THINKING. ALWAYS. POWER. SOUND.
The last four songs of The Thermals‘ setlist are a verbal reflection of the band’s onstage energy, which was huge at their show at the Market Hotel.

THURSDAY 04/28/16 – BROOKLYN, NEW YORK
Through unmarked doors and up a winding staircase, the venue is small, with a bar in the back and a triangular stage up front. It’s a popular destination for indie groups and their fans, and The Thermals were well received, as proven by the mini-mosh pit that emerged halfway through the set. The Portland artists have a sound that is widely placed into the murky post-punk category, except they have a distinct pop element, both instrumentally and lyrically. Live, however, the band replaces that polish with physical, raw, spur-of-the-moment chemistry, taking full advantage of the stage and their time on it. Singer Hutch Harris crawls, cringes, and falls to his knees as necessary, while bassist Kathy Foster and drummer Westin Glass build a sonic wall behind him. The show had a high turnout for a small space, and the simple proximity of the audience to the band made for an intimate, no-frills performance; the music was the people’s and the people belonged to the music.