Clutch channeled the spirit of Lemmy at The Electric Factory

Clutch | Photo by Joe Del Tufo | deltufophotography.com

On the night that Lemmy Kilmister died, two members of Clutch stepped on the stage donning Motorhead t-shirts. I like to think they had them packed for the tour. And their set had that feel to it – that at the heart of all of the riffing and spieling and stomping around the stage, the Motorhead DNA was in there beneath it all.

Make no mistake, this is a band with its own identity, and they sound as vital as ever over 20 years in. Neil Fallon is a true front man, and it was telling to watch the front row shout every word and track every move and he stalked side to side like a panther across the stage. Clutch opened the night with two tracks from the recently released Psychic Warfare album, a loosely based conceptual piece that comprised almost half of the set. It all held together well, with “The Regulator,” “The Mob Goes Wild” and a dank, crunchy version of “The Soapmakers” from the 1998 Elephant Riders album being personal highlights.

“DC Sound Attack” and a spirited version of “Earth Rocker” closed out the night, bringing thousands of raised fists into the lights of a very sold out Electric Factory. This night was old school, and with the ghost of Lemmy in the air, it felt right. Openers Crobot were entertaining, athletic and have great hair.

Setlist
X-Ray Visions
Firebirds!
Crucial Velocity
Burning Beard
Book, Saddle, & Go
Noble Savage
A Quick Death in Texas
The Soapmakers
Doom Saloon
Our Lady of Electric Light
Behold the Colossus
Unto the Breach
The Mob Goes Wild
Profits of Doom
The Regulator
Your Love Is Incarceration
Son of Virginia

Encore:
D.C. Sound Attack!
Earth Rocker