Pantera – Target Center – Minneapolis MN – August 7th 2025

Live Nation and Target Center present Pantera with special guests Amon Amarth and King Parrot on August 7th 2025

Review and photos by Kyle Hansen

Opening the night for Pantera and Amon Amarth is no small task, but King Parrot came out swinging proving once again why they’re one of the most volatile and unrelenting live acts in extreme metal.

Taking the stage right at 7:00 PM, the Australian grindcore outfit wasted no time getting under the skin of the audience — in the best possible way. They opened with “Bozo,” immediately setting the tone with frantic riffing, chaotic tempo shifts, and the unmistakable snarl of frontman Matt Young. Shirtless, wide-eyed, and stomping across the stage like a man possessed, Young had the crowd laughing, cringing, and headbanging all at once.

The energy didn’t let up. “Psychotherapy and Valium” and “Get What Ya Given” kept the pit churning, even if the arena hadn’t fully filled out yet. Their unapologetically abrasive sound stood in stark contrast to the polished headliners, but that’s what made their set so vital — it was raw, gritty, and absurdly fun.

Highlights included “Shit on the Liver”, which Young introduced with a typically deranged rant about Minneapolis cuisine, and “Hell Comes Your Way”, which saw a solid portion of the early crowd throwing up horns and even a few crowd surfers—rare for an opening set.

Technically, the band was on point: drummer Todd Hansen’s blast beats were sharp and relentless, and guitarist Ari White’s riffs sliced through the mix despite the arena’s occasionally muddy acoustics.

While the sound wasn’t perfect — a bit too bass-heavy early on — the sheer force of King Parrot’s stage presence more than compensated. Young’s interactions with the audience, including heckling a guy in the front row for wearing a Nickelback shirt, gave the set a punk-like unpredictability that’s missing from a lot of modern metal shows.

By the time they closed with “Fuck You and the Horse You Rode In On,” the crowd was fully locked in, chanting along and grinning through the chaos.

As the second act of the night, following the chaos of King Parrot, Amon Amarth took the stage like Viking warlords descending upon a conquered land. From the moment the curtain dropped to reveal towering longboat sails and a drum kit shaped like a Norse war hammer, it was clear this wasn’t just a concert — it was a battlefield.

They opened with “Guardians of Asgaard,” and the energy in the arena shifted instantly. The crowd roared, fists shot into the air, and rows of fans began rowing in the pit, creating the signature “Viking ship” mosh pit the band has made a global phenomenon. Frontman Johan Hegg stood front and center, horn held high, his deep growls echoing like a god from the sagas.

The sound was thunderous but sharp — no muddiness, just power. “Shield Wall” and “The Pursuit of Vikings” followed, complete with synchronized pyrotechnics and LED screens flashing battle imagery in sync with the beat. The dual guitars of Olavi Mikkonen and Johan Söderberg weaved seamlessly through melodic leads and crushing rhythm.

Mid-set, Johan raised a horn and gave a toast “to the warriors of Minneapolis,” before launching into “Raise Your Horns” — a highlight of the night. Thousands of metalheads held drinks aloft and bellowed the chorus in unison. It felt more like a Nordic ritual than a concert.

The real jaw-dropper came during “Put Your Back into the Oar.” The whole mosh pit got on the floor and pretend to put their back into the oar.

The setlist :

1. Guardians of Asgaard

2. Shield Wall

3. The Pursuit of Vikings

4. Deceiver of the Gods

5. Put Your Back Into the Oar

6. We Rule the Waves

7. Raise Your Horns

8. Twilight of the Thunder God

Every member was locked in, from drummer Jocke Wallgren’s relentless double-kick barrage to the tight harmonies that gave melodic breath to the brutality. And even with all the theatrics, it never felt overblown — just epically immersive.

By the time they closed the set, the Target Center felt like it had been baptized in mead and fire. Fans streamed out sweaty, smiling, and half-convinced they’d time-traveled to Valhalla.

Amon Amarth didn’t just play a set — they led a raid. Precision, power, and pageantry combined to deliver one of the most memorable metal performances Minneapolis has seen in years.

It’s not every night that a band walks on stage with the weight of history pressing on their shoulders — but on August 7, 2025, at the Target Center, Pantera didn’t just carry that weight. They weaponized it.

As the arena lights dimmed and the distorted opening strains of “Hellbound” growled to life, the crowd erupted like a volcano — a roaring blend of nostalgia, adrenaline, and fury. The reformed Pantera lineup has been polarizing on paper, but live? There’s no denying it: they deliver.

Phil Anselmo, weathered but raging, stalked the stage with the presence of a man who still means every word he growls. His voice wasn’t flawless — it’s rougher, darker, soaked in time — but it fit. Every scream sounded earned. Every lyric landed like a fist to the chest.

Zakk Wylde, filling Dimebag’s impossible shoes, honored the late legend with a ferocious blend of reverence and chaos. His takes on “Mouth of War” and “Becoming” weren’t replicas — they were homages, infused with Wylde’s signature squeals, yet never losing the soul of Dime’s original fire.

Behind the kit, Charlie Benante (Anthrax) brought sharpness and explosive speed to Vinnie Paul’s iconic grooves. The breakdowns in “Walk” and “5 Minutes Alone” were seismic — you could feel them in your bones.

The setlist was a masterclass in metal history:

1. Hellbound

2. 5 Minutes Alone

3. Strength Beyond Strength

4. Mouth of War

5. Goddamn Electric

6. Becoming

7. I’m Broken

8. 10’s

9. I’ll Cast A Shadow

10. This Love

11. Cowboys From Hell

12. A New Level

13. Walk
14. Dominion/Hollow
15. Fucking Hostile

The emotional peak hit during “This Love,” with fans shouting along like it was still 1992. Then came “Domination / Hollow” — dedicated to Dime and Vinnie — with a stunning visual montage playing behind them. More than a few fans were visibly emotional, caught in the collision of celebration and mourning.

But “Cowboys From Hell” sealed the night — a final, raging stampede that turned the floor into a riot of fists, hair, and catharsis.

This wasn’t a tribute show. It wasn’t a cover band. It was Pantera — reimagined, recharged, and still dangerous. Whether you went in skeptical or diehard, you walked out bruised, moved, and thunderstruck.