Maryland hard rockers, Clutch, brought their signature sound to the third annual Earth Rocker Festival in Inwood, WV. I was there taking photos and jamming along with the rowdy crowd.
Clutch is an American rock band from Germantown, MD. They formed in 1991, and their lineup consists of Neil Fallon (vocals and rhythm guitar), Tim Sult (lead guitar), Dan Maines (bass guitar), and Jean-Paul Gaster (drums).
This year’s Earth Rocker Festival took place on Saturday July 13, 2019. I was there for my first Earth Rocker experience, and my first time visiting Shiley Acres (a family-owned farm). The lineup included Let There Be Rock Schools, Fireball Ministry, Cro-Mags JM, Killswitch Engage, and of course the almighty (and all sweaty), Clutch.
There was plenty of cold beer, good food, and band merch. The setting for this festival was welcoming and seemed similar to campgrounds and/or fairgrounds. There were a number of people under tents, on chairs, on blankets, and in some cases, passed out on the ground.
The sun was brutal and punishing that day; as were Killswitch Engage. I was unfamiliar with their music, and had never seen them perform live before. Whoa. They killed it! Pun intended. They brought tons of raw energy and heavy music with positive vibes.
Clutch took the Old Shiley Acres stage and proceeded to tear through 16 songs in about 75 minutes. The vocals were quiet and a bit difficult to hear (which is unlike a Clutch show), but the band raged on and played a great set. They have a powerful vocalist, unique lead guitarist, and the bass and drums are fucking tight.
The members of Clutch appeared to be having a blast while performing. Also, their fans dedication was evident by the excessive amounts of singing, screaming, fist-pumping, and air guitar/air drums. The band stuck mainly to playing songs off their most recent studio album, Book of Bad Decisions.
This festival was pretty awesome and worth checking out next year. In the meantime, enjoy some photos of Killswitch Engage and Clutch performing live at the third annual Earth Rocker Festival at Shiley Acres in Inwood, WV on 7/13/19.
All images copyright and courtesy of Andy Jillson.
