Archers Of Loaf - Live - Cat's Cradle 01-15-11

Label: Bootleg
Year: 2011

In one of my rare sojourns outside of my home (Hermit Central) back in late summer 2010 (I think, could have been some other time that year...I have been under the fairly constant haze of a mean painkiller addiction for the better part of the 2000's) I went with some other elderly gentlemen to take in a Crooked Fingers show. Not that exciting, I realize, but, one of those elderly gentlemen played in Crooked Fingers for a stint (Red Devil Dawn era [he also played in the godly Melts {the best Melvins songs not by the Melvins pretty much ever}]) and had spoken with Eric Bachmann in the days proceeding this show. Of particular note from his conversations was the little tidbit that Eric mentioned about the Archers Of Loaf had actually gotten together in Chapel Hill to play some old songs, just to see how it felt. As any good and decent North Carolinian of a certain age is wont to do, I let out an audible squeak, and felt my heart racing in my chest a bit. I asked what prompted this reunion, and if that meant the band was "back together", and the response I got was (and I paraphrase) "Eric has finally kinda gotten over the animosity (unfortunately not a Corrosion Of Conformity reference) he had towards the band, and how he felt like he was putting in all this work for not a lot of return, and he was ready to basically play rock music again". As far as playing any shows, he speculated that somebody must have offered them decent scratch to play SOMEWHERE, but he didn't know.
It was exciting news to me. It was also exciting that Crooked Fingers played three Archers Of Loaf songs that night, and each time that guy looked over at me and gave me the "yeah dude, we know the deal, right? Cause we're totally in the know about all kinds of cool shit" look, and I absolutely shot that shit right back at him, maybe even punctuating it with one of those upwards chin thrusts. You know the one?
Fast forward a year(ish) and my drug ravaged brain had plum near forgotten that conversation (along with every birthday and phone number ever given to me), until I get word (internet!) that the motherfucking Archers Of motherfucking Loaf had played a surprise set in Chapel Hill opening for some motherfucking motherfuckers. I was all, "oh dang, I remember now, the Archers Of Loaf are supposed to play something, somewhere".
Well, here's that surprise reunion set, and now I don't have to carry around that burden any longer.

DL