Pantera, Lamb of God, Child Bite
Sunday, August 6th, 2023
The Pavilion at Montage Mountain
Scranton, PA
Our Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Child Bite from Detroit, Michigan started the evenings festivities, with a manic fueled set of punk tinged metal which grabbed listeners attention however, I am not completely sure if it was the four pieces mixture of spastic stage moves and chaotic songs structure or if it was that they were actually enjoying what was being performed. Thankfully the set was brief and the minimal change over time made up for it as veteran Richmond, VA metalers Lamb of God would hit the stage next with a bombastic barrage of stacatoing guitars and rumbling double bass which shook the venue from front back and side to side as frontman Randy Blythe led the ever growing crowd through songs like “Walk With Me in Hell”, “Ruin” and, “Omens”. Blythe paused briefly during the 40 plus minute set to help energize the crowd and to elecit multiple sing-alongs which echoed throughout the mountainous venue. Before leaving the stage for the night the band dedicated their final song “Redneck” to the fallen Abbott brothers which garnered the loudest crowd response thus far.
As the closing notes rang out and with lingering pyro smoke still hanging in the air a giant banner emblazoned with the Pantera logo was dropped from the ceiling shielding the now tightly packed crowds view of the stage. With Clips of the bands “Vulgar Videos” showing on the sides screens and the band blasting through the PA, the curtain would be dropped as the band layed into a thunderous version of the song “A New Level” from the “Vulgar Display of Power” album. The band which now consists of founding members Phil Anselmo and Rex Brown has been completed with the addition of Anthrax’s Charlie Benanti on drums and Ozzy Osbourne/Black Label Society guitarist Zakk Wylde filling in for the dearly departed Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell. The band looked and sounded great as they flawlessly plowed through tracks such as “Mouth for War”, ” 5 minutes Alone” and “This Love” with reckless abandance and ease. On stage banter was kept to a minimum as the show seemed to be very regimented and only paused briefly allowing for Anselmo address the crowd with his signature gravely growl. The shows production was top knotch as it included tons of corresponding visuals, dual lighted CFH logos flanked both sides of the stage and a giant flaming Pantera sign hung high above the band. Anselmo may not jump and stalk the stage as he did in his younger years his performance he sounded really good and I think the lesser movement helped with that. Bassist Rex Brown popped his foot up on the monitors in his signature lanky pose like no time had passed at all. With easily the largest shoes to fill both Charlie Benanti and Zakk Wylde showed why they were the obvious choices for these jobs. Both players showcased their high level of musician ship by not only nailing the performance side of each song but also capturing a number of the nuances that both Abbott brothers were known for.
Though you can never replace the loss of the original members and the twenty two years since the bands last performance certainly have taken a toll in one way or another on the original two members however I can tell you that the bands current line and production captures nearly all the elements of the original with an air of aged perfection which fans both new and old will surely enjoy banging their head to. With lots of dates remaining you will surely want to catch this show if it comes to your town.
Lamb of God Setlist:
1.) Memento Mori
2.) Walk With Me in Hell
3.) Resurrection Man
4.) Now You’ve Got Something to Die For
5.) Ruin
6.) Ditch
7.) Omens
8.) Contractor
9.) Laid to Rest
10.) Redneck
Pantera Setlist:
1.) A New Level
2.) Mouth for War
3.) Strength Beyond Strength
4.) Becoming (w/ “Throes of Rejection” outro)
5.) I’m Broken (w/ “By Demons Be Driven” outro)
6.) Suicide Note Pt. II
7.) 5 Minutes Alone
8.) This Love
9.) Fucking Hostile
10.) Planet Caravan (Black Sabbath cover)
11.) Walk (with Child Bite)
12.) Domination / Hollow
13.) Cowboys From Hell
Encore:
14.) Yesterday Don’t Mean Shit (w/ “Stairway to Heaven” outro)
