On Thursday, July 31st, Columbus’ rock station 99.7 The Blitz presented Clutch with Killswitch Engage and Cro-Mags at Express Live.
The night was perfect for a show. Not too hot, not too sunny and a light breeze blowing through. Unfortunately for the first act Cro-Mags, that meant it was also a perfect night to attend our state fair. The crowd was a bit sparse for their set. Thankfully that didn’t kill the band’s energy because they went full force with their hardcore set. Singer John Joseph was as bouncy on the stage as I had come to expect. Combine that energy with aggressive guitar riffs and a PMA message and you’ve got the perfect band to start the night off right!
Next up was Killswitch Engage. I’m sure just reading the name will get ‘Holy Diver’ stuck in your head. To say the crowd was pumped to see them is definitely an understatement (the size of the crowd at this point had grown). Throw in an appearance at the soundboard before the set by eccentric guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz and the crowd’s excitement could not be contained. Of course, Killswitch delivered an absolutely killer performance. Even the few kids I saw were loving it. Hair whips, high kicks, duck faces, and just pure metal energy is the best description I can give for their amazing performance.
Closing out the night was rock band Clutch. By this point, the crowd was riding high and the line for their merch was always at least 30 people deep. Clutch turned out a hell of a show from start to finish. Loud vocals, powerful guitars, banging drums, and a beautiful beard adorned by Neil Fallon were a perfect way to enjoy a summer sunset.
Clutch
Killswitch Engage
Cro-Mags
