Clutch, The Fumes @ The PrinceBandroom, Melbourne (25/02/10)

Sun 28th Feb, 2010 in Gig Reviews

The line to get into the Prince stretched some way down the road upon arrival, a testament to both the headline act and The Fumes. A hardworking couple of lads, Steve Merry on guitar and vocals and Joel Battersby on drums, have toured with Queens Of The Stone Age and played a variety of high profile events overseas and, judging by a new single release and the show tonight, 2010 is set to be another huge year for the duo. All riffs and hair, loud drums and gutsy vocals, The Fumes jammed through their set of bluesy rock tracks without much fuss. Rather, it was the songs that did the talking, the detuned guitar work and accomplished percussion melding into a wall of sound that at times referenced another local hard rocking duo, Hotel Wrecking City Traders, but also Sabbath and any number of decent hard rocking bands that have gone before. These boys have got it.

But of course it were the headliners Clutch that most everyone was there to see. Part of a line up at Soundwave that included many reunited headline acts (Faith No More, Jane’s Addiction, Anthrax), Clutch have been together some 20 years, releasing nine albums in that time, as well as working in various side projects, jumping from label to label, and touring constantly, all of which has served to underline their consistency as a band. They punch out a brand of rock that is loud and heavy, yet laden with grooves you just have to dance to and vocals you can sing along to. Clearly it’s all about having a good time, something both the band and the crowd seem to do tonight.

Of latest album Strange Cousins Of The West frontman Neil Fallon stated that the sound is ‘more stripped down and riff oriented. The songs really cut to the chase—getting to the jump and getting out.’ This is true of all the songs tonight – they grab you by the shirt and throw you against the wall. Harnessing a new found acceptance of their blues influences, tonight isn’t about individual songs or playing the hits. Tonight was something closer to a one and a half hour jam, each track working alongside the next, the volume and the pace rising and falling, punctuated by guitar solo here, a drum solo there, an extended groove (there’s that word again) on the bass somewhere else. All the while Fallon paced up and down the stage, his words half sung half shouted out from beneath his hefty beard, his eyes slightly crazed, hands gesturing, sweat dripping. Stretching their musical legs some before having to play a shortened festival set the next day, these boys were on a roll.

Confessing that they are not a typical festival band with all the bells and whistles and over the top showmanship (yes AFI and Paramore, I am looking at you), Clutch concentrate on getting the important things right, and they hit the nail on the head every damn time. The break before the encore gave everyone, including the band, time for a breather before they busted back for a few more harder rock songs, ending the night even more energized and animated than they had begun it. Like the openers for the night, Clutch are set for a huge year, and one can only hope that they are back here sooner rather than later. In the meantime many of the little rock bands kicking around today could learn a lot from a band who has done it all, and just keeps getting better.

Check out photos from the gig here