I’ve been pretty lousy, over the last six weeks or so, at making it out to see local shows, which is generally something I pride myself on; mostly, because I’ve been broke and not able to cough up the five or ten bucks for door. Luckily, I bought a ticket to see Red Collar at Motorco ages ago, when I was not super broke, and I am damn sure glad I did it.

Red Collar is and has been and will always be one of if not thebest straight up rock and roll band in the Triangle; maybe in the state of North Carolina. They took their time with Welcome Home and you can read about the process of making the record, or J making his solo record, plenty of other places. What I can tell you is the emotional resonance of hearing it live, in Durham, in a crowd whose happiness at hearing these songs was only outstripped by the happiness of the band to be playing them. Shows like this are why I work so hard to support local music — because no matter how great, how transcendant, how moving an out of town band might be, there isn’t anything like playing to a hometown crowd.

Welcome Home, after all. That title couldn’t be more apt.

Photos from the whole night, including all three opens Maple Stave, Restorations, and Signals Midwest, are here.