Unexpected Surprise | Archers of Loaf Reunite @ Cat's Cradle 1/16/11 | Hi Def Videos of Concert

          Last Saturday night was a homecoming for The Love Language, who have made a name for themselves nationally this year, at Cat's Cradle [Jan. 16th]. After enlisting a Carrboro band, Cellar Seas [not really up-and-coming, but they don't have a disc out yet] and a special guest I headed to the Cradle ready for some up-and-up pop music to forget about this bitter cold NC has been facing this past week. I really didn't expect there to be a big-name band slipping between the two bands, maybe a well-known, local Merge artist playing alongside the LL. Boy, was I mistaken.

           I idly slept through the 90's when it comes to music. I had no idea who the older fellas taking the stage were instead of the LL. I did recognize Mac McCaughan and Jon Wurster from Superchunk and one of those bearded guys from Megafaun, so I figured something was up because the LL is worthy of these names but I didn't think . Then I got the word from my editor at Diversions that Archers of Loaf were about to play.

Me: Cool, I'm texting my dad, he'll know who this is.

My Buddy Garrett [who was at the show]: No Shit, Archers of Loaf, they broke up a decade ago.

My Dad texted me back that they were along the lines of Superchunk
    Me: legit, I can dig this [I'm putting two and two together after seeing Mac and Jon]

           I had no idea who these guys were and they struck me as a little hard for my scene after the first song. I was definitely hearing the Superchunk vibes and by the second song I was sold, even though it wasn't my usual cup o' tea. The set was full of energy and seemingly flawless, if I didn't know they had broken up 12 years ago and they hadn't told the crowd, I would have thought they were on tour with the LL. I'm assuming the best of the best/easiest to remember songs made up the set list, but regardless they made an impression and I'm going to scouring record stores and eBay for some AofL vinyl. I did however listen to Icky Mettle, their first album and it's beyond anything I would have expected, it's great.

           Check out Pt. 2, 3, & 4 [to view to whole concert in hi-def!!!!] after the jump & the set-list as well.

          

Set List

Audiowhore

Harnessed in Slums

Revenge

Nostalgia

Lowest Part Is Free

Freezing Point

Greatest of All Time

You and Me

Might

Web In Front

Wrong

Slow Worm