Clutch LIVE! | Ritz Music Venue
Clutch
Clutch is a band that I have had on my music playlist for years. My first musical experience with the band was in 1993 when the album Transnational Speedway League: Anthems, Anecdotes And Undeniable Truths was released. I was in my friends car and he said “dude, you need to listen to this tape from a band called Clutch”, yes kids I said tape. So he put the tape into his cars tape player and the blaring guitar riff of “A shogun named Marcus” started to scream through of the speakers. Even before the first lyric was vocalized I was already a fan. The rhythm of the drums had me immediately swaying my head up and down. My friend and I drove around town just listening to the entire album over and over again.
Clutch is a band whose sound is truly unique to itself. I have heard bands try to emulate their sound but have failed miserably. The band mixes funk metal percussion with deep resounding vocal and bass tones blending it with alternative southern rock. The band has kept going strong releasing 11 studio albums since 1993.
Studio albums
Transnational Speedway League (1993)
Clutch (1995)
The Elephant Riders (1998)
Jam Room (1999)
Pure Rock Fury (2001)
Blast Tyrant (2004)
Robot Hive/Exodus (2005)
From Beale Street to Oblivion (2007)
Strange Cousins from the West (2009)
Earth Rocker (2013)
Psychic Warfare (2015)
Book of Bad Decisions (2018)
One of the albums that made a huge impact and had repeat airplay on the airwaves in Boston was 1998’s album “The Elephant Riders”. The first track on the album also named “The Elephant Riders” was in high demand on the nightly radio listener request shows. It is an amazing album. I got to see Clutch back in the early 2000’s at the Ritz in Raleigh but I believe the venue was under another name at the time. The album “Blast Tyrant” had just been released with its new single “The Mob Goes Wild”. The album is awesome and Clutch just seems to get better and better but never deviating from their unique sound yet also expanding on it.
Clutch at the Ritz in Raleigh
Clutch was playing a rescheduled show at the Ritz in Raleigh North Carolina. It had been rescheduled due to a hurricane that hit the state on the previously scheduled date. The band came out to a crowd chanting “Clutch” over and over again. Lead singer Neil Fallon came out ready to kick ass and take names through his bands music. He said hello to the crowd and then the music started. Lead guitarist Tim Sult jammed out as drummer Jean-Paul Gaster kept the smooth beat alive and bassist Dan Maines made it all sound deep and thick. After the first two songs Neil put down the guitar and started talking to the fans. He told them he was grateful they came back out to the rescheduled show and was happy to there. I have to say that I have never been to a show of any kind where half the crowd had a shirt on with the band they were watching name on it. I probably could of counted 100’s of fans with Clutch shirts on, so that just shows you the support they had that night.
Clutch played smooth and tight the entire night. Neil sounded great as the rest of the band kept the music in key and on beat. I found myself lip syncing back the lyrics to Neil as he was singing them. Clutch is a band that has lasted over 20+ years and continues to produce and create quality records that spread their unique sound and style to fans all over the world. Check out Clutch live, trust me.. you will enjoy it!
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All images taken and copyrighted by Chris Sturk and f28studio.com