"Did you hear what happened tonight?"
A member of New American Standard asked me as they loaded in to my house last night at about 2am.
"Dimebag Darrell is dead. Someone came on stage with a gun and started shooting people. That guy is dead."
I didn't believe it at first. Later I turned on the tv news and found a short story on CNN. Wow. This is some very sad news. A senseless and tragic event. Apparently a nut climbed on stage during a Damage Plan concert in Columbus, OH last night. Early into the set he came on stage, apparently said something about Pantera (Dimebag's former mega-huge metal band) and shot him four times at close range, and then started shooting others. A quick call to the police started a "shots fired" message on police radio and a policeman who was nearby came into the back entrance of the club, entered the stage and shot the nut. One report states that he was holding a hostage while this happened. Three heated city buses were brought in so all the concert audience could be questionied about what went on. This was insane.
I'm saddened for Dimebag's friends and bandmates. I also regret not taking the opportunity to interview Damage Plan last summer when their publicists had asked me. I hope Dimebag was able to talk to his Maker and make things right before his murder.
This sets a terrible and creepy precedence for rock shows. One online news report mentioned that there were no metal detectors at the club. I hope we do not turn into a hyper-security state where paranoia and fear changes how we live. Many clubs I'm sure cannot afford high dollar security systems. What happened was a nightmarish event. It's hard to believe. It's kind of a drag that this news is not getting more prominence, which Dimebag's musical legacy deserves.
Sigh.
It's always good to host travelling musicians, and the folks with New American Standard were a joy to get to know more over breakfast. They are an indie band that has been touring on their own for over five weeks now, which is awesome. They have recently hooked up with management and booking, so things should be looking up for them soon. They're heading off to Corpus Christi today for another show tonight.
And now for something different:
We need rest.
It's interesting how Leviticus 23, where God continues to share guidelines of health and good things for His people, He lays out specific festivals and days of rest. We need it. We are incomplete. We eat food that acts as fuel, and our bodies need to rest. It is good for our souls, too. I love the provision in verse 22 that instructs the farmers not to harvest out to the edge of the fields, but to leave that to the poor and the aliens, so they can have somewhere to get some grain for food. That's a wonderful provision and indicative of a caring Heart...