Down — the heavy metal supergroup featuring vocalist Philip H. Anselmo, guitarists Pepper Keenan and Kirk Windstein, drummer Jimmy Bower, and bassist Pat Bruders — will return to North American stages this summer for the “Strap It Down” headlining tour with support from Helmet and Spirit in the Room.
The trek begins Aug. 15 in Atlanta and closes Sept. 4 in Shakopee, Minn. Artist presales begin May 27 at 12 p.m. ET (password: DOWN2026); general on-sale is May 29 at 10 a.m. local time. Limited Down VIP packages — including soundcheck experience, meet-and-greet, photo opportunity, signed poster, and exclusive merch item — are available at down-nola.com/tour.
The tour also includes slots at the 2026 installment of Zakk Wylde‘s “Berzerkus” festival — featuring Lamb of God, Black Label Society and others — on Aug. 28 in Scranton, Pa., and Aug. 29 in Wantagh, N.Y. The Sept. 4 Shakopee date is a previously announced performance as direct support to Slayer. Helmet and Spirit in the Room do not appear on the Berzerkus Fest or Slayer dates.
Down “Strap It Down” tour dates with Helmet and Spirit in the Room (except where noted):
- 08/15 — The Eastern — Atlanta, Ga.
- 08/16 — Piedmont Hall — Greensboro, N.C.
- 08/19 — House of Blues — Cleveland, Ohio
- 08/20 — Stage AE — Pittsburgh, Pa.
- 08/ 22 — Royal Oak Music Theatre — Royal Oak, Mich.
- 08/23 — HISTORY — Toronto, Ontario
- 08/25 — MTELUS — Montreal, Quebec
- 08/26 — The Palladium — Worcester, Mass.
- 08/28 — The Pavilion at Montage Mountain — Scranton, Pa. (Berzerkus Fest)
- 08/29 — Northwell at Jones Beach Theater — Wantagh, N.Y. (Berzerkus Fest)
- 08/30 — The Fillmore Silver Spring — Silver Spring, Md.
- 09/01 — Bogart’s — Cincinnati, Ohio
- 09/02 — Ramova Theatre — Chicago
- 09/04 — Mystic Lake Amphitheater — Shakopee, Minn. (with Slayer, Suicidal Tendencies, Hatebreed)
Additional Down dates:
- 10/03 — Aftershock — Sacramento, Calif.
- 10/24 — Sick New World Texas — Fort Worth, Texas
- 12/05 — Decibel Metal and Beer Fest — Denver
In April 2025, Down signed with Nuclear Blast Records. The label said in a statement: “Nuclear Blast is proud to be in the trenches with NOLA legends Down as their partner in their long overdue return to the metal world. In addition, we are excited to bring some of their key past catalog releases back into the spotlight, especially on the vinyl side.”
The supergroup has not issued any new original material since the Down IV — Part Two EP in May 2014, which debuted at No. 23 on the Billboard 200 with around 10,000 copies sold in its first week. Its predecessor, Down IV Part I — The Purple EP, opened at No. 35 in September 2012. Both EPs were recorded at Nodferatu’s Lair — Anselmo‘s home studio — and produced by Michael Thompson, released via Down Records/ADA Music.
Windstein, a founding member of Down, left the band in 2013 to focus on Crowbar and his family; he was replaced by Bobby Landgraf. Windstein announced his return in 2019, and the band confirmed a series of dates to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their 1995 debut album NOLA — all of which were later canceled or postponed due to the pandemic. In August 2020, Down celebrated the anniversary with a livestreamed event dubbed “The Quarter Century Throwdown.” The band headlined night one of last year’s Milwaukee Metal Fest and completed a Western U.S. tour with Danzig.
