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Life & Arts

Bands host benefit to honor slain guitarist

By Mauro Alvarez

Every time Disturbed rolled through Dallas, Vinnie Paul and "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott would join them for a special cover of Pantera's "Walk." Not too many bands have had the privilege to share the stage with Abbott and Paul, which is probably why Disturbed decided to host a benefit concert for Abbott to show their love and respect for the late guitarist, who was killed onstage in Columbus, Ohio, last December. 

Disturbed, along with Anthrax, Drowning Pool and Soil held a benefit performance at the Aragon Ballroom, 1106 W. Lawrence Ave., on Feb. 23 in Chicago. The night was filled with numerous "Dimebag" chants for Abbott and covers of Pantera songs that the guitar player was known for. 

"We wanted to do a cover for Rita (Abbott's girlfriend), and asked her to pick her favorite Pantera song for us to do," Drowning Pool vocalist Jason "Gong" Jones said. "You never really know how (talented) someone is until you play a song they wrote."

Drowning Pool's "Message in Blood" cover went smooth up until the last shred. Nothing against Drowning Pool's guitarist C.J. Pierce, but the sound you got when Abbott played it is untouchable, and quite frankly unplayable.

Anthrax doubled their cover duty with "A New Level" and Soil decided to do a Damageplan, one of Abbott's side projects, cover of "Save Me." Disturbed played none other than "Walk," the cover they always played when they came through Dallas. Everyone who was backstage -- guests, musicians and stagehands -- all came out and sang along with the quartet. 

Disturbed ended the show with a cover of Kiss' "Cold Gin," an appropriate choice, considering Abbott was buried in a Kiss casket. 

Paul showed he's still got it by playing drums on each of the covers. This was the first time he had played since the tragedy in Columbus. Other musicians who decided to make cameos were former Korn guitarist Head, Machine Head's Phil Demmel, and Damageplan vocalist Pat Lachman and bassist Bobzilla.

The night was filled with toasts of Abbott's favorite drink, and chants of "Dimebag" filled the arena in a fitting tribute to a lost legend.

Benefit for ‘Dimebag' Darrel Abbott

@ Aragon Ballroom, Chicago

Verdict: Thanks for the memories, hangovers and unplayable solos. 

Riff in peace, Dimebag.

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