Why did Pantera cancel shows? Heavy metal band calls Ozzy Osbourne "family" in a tribute after his death

American heavy metal band Pantera recently canceled and rescheduled a few shows to mourn the passing of Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne. Pantera announced the news via an Instagram post last week.

In their statement, the band referred to Ozzy as family and described him as their "mentor," "brother," and a "constant presence" both on and off stage. The post also stated that Ozzy Osbourne was a major inspiration for both the heavy metal genre and the band. The statement read:

"Ozzy wasn't just a legend who shaped the very foundation of heavy metal and inspired Pantera from the beginning — he was family. A mentor, a brother, and a constant presence in our lives both on and off the stage. The bond we shared with him ran far deeper than music."

It further read:

"In light of this profound loss, we need time and space to grieve — to be with our families, our crew, and each other as we process and honour the life of someone who meant so much to us."

The postponed shows included the July 28 concert originally scheduled for Saratoga Springs, now rescheduled for September 9, 2025, and the July 31 show in Holmdel, now set for September 8, 2025. Three shows were canceled: July 29 in Gilford, September 8 in Birmingham, and September 10 in Virginia Beach.

The statement also noted that fans who purchased tickets through Ticketmaster would get refunds automatically. Those who bought tickets from third-party sellers like SeatGeek, StubHub, Vivid Seats, and others were advised to contact the respective sellers.

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The relationship between Ozzy Osbourne and Pantera could be traced back several years

Ozzy Osbourne and Pantera's connection can be traced back indirectly to the 1980s, when Zakk Wylde became Ozzy's guitarist. For the unversed, Wylde joined the reunited Pantera lineup in 2022 for their tour, replacing their original guitarist Dimebag Darrell, who passed away in 2004.

The first key collaboration between Ozzy Osbourne and Pantera took place in 1994. In March of that year, the band released their seventh studio album titled Far Beyond Driven. The album contained a bunch of songs, including Planet Caravan. For context, this song was originally released by Black Sabbath on their 1970 album Paranoid.

In the years that followed, Pantera performed multiple times at Ozzfest, the music festival led by Ozzy Osbourne. Their appearances included the 1997, 1998, and 2000 editions of the festival, during which both Ozzy and Pantera were part of the lineup along with several other artists. Most recently, Pantera was among the bands that performed in Birmingham on July 5 for Ozzy's final performance.

In July 2022, during a Pantera show in Cincinnati, the band performed Planet Caravan as a tribute to the Black Sabbath frontman. Meanwhile, Zakk Sabbath (Black Sabbath cover band formed by Zakk) announced three performance dates for November 2025.

According to The New York Post, the shows are scheduled for November 22, 23, and 29 at The Vine at Del Lago Resort & Casino, Brooklyn's Warsaw, and Atlantic City's Caesar's, respectively.

Zakk Wylde also shared a tribute to Ozzy Osbourne on Instagram, posting a video from a 2010 performance they shared. In the caption, he wrote:

"Thank you for blessing the world with your kindness [and] greatness Oz — you brought light into so many lives [and] made the world a better place — you lived [with] the heart of a lion — I thank the Good Lord every day for blessing my life with you in it. I love you Oz. Beyond forever."

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Celebrities paid tributes to the late Ozzy Osbourne

A number of celebrities, including fellow artists and members of Black Sabbath, have paid tribute to Ozzy Osbourne. One of the most recent tributes came from actor Johnny Depp, who performed alongside Alice Cooper.

According to Fox News, on Friday, the duo performed Paranoid, a 1970 hit song by Black Sabbath. The surprise performance by Depp drew widespread attention online, with many users taking to social media to share their reactions.

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Pantera's The Heaviest Tour Of The Summer kicked off with its first show in Hershey this July. Since then, the heavy metal band has been performing in several cities, including Auburn, Phoenix, Inglewood, Milwaukee, and Minneapolis. The next show is scheduled for August 2, 2025, in Mansfield. The tour will conclude with its final show in West Palm Beach on September 13.

Edited by Shubham Soni