In a bittersweet send off (for now) to Rams Head Live! in Baltimore, local hard rock heroes Clutch recently took to the stage to deliver a performance for the ages.
As fans lined up at both entrances to the venue, there was a feeling that this was the end of a long road. Back in September, it was announced that Rams Head Live! was closing its doors for the foreseeable future. There has been chatter that the spot where the venue sits would remain a live music venue, but there’s no real word on that as of this writing.
Because of that feeling, or maybe in spite of it, the sold out crowd at Rams Head Live! was ready to celebrate on Dec. 6. A few shared stories of shows they’d seen — Beastie Boys, Smashing Pumpkins, and, of course, the annual KIXmas events hosted by Baltimore’s own hard-rockin’ quintet.
Clutch, the Germantown, Maryland band that’s been delivering hard hitting grooves since the early-1990s feels like the perfect band to see the club to the finish line. Although Rams Head Live! has hosted an eclectic roster of musical acts over their 20-year span, hard rock and heavy metal have, arguably, been the venue’s meat and potatoes.
After two outstanding opening bands — Detroit’s “thrash grass” rockers, The Native Howl, and Many Eyes, the metal-core band led by ex-Every Time I Die vocalist Keith Buckley — Clutch took the stage with “Mercury” and “Prophets of Doom.” On this shortened tour, Clutch are playing all of their 2004 album, Blast Tyrant, with a new added surprises.
As guitarist Tim Sult, bassist Dan Maines, and drummer Jean-Paul Gaster held the hard traveling groove on songs like the fan-favorite single “The Mob Goes Wild,” singer Neil Fallon prowled the stage. A little bit “fire and brimstone preacher” with a good helping of rock star swagger, Fallon reached across the stage and got every one in the place singing along.
Watch the official music video for “Electric Worry” by Clutch on YouTube:
“It’s not the building… it’s the people that are in it,” Fallon told the crowd. “It doesn’t matter what genre. Every night’s special and that’s made possible by the people who work at those venues. They’re the first ones in, they are the last ones out.” As a word of acknowledgement, he continued, “This is bittersweet but the music will continue. Buildings come and go… names come and go. Music and rock and roll is forever.”
Finishing up their regular set, Clutch performed several older songs. From 2005’s “Burning Beard” to older songs like “Elephant Riders” from the late ‘90s album of the same name.
They ended the night with an older tune, “Electric Worry,” from From Beale Street to Oblivion. The last song to be performed at the club that has been a haven for hard rock and roll since it opened as part of Power Plant Live 20 years ago in 2004. As the music continued, midsong Fallon told the crowd, “Be good to yourself, and be good to your neighbors, and don’t forget to rock and roll.”
If there was a perfect ending to a storied run it would be this night — blazing rock and roll to a packed house, many of whom long time fans of both Clutch and Rams Head Live.
Clutch wrapped up their 20th anniversary tour of Blast Tyrant, but we all await their next return!
The setlist included:
Mercury
Profits of Doom
The Mob Goes Wild
Cypress Grove
Promoter (Of Earthbound Causes)
The Regulator
Worm Drink
Army of Bono
Spleen Merchant
(In the Wake of) The Swollen Goat
Weathermaker
Subtle Hustle
Ghost
(Notes from the Trial Of) La Curandera
Burning Beard
Slaughter Beach
The Elephant Riders
Earth Rocker
A Shogun Named Marcus
Electric Worry
Here are more photos of Clutch performing at Rams Head Live on Dec. 6, 2024. All photos copyright and courtesy of David LaMason.
And here are photos of Many Eyes opening for Clutch at Rams Head Live:
And here are photos of Native Howl opening the evening at Rams Head Live:
