INCOMING: Clutch Earth Rocker Tour Hits House of Blues Chicago THIS Friday #originalshowphotos

Clutch LIVE at the Vogue     Photo Credit:   Bonnie Kenaz-Mara for ChiIL Live Shows







Clutch has long been one of our favorites for their hard rockin' music and intriguing lyrics.   Check 'em out live THIS Friday 4/12/13 at House of Blues in Chicago.  



 

Clutch w/special guests Orange Goblin, Lionize, Scorpion Child

Clutch w/special guests Orange Goblin, Lionize, Scorpion Child concert tickets for the show at House of Blues Chicago Friday 04/12/2013  Doors: 06:00 PM Show: 07:30 PM  Prices:  $25.00 - GA - Advanced $28.00 - GA - Day of Show Ages: 17+ House of Blues Chicago  329 N. Dearborn Chicago, IL 60654 (312) 923-2000

Headlining Artist: Clutch Other Artists at this Event: Orange Goblin Lionize Scorpion Child

Click here for advanced tickets

Last year, they skipped Chi-town on tour (Joliet was the closest they came), so we road tripped down to The Vogue in Indianapolis to catch 'em with Prong and Lionize.   We'll be video interviewing Lionize tomorrow.   




Check back with ChiIL Live Shows like we vote in Chi, IL... early and often.   We've got an original video interview with frontman, Neil Fallon, on everything from their excellent new release, Earth Rocker to balancing parenting and touring coming up very soon.







We've also got our review of Earth Rocker that will be up in the near future.   It's been in heavy rotation here at ChiIL Live Shows since the March release, and suffice it to say, this album rocks!   It's great to finally have some NEW Clutch out in the world!

PHOTO RECAP: THE OBSESSED Opening for CLUTCH New Years Eve 2017-2018 at Express Live! In Columbus, OH

Opening Artists: Devin Townsend Project, 

The Obsessed, Mike Wescott Band

Clutch - Psychic Warfare World Tour 2017

EXPRESS LIVE! - 405 Neil Ave Columbus, OH 43215

Sunday, December 31, 2017

Here at ChiIL Live Shows we've caught The Obsessed in Chicago on past tours and they were our favorites of CLUTCH's NYE 17/18 openers. We're Chicago based, but we were more than happy to road trip from Chi, IL to Columbus to catch CLUTCH. We've seen and photographed CLUTCH live numerous times over two decades and this was our 2nd time to catch them for a NYE show. I've even done a video interview with lead singer, Neil Fallon, that's still one of my favorite metal band interviews of all times. Fun fun. Here's our full set of photos of their openers, The Obsessed in the slide show here, with a few favorite shots embedded below. All photos by Bonnie Kenaz-Mara for ChiILLiveShows.com.

Thanks to CLUTCH for providing us with press comps and photo credentials. It's always a joy to shoot them and their openers in action.

The Obsessed
Full Set in the Slideshow Here 
& More Favorites Embedded Below

Disclosure: Once again, thanks to CLUTCH for providing us with press comps and photo credentials. It's always a joy to shoot them and their openers in action.

More Photo Favorites:

LIONIZE Announce Tour With Streelight Manifesto & Clutch

Washington, DC quartet LIONIZE are pleased to announce that they will be spending this fall on tour with Streetlight Manifesto, as well as playing select dates with Maryland rockers CLUTCH.  The first leg of the tour kicks off October 16th in Toronto and runs through October 28th in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.  Following those dates LIONIZE will join up with CLUTCH for a string of shows kicking off Halloween night in Flint, MI and wrapping up on November 4th in Detroit, MI.  After a short break the band will return to the road with Streetlight Manifesto on November 13th in Portland, OR through December 7th in Sacramento, CA.  A complete list of dates can be found below.

Guitarist/Vocalist Nate Bergman commented on the band's upcoming tour dates with Streetlight Manifesto and CLUTCH:

"We are looking forward to going out and providing support on such diverse bills. It's refreshing for us to be able to bring in our fans and expose our sound to new fans via a ska/punk tour and a tour with CLUTCH, who is absolutely one of the finest rock bands on the planet.  We will be road-testing new material and will finally get back to cities long overdue for a LIONIZE set."

For a band with so little pretense, sometimes it can be easy to forget just how much LIONIZE accomplished since their inception in 2004.  From being the first band to play both Bonnaroo and the Vans Warped Tour in the same year to their five full-length albums to virtually non-stop touring year after year, the groove-heavy rock group has dared to do more than most bands could ever hope to accomplish. 

