Primus and Clutch
Aug. 1st, 2017 07:00 pmI wasn't really aware that Primus was coming to town, or even touring. Or even still together. A friend of Cyn's mentioned it on Facebook, so I decided I'd go. I'd always wanted to see them, having missed them back in the day. Said friend wasn't able to go, but I still went down. It was at the Eagles Ballroom, which I've been to many times. It's been a while, though, and they've been slowly improving it. It was nearly sold out, I guess, but fortunately I was able to buy a ticket at the door! They routed attendees through a security stop in the basement. Then up the stairs and outside to the fenced in front courtyard/patio/smoking area/food truck zone, and back in and up the stairs to the ballroom on the third floor.
Clutch played first. I guess it was a co-headlining show, since they played over an hour, and had use of the light show. I was totally unfamiliar with this band. I had no idea what they actually sounded like, never having even heard a song, as far as I know. They were decent. Kinda headbopping metal. The vocalist does kind of a talky/yelly thing. I was enjoying it for a while. About halfway through I felt like I had heard it already.
I mentioned the venue is improving slowly over time. Improvements have not been made to the ventilation. It felt like it was 110° by the time Primus started.
Primus took the stage after a relatively short changeover. The driving force Les Claypool, with power members Larry LaLonde (guitar) and Tim Alexander (drums). Claypool does a lot of wild playing - slap bass, quick picking with chords, or an electric stand-up. LaLonde makes a lot of noise. Claypool does a lot of repetitive riffs, while LaLonde... makes a lot of noise. It's interesting, for a while. I'm sure it's much more interesting when you're high. I was disappointed by Alexander's work. It often seemed disjointed. That is, not always connected to what the other guys were playing. Or maybe I just didn't notice when he was better integrated.
Right now, I'm listening to a recent concert of theirs. It sounds great. Based on this, I'd have thought I'd enjoy the show better. But maybe the heat was getting to me. Or that I was stuck behind some tall guys, and someone with a kid on their shoulders. Or maybe that I wasn't high and couldn't appreciate the finer points. Or keeping an eye on the nearby mid-floor mosh pit. Or being distracted by being crammed in with tons of other people. In the heat. A girl in front of me passed out. I probably lost five pounds of water weight. Or maybe it was that, being at the show, I felt like I should be getting into it more.
The last song before the encore got quite a bit more musical. I hoped they'd do more, but they left the stage. I was contemplating leaving early, to beat the crowd - there's only one exit - but the only song of the encore was similar, so I stayed. The show, with both bands, was just over three hours.
Clutch played first. I guess it was a co-headlining show, since they played over an hour, and had use of the light show. I was totally unfamiliar with this band. I had no idea what they actually sounded like, never having even heard a song, as far as I know. They were decent. Kinda headbopping metal. The vocalist does kind of a talky/yelly thing. I was enjoying it for a while. About halfway through I felt like I had heard it already.
I mentioned the venue is improving slowly over time. Improvements have not been made to the ventilation. It felt like it was 110° by the time Primus started.
Primus took the stage after a relatively short changeover. The driving force Les Claypool, with power members Larry LaLonde (guitar) and Tim Alexander (drums). Claypool does a lot of wild playing - slap bass, quick picking with chords, or an electric stand-up. LaLonde makes a lot of noise. Claypool does a lot of repetitive riffs, while LaLonde... makes a lot of noise. It's interesting, for a while. I'm sure it's much more interesting when you're high. I was disappointed by Alexander's work. It often seemed disjointed. That is, not always connected to what the other guys were playing. Or maybe I just didn't notice when he was better integrated.
Right now, I'm listening to a recent concert of theirs. It sounds great. Based on this, I'd have thought I'd enjoy the show better. But maybe the heat was getting to me. Or that I was stuck behind some tall guys, and someone with a kid on their shoulders. Or maybe that I wasn't high and couldn't appreciate the finer points. Or keeping an eye on the nearby mid-floor mosh pit. Or being distracted by being crammed in with tons of other people. In the heat. A girl in front of me passed out. I probably lost five pounds of water weight. Or maybe it was that, being at the show, I felt like I should be getting into it more.
The last song before the encore got quite a bit more musical. I hoped they'd do more, but they left the stage. I was contemplating leaving early, to beat the crowd - there's only one exit - but the only song of the encore was similar, so I stayed. The show, with both bands, was just over three hours.