Down @ The Academy

Having single-handedly hauled stripped-down spit-and-sawdust metal round by its rear for the most part of the last 20 years, Phil Anselmo and his New Orleans born hard blues 'supergroup' are back again to unleash the fury. With three albums to their name, the quintet have established a fervent following despite being far outside of the mainstream. Last year's Over The Under was a marked return to form for the group and this show is sure to be crammed with perennial crowd pleasers. Stone The Crow, Rehab, and I Scream can all be expected to frenzy the pit. Anselmo himself is unquestionable as one of the most incendiary front men in the metal game, and with distinguished veterans of metal such as Corrosion of Conformity's Pepper Keenan and fellow Pantera ex-pat Rex Brown for support, this is sure to be a non-stop headbanger's paradise. [Neal Parsons]