. A vigorous kid on the main floor was holding up a neon poster, revealing it was their first show and on the reverse side, asking for it to be signed. You could see the band noticed the first few songs, but the kid wasn’t giving up. During a moment of downtime before the another song began, still seeing the determined bobbing posterboard make its way throughout the amorous pit. Anselmo gave a smart and stern retort of “No. Don’t bother me at work kid” The crowd laughed, and he followed with a “just kidding” and a warm smile. I get it. If you want stuff signed, great try, but agree with the singer’s retort and not starting the “give a mouse a cookie” precedence at every concert. Stopping a show to sign memorabilia isn’t a good standard to set.
Wouldn’t be a Pantera show without a few more jams peppered in from a few other big records of theirs’, ending their main performance with the infamous rage fuel “Cowboys From Hell.” But of course, they were not done quite yet. Peek-a-boo, encore o’clock. Tis rare a band doesn’t do one when the energy is at 11. Four more songs, too, including “Walk.” Pantera was spine-tingling on. After having seen them not even a year before, a big venue was great and a small one was divine. Target Center was just right.
Photography by James Perovich.
