Clutch Headlines Brooklyn Bowl in Las Vegas on 3/25/2022
Las Vegas, NV - Clutch headlined a show on Friday, March 25th from the Brooklyn Bowl in Las Vegas to a very full crowd.
Admittedly, I’ve never been a huge Clutch fan. They have always been off my radar for some reason, despite their immense popularity and seemingly “cult-like” following.
Last week was my first time seeing them. From the first note played it is obvious that they are veterans of the stage, with over two decades under their belt and the original lineup intact.
Their music touches just about every genre imaginable. Seemingly nothing is out of bounds for Clutch – Metal, stoner rock, blues, southern rock, and many more fall right in their wheelhouse, and the result is an endless catalog of fantastic songs, and albums that range from solid to absolute classic.
However, their real brilliance only comes to life during their show.
Their most recent stop in Las Vegas saw them playing at Vegas’ best venue, Brooklyn Bowl. Clutch was on tour supporting a few new albums; a “greatest hits” compilation released in 2021, as well as a covers album released in 2020.
Opening the show, we saw the lads from across the pond in Tiger Cub, and sludge metal legends Eyehategod. This was my live introduction to all three of these bands and the bill was an eclectic blend of genres and a breath of fresh air.
Maybe it’s the metalhead in me, but my standout act of the night was New Orleans-based metal legends Eyehategod. They were like a mix of Black Sabbath and Converge, and I could tell the more radio-friendly, hard rock fan base of Clutch was not ready for a band like this...but, they still brought down the house.
My only criticisms of the show were:
1 - The very confusing photography policies
2 - The headlining band going on AFTER 10:00pm... I know it’s Vegas on a Friday, but that is later than most people want to be at a show.
Frustration aside, Clutch took the stage well after my bedtime but to a nearly sold-out crowd. I am trying to write this without using many automotive puns, but the band was firing on all cylinders from the start. Vocalist Neil Fallon had an intense energy and was interactive, all while belting out pitch-perfect notes and heavy riffs.
Tim Sult rocked the guitar with his creative shifts, as Dan Maines decimated his bass lines. Jean-Paul Gaster is no sleeper in Clutch, he was joyful to watch as he mouthed his drum parts most of the way through.
They played for about 90 minutes, and it was a non-stop, high octane (pardon the pun) attack of hard rock featuring tracks from their entire discography including fan favorites Spacegrass, The Regulator, and Monster Trucks.
Clutch have been bringing it since 1991. The band has been rocking biker bars and festivals for three decades. Brooklyn Bowl was wall to wall with energy and the fans were hungry for the mix of blues, funk, and stoner rock. The unique thing about Clutch is that no other band in their genre sounds like they do. They have honed their craft to the point that they stand on their own.