Neil Fallon goes fourth and conquers
PARTNERS AND PACKAGING/PRESS
AFTER EARNING PLENTY of critical acclaim for their last livestream in December 2020, Maryland heavyweights Clutch return for the fourth round in their Live From The Doom Saloon series. Armed with a knockout, careerspanning setlist and performing under an illuminated wagon wheel, tonight the band are throwing the mother of all birthday bashes to celebrate three decades of grooves, riffs and pure rock fury, with proceeds from merch and ticket sales being donated to pancreatic cancer research non-profit, the Lustgarten Foundation.
Playing a track from each Clutch release in chronological order, the four-piece get the party started in style with a molar-rattling run-through of Wicker from 1991’s Pitchfork EP, eschewing set staples and live favourites like Burning Beard and The Mob Goes Wild in favour of deep cuts that haven’t been aired in moons. Frontman Neil Fallon and his band’s refusal to repeat songs from previous Doom Saloon instalments has, as he puts it, forced them to “go to the back of the shelf”, and it’s resulted in a feast for their old-school fans.
The Elephant Riders’ highlight Wishbone gets a welcome dusting down and although its rougher edges have been sanded off, it remains a devilishly funky, seriously groovy gem. Evergreen 2001 fan-favourite Immortal is another standout and serves as a reminder that football shirt-clad tub-thumper Jean-Paul Gaster is one of the best in the business, while (Notes From The Trial Of) La Curandera could level a mountain.