On the release of their most recent album, Superczar and the Vulture, produced by the famed J. Robbins and their first on Pentimento Music Company, the band showcases their live sound in a way that they have never done before, allowing the listener an unprecedented look at the experience of hearing the songs played live in front of them.

With their heavy touring continuing throughout the foreseeable future, one can be assured that LIONIZE's incomparable sound will only continue to grow stronger with each show and audiences will persist in being impressed by a band which, as one critic said, makes even the most notable musicians "shake their heads and wish they'd thought of that."

Headline Shows:

Open Road Music & Arts Festival:
9/8: Worcester, MA @ Institute Park

Homegrown Festival:
9/21: Jamestown, NY @ The Crown Theater

With Echo Movement:
10/12: Asbury Park, NJ @ The Stone Pony

With Streetlight Manifesto:
10/16: Toronto, ON @ The Sound Academy
10/17: Montreal, QC @ Metropolis
10/18: Northampton, MA @ Pear Street - Upstairs
10/19: Atlantic City, NJ @ House of Blues
10/20: Lancaster, PA @ Chameleon Club
10/21: Norfolk, VA @ Norva Theater
10/23: Raleigh, NC @ Lincoln Theater
10/24: Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade
10/26: Orlando, FL @ The Plaza 'Live' Theater
10/28: Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Culture Room

With CLUTCH:
10/31: Flint, MI @ The Machine Shop
11/1: Flint, MI @ The Machine Shop (Sold Out - Rescheduled from 5/13)
11/2: Joliet, IL @ Mojoes
11/3: Detroit, MI @ St. Andrews Hall (Sold Out - Rescheduled from 5/12)
11/4: Detroit, MI @ St Andrews Hall

With Streetlight Manifesto:
11/13: Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theater
11/14: Seattle, WA @ Neptune Theater
11/16: Salt Lake City, UT @ Club Sound
11/17: Denver, CO @ Ogden Theater
11/19: Minneapolis, MN @ Mill City Nights
11/20: Chicago, IL @ House of Blues
11/21: Pontiac, MI @ Clutch Cargo's
11/23: Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom
11/24: Boston, MA @ Royale
11/25: New York, NY @ Best Buy Theater
11/29: San Antonio, TX @ White Rabbit
12/1: Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theater
12/2: Santa Ana, CA @ Yost Theater
12/4: San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
12/5: Los Angeles, CA @ Mayan Theater
12/6: San Francisco, CA @ Slim's
12/7: Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades

For More Info Visit:
http://www.lionizemusic.com 
http://www.facebook.com/lionizemusic 
http://www.twitter.com/lionizemusic 

New CLUTCH Album "BOOK OF BAD DECISIONS" Coming September 7th

CLUTCH TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM

"BOOK OF BAD DECISIONS" 

SEPTEMBER 7th

I've loved CLUTCH's unique sound and killer lyrics since the early 90's, before the internet and ChiIL Live Shows existed. In the intervening decades I've shot them from the photo pits at numerous live shows, and amassed a collection of their music and merch. I'm elated that they're all still alive, still together with original members, and still releasing new studio albums. Their 12th is coming this fall and I can't wait to check it out! 

Maryland rockers CLUTCH have announced Book of Bad Decisions as the title of their new studio album. 

Book of Bad Decisions, CLUTCH’s 12th studio album is scheduled for a worldwide release on September 7th, 2018 via their own Weathermaker Music label.  

The album was recorded at Sputnik Sound in Nashville, TN by producer Vance Powell (Jack White, Chris Stapleton, The Raconteurs, The Dead Weather) and consists of 15 new tracks. 

“With Vance Powell as producer we were able to make a very different kind of an album.  The songs feel as if they could jump out of the speakers!” says drummer Jean-Paul Gaster.  Bassist Dan Maines seconds that when he says “Recording in Nashville with Vance Powell gave us a new and fresh approach towards making an album that truly captures the live energy of Clutch in a way I don’t think we’ve done before.”  Guitarist Tim Sult adds “Laying down guitar tracks with Vance was fun and inspiring.  Going through and trying out his and his engineer, Mike Fahey’s collection of vintage amps was one of my favorite recording studio experiences.  I think the outro solo of “Emily Dickinson” turned out particularly great.”  

The album cover was designed by renowned photographer Dan Winters.

