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There are not many bands that warrant 9-hour road trips but Clutch are definitely top of the list when it comes to bands worth putting in the effort to go and see.
Having played at Download over the weekend this date in Cardiff was the only other show on the cards until they come back for their traditional Clutchmas shows in December. So it was not to be missed.
With the legendary Phil Campbell and his Bastard Sons supporting (very apt with it being Father’s Day) it was a double header of quality. Their own material is fantastic with the likes of Big Mouth, Get On Your Knees and Dark Days getting everyone going. But, when tracks as big as Born To Raise Hell or the absolute anthem that it Ace of Spades get played the whole room goes mental.
Clutch took the stage with their cover of Chuck Brown’s Money playing over the PA, which is as a traditional part of the set as you can get. Its groove sets the tone for the rest of the night.
Each night a different member of the band chooses the set list, starting with Escape From The Prison Planet our first guess would have been that drummer Jean-Paul Gaster had selected tonight’s but as the show progresses it’s harder to tell. X-Ray Visions, Firebirds! And Gimme the Keys all made their emphatic presence felt before a stunning cover of Cactus’ Evil.
This is part of their new Weather Maker Vault Series, a new release due soon that came about due to boredom during their last bit of downtime. It’s fantastic too. For some reason, the word evil is so much more powerful when delivered by Neil Fallon.
After In Walks Barbarella released it’s Weaponized Funk – a highlight from their most recent album Book Of Bad Decisions – they decided to dust off some of their ‘lesser spotted in a live setting’ numbers with Red Horse Rainbow and Willie Nelson making well received appearances. Tim Sult’s hunched over his guitar plays some of the finest guitar you will ever hear, but when Neil bolsters it on guitar too it’s just unstoppable.
Underpinned by THE tightest rhythm section on the planet these four musicians combine to create a breath taking cacophony of the finest noise you can ever hear. Adjusting their dancing pants for Mob Goes Wild the crowd react appropriately and when the opening of Electric Worry begins they lose their minds.
Closing the night with H.B. is in Control and How to Shake Hands we left the venue with ears ringing and souls filled. They return in December for four pre Christmas dates and you really should, if you like music, be at at least one of them.
For a full set of photos from the show click here