Crash Helmets at the ready...
This is the first of two appearances by Helmet this weekend, but it seems to me that the current line-up has been banished to the third stage whilst the original line up plays on the Snickers Stage on Sunday. Does this mean that the new Helmet will not be as good?
Unfortunately, few have turned out to see Helmet this evening. Then again, is it really no surprise with Black Sabbath gracing the main stage? After all, this is Ozzfest. Nevertheless, they get a huge round of applause when they come on stage. They sound pretty good when they begin to play, which is always a bonus. Real up-front but dirty rock, they put on quite a show on the smallest of the three stages at Download this year. Their sound works well in the enclosed space and I'm not entirely sure if it would translate well to the main stage. The set is intimate but they still produce a huge sound. The riffs keep coming and the tunes are heavy without becoming morose. Their crowd may have trouble competing with Ozzy's legions of followers, but they still warrant a look at.