Images and words by Mark Gromen

Rare opportunity to celebrate New Years Eve with some good music! Dick Clark's New Years Rocking Eve is anything but, filled with bubblegum pop (or worse yet hip hop/rap) acts. What happened to guitars? Well the sold out Trocadero, in Philly's Chinatown offered six-strings in spades, courtesy of COC and the headlining CLUTCH. Outside, on the street, sparklers and other low grade fireworks are lit in premature celebrations (it IS Chinatown after all, the innovators of firecrackers, noise makers and such).

The music inside was just as incendiary. CORROSION OF CONFORMITY, as they are once again not afraid to be called (complete with radioactive sign/spiked helmet logo) opted for a punky retro, early in their career set, minus two of the biggest assets: Pepper Keenan (the DOWN guitarist got his start in the North Carolina outfit and is/was undoubtedly the most recognizable figure in the band, to non-fans) and the southern fried sludge heard on the major label catalog (usually under the abbreviated C.O.C. moniker). As a trio, Mike Dean (bass/vocals), Reed Mullin (what are the odds that two major metal acts would have a drummer named Reed? CELTIC FROST?) and guitarist Woody "Woodroe" Weatherman (who looks a cross between Alex, from Ice Road Truckers and wrestler Mick Foley) create a royal din. Although the Troc has a large stage, set up in front of CLUTCH's backline and drums, the southern boys were pushed right to the front. Like the defunct Berlin Wall, Mullin's drum kit keeping Weatherman and Dean separated. Weatherman's axe has seen harsh treatment, scraps and worn away paint testament to a life on the road. They ended in a fuzzy, distorted 'Technocracy'.This was almost exclusively a CLUTCH crowd, as no matter how hard C.O.C. rocked. most were (sadly) unmoved.

Movement, however, was out in force, once Neil Fallon and crew took the stage, opening with 'The House That Peterbilt'. Although jammed packed, some still tried to mosh/slam to the grooving, bass heavy beats. Others waved hands overhead, like what I've seen in videos from raves. Everyone seemed to be getting their New Year's Eve groove on! 'Pure Rock Fury'? 'The Mob Goes Wild' indeed. In vintage Bad Brains t-shirt, Fallon seemed to feel the vibe too, his spasmodic motions offset by moments of stoic rigidity. Often he moved to bassist Dan Maines' side, allowing the band, especially cap wearing guitarist Tim Sult, to take the spotlight. The backdrop behind drummer Jean-Paul Gaster sported the logo from their '95 eponymous disc, not the more frequent block lettering. Fitting, many songs from that platter appeared in the set (including 'Texan Book Of The Dead', 'I Have The Body Of John Wilkes Booth' and 'Animal Farm'). Although it was New Years (Fallon lead a short countdown at midnight, the band still motoring all the while), this was first and foremost a CLUTCH concert and the formalities of introducing 2012 came and went right back to 'The Yeti' jam, never missing a beat. 'Mice And Gods' was an unearthed rarity, but I don't think anyone was prepared for the closing run of 'Puerta Abierta', 'Regulator', 'Spleen Merchant' and 'Electric Worry'. Talk about dusting off some golden oldies! Wow, what a way to kick off the new year!

More photos can be found in a gallery here.