Review by Catherine McCauley for MPM
The day we have all been waiting for has finally arrived!! The mini bus is packed with impassioned fans and the atmosphere is charged as we motor towards the big smoke via Donegal and Derry. The heat is stifling, as we have been surviving a heat wave for a few days now but thankfully the old fashioned air conditioning – aka open windows keeps everyone chilled whilst we sing along to the Clutch catalogue blasting from the radio. It’s been nearly four years since the mighty Clutch graced our shores. Clutch have a strong dedicated fan base in Ireland. This is evidenced by the two dates in Dublin earlier this week, followed by tonight’s eagerly anticipated performance and will be followed up by two further dates in Limerick.
Ten Tonne Slug are tonight’s support act and hail from Galway. They’ve been entertaining the metal masses with their sludge/groove metal since 2013. The lads have deservedly earned a reputation for blistering and intense live performances and consist of Ronan O ‘hArrachtain (vocals) Sean O Suilleabhain (guitar/vocals) Pavol Rosa (bass) and Tommy Carolan (drums). Ten Tonne Slug open tonight’s proceedings with ‘The Ooze’, don’t be fooled with the melodic guitar intro, once the drums and guitars kick in The Telegraph begins to shake. O ‘hArrachtain’s vocals are guttural and at times ear blistering. The Galway cohort provide an auditory onslaught but yet they possess a catchy groove and have the Belfast audience enthralled.
The venue is filling up nicely as the lads continue to power through tracks such as ‘Balor’ and ‘Ancient Ways’, seeing O Suilleabhain’s backing vocals provides added penetrating layers to the vocals. The combined guitars of O Suilleabhain and Rosa are riff laden yet beautifully melodic in places, especially during the bands Irish language track entitled ‘Mallacht an tSloda’ (curse of the slug) featured on their 2024 album Colossal Oppressor.
As O ‘hArrachtain head bangs along to the hefty drum beats of Carolan, without diluting the professionalism of the powerful singer and his vocal abilities, I’d confidently add that his impressive locks left many a punter both male and female with hair envy and by god does he put it to good use when engaging the crowd with zealous head banging.
Ten Tonne Slug bring their forceful set to an end with thenon-dulcet and brutal tones of ‘Matriach of Slime’ and ’Siege’. The lads have certainly left a lasting impression tonight in The Telegraph building as the sweaty assembly starts to head for cold refreshments and browse the tasty Merch on sale in the wake of the all-pervading trail of the potent Ten Tonne Slug. Do not miss an opportunity to catch these guys live you will not be disappointed!! After a well needed comfort break we regroup and the atmosphere in the venue is electric.
Clutch has always been one band whom the majority of my friends love and it’s a very special experience to be gathered with old and new friends to encounter a night of Maryland’s finest funk metal groove.
Friends since high school Neil Fallon (vocals, guitar), Tim Sult (guitar), Dan Maines (bass) and Jean-Paul Gaster (drums) launched the almighty Clutch in 1991 and have an impressive 13 studio albums under their belt. They kept the fans entertained during the dreaded pandemic period with the Live at the Doom Saloon sessions which helped maintain the fans sanity somewhat during this time. The lads involved the fans featuring a Setlist submitted by approx. 4,000 fans. Vinyl pressings and Merch were also available at this time and I’m fortunate to have two of the t-shirts which are very much treasured possessions from a crazy time. Clutch maintained their link with their fans and I don’t think any of us will ever take a live gig for granted again.
Back to tonight’s headlining event – Clutch take to the stage and have us immediately enchanted from the opening bars of ‘X-Ray Visions’. The crowd is swaying and bouncing along to the groove and are ready for tonight’s service. Next up, ‘Firebirds!’ Fallon still possesses the ability to appear to preach and yet negotiate using hand gestures and body language to engage us, his devoted and unruly congregation. The charismatic frontman knows how to work the stage and the audience yet does it with humility. Despite the size of the venue it feels like an intimate gig and we are eating from Mr Fallon’s and his buddies hands. Sult’s riffs are exquisite and intergalactic.
The band plough through one classic tune after another including ‘Sunrise on Slaughter Beach’, ‘Immortal’ and the super charged ‘Crucial Velocity’. Attempts to crowd surf were thwarted by eagle eyed security but this did not dampen the spirits of the possessed fans eager to display their adoration. Always guaranteed to make a crowd go crazy, Clutch deliver the ‘The Mob Goes Wild’ and the audience participate in keeping up with the lyrics with Fallon and along to the thumping beats of Gaster’s drums. ‘Profits of Doom’ feels like a psychedelic experience between the mesmerising movements of the enigmatic frontman and the holistic mastery and musicianship and of his band mates. The temperature is scorching yet we daren’t leave the hall in case of missing a desired tune.
‘The Regulator’s opening riff always gives me goosebumps and transport me back to the episode of The Walking Dead, were I had my first introduction to Clutch. The song fully commands the Telegraph audience’s attention. The chorus is searing alongside the guitar riffs and intense drums of Gaster. Fallon’s vocals remain in fantastic condition and he belts out the emotive lyrics with determination and fortitude. We are very honoured to be the lucky recipients of a new song performed live, for the first time tonight here in Belfast, entitled ‘Stage Fright’. To say that we are buzzing to hear new Clutch material would be a massive understatement! The song is very well received and we await eagerly news of the next album.
Maine’s pulsing bassline leads us into the older catalogue segment, mainly from their self-titled album beginning with ‘Big News 1’, and the instrumental track ‘Tim Sult v.s the Greys’, ‘Texan Book of the Dead’, and the formidable ‘Spacegrass’. The older fans amongst us are in seventh heaven hearing the classics and their force has not reduced with time. Clutch know how to bring it and bring it they most certainly have!. ‘Burning Beard’ ramps up the energy levels once again just prior to the encore. The lads permit us a brief breather before they reappear and launch into ‘Electric Worry’, which has the Belfast crowd bouncing with deafening cries of ‘Bang, bang, bang, bang, vamonos, vamonos’ ringing throughout the venue. The smell of sweat and sheer joy is palpable.
Clutch round off tonight’s sermon with ‘Rats’, Fallon’s screams ring throughout the telegraph as we bounce and dance relishing every last note. What a phenomenal night of music, friendship and fun. Clutch need no frills or fancy sets. They are a group of talented friends who thrive off playing the music they love to likeminded fans and the world is a much better place for them. Hopefully there will be a new album soon with a supporting tour. All I ask is Neil, please bring your cowbell next time, we’ve missed it the past two visits for D.C. Sound Attacks. That aside this visit was damn near perfect.
Photography by MPM
