Moncton, New Brunswick rockers the Motorleague have been overdue for a Lethbridge visit, but are finally able to make it work, Nov. 13 at the Slice with Toronto band the Dying Arts.
The Motorleague have high hopes for their third CD,“Holding Patterns,” which they recorded in five weeks with Toronto producer Eric Ratz, who has worked with Billy Talent, Big Wreck, Big Sugar and Monster Truck, to name a few.
“We’re stoked about it,” said guitarist/ vocalist Dan Levandier.
“Seeing all those gold records on the wall from bands like Three Days Grace, Billy Talent and Big Wreck, it was very humbling. Every note had to be perfect I can’t speak for the rest of the guys, but it kicked everyone's playing up a notch or in my case two notches,” he said.
“ It took five weeks to the day. We were recording right up to the last minute, just ohhs and ahhs, there wasn’t any extra time,” he said, adding the CD has a more modern rock, radio friendly sound compared to the heaviness of their previous two CDs.
“The last CD was in 2012 or 2013. So it is overdue,” he said.
“It’s our third CD so we thought it was time,” he said.
He was impressed with the turnaround of the CD.
“We started driving home and 48 hours later, we had the e-mail with the finished tracks. We‘re stoked about the CD but stoked at the quick turnaround,” he said.
“ We have a lot of friends there— the guys from Lustre Creame. And we love the Slice. We’re over due to come to Lethbridge and we’re overdue to have an Elliott Brood pizza at the Slice,” he said.
They are excited to be mentoring Toronto band Dying Arts.
“ This their first time out west,” he said.
“So we get to introduce them to it — all of the things to do and see and all of the places to eat. It’s like a child at Christmas. They’re so excited about everything. They’ve never seen anything in the west,” he continued.
The Motorleague got to tour with Godsmack, one of their favourite bands, during a few shows around the Maritimes.
But they didn’t get to hang out with them very much.
“ Five seems to be the magic number. And we only played three shows with them. After five shows, you really get to know a band and are comfortable with hanging out with them,” he observed, adding playing in front of a Godsmack crowd wasn’t a problem, because the Motorleague were also playing for hometown crowds.
“It was hit or miss. We had a a lot of people there supporting fellow Maritimers in Moncton and Halifax, then you also had the guy who spent $60 or $70 to see Godsmack and didn’t really give a shit about the opening band,” he said.
“It’s been a lot of fun. We were playing a few arena shows. But now we’re back to what we’re used to — playing small clubs, which is where we come from,” he said.
There is an $8 cover charge for the show, which begins at 9 p.m., Friday, Nov. 13.
