Rock Music Menu: It’s official, the Boss is off until next year – The Delaware County Daily Times

Courtesy of Danny Clinch

Fans of Bruce Springsteen who were left bummed out when he postponed his two shows at Citizens Bank Park last month can take some comfort in the fact that they’ve been joined in their misery by scores of others.

It was revealed this week the Boss has done the same with all his scheduled appearances onstage for the remainder of the year.

Springsteen has continued to recover from peptic ulcer disease over the past few weeks and will continue treatment through the rest of the year on doctor’s advice. Taking that into account and out of an abundance of caution, all remaining 2023 tour dates for he and The E Street Band are postponed until 2024.

Rescheduled dates for each of the 2023 shows, including those postponed earlier this month, will be announced next week, all taking place at their originally advertised venues.

The two Philly shows, initially slated for Aug. 16 and 18, were already rescheduled for Aug. 21 and 23, 2024, at Citizens Bank Park.

When the new 2024 dates are announced, those unable to attend on the new date who purchased their tickets through official ticketing companies have 30 days to request a refund.

All tickets for postponed performances will remain valid for the newly announced dates.

“Thanks to all my friends and fans for your good wishes, encouragement, and support,” Springsteen said in a statement. “I’m on the mend and can’t wait to see you all next year.”

It was just a few weeks ago when Springsteen broke the news that his September shows were being nixed due to the peptic ulcer disease treatment. Eight shows in total were affected.

At the time, New Jersey’s favorite son seemed a bit more upbeat about the turn of events, leading with a shout out to Philadelphia.

“Over here on E Street, we’re heartbroken to have to postpone these shows,” Springsteen said. “First, apologies to our fabulous Philly fans who we missed a few weeks ago. We’ll be back to pick these shows up and then some. Thank you for your understanding and support. We’ve been having a blast at our U.S. shows and we’re looking forward to more great times. We’ll be back soon.”

Springsteen, who turned 74 last weekend, had been running at full speed before being forced to put on the brakes. He completed a 31-gig European tour in the summer where he delivered his trademark three-hour long shows and received raves across the board, like from Billboard, who dubbed his concerts, “the greatest show on Earth.”

Back in February, Springsteen and the E Street Band performed their first show in seven years while launching a lengthy North American tour, one where demand required multiple cities to add additional nights.

That leg wrapped in April with a stunner of a 27-song set in New Jersey at the Prudential Center.

Along the way, they performed at the Wells Fargo Center in March, then the band’s first time back after postponing three shows.

Vinyl of the Week

Keep an eye on this spot as each week we’ll be looking at new or soon-to-be-released vinyl from a variety of artists. It might be a re-pressing of a landmark recording, special edition or new collection from a legendary act.

This week, it’s a box set from a band who single-handedly kept heavy metal alive in the ‘90s.

• Pantera: “The Complete Studio Albums 1990-2000”

Though there’s been a bit of controversy over surviving members Phil Anselmo and Rex Brown touring under the Pantera name along with guitarist Zakk Wylde and drummer Charlie Benante, sitting in for the late siblings Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul, what can’t be denied is the impact the classic lineup had on heavy metal during their peak years.

While Metallica explored blues, alternative and even country aspects in their early-’90s output, their title as metal titans was up for grabs. Pantera dug their heels into the power groove they had patented and then mastered throughout the decade, filling the void.

Now, the Texas outfit sees the core five studio albums of its catalog making their picture-disc debut in a new five-LP boxed set that spotlights the band’s everlasting
mark on the metal scene.

“The Complete Studio Albums 1990-2000,” limited to 3,500 copies worldwide, is a box set that contains “Cowboys from Hell,” “Vulgar Display of Power,” “Far Beyond Driven,” “The Great Southern Trendkill” and “Reinventing the Steel.”

Each LP is a picture disc that features the cover image from the respective original album. The career-spanning set also comes with a poster featuring all four members.

“Cowboys from Hell” was released in 1990 and made Pantera heroes to headbangers everywhere who were looking for thrash with a side of melody. After peaking at No. 27 on the Billboard 200, the album went on to become one of the most influential metal albums of all time and was recently certified double platinum.

Then in 1992, “Vulgar Display of Power” arrived and refined the band’s heavier-than-heavy aesthetic with songs like “Mouth for War” and “This Love” while simultaneously showcasing the group’s musical range on the haunting ballad “Hollow.”

The album was certified double platinum and spent 79 weeks on the Billboard 200, longer than any other Pantera album.

The band’s success continued in 1994 with “Far Beyond Driven,” the most extreme album to ever debut at No. 1 on the charts. The single “I’m Broken” was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance, the first of four nominations the group would earn.

“The Great Southern Trendkill” was released in 1996 and debuted at No. 4 with some of the darkest lyrics and fastest tempos, including “Suicide Note Pts. I and II,” with the first nominated for the Grammy for Best Metal Performance.

Guitar World magazine would later rank Darrell’s solo on “Floods” at No. 2 on its list of the greatest guitar solos of all time.

Pantera’s final studio album, “Reinventing the Steel,” came out in 2000 when the wheels were beginning to fall off as tensions in the band began to bubble over.

The record peaked at No. 4 and was certified gold. It features the Grammy-nominated single “Revolution Is My Name.”

Following a fallout with Anselmo, Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul broke up the band and started Damageplan.

It was during a 2004 concert for that group when the former was shot and killed onstage by a deranged fan. Paul died of heart failure in 2018.

Last year Anselmo and Brown revived the Pantera name for a tour that, despite naysayers, received almost unanimous praise from critics and fans.

Look for Pantera’s “The Complete Studio Albums 1990-2000” online and from all respectable retailers who carry vinyl.

To contact music columnist Michael Christopher, send an email to rockmusicmenu@gmail.com. Also, check out his website at thechroniclesofmc.com.