The Inspector Cluzo – Live – King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut – duffpress

Review By Darren McIntyre Images by Scott Anderson

The Inspector Cluzo are Gascon farmers turned rock n roll stars Malcom (Laurent Lacrouts) & Phil (Mathieu Jourdain) from Mont – De – Marsan who formed in 2008. The boys are firstly & foremost farmers who have a self sufficient way about how they run their farm and have turned that into a pair of rockers who take what they do to the next level, they deliver colossal grooves with powering drums that really set them apart from anyone else out there at the minute. Let me tell you this, take two guys give them a guitar, drums a couple of mics and watch them tear the roof off of any venue in the land. Tonight the boys bounce onto the hallowed stage @ King Tut’s where it all started for these two rock n rollers 15 years ago, the place is rammed and we are ready to have our minds blown as these two boys ready us for a colossal rollercoaster journey that is gonna take the roof off of this iconic venue tonight. Mathieu takes his place behind the kit as Laurent plugs in his guitar, turns up the amp to 11 and bosh we are ready. The place is reaching fever pitch as Laurent steps forward and bellows out ‘ Hello Glasgow it’s so good to be back ‘, we are ready as the boys rip open the doors with the mesmerising beast that is –

Less Is More – Laurent lets the track come to us with a real crunching guitar riff that welcomes Mathieu to bring the heat with his thundering rhythm section that instantly lights up King Tut’s. The gravelly, rasping vocals are rough and ready as they deliver a rousing vocal onslaught that is just incredible, this was always going to be one of my ‘ Gigs Of The Year as these two rockers are a real diamond in the rough with their quirky style, thundering grooves and melodic, soulful lyrics that really pop. The snare drum punches are filling every inch of the hallowed Tut’s as the cymbal crashes tell their own story as Laurent lets his vocals bring the action to us tonight as the crowd are going off on one as the boys bring the heat to a packed Glasgow tonight, Laurent leans forward and says hello Glasgow it’s good to be back as this is where it started for us over 15 years ago which draws a huge cheer from the excited crowd as the boys ready us for –

Catfarm – Laurent chats to us about their organic farm where they do their ‘real work’ and they have a cat there that just lounges about so here we go. We get a real sludgy, mellow guitar lick that allows the groove to flow freely through the venue as heavy ended bass kicks let the rhythm section erupt in a hail of snare drum beats as the cymbal crashes rain down on us as Jeremy wanders onto the stage and lounges around throwing his long mane around the boys as we tap our toes to this funky groover. The tempo changes pace a little as the boys shift through the gears and really let us have with real gusto, the funky, mellow groove is just putting us at ease as Mathieu hits us with cool funk tones that lead us onto –

As Stupid As You Can – Cymbal rolls flow through King Tut’s as a sweet. clean guitar riff erupts the silence as Laurent leans in and brings a crunching growl that lets Mathieu bring the heat with this thundering bruiser that grabs our attention as the stop start riff really lets the track come to life. The snare drum kicks are strong, deep and really let the track kick in the doors and let us know that The Inspector Cluzo are back and back with a bang as we are getting several tracks from the new record which sound even better live. The place is jumping around and really cutting loose as the boys rock out on stage and really suck us in to really feel the love oozing from these two Gascon Farmers as they lay themselves bare with nothing but a guitar, 2 mics & and thundering drum kit, no backing tracks here Laurent tells us as we are rock n rollers through and through, we slip into –

A Man Outstanding In His Field – Laurent lets the riffs flow as the crowd embraces the funky, punchy groove that is coming at us right now as the snare drum taps echo all around the venue as the tempo changes pace as the the rhythm section comes through. The vocals are just awesome as Laurent gives us a real mellow, rousing tone that just wraps themselves around this slick, classy track that really brings the funk groove as the boys dig deep and just relocate King Tut’s with their incredible sound that really smacks us on the face with it’s direct, funky, slick groove. Mathieu breaks out the tambourine as the place joins in as the punchy bass kicks combine with a snare drum groove that lets the cymbal crashes rain down on us as the place just goes nuts for this awesome duo as we roll into –

We Win Together, I’m Losing Alone – Kicking the doors in from the off we get a real gutsy groove that immediately blows the roof off as the boys pick up where they left off with a real sludgy, groove filled opener. The rhythm section is bringing the heat as it takes us one way then the next as Malcom brings his gravelly melodic vocals to really sock it to us with this rousing beast of an arrangement that just grabs our attention from the off, the boys are just on the money with this foot stomping bruiser that just gives us a real funk laden groove that is what we have come to expect from theses two farmers turned rock stars. The tempo changes pace as acoustic strumming grooves let Malcom drop down a gear or two to really give this track a coolness that is just magical, these two boys really are something special.

