Written by:	Abattoir
Published:	September 27, 2020

While it's quite a challenge for me to "hunt down" a live show nowadays, and of course for anyone else in this worldwide situation, I came across a very special and not-much-less-intriguing announcement of a live-streamed virtual show -- Down Presents: Quarter Century Throwdown - Live From New Orleans: Nola's 25th Anniversary Livestream. With the majority of musical acts being sidelined and unavailable to perform live around the world because of the all-known reasons, this type of virtual concert experience has become a constant in the last couple of months. And it will probably stay this way, at least till the end of this fucked-up year.




Tasty, heavily riff-pumped stoner/sludge barbecue from the South? count me in for this smoky jam. 9 bucks and off we go. Being a fan of the Nola album, ranking it as one of the classics and most significant ones from the '90s era in my books, my decision to witness this live stream was unhesitating. The recent return of Kirk Windstein to the ranks definitely helps with raising the level of excitement, consequently completing the original line-up with the exception of bassist Patrick Bruders.




As has been stated already, 2020 is the year that marks 25 years since Down's debut record release. Due to this year's circumstances, the band had no other choice but to celebrate the occasion in the "virtual live-streamed performance" manner. The gig was held at Fish Pot Studios in New Orleans, LA, with a more or less simplistic setup of the set; of course, it's hard to match up against Behemoth's "majestic" setting for their most recent livestream event (at least what I've seen from the photos). Before the actual event began, there was a 35-minute-long intro, including several band/member photos and short clips from the past as well as the most recent interviews for this occasion. I was anxiously waiting for the end of the countdown.




It's about to go down with Down. Right from the start, when you get to listen to those monumental riffs, a driving force for the whole sound provided by Windstein and Keenan, it's just brain-melting. For sure, they're one of the best guitar duos regarding the performance on a certain full-length record release. They were accompanied by a smashing ugly bass and the scratchy vocals of Anselmo, who was a bit worn-down but still managed to prepare well for this occasion. He did occasionally have a hard time reaching higher notes and screaming, yet this was not such a bothersome factor in general. The indispensable and severe breakdowns in their music always pump me up... in this particular case, making me head-banging while lying in my bed. Not an easy task. With the exception of the 1-minute-long instrumental track "Pray For The Locust", Down executed all 12 tracks from Nola with an additional 3 from Down II: A Bustle In Your Hedgerow (2002). The set list is available below.




Although I'm not much interested in this type of live stream event, I really enjoyed this one, obviously. Still, I really hope to see them live with this repertoire on the menu, to feel the full-on intensity packed with emotions. I might sound a bit over-hyped, probably due to lack of real live shows to attend. Nothing is certain in these days/weeks/months, yet I'm positive that Down will celebrate this special anniversary with a proper tour across the globe, and I am sure to be one of those to get on board with this one wherever it happens. Until then.




If you're interested, you can check out the full stream of the show at this location.