Scott Holiday with Rival Sons: The epitome of riff/raw energy!

Stepping into The Ritz on a sticky Raleigh evening, you could feel the heat before a note was played. Kicking off the night were the fuzzed-out kings of desert rock, Fu Manchu. Hailing from Southern California, these guys have been cooking their psychedelic doom since 1985, and here they were, fresh from their last tour in 2022. Their set was all about slabs of heavy riffs, with Scott Hill (vocals, guitar), Brad Davis (bass), Bob Balch (guitar), and Scott Reeder (drums) shaking the venue like tectonic plates shifting. Their latest release, Fu30, Pt. 2 (2023), provided the spine for a bone-rattling performance. The merch table oozed that stoner rock vibe: tie-dye tees and vinyl that looked like it had been pulled from a hot rod garage. Check them out at Fu-Manchu.com for the full menu.

Next up, Clutch from Germantown, Maryland, swaggered on like the seasoned pros they are, having toured almost nonstop since their 2021 Slaughter Beach LP dropped. Neil Fallon (vocals, guitar) was in full preacher mode, with Tim Sult (guitar), Dan Maines (bass), and Jean-Paul Gaster (drums) backing him like a cosmic Southern-rock sermon. This “Two-Headed Beast Tour” kicked off in Denver on August 20, 2024, and will wrap up in Dallas on October 15, 2024, covering 25 dates. Clutch’s set mixed their classics with cuts from their latest EP Weathermaker Vault Series (2024), turning the crowd into a sweaty mass of raised fists and devil horns. The merch booth was a shrine to all things rock ‘n’ roll—patches, hats, and posters that looked like they’d been dipped in motor oil. Visit ClutchOnTour.com to grab some of that greasy goodness for yourself.

Capping off the night, Rival Sons, out of Long Beach, CA, brought a bluesy, hard-rock storm. They’ve been barreling down the tracks since 2009, and although it had been a couple of years since their last proper road jaunt, they hit the stage like they hadn’t missed a beat. Jay Buchanan’s howling vocals sliced through Scott Holiday’s wah-soaked guitar lines, while Dave Beste (bass) and Michael Miley (drums) locked the whole thing down with a rhythm section so tight it could strangle you. Their latest album, Darkfighter (2023), provided the meat of their set, and by the time they wrapped up, the room was a boiling cauldron of riffs and raw energy. Rival Sons’ merch—leather jackets, scarves, and all—oozed cool. Check out RivalSons.com if you’re looking to dress like you just stepped out of a bar fight.

Fu Manchu

Clutch

Rival Sons