Down @ The Fillmore, Silver Spring Sept 30th 2012

Went to see DOWN last night. My buddy Tony and his cousin Joe were there too! Pentagram was going on around 9:15 is what the word was, so we all met around that time, surprisingly. I had recently watched the documentary about the frontman Bobby. He's a complete train wreck. I think I saw the metal elitist guy from midnight there too.

There was a pretty big crowd. The balcony had some people on it, but it seemed like some sort of restricted access. The floor itself was packed. Not sold out, but certainly a well attended show. We were in the back near the soundboard. I was able to hear fine w/out earplugs there.

About 9:27 They came on. Grabbed  a way more expensive beer than I recall it being and we listened to a song or 2. Tony got a bit bored and we all decided to go downstairs to hear ourselves think. They sounded very heavy, but Bobby seemed very goofy to me. The sound was a Down- like stoner vibe. Kind of a heavy before things were heavy vibe to it all. They were alright, but I think I'd have to listen to more of them to get a better impression of 'em. Maybe I missed out, maybe not. I dunno, they didn't really grab me.

As things were running late, I think things were about 15-20 minutes off. Down came on around 11 to  uproarious  applause. They started off strong and kept on rolling minus some "seems like Phil is stoned" parts. They played a bunch of tracks off of their new EP, but nothing off of their last album. ODD. Everything sounded very good- extremely heavy. I loved how there were signs posted that said "ABSOLUTELY NO MOSHING OR CROWD SURFING" like they had up at the Cult show. The crowd did BOTH of those things on the FIRST song at this show. What is the Fillmore expecting? Are they really going to throw out half the damn crowd? I seriously don't know what some places are thinking when they book some bands. If its moshable, people are going to mosh, man. ESPECIALLY to heavy, aggressive, and loud music like most Heavy Metals.

During "Ghosts..." someone climbed up on stage and was tackled into the crowd by someone else on stage. I don't know what that was about but it brought visions of Dimebag to my mind.  During "Temptation's Wings," Phil singled out some Afro'd fan and brought him onstage. That kid was STOKED. At the end for "Bury me in Smoke" yet ANOTHER fan got on stage, but he was promptly put in a full nelson and removed by security. I was thinking a lot about a Dimebag type situation I have to say. If I were Phil I'd be a bit pissed off at the Fillmore security. I mean we emptied our pockets and they did a pat down, but if someone wanted to end Phil, they totally could have snuck something in relatively easily... :/

At the end, several guys came from backstage  and grabbed the instruments from the guitarists and the drummer. I think the guys at the end (guitarists and dummer 'tagged out' to them) were from Eyehategod or Soylent Green, as I heard Phil shouted out those words. But not being familiar with those bands I cannot confirm.  I thought it was hilarious that Phil said that DOWN was the most professional rock band out there. They obviously have not seen Def Leppard. Phil's a great frontman, tho, and I was pretty focused on his antics throughout the set

Photos:

Pentagram
DOWN II
Down III
Down iV

Setlist

DOWN

• Eyes of the South
• Witchtripper
• Open Coffins
• Lysergik Funeral Procession
• Lifer
• Losing All
• Ghosts Along the Mississippi
• New Orleans Is a Dying Whore
• Temptation's Wings (Afro'd fan on stage)
• Misfortune Teller
  Encore:
• Guitar solo
• Hail the Leaf
• Stone the Crow
• Bury Me in Smoke (some other guys on stage swapped out for the band near the end)