October 2010, 40 Watt, Athens, Ga.
Hutch Harris grabbed the mic and looked out into the smallish, yet devoted 40 Watt crowd. “This is a Thermals show,” he said, then kicked into “We Were Sick,” one of the many three-minute gems in the band’s arsenal. The crowd at the front of the stage was a mass of movement, grooving along as The Thermals did what it does best.
Portland’s Thermals — Hutch on guitar, Kathy Foster on bass and Westin Glass on drums, powered through a fun and snappy hour-long set. The band played selections from its five albums, highlighting Personal Life, its 2010 release. It was those new songs — a bit tamer and brooding — which brought the pace of the show down. But the band would quickly counter with “How We Know” (from 2004’s Fuckin A) or St. Rosa and the Swallows (from 2006’s masterful The Body, The Blood, the Machine) to revive the tempo back to a frantic level.
For a three-piece, the band is rather engaging. Kathy is a monster on the Fender bass, wielding it about like a giant sword, while Westin was a big cheerleader for getting the crowd going during the song’s drumless interludes. Hutch’s guitar playing is much like his singing, all movement and frenetic pacing. It’s a fun band to watch as well as hear.
Songs on the night included “Here’s Your Future,” “I Might Need You to Kill,” “Returning to the Fold,” “Back to Gray,” “I Don’t Believe You” and “It’s Trivial”. “Your Love is So Strong” was one of the highlights from the new album, as were “No Culture Icons” and “A Pillar of Salt,” which brought the night to a satisfying end.
