Down Tickets

 
Down is a heavy metal rock band from New Orleans. They are actually a band made up of a combination of four separate groups; "Corrosion of Conformity", "Pantera" "Eyehategod" and "Crowbar". The band's lineup at the moment is Phil Anselmo, who is the lead vocalist, Kirk Winstein and Pepper Keenan, the guitarists, Jimmy Bower, the drummer and Par Bruders, the bassist. The band has been inactive since 2008 when they went on hiatus to work on new material. By the end of 2012, they managed to record and release a CD titled "Down IV Part I-The Purple EP". Now, Down tickets are being sold for the band's return to the live stage for the first time since 2008.
 
The band was originally put together in 1991 when different members of the four groups wanted to work with each other. Pepper Keenan came from "Corrosion of Conformity", Phil Anselmo from Pantera, Jimmy Brower from Eyehategod, and Todd Strange and Kirk Windstein from Crowbar. They had already been good friends for a long time but commitment to their respective bands stopped them from working together. They shared interest in the same music, be it "Saint Vitus" or "Black Sabbath". Later on in Down's career, these were the groups that had a recognizable influence on the music they produced.
 
When they first got together as a proper group, they decided to test the waters by recording a demo consisting of three tracks. They circulated it underground and judged the response it created. They would promote themselves in other rock gigs by going up to heavy metal listeners and asking them if they had heard of Down. The members would not disclose to these people that they were in fact part of the band and would then hand them copies of this demo. Eventually, a time came when heavy metal lovers all over the United States had heard this tape. This led to some of their earliest concerts together as a group. Initially, they would only perform in their hometown. But once they had signed a deal with "Elektra Records", they had the chance to perform all over the country. They scored this record deal when an executive from the company visited their show and upon finding out who the musicians were, signed them immediately.
 
By 1995, Down released their debut record, "NOLA". It was not only popular with fans of the genre, but was popular enough in the mainstream to reach number 55 on the Billboard 200. Critics who reviewed the album were generous in their kind words, calling it a near perfect record for the genre. The songs, "Stone the Crow", "Temptation Wings" and "Bury Me in Smoke" were in particular praised and highlighted. Amongst the things being said about them was the fact that this was a landmark album. The combination of all their talents was very successful-people often said that NOLA is what heavy metal is all about and would be fitting in any compilation of the genre. The release of the album was quickly followed by a short tour that lasted 13 dates. But the buzz and the excitement had to die out right after as Down disbanded temporarily to get back with their original groups.
 
The second time that the musicians came together to make a record was many years later. It was the year 2001 and by this time, Strange had quit the band and Rex Brown of Pantera fame had taken his place as the bass player. Their second album came to be known as "Down II: A Bustle in your Hedgerow". The record was written in a course of 28 days during which they band was controversially involved in a lot of drug and alcohol abuse. The members spent this entire time in a barn owned by Phillip. Their worked was released in 2002, but unfortunately for them, it did not garner the same amount of attention as before. Critics noted how the band had fallen short and that the writing seemed too haphazard and ill-conceived. Following this setback, they disbanded again for the second time.
 
The third that they got together was in 2006 to release "Down III: Over the Under", for the fourth time in 2008 with "Dairy of a Mad Band". Their most recent work has been in 2012 in the form of EPs and the band has decided to tour once more. Fans are flocking to get Down tickets for this could be their only chance to see the band for an indefinite period.