On Thursday, December 28, 2017, Clutch made an unforgettable appearance at the Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, New Jersey. The venue was packed from front to back with wall to wall patrons. Opening the show was the Mike Wescott Band, The Obsessed, and The Devin Townsend Project. Starland Ballroom was the best place to be right before ringing in the New Year.
I have never seen a band such as the Devin Townsend Project. Their opening performance for the headliner Clutch was truly incredible! A band that describes themselves to be a mix of Progressive rock, Metal, and a whole lot more. You could hear the crowd screaming before they even walked out on stage. My favorite song that they played was “More” off their album Epicloud. This album has a spiritual/choir feel to it along with a pop metal vibe. The song “More” has a heavy and fast paced melody with lights flashing in the background. During the song, you could hear fans in the audience chanting “More, more, more, more!” It was a jaw-dropping performance that left me with the chills and wanting to see this band again!
As Clutch hit the stage while fans cheered as loud as they could. They played an energetic and lively set. Their setlist included everything you could want from a Clutch show. The first song of the night was “ The Dragonfly” which was on their album The Elephant Riders. This album was released in April of 1998. Not only does lead singer Neil Fallon, have a phenomenal voice with an incredible range, he truly knew how to keep the crowd entertained. It was clear that they knew how to put on an amazing rock show to a sold out crowd.
The venue’s layout was standing room only with a small seating area on both sides of the stage and in the back by the main bar. The one song that I enjoyed from their setlist was “Electric Worry”. It started out slow with the lead singer on guitar then got faster as the rest of the band joined in. This was definitely one of the rowdiest crowds I have ever witnessed. They kept the audience on their toes from start to finish. A concert filled with enthusiastic, screaming fans and memories I won’t be able to forget.
Towards the end of the show, they played the song “X-Ray Visions” which contains the lyrics “Psychic Warfare” and is also the name of the tour. Their Psychic Warfare album is their best one yet so I highly suggest that new fans take a listen. If you haven’t listened to it yet then you don’t know what you are missing! This is the second time I have seen Clutch on their Psychic Warfare Tour and I would honestly see them again. Clutch is a band that continues to impress me with their breathtaking performance. I definitely plan on seeing them again the next time they are in town!
PHOTO GALLERY
Photos by Kimberly Ann of Garden State Band Connection
