Amid cheers and chants, Clutch electrified the audience at Newport Music Hall after opening bands failed to impress.
As part of a tour to support its recently released album, “Strange Cousins From the West,” Clutch performed in Columbus Saturday. The two opening bands were Caverns and Danko Jones.
Anticipation brewed as the audience waited for the concert to start. The doors opened at 7 p.m., and many people crowded the floor and bar as the concert began.
Caverns opened the concert at 8 p.m. The music blended typical hard rock and metal guitar and drum-work with piano. The songs had few words, if any, and often served as a backdrop for the pianist’s skill.
Despite the assurance from the guitarist that “this is the best stop of the five we’ve had,” the audience seemed uninterested in the band, often staring toward the stage motionless. As the set continued, the situation did not improve, and Caverns left the stage without much fan-fare.
Danko Jones took the stage next. The group brought a more conventional approach to the three-piece band, replacing piano with a bass guitar and placing vocal duties with the guitarist.
This more typical approach drew a greater response from the crowd, and this set began better than the previous one. Danko Jones, the lead singer and guitarist and the band’s namesake, succeeded in garnering a reaction out of the crowd. He often stopped to interact with the audience.
But toward the end of the set, jeers of “Shut the f— up!” and “You suck!” could be heard along with pervasive cheers. Rob Malhotra, a 30-year-old purchasing agent, among others, hoisted up a thumbs-down in contrast to the typical raised fists of the crowd.
“He talked too much,” Malhotra said, “and it was all garbage.” Though Malhotra disliked how much talking Jones did, he was more displeased with his abuse of other artists’ fame.
“He was using other people’s names, like Dimebag Darrell, to increase his credibility,” Malhotra said. Malhotra felt that Jones was simply “closing his eyes and pretending to be in Clutch.”
At 10 p.m., Clutch came out on stage amid a swell of enthusiasm.
Clutch’s style is familiar to fans but not conventional. The band blends heavy metal with punk and blues while maintaining a slow tempo, which is commonly described as “sludge metal” or “stoner rock.” The vocals of Neil Fallon communicate torment common of a blues musician while maintaining a tight-throated style all his own.
As the set continued, the crowd became more and more animated, bobbing their heads, cheering excitedly and pumping their fists. For Clutch, few on the floor remained motionless, and nobody had an ill word.
Clutch appeared to wrap up the concert and exit the stage while fans wanting more chanted its name. Minutes later, the band emerged on stage for its obligatory encore. After playing another song, Fallon took a moment to show his appreciation to the Columbus crowd. “You’ve been good to us for many years,” Fallon said. Clutch played a couple more songs before exiting the stage for the final time.
As the house lights came on, people where still raving about Clutch’s performance. Despite Danko Jones’ set, Malhotra enjoyed the concert. “I am a huge fan [of Clutch],” Malhotra said, pointing to his Neil Fallon-esque beard. “That is why I grew this.”
