Down and Helmet with special guest Spirit In The Room at History. Toronto, On, Canada. 08/23/26

DOWN delivered a crushing, groove-laden performance at HISTORY in Toronto on Sunday, August 23, 2026, as part of their Strap It DOWN Tour ’26. Bringing their signature New Orleans Southern metal attitude to the venue, the supergroup—consisting of Philip H. Anselmo, Pepper Keenan, Kirk Windstein, Jimmy Bower, and Pat Bruders—proved that their chemistry and heavy sound remain as potent as ever after more than 30 years and with special guests Helmet and Spirit In the Room.

The Opening Act.

Los Angeles-based experimental rock band Spirit In The Room was in charge of starting the set with a brooding, and atmospheric tone to warm up the evening, offering their spacious, immersive guitar tones established a weighty tone early on, pulling the arriving crowd right into the evening’s murky, heavy aesthetic.

Lead singer Dennis Sanders displayed an amazing performance showing off their sounds that spans from genres like noise rock, electronic doom, experimental alternative, and post-punk that echo with such a great vibe that went through the entire venue keeping the attendees very engaged during their set, a great way to start up a great night of Metal.

Helmet: Continuing a forever legacy

After a very quick break, the next band to appear on the stage was Helmet, led by the one and only Page Hamilton considered the godfather of Nu-Metal and his gang of misfits drummer Kyle Stevenson, guitarist Dan Beeman and bassist Dave Case.

Helmet continues to deliver with precision their post-hardcore tension, and nonstop verse of rhythms provided a sharp, driving intensity delivering a great setlist that went from their classics “Iron Head”, “Wilma’s Rainbow”, “Milquetoast” and “Meantime” and fire up the audience from start to finish.

For me! It is really hard at times to separate the fan side of me for this band and being able now to continue my support for the band but now from the other side of the barrier! Pairing now to legendary bands such as Helmet and Dawn was like the perfect fitting in this tour.

The band delivered a tight and dynamic set playing a bunch of their well known albums “Meantime”, “Betty”, “Monochrome” and more with songs such as “Swallowing Everything”, “Ironhead”, “Birth Defect”, “Wilma’s Rainbow” and more! A set that kept us all very sitsfied,

Setlist

Swallowing Everything
Bad Mood
Ironhead
NYC Touch Guy
Unsung
Red Scare
Birth Defect
Broadcast
Wilma’s Rainbow
Rude
Milquetoast
In the Meantime

The Main Event: DOWN Takes the Stage

When New Orleans sludge metal royalty DOWN rolled into the stage starting with Philip Anselmo, Pepper Keenan, Kirk Windstein, Jimmy Bower, and Pat Bruders, HISTORY erupted with cheers of joy and the band started a thunderous, drop-tuned groove that felt entirely too heavy for the East End venue to contain with heavy bodysurfing bodies and headbanging in the entire place.

The set was a heavy-hitting celebration of the band’s classic era, featuring staples like “Lifer,” “Ghosts Along the Mississippi,” “Stone the Crow,” and “Eyes of the South” that had the packed crowd moving. The band also gave fans a taste of their upcoming album, Volume V (set for release November 20 through Nuclear Blast Records), performing the lead single “Blood Oath,” which fit seamlessly alongside their classic material with its massive riff and unmistakable NOLA character.

The Vibe & Tone:

Anselmo commanded the room with his signature gravelly roar, while the twin-guitar attack of Keenan and Windstein produced a dense, suffocating wall of sound. Bower and Bruders shredding their guitars anchored the low end with a steady, punishing rhythm that sounded pretty heavy during their entire set.

New Material Preview:

The band delivered a heavy dosage of fan-favorite classics, including “Lifer,” “Hail the Leaf,” “Ghosts Along the Mississippi,” “Temptation’s Wings,” “Rehab,” “Stone the Crow,” and “Eyes of the South”. The crowd got a taste of the band’s next era with a live rendition of “Blood Oath”. The new track slotted effortlessly beside 30-year-old classics, built around a massive, swinging NOLA riff.

Known for its pristine audio clarity and modern sightlines, HISTORY proved to be an ideal space for a metal show of this scale. The venue’s state-of-the-art sound system allowed the low-end frequencies of DOWN’s riffs to hit with physical impact without turning the vocals into mud. While the floor was a tight pit of sweat, moshers, and crowd surfers, the venue’s layout offered excellent line-of-sight from virtually everywhere on the general admission floor and mezzanine level.

The VIP Experience:

Offers dedicated fans an up-close, behind-the-scenes look at the metal icons before they take the stage. Sold primarily as limited “ticketless” upgrades (requiring a separate general admission ticket), the package focuses heavily on band interaction and exclusive access.

I was able to enjoy the Pre-Show Soundcheck Access gives to their hardcore fans a first sight of what to expect later on and to watch Philip H. Anselmo, Pepper Keenan, Kirk Windstein, Jimmy Bower, and Pat Bruders warm up, dial in their gear, and play through a loose, intimate pre-show set.

After their sound check Down’s offers a Meet & Greet & Photo Op in a very structured session where fans get to briefly meet the band members, chat, and take a professional/group photograph with the full group in addition exclusive VIP Merchandise and early entry & Crowd-Free Merch Access and highly recommended experience.