Celebrate “Dimebag” at the beach

Friday will mark the two-year anniversary of guitar legend “Dimebag” Darrell Abbott’s murder.

According to Port Folio Weekly, Tonics Bar & Grill in Virginia Beach will be hosting a special musical tribute show Saturday to honor the late Pantera and Damageplan guitarist. Among the bands playing are Dreadline, Sinn, Richmond-based Bullistic and Scarz Within.

As a huge fan of his guitar playing, myself, along with tens of thousands of fans around the world, make it a point to celebrate the legacy that he leaves behind. Whether it be listening to his music all day or going to a tribute gig or party, I find a way to remember the guy that influenced so many people’s lives.

Throughout middle school and high school, Pantera was my band of choice. I would listen to them all day after school, blaring songs such as “This love,” “Cowboys from Hell,” and “Five Minutes Alone” and playing air guitar to Dime’s unique guitar solos.

As a guitar player, Dime influenced me in a huge way. Learning Pantera songs at a young age helped develop the tightness in my picking hand. He was also experienced with various whammy-bar techniques that are copied by thousands of metal players, including myself.

Dime and his music also helped me through tough times during my life. Listening to Pantera was an easy escape to help get out any anger and confusion I had in my life. I can vividly remember working out while listening to “Vulgar Display of Power” and head banging by myself in my room to “Far Beyond Driven.”

Dime seemed to be the nicest person in the universe. By watching the many home videos that Pantera and Dimebag have released, you get the image that he was the guy who always smiled and lit up every room that he entered.

“Darrell was a beautiful person. We lost a great guy who did a lot for a lot of people,” said Jimmy Bower (Crowbar, Down, Superjoint Ritual) in an interview. “The guy made me stay at his house anytime a tour I was on stopped in Texas.”

Fellow musicians never ran out of nice things to say about Dime.

“Darrell was incredibly warm, open, fun, nutty, talented, embracing, accommodating and he always had a very attractive innocence about him that obviously made him never threatening and always welcoming,” Lars Ulrich said in an interview.

“Dimebag” Darrell Abbott was murdered two years ago when a deranged fan rushed the stage during a Damageplan concert in Ohio and shot four people. Three others were killed along with Abbott. The gunman was shot and killed by a police officer.

The Dimebag tribute show is also a Toys for Tots drive. Admission is free; just bring along a new, unwrapped toy.