Pantera bassist Rex Brown has confirmed that the band did not record a live album during their recent surprise concert at the First Avenue club in Minneapolis.
Reports to the contrary surfaced due to comments made by comedian Craig Gass, who opened the show. During his set, Gass pretended to be Pantera’s touring manager and told the crowd that Pantera was “recording [their] first-ever live album.”
Following the show, Gass posted a screenshot of a headline reporting his comments alongside the caption, “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? I have.”
Brown has since shared his own post backing Gass up, reading, “No, we didn’t record a live album that night. That was a joke that [Gass] made!”
Even if you didn’t know Gass was joking, Pantera has actually released a live album before, 1997’s Official Live: 101 Proof.
Pantera reformed at the end of 2022 with longtime members Brown and vocalist Phil Anselmo alongside Black Label Society‘s Zakk Wylde and Anthrax‘s Charlie Benante in place of the late Abbott brothers, “Dimebag” Darrell and Vinnie Paul.
The First Ave show took place amid Pantera’s ongoing dates opening Metallica‘s stadium tour.
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