Death/Pantera Tribute Show at Churchill's Tonight

Dimebag Darrell, a good dude.

​Over the past couple of years, tribute shows have kind of become a staple of Churchill's programming. And I'll admit that at first I thought of them as a kitschy attempt to fill slots. But more and more, the whole tribute show thing seems to be a better and better idea.

First, you have local outfits who get to play live, which is what bands want. Secondly, fans of the music receiving tribute get to hear familiar songs while experiencing new local crews. Thirdly, the bar gets you drunk and Dave stays happy.

A win-win situation if you ask me.

For this tribute show, the organizers have decided to honor legendary Florida outfit Death and Pantera. And to make your night one long and heshing affair, they've selected a handful of like-minded-in-metal individuals to hand out the auditory slaughter.

Chuck, death metal's daddy

​Among the dominant themes of this particular tribute is the senseless early passing of both Pantera's Dimebag Darrell and Death's Chuck Schuldiner. One from a fanatical gun-toting moron and the other from the sad state of healthcare in this country. While their metal legacies will never be denied, I can only hope that we as fans can reflect upon their loss and make good for people in general who'll unfortunately face similar ills.

So tonight, you'll have the repercussions-be-damned histrionics of Darkarma, the steeped-in-mythology darkness of Warrick, the community activism of Blowtorch Sodomy, the vegan-friendly Meat Gayzor, and Brutal Mastication's little brother Masticator leading the charge through what should be a fun-filled evening communing with some metal legends.

But don't forget, tribute show or not, Dimebag Darrell and Chuck Schuldiner's legacies reach far beyond the microcosms of metal music. Theirs was a human experience.

Death's "Scavenger of Human Sorrow


Pantera - "Fucking Hostile"


The Death/Pantera Tribute Show with Darkarma, Warrick, Fernis, Blowtorch Sodomy, Meat Gayzor and Masticator. Friday, March 11. Churchill's Pub, 5501 NE Second St., Miami. The show starts at 9 p.m. and tickets cost $7 presale and $8 at the door. Call 305-757-1807 or visit churchillspub.com.