Concert review: Pantera w/ Amon Amarth & King Parrot | 09.06.25, Hollywood Casino Amphitheater (with photo gallery)

Photo of Pantera’s Phil Anselmo by Laura Jerele

Pantera rolled into St. Louis and absolutely shook the Hollywood Casino Amphitheater to its core. The weather was perfect, the crowd was massive, and the energy there felt like the return of something legendary. People have been waiting for this, commenting how long it’s been since they visited our fair city, so fans showed up early to get as much out of this heavy metal Saturday night as they could. You could feel the buzz walking in, waiting in line, making their way to their seats, like everyone knew this was going to be one of those shows you tell stories about later.

With old school showmanship at its finest, there was a long and dramatic intro complete with a huge Pantera-logoed curtain shielding the view of the stage, which dropped just as they began to play. Massive sound hit us like a wall of volume! The band came out swinging hard with their very trademark, very heavy riffs that hit you right in the chest. Lead singer Phil Anselmo was locked in from the start, snarling into the mic like he hasn’t missed a step. He is so commanding on stage, pacing back and forth and owning the entire amphitheater, all while dressed in nothing more than shorts, a t-shirt, and bare feet. Somehow that just made it feel even more raw, like he did not need anything flashy to have the crowd in the palm of his hand. Rex Brown’s bass was super heavy and felt like it thundered through the amphitheater. The newest blood holding it down are the legendary and phenomenal Zakk Wylde on guitar and Charlie Benante on drums, and both were flat out incredible. They played with so much heart and so much respect for the legacy of Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul. It’s worth noting here that it did not feel like anyone was trying to replace them, it felt like Zakk and Charlie were truly playing their part in keeping the fire burning the way it deserves to be. 

Speaking of fire, there was certainly a lot of it. Flames shot up into the night sky (errr, more like that back of the stage, but that doesn’t sound as dramatic), lighting the stage and the faces of thousands of screaming, headbanging and moshing fans. It felt more like a giant heavy metal ritual than just a concert. Every riff was heavier than the last, every chorus had the crowd screaming along, and at times it honestly felt like the entire place was shaking under the weight of it all.

By the time the night wrapped up, it was clear Pantera is still Pantera. A version maybe not the same without the legendary brothers, but hats off to the four men on the stage tonight giving tribute without feeling like anything other than the real deal. They were friends. They were fans. They are together bringing something special to make sure this music lives on, and not in a small way. The music lives on, the power is still there, and the legacy of the brothers is alive in every note. It was the kind of show that makes you proud to be a fan and lucky to be in the crowd on a night like that. Perfect weather, massive turnout, fire in the sky, circle pits and riffs so heavy they will still be rattling around in your bones tomorrow. That was Pantera at Riverport—”RE! SPECT! WALK!”

Openers for the night were Amon Amarth and King Parrot. Amon Amarth hit he stage like an army charging into battle, and their set was nothing short of epic with huge—HUGE—statues flanking both sides of the stage, massive drum riser, and lights galore! Viking metal already has this larger-than-life feel, but seeing it live takes it to another level and it’s nothing short of catchy. It’s quite amazing to see live because the visuals are dramatic, so metal. Not Spinal Tap metal, but genuine metal-metal!  Johan Hegg’s growls boomed across the amphitheater like some kind of war cry, and the whole crowd leaned into it, fists pumping like we were all part of the battle charge. It was heavy, it was dramatic, and it was impossible to look away.

King Parrot, on the other hand, came out like a shot of pure chaos and speed. Their set was furious, loud, and relentless in the best way possible. It felt like they were trying to cram as much energy into every second as humanly possible, and honestly, they pulled it off. Riffs flying, drums blasting, vocals tearing through the night—it was the kind of set that left you a little dizzy but grinning ear to ear. They did not waste a single moment on stage, and by the time they were done, it felt like the crowd had just been run over by a freight train made of pure speed metal. | Laura Jerele

Let’s look at the Pantera setlist, shall we?

Suicide Note Pt. II
Hellbound
5 Minutes Alone
Strength Beyond Strength
Mouth for War
Goddamn Electric
Becoming
I’m Broken
10’s
I’ll Cast a Shadow
This Love
Cowboys From Hell
Encore:
A New Level
Walk
Domination / Hollow
Fucking Hostile