Fisherman – A sweet, mellow guitar pick opens the track as the soaring vocals fill the air as we await the track to kick off as the venue readies itself as the tempo comes alive with a cool snare drum kick that changes the whole arrangement as the volume raises itself to eleven as the boys deliver an awesome, crunching beat that changes pace several times during the course of the song as Laurent asks us if we are ready and we bellow back hell yeah. The crowd are ready to sing back as Tut’s really embraces this epic duo as we sing back as the tempo changes pace again and the two boys bring the heat during a furious riff that lets the track wrap itself around us as we feel energised by these two boys as the groove flows freely from the stage as we bop around put our fists in the air and really embrace this off the scale gig that was everything I expected and more, up next –

Thoreau – The place is silent as Laurent brings his gritty, gravel toned vocals as this soaring beast rears it’s head as the pounding rhythm section hits us with a pounding groove that really kicks in the doors as they bring cymbal crashes that combine with a cool funky edged groove that is just insane. The boys are really giving us a gig for us to say I was there and cannot wait for them to return as they blow the roof off of Glasgow tonight, the shredding riffs are just melting faces with their killer riffs, crunching beats and soulful vocals that just light up Tut’s tonight as they drive their two man juggernaut right through the heart of Glasgow tonight as we roll into –

The Greenwashers – The track kicks off in typical Cluzo fashion with a colossal riff that just gets us all warm and fuzzy as the boys continue to dazzle us with their incredible music. The thundering rhythm section is coming at us with a furious snare drum beat that runs with abass kick that really lets us feel the energy, swagger and attitude pouring from these boys as they set out their stall and really give it to us. The room is a hush with silence as the boys drop the tempo a little as Laurent lets his soulful, gritty vocals lead the charge in this door kicking beast that just puts a smile on your face for sure, the place is just buzzing as the boys bring us hit after hit and pounding groove after pounding groove that is just incredible. The boys chatted about their time on the road in Europe with Neil Young and touring America with their brothers in Clutch, the story goes that Clutch invited them to a biker rally and the boys were talking about sustainability, farming, cows and all the shit that goes with farming and they both said we are gonna get killed but thankfully the biker rally really took the boys to their hearts and so they survived and are here to tell the story as we rock into –

Rockophobia – A slow gritty rasping guitar riff wanders into the venue tonight as Laurent comes at us with gravelly vocals that just shape this track tonight. The pounding rhythm section is just erupting with thunderous snare drum beats that bring cymbal snaps that just elevate this rocking beast as we are told about Iggy Pop and his famous taking out his dick and shaking it around for hir adoring fans, the boys wrote this track and sent it to Iggy who loved it and that’s the story the boys convey in this epic piece of music tonight as we just watch in wonderment as Laurent lets rip with a swashbucling solo that lifts the roof off this building as we really feel the energy oozing from this power duo as they take us to the edge and back again, we are in for a treat in the last song of their power drenched set as we flow into –

Put Your Hands Up – Laurent tells us that this mother fucking song may last between 5 min utes and 20 minutes as the crowd goes mental as the cool guitar lick gets the track underway. The thundering rhythm section comes in as the boys sing in harmony together as Mathieu brings the heat with his incredible playing, the boys control the flow of the track and get the crowd to sing with them as they deliver a colossal finish to this energy packed beast of a show that I have waited 2 years for. The crunching guitar riffs work well as Laurent lets his growling,gravelly vocals lead the way as Laurent dismantles the drum kit as Mathieu continues to bring the groove to Glasgow tonight. These two boys defy what music is all about as Laurent lifts the cymbals from the drum kit as Mathieu takes away is crash cymbals, snare drum and is left with a side on bass drum as he stands on his bass drum and thumps the hell out of tonight’s performance that has just put the biggest smile on my face for sure. This as I said will be ‘One of my gigs of the year

The boys stand before us and tell their story that without us they are nothing as they are self financed and do everything regarding recording, packaging, selling, communication as they have refused many offers from corporations to buy into the music industry, they refused and believe that what they do is more important as they get to tell the fans what they are up to, what they can do for us and when they want to tour and the crowd hollers back with a resounding woohoo, the boys stand together and greet us with their familiar wave to the middle, left and right as we applaude the boys and what they have given us tonight.