To tell you the truth, I wouldn't know a Clutch song if I fell over it. I know Neil Fallon did an awesome version of American Waste on Rollins' West Memphis 3 CD years ago, and that was enough to get me to their Primus opening slot. As usual for the outdoor show, rain in the area was trying to put a dampener (no pun intended) on things. The rain eased to a drizzle and Clutch hit the stage as I walked from my car into the venue. I went side stage (where I watch the poorly sounded Bush last year). A few core fans there had the benefit of a new, extra speaker, so the sound was great. I still don't really know a Clutch song, but they had the crowd engaged in their 75 minute set (Pretty long for an opener, right?).
Before Primus came on I tried to take advantage of the $10 seat upgrade offer the venue was advertising. I assumed as a single I'd be good for an OK spot. But apparently you can only pay with a credit card on your phone, and I'm too old and paranoid for that. However, they accept cash only for a VIP seat upgrade. What? Considering the amount of empty seats in both sections, sounds like a policy that needs to be reviewed.
Primus came out and it didn't take too much to realize they were going to rehash setlists from the last 2 times I saw them (last year with Tool, and the year before with Dinosaur Jr). While their visuals that accompany the songs are great, it is time to mix it up a bit - new videos or how about adding some different songs to the playlist. Frizzle Fry was the first great song for the night for me. And Mr Krinkle is an all time favorite, so there is no denying the joy of that video / song combination. Damned Blue Collard Tweekers got the crowd out of a mid-set funk and the new song, The Seven, is as Primus-y as you can get. Except for the intro to The Seven, and Claypool having a dig at drummer, Alexander, for missing the end of Mud, audience interaction was at a minimum. Only an extended Southbound Pachyderm was played as an encore and I didn't feel that the show had all the energy you usually find at a Primus gig. We'll let them off with this being the first show of the tour - but I hope it gets better for the crowd's sake. Don't get me wrong - I'll come back until I hear Tommy The Cat again, but lets hope that is sooner rather than later.
The Crap Facts:
This is my 428th concert.
This is my 8th concert at CMCU Amphitheater.
This is my 63rd concert in Charlotte.
This is my 71st concert in North Carolina.
This is my 234th concert in the USA.
Clutch is the 496th band I've seen.
This is my 9th Primus concert.
This is my 9th Primus concert.