Book Of Bad Decisions track listing:
1. Gimme the Keys
2. Spirit of ’76
3. Book of Bad Decisions
4. How to Shake Hands
5. In Walks Barbarella
6. Vision Quest
7. Weird Times
8. Emily Dickinson
9. Sonic Counselor
10. A Good Fire
11. Ghoul Wrangler
12. HB Is in Control
13. Hot Bottom Feeder 
14. Paper & Strife
15. Lorelei

The first single from Book of Bad Decisions, “Gimme the Keys” is out now. The accompanying lyric video below was created by David Brodsky:



The song is about the band's first tour back in 1991, a time where they began to cut their teeth in the live music business, dealt with show cancellations and incidents on the road. One particular show in a shed surrounded by cornfields in Lawrence, Kansas ultimately turned ugly over a missing microphone and accusations brought by drunk and gun-toting security people at the end of a long day. "Gimme the keys they can keep the guarantee | Gimme the keys and get the hell out of dodge" is a reflection of the mood of that night. 

Neil's Commentary on "Gimme the Keys":



All album formats (CD, 24-page book with CD, 2xLP Standard Black, Limited Colored 2xLP, and 2xLP Picture Disc) will have the same 15 tracks. In addition Weathermaker Music will release two very limited 7” Picture Discs.



Pre-order the new album Book of Bad Decisions at www.pro-rock.com.

This single is the first of four to be released over the next couple of months as an instant gratification track when pre-ordering the album at:

iTunes (https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/book-of-bad-decisions/1376829212&app=itunes)  
Amazon(http://amazon.com/dp/B07CNYD1R7).

“I’ve never been one for nostalgia,” says Neil Fallon, “I’ve always shied away from it.  But after 27 years of this, I realize that there is a wealth of stories to look back upon as lyrical fodder.  As the saying goes, ‘You don’t know where you’re going until you know where you’ve been.’  Not all the songs reference our collective experience as a band, but ‘Book of Bad Decisions’ seemed like an apt name for these various chapters, whether factual, fictitious, or somewhere in-between.”

These are the songs the band had on cassette on their first tour. Nothing later than Summer '92.
Check it out here:



CLUTCH:
Neil Fallon - Vocals/Guitar
Tim Sult - Guitar
Dan Maines - Bass
Jean-Paul Gaster - Drums/Percussion
                                                  
For more  information, check out the band’s website:
www.pro-rock.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/clutchband
Instagram: www.instagram.com/clutchofficial
Twitter: www.twitter.com/clutchofficial
Official: www.pro-rock.com
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/officialclutch

CLUTCH RELEASE BRAND NEW STUDIO RECORDING OF "SPACEGRASS" AS PART OF THE "WEATHERMAKER VAULT SERIES"

Clutch announce the release of the new studio recording of the track “Spacegrass.” The single is the fifth in a series of new studio recordings that comprise the Weathermaker Vault Series. 

“Spacegrass” was first released on Clutch’s self-titled album in 1995, and it stands as one of the key tracks in Clutch’s catalog of songs. 

“The lyrics got their start originally from something Tim wrote, “ says Neil Fallon. “It involved a Dodge Swinger and Jesus. I added some words, and one of them was ‘AstroTurf,’ but that had one too many syllables. So I changed it to ‘Spacegrass’ - and the rest is history. “

Available on all digital outlets here: https://orcd.co/pjl43eo.

“Spacegrass” was mixed by 6X Grammy Award winner and Clutch collaborator, Vance Powell (Wolfmother, The Raconteurs, Arctic Monkeys). 

CLUTCH:
Neil Fallon - Vocals/Guitar
Tim Sult - Guitar
Dan Maines - Bass
Jean-Paul Gaster - Drums/Percussion
 
For more information, check out the band’s website: www.pro-rock.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/clutchband
Instagram: www.instagram.com/clutchofficial
Twitter: www.twitter.com/clutchofficial
Official: www.pro-rock.com
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/officialclutch

Clutch to Headline Inaugural Earth Rocker Festival in Shiley Acres West Virginia May 20th

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar:

CLUTCH ANNOUNCE FIRST ANNUAL EARTH ROCKER FESTIVAL AT SHILEY ACRES IN INWOOD, WV 

Here at ChiIL Live Shows, we're pretty jazzed Clutch is starting an annual Earth Rocker Festival. It's a one day event for 2017, with huge potential. Obviously this one's not in Chi, IL -- about a 10 hour road trip actually, but Clutch, Lucero, The Sword and the other bands in the lineup have plenty of fans among Chicago locals. We're stoked that kids under 12 will be free with paying adults, lawn chairs, and pop up tents are allowed, and overnight camping is permitted too. Check it out!

Clutch is pleased to announce their first annual Earth Rocker Festival at Shiley Acres in Inwood, WV on Saturday, May 20th. The lineup includes: Lucero, The Sword, Bad Seed Rising, Apollo’s Prophecy, and  the Frederick Maryland School of Rock band. Tickets for the festival are on sale now at this location: https://tinyurl.com/n3saltt. 

