Girl at the Rock Shows

I honestly don’t think I could tell you the last time I was at The Myth in Maplewood for a show. I mean, I guess I could comb through this blog and find it, but it’s not worth it. The Myth doesn’t seem to be anyone’s favorite venue, including myself. It’s not that there’s anything blatantly bad with this venue, it’s more that it’s a bit of a trek from the city and has a bit of a reputation of being not the best place to catch a show due to sightlines and sound. That being said, there are some shows that you will go just about anywhere for, and that was absolutely the case for Sunday’s Two-Headed Beast Tour featuring Clutch and Rival Sons.

Before we talk about the two heads of the beast that came through Maplewood on Sunday night, let’s talk about the opening act- Black Stone Cherry. Like The Myth, I feel like this band is one of those bands that has an unfair stigma attached to them. Okay, maybe that’s not quite the word to use, but many of my friends scoffed when I said I was going to see this band on Sunday. I only wish those friends had been at the show and witnessed the magic and passion that I did from this Kentucky-bred group.

Since 2001, Black Stone Cherry has stayed true to their blues-rock sound and their slightly trashy roots (and I mean that in the best way). Think Lynyrd Skynyrd with a few less drugs and a bit more of a modern twist, Black Stone Cherry’s sound may not be completely up my normal alley but the passion I felt from all four of these members as they powered through their opening set was absolutely my thing. There was something about how vocalist Chris Robertson approached each word with an emotionally drenched sense of care that I could not take my eyes off. Not only was it the presentation of the words, but also how he physically approached the microphone. There was something deliberate about it but also something oddly tender. I probably sound like a crazy person right now, but when you take those vocals and add the endless amount of energy showcased by the three other members of the group, I was left with a thoroughly impressive set that had me questioning why I ever wrote this band off in a way. Sure, I won’t be blaring Black Stone Cherry from my office all day today, but if I ever get the chance to see them again, I will absolutely be jumping on it.

Where do I start with the first head of the Two-Headed Beast? I’ll be honest: Clutch has never quite been my band. I’ve seen them a handful of times, and I always leave their sets with a sense of admiration for their power and distinct fan, but when it comes to listening to their music at home, it just doesn’t do it for me. Known to be one of the pioneers of stoner rock, Clutch hit the stage and instantly had the modestly sized audience in the palm of their hands. It was honestly a bit of a sight to see as nearly everyone in the audience could be seen singing along to all of the nearly twenty-song set that they were given.

Clutch’s set included a playthrough of their 2004 album ‘Blast Tyrant’ and then moved on to a couple of various other tracks before ending in the fan favorite, “Spacegrass.” I think hearing this band play an album in its entirety helped me understand them a bit more. Clutch is one of those acts that clearly puts a lot of thought into everything they do, and as they played through ‘Blast Tyrant’, I felt like their sound started to make more sense to me because I could hear and feel the movement within the album as a whole. There was a stern sense of power to the music, but vocalist Neil Fallon had this almost playful energy about his performance when it came to the way that he interacted with fans. It created this fascinating contrast that I couldn’t help but get lost in, if only ever so slightly. Sure, Clutch isn’t my band, and I don’t think they ever will be, but after their performance on Sunday, I get it.

The second head of the Two-Headed Beast was Rival Sons- a bluesy rock band from Long Beach, California, with such an undeniable sense of swagger and passion. When I was at Riot Fest last weekend, I caught the tail end of their set, and not seeing their entire set at the festival quickly became one of my biggest regrets of the festival, so I was so excited to have this night of redemption. Rival Sons didn’t let me down, and I was instantly taken aback as vocalist Jay Buchanan kicked the night off with a goose-bump-inducing a cappella version of “Shooting Stars.” This set the stage for a set that was so full of heart, passion, and fire that it was more than enough to tell me that I had made the right call as far as what show to go to on Sunday.

I really can not understate Jay Buchanan’s vocal prowess. Don’t get me wrong, the entire band was great, and I spent plenty of time watching each of the members, but Jay stole the spotlight for most of the night due to his sheer talent. His voice is gorgeous and smooth when it needs to be and then comes with an edge of grit when it makes sense. Beyond that, I absolutely loved the way that every word and phrase was absolutely dripping with fire. Whether or not you knew the lyrics, you felt every word that this man was feeding you, and you were left wanting so much more. The way the band both allowed him to take the spotlight while being sure to add more passion and fire to the already impressive showing was perfect.

It’s not that I was afraid I picked the wrong show to spend my Sunday night at, but more that there was so much going on that I wasn’t sure which perfect show to pick. I’m happy I ended up at the Myth for the Two-Headed Beast tour. It exceeded my expectations and was the perfect way to kick off another week.

Line Up:

Black Stone Cherry

Clutch

Rival Sons

Venue: The Myth

Smell-O-Meter: Nothing Notable

Average Age of the Crowd: 45

Crowd Surfers- 0

Stage Divers- 0

Mosh-ability- 2 out of 10

Amount of Beer Spilled On Me While Walking Around- $0

Broken Bones- None Spotted

Spotted Flying Through The Air- Nothing

Fights- None Witnessed

Pukers- 0

Passed Out People- 1

Idiots Taken Out By Security – 0

How Many Times I’ve Seen These Bands Before (or at least how many times I can remember)-

Black Stone Cherry – 0

Clutch – 3

Rival Sons – 0

Celebrity Sightings – None

Overall Score – 8.4 out of 10

Show on Deck — Faulty Cognitions / Visual Learner / Hard Feelings

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