Academy 2
02/11/2009
Thomas Geddes
*****
Going into a gig headlined by your very favourite bands is ALWAYS a drawn out experience. You stand there for a few hours, listening patiently to the support acts, all the while waiting for the headliners to appear on the stage and mess your pants quite a lot. If that's the case, we're going to have to redefine always.
In a gig that has the stoner rock seal of approval, Kamchatka entered the stage with most of the crowd somewhere towards the back or at the bar. They ended their set with most in attendance towards the front. Seeing as this was only their second gig in the UK (the first being the previous day), it was no surprise that this Swedish power trio were unknowns over here. After the performance they gave, which can only be described as a treat, I can't see that obscurity lasting. Most songs were a chilled out, yet groovy affair which had the crowds heads bobbing more than most support acts dream of. When instrumental parts and solo's hit, there was more than just a hint of Jimi Hendrix and Pink Floyd throwback in there. These were the only moments of their set where the head bobbing stopped. It was replaced by a slack jawed awe. I saw at least 3 people turn to surrounding people and mouth, "Fucking hell." I'm not ashamed to admit, I did the same.
Due to this warm up, Kylesa's job was made all the more easy. With the crowd already fully warmed up 2 bands early, their 2 drummed brutality and heavy guitars appealed to the more manic side of the crowd. Roaring their way through a constant barage of huge beats, there was no let up for the crowd. Particularly surprising was the powerful voice of the female vocalist and the intensity of both drummers throughout. Especially so, in a fantastic drum solo (or should that be tandem?)
With Clutch hitting the stage to a manic, lively crowd, they tore through a set largely dominated by their newest album, Strange Cousins From The West. Neil Fallon's preacheresque stance and expression was there in spades, with his facial expressions only adding to the intensity of songs like 'Abraham Lincoln' and 'Minotaur'. Jam's inbetween songs are commonplace in a Clutch gig, and as always were executed with precision, making every song seem to glide into each other. The only gripe of this night was that the set missed a huge chunk of the early, more hardcore style Clutch songs, which could have irritated some seeing the band for the first time. Yet, with an everchanging set, you can guarruntee that if you caught them in any other city of this tour, you'd get them.
Certainly, this was one of the best gigs you could ever care to see. 2 support bands that complimented Clutch's different styles, and yet didn't pale in comparison. 3 perfect performances, a brilliant atmosphere, and plenty of grooves. This is how music should ALWAYS be, and that's ALWAYS.
(Heavily edited version may appear in Student Direct:Mancunian) & Kamchatka used it on their myspace at http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&friendId=32082839
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