Pantera played a surprise club show at First Avenue in Minneapolis, MN on August 15. Comedian Craig Gass introduced the band and revealed that the show was (allegedly) being recorded for a live album, saying: "Announcement number one. The band you are seeing tonight is not called Cowboys From Hell. You are about to watch an exclusive show from the band Pantera. The rumors got out quickly, [and] you guys bought up all the tickets.
"And you may have heard this rumor. And this is also true. We are recording our first-ever live album right here at the First Avenue. So, there's a couple things you need to know about it. First of all, you will all, for eternity, be heard on a live Pantera album. That's the good news. The bad news, you're not gonna get paid for this. Welcome to the music business."
Gass has since taken to his Facebook page to say that the show wasn't actually being recorded, which could mean one of two things – Gass revealed something he wasn't supposed to reveal, or the show wasn't being recorded. "Have you ever performed a comedy set opening for one of the greatest metal bands of all time that caused a LOT OF problems because people took what you said seriously?" wrote Gass.
Pantera has certainly been open to the idea of doing a live album, as voiced by both Zakk Wylde and Charlie Benante in recent interviews. As for the show club, Metallica's Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo joined the band on stage for a performance of "Walk". So if this ends up being a live album, that'll be a cool addition!
