Is there a better way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo than seeing Clucth at the House Of Blues in Boston? This is our fourth piece on these guys this year I believe and I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s either because a) We really like ’em and think you should too or b) They’re really great and we think you should like ’em. My second time seeing Clutch this year and somewhere in the double digits overall, Clutch never disappoint and tonight was no different.
Four of the most unassuming guys you will ever meet, Clutch nonetheless continue to dazzle audiences (Yes, Clutch can “dazzle” an audience) on the second leg of their North American tour in support of the recently released Earth Rocker. With a vast catalog, the band easily culled together a cohesive set mixing old favorites (“Elephant Riders”, “Escape From The Prison Planet”) with a heavy leaning toward the new record (Six total including the title track, “The Face”, and recently released “Crucial Velocity”).
Opening with “The Regulator” and segueing into “The Dragonfly” was an interesting start to the evening but set the tone early on for an eclectic mix of old and new Clutch favorites. Vocalist Neil Fallon was a commanding presence and especially animated introducing some oldies as being from the “Clinton-era” and others as originally being on cassette or as he called it: “The format of the future”. Proving what a seasoned veteran he is, Fallon, after missing a guitar start during “Electric Worry” stopped and with a shit-eating grin smiled and simply stated: “Let’s try that again…shit happens”. Indeed.
At this point I just don’t understand moshing at a Clutch show but hey, self expression and all that jazz is what makes our society so great. Even the pushing and shoving during some awkward songs (I mean “Spacegrass”? Really?) couldn’t take away from this performance and if you haven’t had a chance to see Clutch live, you’re really missing out. Go here to see when they’re coming to your town.