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Beards. Beards as far as the eye can see. And beer – all of the beer – merrily swigged and thrown by throngs of happy, (mostly) hairy people. This is the stuff Clutch gigs are made of.

Four modestly attired middle-aged blokes – all of whom look more like IT professionals than rock-stars, and three of whom barely move as they focus intently on their instruments – shouldn’t be this entertaining. But my god they are.

It’s not perfect. Upgraded at the last minute from Shepherd’s Bush Empire, the sound isn’t brilliant – with guitarist Tim Sult’s monster truck riffs getting smothered in a rather muddy mix.

However, this doesn’t stop it being a great show. The propulsive rhythm grooves; the brilliantly intelligent, absurdist lyrics; the mighty hooks and heady layers that just keep coming, right up to closer Earthrocker… Serious fun.

Polly is deputy editor at Classic Rock magazine, where she writes and commissions regular pieces and longer reads (including new band coverage), and has interviewed rock's biggest and newest names. She also contributes to Louder, Prog and Metal Hammer and talks about songs on the 20 Minute Club podcast. Elsewhere she's had work published in The Musician, delicious. magazine and others, and written biographies for various album campaigns. In a previous life as a women's magazine junior she interviewed Tracey Emin and Lily James – and wangled Rival Sons into the arts pages. In her spare time she writes fiction and cooks.