Flotsam and Jetsam brings their Blood in the Water Tour 2024 to West Texas

Flotsam and Jetsam brings their Blood in the Water Tour 2024 to West Texas

El Paso, Texas sure got a real treat last Thursday night at the Rockhouse Dive Bar Kitchen Venue when Flotsam and Jetsam kicked off their 2024 Blood in the Water Tour.  This tour is in support of their 14th album release, Blood in the Water.

As any other band that’s been around as long as Flotsam and Jetsam which spans 38 years, by the way, has had its fair share of lineup changes, Eric AK Kutson the bands frontman is the only original member from 1981. Here’s a little fun fact, Jason Newsted was also in the band from 81-86, he left after their first release in 86 to join Metallica, gee, who knew?  Those early days in Phoenix, the band played mostly covers doing the local club scene, venturing back and forth between Arizonia and California, playing various clubs and creating a fan base doing so. They shared stages with Riot, Autograph, Armored Saint and Megadeth, just to name a few. In these past 38 years, countless tours, 14 album releases, 12 ep/singles, 2 live albums and throw in 3 DVDs to boot, oh yeah, the boys have been busy. Speaking of the boys, we have Eric AK doing vocals, Michael Gilbert on guitar, Steve Conley as well on guitar, Bill Bodily on Bass and last but not least, the infamous Ken Mary on percussion. Another fun fact, I covered Jack Russell’s Great White this weekend and when Ken isn’t with Flotsam and Jetsam, he’s playing with Jack Russell, safe to say, when you’re that good, you’ll always be in demand.

Show started at 7pm with three support bands, first up was Invader, a real hard hitting 3 piece, it’s always a fun show with these guys, second was Burning Sunday, another 3 piece, what’s the odds of that? This is Bart Man’s outfit, straight outa Alamogordo, New Mexico and boy is he a shredder, hard to take your eyes off those fingers, a journeyman on the six string.  Now, in direct support was the perfect match in my opinion, our own Pissing Razors.  Here’s another outfit that’s been together for the past 30 years, Joe Rodriguez, Eddy Garcia, Geo Gomez and Mathew Lynch, rock solid and unbreakable, so here’s the thing, the Razors don’t do that many shows, one or two a year and a maybe at best, so when they do and make no mistake, there’s going to be a turn out and did that ring true. Pissing Razors bring it every time, an hour of West Texas metal in your face, being devoured by this rabid insane El Paso audience, I don’t believe any metal crowd could have been warmed up more for the evenings main event, yes sir, you can always count on the Razors.

Flotsam and Jetsam hit the stage a little after 10 pm, opened with Hammerhead, Eric AK was in full form, a seasoned entertainer and showman, fun to watch and photograph.  Michael Gilbert and Steve Conley trading riffs and shredding, if you looked at anyone on the barricade, their faces were melting away, truly a sight. Bill Bodily on bass and keeping that beat along with Ken Mary on percussion, a combination of sight and sound, to put it lightly.   Eric and company ripped through a 14-song set list like it was nothing, nothing but the best speed metal / thrash metal one could ask for.  Check those tour dates, this one comes highly recommended and of course, we’ll see you at the next rock show.

Story and Photography by Tim Schumann

Set List-

Hammerhead

Desecrator

Iron Maiden

Wails

Smoked Out

Prisoner of Time

Dreams of Death

She Took an Axe

Cry for the Dead

Brace for Impact

Demolition Man

Suffer the Masses

I Live, You Die

No Place for Disgrace