The festival is a daytime event that has the parking field opening at 9am.  Gates to the show open at 12 noon and music starts at 1pm.  The festival ends at sunset with overnight camping permitted.  Children under 12 are admitted free of charge.  10x10 pop up tents and lawn chairs are allowed inside designated festival concert areas.

For more information on the line up, directions, camping, on site food and beverages available, hotel accommodations and all “Things You Should Know”, visit http://www.shileyacres.net

"The first annual Earth Rocker Festival takes place at Shiley Acres, in West Virginia” states the band’s front man Neil Fallon.  “We played at Shiley Acres last year and it was a blast.  Our intent is to have a really diverse bill.  If all goes as planned,  Earth Rocker Festival will continue as an annual event, hopefully growing in scope over the years.”  

Guitarist Tim Sult adds “Enjoy the May weather in the best way possible- with a day of rock n roll in a West Virginia field!"   

Drummer Jean-Paul Gaster adds “Earth Rocker Festival is a great way to kick off summer! The green rolling hills of West Virginia will provide the backdrop for our inaugural music event. We wanted to create a musical experience that included a diverse line up of music. We are pleased to announce this year’s line up includes our friends the Sword and the legendary Lucero. Come rock with us!” 

Shiley Acres is an outdoor concert venue located in Inwood, West Virginia. For 40 years Shiley Acres has seen many local and national acts grace it's stage.

                                                  

For more  information, check out Earth Rocker Festival:

@earthrockerfest

Facebook: www.facebook.com/earthrockerfest

Instagram: www.instagram.com/earthrockerfest

Twitter: www.twitter.com/earthrockerfest

NEW RELEASE: SOPHOMORE ALBUM “MAUGA” FROM KING HOBO OUT MAY 31, 2019

KING HOBO TO RELEASE THEIR SOPHOMORE ALBUM “MAUGA”

MAY 31ST 2019

With CLUTCH's Jean-Paul Gaster on Drums/Percussion

The transatlantic trio that is KING HOBO are announcing the release of their album Mauga on Weathermaker Music.  The KING HOBO band members are Thomas Juneor Andersson (Kamchatka) on vocals, guitars & percussion, Per Wiberg (Kamchatka / Spiritual Beggars / Candlemass / ex-Opeth) on vocals, bass, and keys, and Jean-Paul Gaster (Clutch) on drums.

The album was produced by Tobias Strandvik and recorded at his studio in Varberg, Sweden. 

The album cover is designed by Per Wiberg himself.  Per says:
”I wanted to pay homage to all the great labels that inspired the music we play, like Chess, Atlantic, Vee-Jay, Prestige & Blue Note for example.  All these labels had a classy design in their heyday which was immediately recognizable.  That’s why our image is in tri-tone, and the names of the band members together with the label and stereo logo are mentioned on the front cover.  The sci-fi imagery is our little twist.”

Mauga Track Listing:

1. Hobo Ride
2. Dragon’s Tail
3. King Blues
4. Good Stuff
5. Mauga
6. How Come We’re Blind
7. Listen Here
8. Move To The City
9. Twilight Harvest Pt. I & II
10. New Or-sa-leans*

*Bonus Track on the digital release only

The first single from Mauga is “Hobo Ride“ and will be released April 19th, 2019 as an instant gratification track at iTunes and Amazon. That single will be followed by “Listen Here“ (May 3rd), and “Dragon's Tail“ (May 17th). 

Weathermaker Music will release a limited 12" LP in a gatefold format which has been autographed by the three musicians on the inner sleeve, and a digital 10-track version that includes the song "New Or-sa-leans" as a bonus. 

Jean-Paul Gaster on how KING HOBO began:
“Per and I met in 2003 when Spiritual Beggars and Clutch were touring Europe together. Within the first hour of meeting him, he and I had an in depth conversation about the blues and funk and how the Bad Brains were one of the most important bands of all time.  Even though we grew up in countries thousands of miles apart we had an immediate kinship thru our love of the music. 

In the summer 2005 Clutch and Opeth were on the Sounds of the Underground tour. Per was playing with Opeth at the time. After the show he and I would often hang out enjoying a cold beer and listening to everything from Captain Beyond to Black Uhuru and Miles Davis. On a hot and humid evening somewhere in the mid-west one of these listening sessions led to us setting up gear in the bus parking lot and holding an open jam in what we called the funk tent. These jams are where the King Hobo seeds were planted. 

It was at one of the Sounds of the Underground tour dates that Per played me a new release by a Swedish band called Kamchatka. I was blown away by the man playing guitar! He had a soulful voice and played like Stevie Ray Vaughn. This was my introduction to the powerhouse singer and guitarist Thomas Anderson.”

