Mastodon and Clutch @ Red Rock Amphitheater, Morrison, Colorado Sunday, May 3, 2015

     It was an epic evening at the Red Rock Amphitheater in Morrison, Colorado, this weekend. The Missing Link Tour made a stop at this historic venue and featured heavy hitters Mastodon, Clutch and Graveyard. The bands performed to a packed audience, high in the Rocky Mountains, under the stars and a bright full moon.

     Graveyard was the opening act. This three piece band hails from Gothenburg, Sweden, and have a cool psychedelic hard rock sound. They are currently signed with Nuclear Blast and are working on a new album. They performed a quick set of songs as the sun was setting and the venue was filling up quickly.

     Clutch was up next. These guys hail from Germantown, Maryland, and have a bluesy stoner rock sound. Clutch always puts on a great show and singer Neil Fallon is always on par. This band has been around since their high school days in the early 1990s and have released 10 studio albums. Their latest album, titled “Earth Rocker” was released on their very own record label “Weathermaker.” Clutch has a strong following of fans and the venue was packed for their full set. They performed a full energetic set of 17 songs and were even treated to Mastodon’s Brent Hinds performing with the band onstage for the song “D.C. Sound Attack!”

     Mastodon headlined and stole the show! These guys hail from Atlanta, Georgia, and have a unique psychedelic stoner metal sound. Mastodon has been around since 2000 and are currently touring in support of their 6th studio album, on Reprise Records, titled “Once More ‘Round the Sun.” Mastodon performed a full set of 14 songs, including many new songs and some old favorites. The full moon’s energy, along with the beauty of Mother Nature’s Red Rocks, took Mastodon’s performance over the top! These guys were a storm of lightening on stage, unlike I have ever seen. The crowd was hyped and Mastodon was electric!

     Clutch and Mastodon have been long time friends and it was no surprise to see singer Neil Fallon emerge onstage to join Mastodon for their encore song, “Blood and Thunder.” (Fallon contributed vocals to that song on Mastodon’s 2004 album Leviathan.) The crowd went crazy when he joined the stage! Everyone was singing and screaming the lyrics with horns held high in the air! It was an epic performance at the most amazing outdoor amphitheater in the world.

Mastodon setlist:

Tread Lightly
Once More ‘Round the Sun
Blasteroid
Oblivion Chimes at Midnight High Road
Aqua Dementia
Bladecatcher
Black Tongue
Halloween
Ember City
Megalodon
The Czar
Blood and Thunder (with Neil Fallon)

Clutch setlist:

The Mob Goes Wild
Profits of Doom
Earth Rocker
Unto the Breach
Pure Rock Fury
Texan Book of the Dead
Cypress Grove
Gravel Road
Crucial Velocity
Cyborg Bette
The Regulator
Firebirds
X-Ray Visions
D.C. Sound Attack! (with Brent Hinds)
A Shogun Named Marcus
Electric Worry
One Eye Dollar

 

Thanks to the Mastodon camp for the credentials to review the show.