Show Review: The Love Language, Twelve Thousand Armies

Motorco Music Hall, Durham
October 23, 2010

Having rounded down the breadth of a six week road heavy tour to Saturday night at the lovely new Motorco Music Hall in Durham, The Love Language appeared no worse for the wear. Easily returning smiles and laughs to an exuberant crowd, front man Stu McLamb stood in as fine a character as ever and lead the exudingly charismatic The Love Language through a fully throttled set before a home town crowd. Culminating years of experience perfecting his art and craft of Christmas light ornamental re-purposing, just before the first chord was strummed McLamb switched on his Battle of Anghiari, an eight foot tall hanging multicolored heart which was met with a collective "Ahhhhhh" from the audience. Looking bright as ever, Missy Thangs made grand use of the broad stage at Motorco, pushing her dual key board rig to the front of stage right engaging the audience with searing energy and fluid rhythm. The animated Thangs is a metaphor for the rest of the five piece who key together in the music like clothes being tossed about in a washing machine.

By the time The Love Language took stage, the 300 plus crowd was already keen on charisma having watched Justin Williams open with his stellar Twelve Thousand Armies. Long time confidant of the Love Language, Williams is a monolith of a human being at what must be six foot five, it may as well be ten feet as on stage his presence is Brobdingnagian. His spruce topped twelve string dreadnought guitar blends with Thor-like golden locks for larger than life poise. Backed by some of the most familiar faces in local rock, Williams delivered a Drug Horse proper sound, bouncy and hip lo-fi rhythms welded to lyrics describing extremes.

Doors have officially open now for two weeks, however, Motorco debuted to many last night. Half way into the Des Moines, IA opening act Chases Rivers, the line to enter extended to the street, mostly from first timers getting a new membership card to lose...present company included. Once inside, Motorco's expansive shiny and blackened atmosphere is impressive. Its dark ceiling is bolstered with beam lights aimed at the stage like a battery of cannons on the under belly of a spaceship and the sound system is thick and penetrating at volumes still at ear level. With all the thought and effort placed on the room being a state of the art performance venue, its easy to over look one of the venue's more supple feature, a long, wide and very accessible bar busy with the most chipper and quick to serve bar staff you'll find anywhere. More eyes will be opened to Motorco in coming weeks. A couple to look out for; The Pneurotics play with the touring Thrift Store Cowboys on Wednesday October 27th and Troika books three days the first weekend in November. --Carrboro Ninja


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The Love Language













Stu and Jordan McLamb's great uncle killing it old school



Twelve Thousand Armies










Motorco has a nice wide front sidewalk which serves as a patio landing for after show gatherings. Hi-jinks ensued at 2 AM. If anyone knows this girl, please tell her she is crazy.



wait, she has a trick. here is the cigarette...


here comes the kazoo....wait for it....


...and there is it, smoke through the kazoo. nicely done.