The Love Language and Spider Bags take on the NC State Fair

Every fall the State Fair showcases the best North Carolina has to offer. This year, in addition to enormous pumpkins and fried foods, which dance the tightrope between disgusting and delicious, the “Homegrown North Carolina” concert series will be showing off North Carolina’s musical talent. On Friday, Oct. 23, Chapel Hill-based Spider Bags will play Dorton Arena at 7 p.m., followed by Raleigh natives The Love Language. 

Spider Bags formed in 2005 under front man Dan McGee. The group was initially long distance, with McGee mailing tapes to his high school friends living in Chapel Hill, but after a road trip to North Carolina to record with a full band, McGee stayed. The band released three full-length albums with the help of many different touring musicians before deciding to narrow down to a three-piece band. They then recorded their most recent album, “Frozen Letter” in 2014. Spider Bags delivers a mixture of up-tempo, high-energy, guitar-driven indie rock, featuring catchy riffs and even catchier lyrics. 

Raleigh-based band, The Love Language, formed after the demise of frontman Stuart McLamb’s former band and previous relationship. The breakups lead him to record a series of emotional demos, which then expanded into a full-time recording project. McLamb self-produced the full-length album “The Love Language” in a storage unit using an old four-track recorder, and with the help of rotating musicians, was able to begin touring shortly after. He has since released two full-length albums, recorded with a talented line up of backing musicians. Mclamb’s mixture of emotional indie pop and lo-fi energy is intoxicating to listen to, and his bubbly instrumentals and bleeding heart lyrics will leave you both joyful and introspective.

The doors of Dorton Arena will open at 7 p.m. Friday night for this free show. The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. and will conclude by 9:30 p.m., leaving you plenty of time to soothe your post-concert depression with fried foods. It’ll be the best $0.00 you ever spent.