Clutch
at The Middle East Cafe
by Paul Lee
You know, I would just love to see the reaction of a die-hard Deadhead upon experiencing a Clutch performance. Better yet, stick the bozo at the front of the stage and watch as he is pummeled to a grisly death. These are the kinds of feelings that I get with Clutch. Power, rage, and great black humor fill me to the rim. Who needs caffeine when the mighty Clutch are around?
It’s been over a year since Clutch put out their twisted and terrifying debut full-length, Transnational Speedway League: Anthems, Anecdotes, and Undeniable Truths (EastWest) and now they are on tour with Drown, and the awesome Prong. But, as under-publicized as Clutch has seemingly been, they have a loyal following, and their presence was definitely felt at The Middle East. Some violent boys were around to “fuck shit up” and create some havoc.
What amazes me about Clutch is that their intense sonic power comes from four guys who are so damned nice and down-to-earth. Singer Neil Fallon once told me that they came from decent families and weren’t twisted monsters. But the force of their performance proved that you don’t need belligerent and rage-wracked bastards to put out some monster music.
Opening with “Walking In The Great Shining Paths of the Monster Trucks,” Clutch started with total fury. Neil’s charisma and true frontman talents were obvious. The guy has fun and loves what he does. Bassist Dan Maines and guitarist Tim Sult somehow managed to stay in their place and remained placid in spite of the chaos they create. Jean Paul Gauster hammered away at his set, creating a brutal rhythm, and didn’t break a single head (drum head, that is).
By the time they got to heir fourth song, Clutch has already lost four members of the audience, who were tossed out of the M.E. for dangerous behavior, which is homicidal slamming. By the time the most insidious and potentially dangerous song, “Binge and Purge” came on, nobody else seemed to want to be ejected, so the crowd didn’t get too nuts. Clutch spent about half of their forty minute set playing material from a new album that should be out in January.
If you’re looking for a powerful experience and you don’t want to demolish a car, make sure you get your ass to a Clutch show. If you fear for your life, then stay in the back, and you will still shudder from their might. Prepare for their new opus, and make sure you bring your Deadhead friends with you.
