Clutch / Suplecs / Kelly Carmichael

I'll start by saying that I know this is not a punk review, but if you don't get Clutch or like them...you are missing out on a really good thing.

The show was at 123 Pleasent St. This is a great venue, and beats out all of the Pittsburgh venues that I'm used to: great stage area, 2 bars, cheap beer...and PBR.

Kelly Carmichael opened up the show. If you like old blues, honest, stripped down and sloppy, this is your man. He used to play in old metal bands such as Internal Void and Pentagram. The guy was really good at what he was doing, but the songs all kinda sounded the same, which stripped down blues tends to do.

Next up was Suplecs. Prior to this show I had only heard one song from these guys. They are a trio hailing from New Orleans. They started out the set by saying, "We need to buy some weed, if anybody has some meet us at the merch table after the set. We told the last crowd that in Michigan and they laughed and thought we were joking...but we're not." Then they began to play, and really suprised me. Here I was watching three bearded guys, lined up across the stage. The drummer was up front with them, playing some really good metal, metal like I have never heard it. Suplecs gave 100% and the crowd reacted the same. I would love to try to describe the sound right now, but I can not. All I can say is that for a little less than a hour these guys played a bunch of really good songs, and at times broke into a jam that was amazing. The one song that stuck out for me was a tune they called "Salami."

Next up was Clutch. I've seen them about four times now and they never disappoint, and this was the perfect venue to see them in. I am a huge fan and I always say that they are the greatest rock band since AC/DC, and they are the most underrated. They got on stage and played a few of the crowd favorites and then broke into solos and a jam session that blows the mind. They played a few of the new songs off of their upcoming album, Robot Hive/Exodus. These songs are very promising. If you know Clutch and their original brand of storytelling, you will find that their live show is the best complement to these little nuggets of genius. Neil Fallon, one of the great front-men, stopped in the middle of a song to slap the hand of a audience member and blurt out "fuck off," and then stare at the guy for about 10 minutes while the band jammed on. He seems like a cocky bastard, but who cares, it works. My only complaint is that they did not play a bunch of my favorite songs, but what kind of complaint is that anyway?

Best live or recorded rock band ever...that is all.