Foo Fighters to Replace Pantera at 2023 Summer Festivals in

The Foo Fighters have added two more festival gigs to their busy summer schedule. After thrash metal icons Pantera were dropped from the lineup of Germany’s Rock Am Ring and Rock Im Park fests last week, the Foos announced that they are sliding into the June 2nd headlining slot at Rock Am Ring as well as the top spot on June 4th at Rock Im Park.

The Dave Grohl-led band join a lineup that also includes headliners Kings of Leon and Die Toten Hosen, as well as Rise Against, Limp Bizkit, Yungblud, Tenacious D, Evanescence, Incubus, Papa Roach, Bring Me the Horizon, Machine Gun Kelly, NOFX, Turnstile and more.

Pantera were also removed from the lineup of Austria’s Gasometer Festival just days after they were erased from the German fests. Promoter Mind Over Mater Music announced in a FB message that the Pantera performance originally announced for May 31 at Gasometer has been cancelled; the post did not give any further information on the reason for the decision.

According to a report in Vienna’s Die Presse, the Austrian Green Party had a hand in the cancellation after demanding that Pantera be removed in a statement that echoed one from Germany’s Greens in advocating for Pantera to be dropped from that country’s events. “Due to its National Socialist past, Vienna in particular has a special historical responsibility to oppose any form of right-wing extremism. The appearance of Pantera is completely incompatible with this responsibility,” the statement from the Austrian party reportedly read.

While organizers did not give a specific reason for their decision, speculation has centered on an incident from 2016 when Anselmo was filmed giving a nazi salute and shouting “white power” during a tribute to late Pantera guitarist Dimebag Darrell. Shortly after, Anselmo issued an apology, in which he said he had been drinking at the Dimebash and, “There was heavy-duty talk between myself and those who love Dime. And heavy emotions were flowing, jokes were made backstage that transpired upon the stage, and it was ugly. It was uncalled for. And anyone who knows me and my true nature knows that I don’t believe in any of that; I don’t want to be part of any group…  just give me another chance.”

A spokesperson for Pantera said management had no official statement on the German or Austrian festival date cancellations.

The Foos are preparing to hit the road this summer for their first major gigs since the death of drummer Taylor Hawkins, 50, last summer in Bogota, Colombia on the eve of a festival gig there. Though the band has not yet announced who will be playing drums with them on the upcoming gigs, the roster already includes seven major dates, including appearances at Boston Calling Music Festival (May 26), Sonic Temple Arts & Music Festival (Columbus, OH, May 28), Rock Am Ring (June 2), Rock Im Park (June 4), Bonnaroo (Manchester, TN, June 18), Harley-Davidson Homecoming Festival (Milwaukee, WI, July 15) and Sao Paulo, Brazil’s The Town (Sept. 9).

On New Year’s Eve the group shared a heartfelt message about the challenges of 2022 and offered a glimpse into what the future may hold. “As we say goodbye to the most difficult and tragic year that our band has ever known, we are reminded of how thankful we are for the people that we love and cherish most, and for the loved ones who are no longer with us,” the Foos began their statement on Twitter.

“Foo Fighters were formed 27 years ago to represent the healing power of music and a continuation of life. And for the past 27 years out fans have built a worldwide community, a devoted support system that has helped us all get through the darkest of times together. A place to share our joy and our pain, our hopes and fears, and to join in a chorus of life together through music. Without Taylor, we never would have become the band that we were – and without Taylor, we know that we’re going to be a different band going forward.”

See the new poster for the events below.

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