Review: Clutch, O2 Academy

The Academy’s strict new post-Paris airline security means that despite this being a long sold-out show, Cheltenham’s Welcome Back Delta play to an initially rather select audience. By the time B24/7 has been frisked and passed through the metal detector, these bluesy sharecroppers from the Severn delta are halfway through their set. They’re certainly going for it in what must surely be the biggest gig of their lives, with an increasingly impressive set of swampy hard rock that’s received enthusiastically by the swelling crowd.

“Are you ready for the wrath of Zeus?” Yup, it’s Planet of Zeus from Athens, who were last seen round these parts at the Thekla on the 2014 Lords of the Riff tour. These guys are no Adonis figures. Indeed, with one huge and rather portly guitarist/vocalist and another fun-sized one, they’re a tad reminiscent of Mountain – visually at least. But while the language barrier makes their between-song banter a tad funnier than was perhaps intended, they’re a lot more impressive musically this time round, working themselves into a delirious groove metal frenzy that wins huge applause. By the time they’re done, they’ve made good on their promise to “sweat like pigs for rock and roll”. At this rate, these unlikely thunder gods could prove to be the best thing to come out of Greece since Aphrodite’s Child, Vangelis, Rotting Christ, Firewind and anti-austerity politics.

It’s not so long ago that Maryland’s Clutch were opening for Motorhead at the Colston Hall. There’s been no hype behind the steady rise of the world’s least image-conscious quartet, who are equally at home on underground metal and classic rock bills and managed to completely steal the show at the inaugural Temples Festival. Their gear might be more expensive than that of tonight’s support acts, but it’s no more ostentatious, appearing rather dwarfed by the Academy’s strikingly bare stage. Guitarist Tim Sult and bassist Dan Maines remain studiedly anonymous throughout, the former never lifting his eyes from his fretboard to acknowledge the audience. What’s more, the only remotely flashy thing about rock-solid drummer Jean-Paul Gaster is his Ginger Baker T-shirt. That leaves stocky, engaging frontman Neil Fallon to shoulder the modest showmanship duties, placing the focus firmly on the music as he greets his rammed audience with a cheery, “Hello, gorgeous!”

Sounds unpromising, huh? But through some kind of weird alchemy, they’re absolutely mesmerising, cherry-picking genres to blend deep Americana and unshowy metal, serving up this meaty stew with a rare swing and no shortage of hardcore punk rock fury. The Philip K. Dickery of opener X-Ray Visions sets the scene with its fierce riffage and witty lyrics (everyone sings along with the “Ronald and Nancy Reagan” line) as Clutch proceed to play just about everything from the new Psychic Warfare album. Even though this has been their biggest hit in a slowburning 25 year career, it’s a tad surprising that we hear so little from its equally outstanding immediate predecessor. Nonetheless, wild-eyed Fallon’s on fire, giving it some serious cowbell action during DC Sound Attack! and falling to his knees to do the full Old Testament preacher man routine for Earth Rocker, which might as well be a band manifesto (“If you’re gonna do it/Do it live on stage, or don’t do it at all”). The likes of Our Lady of Electric Light offer a rare showcase for his impressive baritone, though alas the acoustic guitars remain firmly in their cases and there’s no sign of the magnificent Gone Cold.

Long-term fans aren’t entirely neglected, with The Dragonfly and the cosmic Spacegrass being dusted down to evident delight from the faithful. The self-fulfilling The Mob Goes Wild kicks off an encore that concludes with a moshpit-inciting The Wolf Man Kindly Requests… There’s not a hint of fake sincerity when Fallon thanks us all for turning up, as this is one of those bands with a deep and enduring connection to its audience. Long may they Earth Rock.