For more than 45 years, the venue hosted a wide range of musical acts. Foghat, the GUESS WHO, DREAM THEATER, DIO, SLIPKNOT, QUIET RIOT, RATT and DAVID BYRNE were among the long list of rockers to grace its stage. However the Alrosa Villa will always be remembered for the tragedy which took place the night of Dec. 8, 2004.

 

That evening, DAMAGEPLAN, the band Dimebag Darrell and his brother Vinnie Paul formed following the breakup of PANTERA, was headlining. Just moments into their set, a former U.S. Marine stormed the stage and opened fire. Abbott, the band’s head of security, a venue employee and a fan who attempted to give CPR to Dimebag were all killed in the mayhem. The gunman, Nathan Gale, was eventually shot and killed by police officer James Niggemeyer.

 

Paul later sued the Alrosa Villa, claiming the tragedy would have been averted if security at the venue had prevented Gale from entering. The lawsuit was settled out of court in 2007.

 

Though it was the site of one of metal’s most horrific events, the Alrosa Villa continued in operation for many more years. The club announced in June that it had closed its doors for good.

 

Fan shot footage of the demolition can be seen below. The site where the Alrosa Villa once stood will soon be home to a 180-unit affordable housing apartment complex.