24.05.2026 Pantera

Deutsche Bank Park, Frankfurt (Germany)

Next up on the program at Deutsche Bank Arena in Frankfurt was Pantera. Because singer Phil Anselmo is known for performing barefoot, the crew first rolled out a whole collection of carpets across the stage. Right on time at 19:00, the sounds of “Regular People” and “In Heaven (Lady in the Radiator Song)” began to play, accompanied by a slideshow of photos of the band members from all eras of their now 45‑year, very turbulent history.
Originally starting out as a glam metal band, Pantera shifted towards groove metal with thrash and heavy metal influences after Anselmo joined. Their groundbreaking, genre‑defining moment came with the release of their 1992 album “Vulgar Display Of Power”. Naturally, the show kicked off with “A New Level,” setting the tone for a setlist heavily built around this masterpiece. Besides Anselmo, only founding member and bassist Rex Brown remains from the early days. Brown, like guitarist Zakk Wylde, made full use of the circular stage, constantly engaging with the crowd. While Brown still carried a hint of the glam metal era in his appearance, Wylde with his unmistakable look and swirling mane was a striking contrast as he attacked his strings with ferocity. Between songs, Anselmo repeatedly addressed the audience with short remarks, and the crowd hung on every word. The atmosphere was boiling from the very first second, with multiple pits opening up in the crowd. By this point, the arena was nearly full, a testament to the significance of this performance.
Drummer Charlie Benante followed a similar concept to Gojira on Friday: two identical drum kits were set up on opposite sides of the stage, and he switched between them halfway through the set so everyone in the stadium could watch him work up close. His base drums were decorated with images of the tragically late founding members Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul. A tribute to the two came during “Cemetery Gates,” with photos and short video clips of them displayed on the screens. But before things could get too sentimental, the band unleashed the next heavy hitter: “5 Minutes Alone” from the 1994 album “Far Beyond Driven”. Slowly, they built toward the climax which was the iconic “Cowboys from Hell” from the 1990 album of the same name. During that the entire floor turned into a massive, moving sea of bodies, and even the stands couldn’t stay still anymore. Everyone sang along at full volume, and it was genuinely disappointing when the band had to leave the stage after their allotted 60 minutes.
Wow, what a demolition job! Even though Pantera don’t personally resonate with me for various reasons, I have to admit without hesitation that this performance deserves an A+ with distinction. After the deaths of the Abbott brothers and Anselmo’s conflict with them, which led to the band’s breakup in 2003, a reunion had seemed impossible. But in 2022, Anselmo and Rex Brown came together again, and with Zakk Wylde and Charlie Benante as fitting replacements, Pantera’s reunion became reality. I had seen them briefly at Graspop 2023, but that was nothing compared to this night. For the crowd in the stadium, it was clear that Pantera secured the second‑best performance of the day and of the entire weekend right behind Metallica, and only by a narrow margin. It was unbelievable how effortlessly the band controlled the audience.