DAVID TAYLOR | Go Venue Magazine
On Tuesday, September 24, Rival Sons and Clutch, in a co-headline tour called the Two-Headed Beast Tour, returned to the Omaha area by playing at the Astro Theater in La Vista. It was a night of pure rock n’ roll energy and heavy riffage.
Stoner rock legends from Orange County, CA, Fu Manchu, opened up the concert. They went out onstage to “Somebody’s Baby” by Jackson Browne from the Fast Times at Ridgemont High soundtrack, which is pretty funny knowing the kind of music they play. One of the first things I clocked while they played was Scott Hill’s microphone setup was the same as Lemmy from Motorhead where the microphone is up high and pointed down for the throat to open up more. Lead guitarist Bob Balch’s solos sounded amazing, using his pedal board well. The riffage was strong with them. The audience seemed to dig it because there were many chants of “Fuuuuu!” It was a solid opening set for the night. Check out their latest release, The Return of Tomorrow.
Clutch was the first of the co-headline. They are the epitome of a working-class band. They are just dudes out there onstage playing their set without any razzle-dazzle. And I think that’s why Omaha has loved them so much throughout the years. They are on the list of great live bands that both musicians and non-musicians love to watch. Neil Fallon, that man, knows how to convey swagger on stage. The man just gets it. And no one sounds like him, which makes Clutch so much interesting to listen to. The band, rhythmically tight, performed their album, Blast Tyrant, in honor of its 20th anniversary this year. I’m so glad I got to see Clutch, again, because they are truly one of the best. I hope to hear some new material in the near future.
Rival Sons closed out the co-headline. I wish more people stayed for these guys because they are also one of the best live bands out there. I honestly didn’t like them playing to a smaller crowd after Clutch, so do better, Omaha. That being said, they were also celebrating the 10th anniversary of Great Western Valkyrie. I’m always impressed by these guys. Jay Buchanan continues to be one of rock’s best singers, even showcasing his harmonica playing. Scott Holiday is one of the most underrated guitar players. I want people to see Rival Sons at least once in their life. I think it feels good for the soul to see a band at this level play some good ole rock n’ roll music. They put out two albums last year, Darkfighter and Lightbringer. Overall, a solid night for rock n’ roll in Omaha.
Rival Sons
Clutch
Fu Manchu
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