Open to the Public and VIP (Fr

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As reported by the Star-Telegram in Dallas/ Ft. Worth:

Public service for guitarist set

By John Austin

Star-Telegram Staff Writer

ARLINGTON -- Organizers have rented enough space to accommodate thousands of mourners for Tuesday night's service in honor of the late "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, the former Pantera guitarist, who was slain onstage last week.

Funeral services will be private, but organizers were scurrying on Monday to work out public memorial details. Plans call for a 750-person VIP section with folding chairs, separated from the public by barriers, in the Arlington Convention Center's 30,000-square-foot Grand Hall.

Abbott, 38, who grew up in Arlington, and three other people were killed when an armed man jumped onstage during a Damageplan concert in Columbus, Ohio. Abbott was performing with the heavy metal band, which he and his brother, Vinnie Paul Abbott, formed after leaving Pantera. The gunman, Nathan Gale, 25, was killed by a police officer.

Off-duty Arlington police officers will provide security during the public memorial, said event coordinator Scott Magness, and guards will use metal detectors to screen visitors.

Damageplan manager Paul Bassman said that security will be "extremely tight."

Details regarding the hastily organized event continued to unfold throughout Monday.

Said Bassman, "They're editing videos right now to show."

No live music was planned as of Monday, but Bassman didn't rule out impromptu performances.

"All the planning is taking place minute-by-minute," said Magness. "There is a stage, but as of yet we don't know what's gonna happen on that stage."

The event is being produced by AEG Live, a promotion company that also runs Nokia Theatre in Grand Prairie.

"There will be video involved," said AEG vice president Danny Eaton. "I know there's a lot of people coming in for this."

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From Atlantic/ Elektra:

For those people wishing to make a donation in Dimebag's name, two special memorial funds have been established. The Dimebag Darrell Memorial Fund has been set up to cover bereavement and medical expenses for John "Kat" Brooks, Chris Paluska, and Jeffrey "Mayhem" Thompson. Please make checks payable to "The Dimebag Darrell Memorial Fund". Donations can be sent to the mail-only address:

Dimebag Darrell Memorial Fund
110 SW Thomas
Burleson, TX 76028

A special fund has also been set up through VH1's Save The Music Foundation. Save The Music purchases new musical instruments to restore music education programs that have been cut due to budget reductions in the past or to save programs at risk of elimination due to lack of instruments. The Foundation also conducts awareness campaigns, musical instrument drives and fundraising events. Checks can be mailed to:

VH1 Save The Music Foundation
1515 Broadway, 20th Floor
New York, NY 10036

Or you can use your credit card and call 1-888-841-4687

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Click here for MAP of the venue. It begins at 8pm.

If anyone attends this would like to do a write up for us, it would be much appreciated. Any comments on the event from fans who attend are also welcome to email [email protected], because if we get enough, we may put those together, instead of just having you stick them down in the rants.

I would like to say, as tactfully as possible, that there dozens of high-profile musicians attending this event (I know many who went out on Saturday -- and respectfully, won't name names), and naturally rumors are flying around that Phil Anselmo and Rex Brown could take the stage with Vinnie Paul and make amends, although it's pure speculation, of course.

I wish I, or another staff member, could be there to cover this in full -- giving it full justice -- and bring you all the details, but circumstances keep me from jumping on the plane right now. I've known these Cowboys since 1995, and it guts me not to be there, so again, I would appreciate any and all feedback from those who are fortunate enough to go and pay their respects: again that's [email protected] or [email protected].

Black Tooth Grins for everyone!