Concert Review: Clutch

Clutch, Corrosion of Conformity, and The Shrine
Psychic Warfare Tour – Oct 13th, 2015
The Vogue Theater – Indianapolis, IN

Anytime I get the chance to see Clutch, I take it – no questions asked. They are veterans of the stage, with over two decades under their belt and the original lineup in tact. Their music touches just about every genre on the planet – maybe most evident by a relatively new song called DC Sound Attack, that features a killer Go-Go beat on a cowbell as a prominent theme. 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 a seemingly endless catalog of fantastic songs, and albums that range from solid to absolute classic. However, in my humble opinion, their real brilliance only comes to life during their show. Oh man that live show…

My most recent opportunity to catch them live was at The Vogue in Indy, which is a great small venue in the Broad Ripple neighborhood of Indianapolis. (Recently, Nonpoint and 10 Years performed there). Clutch was on tour supporting their latest (eleventh!) album, called Psychic Warfare, and hit Indy on a rainy October day. To open up the night, The Shrine and Corrosion of Conformity both put on really good shows, and my initial introduction to both bands was one of pleasant surprise. As CoC finished their show, I snagged one last Sun King WeeMac and headed to the front of the venue. Something told me that the mob was about to go wild… My expectations couldn’t be higher Clutch – let’s do this.

Concert Review: 10 Years / Nonpoint

10 Years / Nonpoint
When The Sky Cracks Open Tour – Friday, July 17th, 2015
The Vogue – Indianapolis, IN

As my music tastes have matured, I have really started gravitating towards what I like to call mid-major bands. Taken from world of college athletics, my analogy alludes to bands that may not be as well known as some others, but have no trouble standing toe to toe with any of the powerhouses. Sure, I love catching bands like Muse, Avenged Sevenfold, Godsmack, and Machine Head in front of 10,000 fans. But for my money, a small venue show of a band like Clutch, Aranda, Shaman’s Harvest, Foxy Shazam, or Crobot can be equally as entertaining. There’s just something about these smaller bands that seems more personal, and easier to connect with.

This tour featured two great mid majors – 10 Years and Nonpoint have both been around for a decade, and are a great example of smaller bands that do absolutely everything right. I’ve been a fan of both of these bands for years – I remember my introduction to 10 Years in 2006 at a local festival, (which caused me to sing Wasteland for two months straight). I also remember my first Nonpoint show – a mud-soaked, sweat-drenched, nonstop mosh pit party on the Jager stage at Rock on the Range in 2010 that I will never forget. A rare chance to catch both of these bands at a great small venue 20 minutes from my house? SOLD!