Crowbar, the renowned New Orleans sludge metal group, has announced that Pat Bruders of Down will be stepping in on bass for their remaining 2025 live dates. This change comes as Crowbar‘s regular bassist, Shane Wesley, is currently touring with Acid Bath. The announcement arrives just ahead of Crowbar‘s co-headlining tour with their fellow New Orleans comrades, Eyehategod, set to kick off next month.
Kirk Windstein, Crowbar‘s vocalist and guitarist, expressed enthusiasm about the temporary reunion with Bruders. “Due to Shane‘s prior commitments with Acid Bath, Pat Bruders will be joining us for the rest of 2025. We will miss Shane, but we are excited to reunite with Pat for these shows! This tour and the Halloween cruise [Headbanger’s Boat] are gonna be a blast! Don’t miss it!” Windstein stated.
Shane Wesley also offered his perspective on the lineup adjustment. He highlighted the honor of being involved with both Crowbar and Acid Bath, two bands he admired growing up. “Due to scheduling conflicts, Pat Bruders will be filling in for me on Crowbar’s upcoming tour with Eyehategod, as well as their Headbanger’s Boat appearance,” Wesley explained.
He spoke highly of Bruders, calling him “a good friend of mine and someone I’ve looked up to for years,” and commended his work in both Crowbar (where Bruders was a member from 2005 to 2013) and Down. Wesley underscored the anticipation for the Crowbar/Eyehategod tour, noting that “friends and fans have been asking for this for years.”
Pat Bruders himself conveyed his gratitude for the opportunity to rejoin Crowbar. “I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation to my brother Kirk, and my brothers in Crowbar for giving me the opportunity to step in and play again with them in place of Shane Wesley of whom I have nothing but the deepest love and respect for,” Bruders said.
He promised to do his “best job on his behalf” for the August tour with Eyehategod and the upcoming Headbanger’s Boat in October. Bruders encouraged all fans to attend, promising “a great, exciting, and super kicka*s time!”
The co-headlining tour featuring Crowbar and Eyehategod will commence on August 7 in Orlando, Florida, and conclude on August 31 in Pensacola, Florida. This extensive run includes a special performance on the Rocks Off Concert Cruise in New York City. Following this tour, Crowbar will also participate in Lamb Of God’s Headbangers Boat in October.
Crowbar‘s most recent studio offering is the critically acclaimed Zero And Below, released in 2022 via MNRK Heavy. Led by Kirk Windstein, with Matt Brunson on guitar, Shane Wesley on bass, and Tommy Buckley on drums, the album features tracks like “Chemical Godz,” “It’s Always Worth The Gain,” and “Bleeding From Every Hole.” Critics have praised Zero And Below for its unrelenting heaviness and emotional depth. Decibel Magazine lauded it as “as dark and heavy as a midnight avalanche,” while Metal Injection noted its ability to make listeners “feel like you’re trudging in the marshlands around Lake Martin in the middle of the night.” Blabbermouth simply declared: “Heavy times demand heavy music. Crowbar continues to be among the heaviest ever.”
Zero And Below was produced, mixed, and mastered by Duane Simoneaux at OCD Recording And Production in Metairie, Louisiana. The album is considered by many to be Crowbar‘s most unforgivably doom-driven record since their 1998 landmark effort, Odd Fellows Rest.
Crowbar with Eyehategod Tour Dates:
- August 7, 2025: Conduit – Orlando, FL
- August 8, 2025: Brass Mug – Tampa, FL
- August 9, 2025: Respectable Street – West Palm Beach, FL
- August 10, 2025: Trolley Pub – Summerville, SC
- August 11, 2025: 529 – Atlanta, GA
- August 12, 2025: Ground Zero – Spartanburg, SC
- August 13, 2025: Cobra Cabana – Richmond, VA
- August 14, 2025: Rocks Off Concert Cruise – New York City, NY
- August 15, 2025: Phantom Power – Millersville, PA
- August 16, 2025: Geno’s – Portland, ME
- August 17, 2025: Brighton Music Hall – Boston, MA
- August 18, 2025: Space Ballroom – Hamden, CT
- August 19, 2025: Lost Horizon – Syracuse, NY
- August 20, 2025: Preserving Underground – New Kensington, PA
- August 21, 2025: Black Circle – Indianapolis, IN
- August 22, 2025: Ace Of Cups – Columbus, OH
- August 23, 2025: Reggie’s – Chicago, IL
- August 24, 2025: Sanctuary – Detroit, MI
- August 25, 2025: Red Flag – St. Louis, MO
- August 26, 2025: 89th Street – Oklahoma City, OK
- August 27, 2025: Club Dada – Dallas, TX
- August 28, 2025: House Of Rock – Corpus Christi, TX
- August 29, 2025: Come And Take It Live – Austin, TX
- August 30, 2025: Southport Hall – New Orleans, LA
- August 31, 2025: The Handlebar – Pensacola, FL
- October 31, 2025: Headbangers Boat – Miami, FL
Photo credit: Charles Dye Photography
