DOWN & Helmet — Strap It Down Tour Pre-Game: Atlanta 2026
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"It's been a while since we've been to a show together…"
"Get 'em big, because when you do laundry, things shrink."
"You can smell the moss on it…"
"Sometimes going through Hell makes beautiful art."
"Angry Helmet is better."
"We'll have a report when we come back from the show…"
About This Episode
The Strap It Down Summer Tour kicks off on Saturday, August 15, 2026, at The Eastern in Atlanta, Georgia — featuring DOWN, Helmet, and Spirit in the Room. Metal Nerdery was there for the first date of the tour — and naturally, we had to do a Pre-Game first.
We last traveled to The Eastern back in 2024 when we saw King Diamond and Overkill — and the sound and layout of that venue made for one of the best concert experiences we've had in quite some time. Having said that, we are equally excited to get to see DOWN and Helmet on the first date of this tour. This show promises to be one of the most crushing metal events of the summer.
The Post-Game review episode is coming — stay tuned. 🤘
🎪 THE STRAP IT DOWN SUMMER TOUR
Date: Saturday, August 15, 2026
Venue: The Eastern — Atlanta, Georgia
Lineup: DOWN · Helmet · Spirit in the Room
Note: Metal Nerdery was at the first date of this tour — Post-Game review coming soon!
Metal News — Pre-Show
🎙 Tony Iommi — "World Alone" from the upcoming short film From The Dark (releasing 10/23/2026). "What is he, 78?" Tony Iommi: still the riff king, still releasing new music. HAIL. Go check out our full Black Sabbath coverage for the complete Iommi story.
Listener email — The Drunken Irishman asks about Grim Reaper: "What is your opinion of the British heavy metal band Grim Reaper?" "They did a lot of stuff in Hell…" "That sounds like 1983…" #NightRanger — See You in Hell (See You in Hell – 1983, 1984 in the USA). "The next one's gonna be bigger…" "Remember the arcade game Moon Patrol?" "Boon Duggy…" #arcadegames. Also: the last time DOWN was seen live, the Melvins opened for them at Center Stage. "They've got like 30 albums I think… oh boy, let's count 'em… 29!"
#AskTheMetalhead — Four Questions This Episode
🎙 Ask The Metalhead — Ep. 364
The Music — Pre-Game Setlist
🍃 DOWN
"You know what, I think to kick things off…" #Alanna "Larry Gitis…" The perfect DOWN opener — swampy, heavy, and unmistakably Southern. The ideal pre-game track.
"I got another one here…" "That's got a Sabbath vibe to it…" "They were supposed to do 4 different EPs for Down IV…" "Got another Hog Slap on the way, pal…"
"That's got a Sabbath vibe to it…""You can smell the moss on it…" "Just a dark night in the swamp… it's just got a dark, haunting quality to it…" "Sometimes going through Hell makes beautiful art." NOTE: Check out the Loyola University interview with Phil Anselmo from 2009. #GarzaPodcast #SmokingJesus
"You can smell the moss on it…" / "Sometimes going through Hell makes beautiful art.""Just a dark night in the swamp…" The companion piece to Ghosts Along the Mississippi — both tracks back to back paint the full picture of what DOWN at their most atmospheric can do.
The closer — "Wanna do one more DOWN to round it out?" The perfect way to end the Pre-Game and send everyone into the weekend ready for the show. NOLA: the album that started it all for DOWN.
⛏ HELMET
"I like those ringy chords…" The Helmet deep dive begins. Immediately the question arrives: "Here's a Helmet question for you, Billiam — which album do you prefer, Meantime or Betty?"
"Okay, Betty or Aftertaste?" #markthetime — the Helmet album debate continues across multiple tracks.
NOTE: Helmet were briefly a three-piece during the Aftertaste era. The groove on this track is undeniable — one of Page Hamilton's finest moments.
"I'm not familiar with this one at all…" "It's kinda got an Ozzy quality to it…" #CartmanASMR
"Wanna check out the last album, Left?" "And we're back…" "Angry Helmet is better." The most recent Helmet album — the verdict is clear on which direction suits them best.
"Angry Helmet is better.""This one just popped in my head, so I wanna hear it…" One of the great metal/hip-hop crossover moments of the 90s — Helmet and House of Pain on the legendary Judgment Night soundtrack. Still hits.
Episode Timestamps
- Episode: Metal Nerdery #364 — DOWN & Helmet Strap It Down Tour Pre-Game
- Show: The Strap It Down Summer Tour — August 15, 2026 — The Eastern, Atlanta GA
- Lineup: DOWN · Helmet · Spirit in the Room
- First date of the tour: Atlanta, Georgia — Metal Nerdery was there
- DOWN tracks played: The Seed · Witchtripper · Ghosts Along the Mississippi · Where I'm Going · Eyes of the South
- Helmet tracks played: Milquetoast · See You Dead · Driving Nowhere · Bad News · Dead to the World · Holiday · Just Another Victim (w/ House of Pain)
- Metal news: Tony Iommi — "World Alone" from From The Dark (10/23/2026)
- Listener email: The Drunken Irishman asks about Grim Reaper — answered
- #AskTheMetalhead: Best guitarist ever · Most underrated band · Album you'd delete · Best metal decade
- Coming soon: Dream Theater episode · Lick It Up Chronicles · Power Ballads (sleeping bags required)
- Post-Game review: Coming after August 15 — stay tuned 🤘