Review and Photos by Fred Kuhlman
Promoter: Live Nation (https://www.livenation.com/ )
Venue: Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre (https://www.facebook.com/TalkingStickResortAmphitheatre/ )
Date: Tuesday August 26th, 2025
Tour: The Heaviest Tour of the Summer
It was a hot muggy night in Phoenix, Arizona. The night before (Monday August 25th) we had one of the worst dust storms in the area for the last 10 years. It was so bad they shut down the airport. Usually after a big dust storm and the rain that comes with it, we have a day of cooler weather and no new storms. Well, the temperature did go down to the low 100s (10-degree drop) but around show time, we started to see cloud lightening in the distance. The first two bands went off without any issues. But as we walked down to the pit area to photograph Pantera, we started to see the wind pick up and the lightening get a little closer. As we were shooting the third song, I started to feel rain drops starting to fall on me. The venue is an outdoor site, with half seating and half open lawn area. Now there is a metal cover over the seated area, the pit and the stage but still a few drops were starting to fall on us. All of a sudden after the third song was done, the band started to leave the stage. We were ushered out of the pit and back to the trailer which is our staging area. As we were walking out, the rain really started to come down. We then heard that the concert was being delayed and that everyone must vacate the venue and go out to their cars because of the heavy rain and lightning. By the time I got to the trailer, both my camera equipment and I were soaked. Given that it was already 9:20 and there is a curfew of 11PM at the venue, I wasn’t sure if the band would be coming back out. With the way the rain was coming down, I figured that the stage and pit area would be soaked and that with all of the electrical equipment, they might just call it a night. So, I made the decision to leave. As I and everyone else was walking out, it started to rain even harder. By the time I got to my car, even my underwear was soaked. Well, the storm was fast moving and just after 10PM they decided to call everyone back inside the venue and Pantera completed their set. I want to give Pantera a lot of credit for coming back out under these conditions and giving the fans a great show. From what I heard from my friends that did stay, Pantera was outstanding. I am sorry I left and did not get to see the rest of Pantera’s performance.
The first band up was King Parrot an Australian grindcore band formed in Melbourne in 2010. They consist of lead singer Matthew “Youngy” Young, lead guitarist Ari “Mr. White” White, rhythm guitarist Andrew “Squiz” Livingstone-Squires, bass player Wayne “Auntie Slatts” Slattery and drummer Max Dangerfield. Being the first band up, they only got about 30 minutes. In that time, they performed 7 songs the majority from their first 2 albums. They did play a new song, “Target Pig Elite” from their upcoming album: A Young Person’s Guide to King Parrot. They were ok for a metal band, but I could have done without Wayne taking his shirt off. I understand it was hot, but he really does not have the body to be shirtless.
Finally, it was time for Viking Metal with Amon Amarth. For a long time, Sweden was only known as the home of ABBA. Then about 30 years ago, a number of metal bands started coming out of Sweden. Today there are a number of my favorite metal bands from there: Sabaton, Hammerfall, Opeth, GHOST, Arch Enemy, Avatar and Amon Amarth.
Amon Amarth is made up of lead vocalist and front man Johan Hegg, lead guitarist Olavi Mikkonen, rhythm guitarist Johan Söderberg bass player Ted Lundström and drummer Jocke Wallgren. From the first song, Johan Hegg commanded the stage as he moved from side to side belting out the lyrics. Both Jocke and Ted laid down the heart pound groove for each song. Add in the guitar playing and power riffs of Olavi and Johan Söderberg and we got a full spectrum of fantastic heavy metal music. Amon Amarth is straight up a metal Viking band. The majority of their song all evolve around Viking mythology and tales. You can see this from their setlist below.
During “Put Your Back Into the Oar”, Johan Hegg usually has the fans all sit on the ground and act like they are rowing one of the Viking boats. But due to the seats, all he could do was ask the fans to row in their seats. If you ever get to see this in a general admission venue, it is truly impressive to see thousands of fans all sitting on the ground and rowing. They ended their set with one of my favorite songs, “Twilight of the Thunder God”.
Some day I hope to see Amon Amarth as a headliner so I can see them perform a full set of their amazing songs. Just seeing Amon Amarth is worth the ticket price on this tour.
Finally, it was time for the headliner on this tour, Pantera. The original lineup of Pantera (at least from 1986) was singer and front man Phil Anselmo, bass player Rex Brown, drummer Vinnie Paul and the amazing guitarist Dimebag Darrell. However, Vinnie died in 2018 and Dimebag died in 2004. So, for a number of years Pantera did not tour. In 2022 they reformed and started touring with drummer Charlie Benante and guitarist extraordinaire Zakk Wylde. Due to some fascist remarks and “Hitler Salute” by Phil Anselmo, their shows in Germany and Austria were cancelled in 2023. In early 2025 they arena and stadium tour with Metallica.
Many people seemed to have issues with Zakk replacing Dimebag and that Zakk could not play like Dimebag. Personally, I had no issue with Zakk’s performance. To me during the 1st 3 songs, Zakk did a great job of sounding like Dimebag.
I have provided the social media links for all of the bands. You can find out more information about each band and when they will be performing in a city near you. If you love great metal music, then this is one of the great metal tours of the summer.
Pantera Social Media sites:
Website: https://pantera.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Pantera/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/panteraofficial/
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/pantera
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@pantera
Photos © Fred Kuhlman 2025, All Rights Reserved
Amon Amarth Social Media sites:
Website: https://www.amonamarth.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amonamarth
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amonamarth/
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@AmonAmarthOfficial
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amonamarthband
Photos © Fred Kuhlman 2025, All Rights Reserved
King Parrot Social Media sites:
Website: https://kingparrot.net/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kingparrotband/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kingparrotband/
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@KINGPARROTBAND
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kingparrotband
Photos © Fred Kuhlman 2025, All Rights Reserved
Pantera Setlist:
Suicide Note Pt. II
Hellbound
5 Minutes Alone
(Last song before the venue goes into shelter in place due to lightning and rain.)
(Rain delay – Show begins again at 10:05)
Strength Beyond Strength
Goddamn Electric (Phil plays solo, but audio is muted for solo.)
Becoming (With “Throes of Rejection” outro)
10’s
I’ll Cast a Shadow
Cowboys From Hell
A New Level
Walk
(with Max Cavalera) (Phil Rind, Amon Amarth, and King Parrot singing the chorus before and after guitar solo)
Domination / Hollow
Fucking Hostile
Amon Amarth Setlist:
Guardians of Asgaard
Shield Wall
The Pursuit of Vikings
Deceiver of the Gods
Put Your Back Into the Oar
We Rule the Waves
The Way of Vikings
Raise Your Horns
Twilight of the Thunder God
King Parrot Setlist: (Album)
Bozo (Bite Your Head Off)
Disgrace Yourself (Ugly Produce)
Target Pig Elite (A Young Person’s Guide To Kin Parrot)
Psychotherapy and Valium (Bite Your Head Off)
Shit on the Liver (Bite Your Head Off)
Hell Comes Your Way (Dead Set)
Home Is Where The Gutter Is (Dead Set)
