(24 May 2007, The Roxy Theatre, Los Angeles) I have seen Clutch more than any other band, and every time I see them, they remind me why Clutch is king. Their shows are always incredible, partly because of the fiercely devoted fan base. How devoted? I’m glad you asked. I’ll give you a couple examples. I was talking with a woman that I had met at a previous Clutch show. She told me she had driven from San Francisco for this show, and she was working on getting tickets for the shows in LA on the 25th and San Diego on the 26th. If that isn’t a good enough example of the devotion of the Clutch army, try this one on for size. There was a kid right up by the stage, sitting on some dude’s shoulders. This kid couldn’t have been more than nine years old and he was singing along with every song.That is part of what makes a Clutch show great. As soon as the fans hear the opening chords of any tune, they are ready to sing along. And they do. There is such great energy at a Clutch show, from the band (Neil never fails to work up a good sweat) and the fans who jump and sing and shout all the way through the show.
Clutch is also incredible at mixing up their songs. Even when promoting a new album, they throw in a good blend of songs from previous albums. And they’re always good for an extended jam or two. This show featured an incredible drum solo during “Big News.”
This show had a little different flavor than the last time I saw Clutch. Eric Oblander of Five Horse Johnson (harmonica) was on stage with the band for a good part of the show. Toward the end of the set, another guitarist (whose name I didn’t catch) played a song or two also. Oh, and during “The Devil & Me” a woman jumped on the stage, removed her shirt and danced for a few moments until she was asked to get down. How’s that for flavor? So, yeah. Clutch is king because they are road warriors and they never fail to give an energy-laden performance with all the good stuff fans want to hear.
Immediately preceding Clutch was a hard-rockin’ trio called Year Long Disaster. These guys were excellent. Technically, they are great musicians (my cohort mentioned to me that they seem like the kind of guys who really study music) and they absolutely rock. The drummer doesn’t so much play his kit as much as he beats it into submission. The singer plays a smokin’ guitar and his vocals remind a bit of Phil McCormack of Molly Hatchet.
Before Year Long Disaster was a band from Bloomington, Illinois, called Backyard Tire Fire. I was pretty impressed with these guys. They have a gritty Midwestern sound that is equal parts rock, roots, and blues. The guitarist plays a pretty mean slide guitar and the rhythm section (including a five-string bass) is tight. I’ll be adding some Backyard Tire Fire to my collection.
The opener, was, well, the opener. Bernard’s Millions is a screamo band who didn’t really seem to put any feeling into their music at all. If I had to guess (keep in mind this is only speculation on my part), I’d say these guys formed a band as a way to meet girls. Perhaps if I were a rich “angry” 18-year-old, the music would have resonated with me a little more than it did.
