A new version of Pantera kicked off late last year in celebration of the lives of late band members “Dimebag” Darrell Abbott and Vinnie Paul. The reformed lineup features Black Label Society/longtime Ozzy guitarist Zakk Wylde and Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante alongside Pantera mainstays, vocalist Philip Anselmo and bassist Rex Brown.
And while the idea of a reformed Pantera polarized some metal fans, reviews of the band’s shows have been overwhelmingly positive.
Pantera were scheduled to perform two German festivals in June at Rock Am Ring and Rock Im Park. However, festival promoters have booted Pantera from both bills following an outcry over Anselmo’s previous remarks.
“The band Pantera will not perform at Rock Im Park and Rock Am Ring 2023 as announced,” said the Rock Am Ring and Rock Im Park organizers on Twitter in identical statements.
The backlash comes from when Anselmo made a N*zi-style salute when he performed at the 2016 “Dimebash” show in Hollywood. He also appeared to say “wh*te power” as he made the gesture, but the singer said he was joking about drinking white wine backstage. He later apologized.
Rock Am Ring takes place in Nürnberg where N*zi party rallies were held between 1933 and 1938.
The German Green Party told show organizers and the Nürnberg city council that Anselmo “repeatedly and deliberately made N*zi gestures and yelled r*cist slogans.”
Réka Lörincz, the spokeswoman for the Greens against r*cism and right-wing extremism, added that “the former N*zi party premises” were “being deliberately misused for the staging and reproduction of r*cist and inhuman ideology.”
The Green Party asked organizers of the concerts to reconsider having Pantera perform. The two shows are the largest annual music festival in Germany and remain one of the largest in the world.
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