The Sword guitarist Kyle Shutt’s Road Report, #1

Last weekend, Clutch, The Sword and American Sharks took to the road for a fall tour. The Sword guitarist Kyle Shutt is keeping track of the tour for us via his Road Reports. Go behind the scenes of the tour as Shutt outlines what he’s listening to, the venues and cities he’s playing, and what the band are doing before and after they play. Below is the first installment. You can see the tour on these dates.

• DAY 1: Charleston, SC 10/27

Album of the Day: Deltron 3030, Event II

Today marks the beginning of the best rock ‘n roll tour this Fall: American Sharks, The Sword, and Clutch. The triple-punch to the nuts that these three acts pack into a few hours is undeniable. Load-in was like a family reunion, all handshakes, hugs, and smiles. Seeing Neil Fallon back in action after undergoing spinal surgery a mere six weeks ago was inspiring, to say the least. After we had some awesome Thai food next door at Basil, we headed back to the venue, called Music Farm, a rad 800 seater that is housed in what used to be one of the US’s first train depots. American Sharks won over the entire crowd, like they do every night, with their punk rock/stand-up combo live show. Next was us, we had a great show except for a solo I beefed when an over zealous Light Designer blasted a spotlight in my face unexpectedly. But hey, shit happens. Last was Clutch, who dove into their set with Earth Rocker, a song that any veteran road dog can’t help but feel is aimed directly at them. The energy never let up once, and J.P. Gaster’s drum solo was so badass that it made me question every choice I’ve ever made in life. After the show we met some friends at a bar called K.C.’s that was playing Electric Six’s “Fire” in it’s entirety, good times. After a not-so-quick hot dog stand stop, we retired to the hotel to rest up for tomorrow. Day 1, success.