Thomas Juneor Andersson on the sound of KING HOBO:
“In a metaphorical way this is the sound of two continents meeting; Europe, particularly Sweden, and the United States and here particularly the East coast.  When we play, all hell breaks loose.  Our music can, at times be intense and loud, and then again almost like a whisper. Per and JP are my role models, as persons and musicians and it's a huge honor to play with them. We play what we feel and that's the sound of this album. We are three musicians from different parts of the world, friends actually, who are having a musical conversation, as grownups do.”

Per Wiberg on the recording of Mauga:
“We recorded this album the same way as the first, live in the rehearsal room. It’s quite a liberating process compared to how a lot of albums are recorded these days. We set up our gear in a circle and go full on, no headphones or screens to seal off the amps or drums. We jam all through the day to see what we come up with, arrange it on the spot and record.   I really like the fact that it doesn’t feel like a regular recording situation with monitors, click tracks and what not. It feels a lot more exclusive and kinda like a proper gig actually, plus we don’t have to worry what it’s gonna sound like live either, cause this is live in the raw!

The hang out part and easy going vibe adds a lot to how we play together as well and none of this would happen if we didn’t have a guy we trusted in the studio. Toby Strandvik did a tremendous job this time with the technical side of things as this way of recording might not be an engineers’ wet dream so to speak.

The journey is just as much worth as the destination to us and I think we found the Hobo way of capturing the moment."

KING HOBO:

Thomas Juneor Andersson on vocals, guitars & percussion.
Per Wiberg on vocals, bass, and keys
Jean-Paul Gaster - Drums/Percussion

Photo Recap: Lionize LIVE at Bogart's in Cincinnati #metal

We were pretty stoked this year that some seriously sweet bands were playing back to back in Cincinnati where we'd be spending the holidays with family. We scored photo credentials/press list for two nights at Bogart's and got our metal on. Perfect counterbalance to all the holiday cheer. Check out our full set of pit photos from Lionize--support for Clutch--in the slide show and favorites embedded below. 

One of these days we'll catch them for a video interview. We were set to interview them at House of Blues Chicago a while back and they had a nasty van wreck and couldn't make the show. Thankfully they all survived and are back out there touring.



We met a kid named Zero at the show who was celebrating his 8th birthday that night and he told us he was a Lionize fan. (Though his big sister had originally told him he was seeing Primus, so he was a little bummed she lied... but still stoked to see Lionize.) It was his first big rock concert ever. Happy birthday Zero. May this be the first of many sweet shows you get to see.







Clutch tour with support by Torche and Lionize. Lionize’s Jetpack Soundtrack was co-produced by Clutch drummer Jean-Paul Gaster and released on Clutch's own Weathermaker Records label earlier this year. 

 

Tour Dates:

12/27 Cincinnati, OH @ Bogart’s 12/28 Cleveland, OH @ HOB 12/29 Sayreville, NJ @ Starland 12/30 Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory 01/03 Atlanta, GA @ Center Stage 01/04 Buena Vista, FL @ HOB 01/06 New Orleans, LA @ HOB 01/07 Houston, TX @ HOB 01/08 Dallas, TX @ HOB 01/09 Tulsa, OK @ Cain’s 01/10 Austin, TX @ Emo’s

INCOMING: Clutch Plays Riot Fest Rebel Stage Friday at 5:30 #Riotfest #ChiILPicksList

Chi, IL Live Shows On Our Radar
ChiIL Live Shows ChiIL Picks List

Clutch & Mastodon
Rebel Stage
Friday at 5:30 & 7:00pm

TONIGHT!!



This is a weekend full of must see acts, and heading off the weekend with a bang is Maryland based Clutch. Here at ChiIL Live Shows they've been a top favorite of ours for decades and we've done 20+ features on them over the years. So beyond stoked they're working on new material again!! We're aiming to start the day with GWAR at 4:15 but ALL of our friends are meeting up at Clutch. Be there.

We've had the pleasure of catching their lead singer, Neil Fallon, for an original video interview that's now up to 16,600+ views on ChiIL Live Shows' YouTube Channel. Check it out right here.



We've also shot pit photos of the band for years. Click here to check em out. We've included a few of our favorites at the bottom of this post.

For the past 20 years, the Maryland foursome has fused heavy metal, punk and even blues and funk into their stoner-friendly hard rock stew. They recently reissued deluxe versions of three records from the mid 00’s and are currently at work on their 10th album, with a handful of tracks finding their into the band’s Forecastle set.