I Just Read About That…

[ATTENDED: March 15, 2019] The Love Language

I had not heard of North Carolina’s The Love Language before this show, despite the fact that they’ve been playing together for nine years.

Their drum head had the band’s name written in a big, puffy, hippie, sixties style, so I expected some serious psychedelia.  Which I did not get.  In fact they rocked pretty hard

They are a four piece centered around guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Stuart McLamb (they’ve been a band for about ten years and the Wikipedia page lists 20 former members).  The current lineup (according to their Facebook page) consists of Thomas Simpson, Andy Holmes, Eddie Sanchez, Jordan McLamb and Stuart McLamb.  Clearly one of those guys wasn’t in Philly.

Most of the songs were rocking and bouncy.  I was particularly impressed by their drummer who, with a very small kit, played some great fills.  The bassist never did anything fancy or crazy (at the end, the two guitarists knelt down and rocked out, but he was steadfast throughout–as a bassist should be).  The keyboardist also played guitar and stepped away from his kit a few times.

Although some of the songs, like “Independence Day” were a little slower (but still with a stomping rhythm.  They also had a ballad that blossomed into a full on rocker.  I’m basing the setlist below on the setlist from Washington DC, although the order doesn’t seem quite right.  (Actually, just listening to their recorded songs, their recordings sound very different from their live sound–they were much louder and grittier live).

They were a fun live band.  By the end, they were very funny–joking with us and generally being a great warm up act.

What was very funny to me, and kind of overrode the experience of the band for me was that midway through the second song, this guy came up and stood in front of me.  And he proceeded to dance intensely to this music.  Although first he had to put his cardigan on the stage (there weren’t many people there yet).  He whooped and yelled after each song.  He raised his hand in that irritating way that women do when they like a song (what IS that?).  He pogoed, bouncing his hand like in rap videos.  And for one song he pogoed easily a foot in the air for a verse and chorus.  It was very impressive.  But he was also the only one doing it.  In fact, he had earned himself a little empty circle around him while everyone else watched and tapped their feet.  It was pretty bizarre.  I gather he’s friends with the band (he shook hands after the show).  But the biggest surprise was that he wasn’t a young guy at all.  He was balding and was definitely no teenager.  For a couple of songs, I almost forgot about the band I was so focused on him.

The set was really intense by the end.  “Sparxxx” (no idea what’s with the xxx) was a crazy rocking wild song that we could all really get into.  But by far the most fun was the explosive ending of their set (for the ironically named “Calm Down.”   When the song proper was over the jamming began.  McLamb got down on his knees to play with pedals and to wail on the guitar.  By the end of the song, the other guitarist was also on his knees as the jammed and made an unholy racket.

It was pretty great (and I didn’t realize a precursor to what Teenage Fanclub would end with).

SETLIST (I think)

1. New Amsterdam
2. Frames
3. Castle in the Sky
4. Providence
5. Heart To Tell
6. Bees
7. Pedals
8. Independence Day
9. Sparxxx
10. Lalita
11. Calm Down