They sustained the energy level tonight but I think that the younger crowd may have felt like this was a bunch of their fathers and uncles on stage jamming together. Not that their set wasn't dead on and totally rollicking-in fact, their southern rock flavor really took shape tonight and they reminded me of listening to long jam sessions by Lynrd Skynrd in the days of my youth. Tonight though they sounded older, slower and softer. Upon first learning their sound and repertoire I thought of them as a bit of a metal version of BTO (Bachman Turner Overdrive) there was a bite to the delivery of the lyrics. I was a little disappointed tonight to not hear the bit of the devil I heard in their earlier albums come out in the voice of lead singer Neil Fallon. I don't know how many other people thought this, but I got the feeling from listening to Clutch's latest album, From Beale Street to Oblivion, that the boys of Clutch may be starting to feel their age.
I saw no errors in the bands performance but Thomas Erak seemed to exit the stage too quickly at the end of the set and there was no time left for an encore. They played a succinct set highlighting tracks from 2007's Manipulator album and other favorite songs like “Whacko Jacko Steals the Elephant Man's Bones,” “F.C.P.R.E.M.I.X.” and “Cut Down All the Trees and Name the Streets After Them.” Bands like this out of Washington state continue to surprise me with the innovative tenacity they exhibit through experimentation and adherence to musical traditions established by their forefathers (ala King Crimson & Rush). These guys were a perfect opening act and it was obvious that the huge fanbase that turned out for them were doubly excited that they were opening for Coheed & Cambria. The evening started promptly at 7:30 with the hyperactive post-hardcore trio, The Fall of Troy. Well, that is not entirely true as he is a genuinely unique person and a huge crowd came out to watch him in adoration on Friday night. Is he a magical troll, or an omniscient ogre, or a giant of mythological legend come to life in the 21st century? Whatever he is or wherever he came from, he is an enigmatic embodiment of all great and powerful metal and progressive rock gods that have come before him. CLAUDIO (EFFING HOLY OF HOLIES) SANCHEZ! I don't care about anything that has ever happened in my life before now that I have seen a live performance by the living, breathing freaking master of all minions of this world and the underworld, Claudio Sanchez of Coheed & Cambria. There is only one thing to say about the concert that I saw tonight.