10 Live Shows That Changed Music History
8. Damageplan at Alrosa Villa
For any average metal band, playing a small club gig is just the nature of the beast. Let's face it...not every band can be at the Metallica level of success, so you always have to start somewhere in a rowdy club before hitting the big time. Though the Abbott Brothers were ready to make the climb back to the top with Damageplan, this infamous night turned into one of the most violent gigs ever played.
Just a few seconds into the set, a deranged fan came storming onto the stage brandishing a pistol, killing Dimebag Darrell instantly and even killing a few of the crowd members before finally being taken out by police. Though the situation was brought to a close as quickly as it started, the damage was already done, with the heart and soul of Pantera being snuffed out for good.
Compared to some of the more lavish productions that happen in the rock and metal world, this ended up changing the way that security was looked at during metal shows, with everyone taking into account what kind of people are allowed to crowd surf and let onto the stage. As much as metal might be about the alpha dog mentality, the years since this incident have proven that us metalheads still have a heart when it comes to protecting each other from harm during the set.