Photos and Review by Jim LaValley
The Suffer No Evil tour rolled into Worcester, Massachusetts on April 11, 2025, with Clutch headlining a sold-out night at the Palladium. The bill featured two strong support acts — JD Pinkus and Corrosion of Conformity — making for a deep, groove-heavy evening from start to finish. This one was a full house, and the crowd knew it. This review accompanies a full concert photo gallery capturing the stage lighting, crowd density, and close-range band interactions.
General admission means you stake your claim early, and on a sold-out night like this, every inch of floor space was accounted for. Worth noting: crowd surfing was not permitted for this show, per the band’s request — and the crowd, though packed and loud, respected it and enjoyed the music.
JD Pinkus opened the night solo with his banjo, delivering something unexpected and genuinely entertaining. Pinkus is best known as the bassist for the Butthole Surfers (1985–1994 and since the 2009 reunion), but his solo work is rooted in what he calls “spacegrass” — a psychedelic, rock-infused approach to the instrument. His 2024 release “Grow A Pear” (Shimmy Disc) represents his most recent studio effort. It was raw, weird, and a good-natured way to warm up the room.
Corrosion of Conformity (COC) took the stage next and delivered a set that was pure rock and roll. Founded in Raleigh, North Carolina in 1982, COC has shifted from hardcore punk to crossover thrash to Southern-grooved heavy metal over four decades. Woody Weatherman, the only original member still in the band, has anchored the guitar chair since day one. Pepper Keenan, who joined as a second guitarist in 1989 before becoming the full-time vocalist, has been the sonic cornerstone of the band’s classic era. Bassist Bobby Landgraf, who stepped in when founding bassist Mike Dean departed in 2024, and drummer Nick Shabatura rounded out the current lineup. The rhythm section of Landgraff and Shabatura kept the set grounded and tight. Their new double album “Good God / Baad Man“, released April 3, 2026, was front and center and rocked the house. The new material has the feel of the band’s entire catalog compressed into one record, with grooves that pull hard toward Thin Lizzy territory. Keenan handled vocals and guitar with authority, and the crowd loved it.
Headliners Clutch closed the night with a set built on their established blend of classic rock structure and groove-heavy riffs. The band—Neil Fallon (vocals, guitar), Tim Sult (lead guitar), Dan Maines (bass), and JP Gaster (drums)—played with precision and pacing. Fallon’s stage presence and vocal delivery remained steady throughout the night, while Sult’s guitar work emphasized the band’s signature groove. Their sound draws from blues, funk, and hard rock in a way that is so catchy and enjoyable. Their most recent studio album is “Sunrise on Slaughter Beach” (2022, Weathermaker Music), their thirteenth record. The set was filled with groove and awesome rock and roll.
Three acts, three distinct personalities and sound, one sold-out theatre. The Suffer No Evil tour is delivering exactly what it promises. Check the photo gallery and if you have a chance to catch this tour, if would be a night a killer rock and roll.