Rotown, Rotterdam
21/07/04
Last July, The Thermals made the trip from Portland to Rotterdam to make their European debut at Metropolis 2003. At the time, their 30-minute set proved to be the highlight of the day, just from being so action-packed and exciting. It’s something the music fans of the Netherlands haven’t forgotten, and as it turns out neither have the band, who remain amazed by their initial reception.
So The Thermals still love Rotterdam, and Rotterdam apparently still loves The Thermals, providing them with their first sold out gig. In fact, I’ve never seen Rotown so full, and on a warm summer’s evening, the heat inside the room was almost unbearable. Fortunate then that the band still have a limited amount of material, because any more than an hour of furious rock like this and half the audience would have been leaving on stretchers.
Typically, once an act surpasses their second album, they have a host of songs at the ready. Well, at least enough to drop the weak and pick out their favourites. But with both of The Thermals’ releases struggling to make it past the 30-minute mark, they really need to push out every piece of music they know. Just as well then that they don’t really do weak songs.
The drums are thrashed continuously, bassist Kathy bobs away synchronously with her guitar, and vocalist Hutch projects his voice chaotically over the noise, but always with lots of melody. Their formula is just so simple, and it never changes. They need no guitar pedals and no gimmicks. It’s just all so easy as they fire out song after song with no real breaks. It’s such a pure and energetic experience, and so much fun that it makes you want to be on stage too, rocking out without a care in the world.
Before this gig, the chances of them matching the power of that original Metropolis set may not have been high, however, they still have it. Recent album Fuckin’ A! may be a tad more polished than More Parts Per Million, but their strengths haven’t changed. The Thermals still rock, and even although the clock is saying only one hour has passed, the energy levels expended by both band an audience are equivalent to at least three.
Steven McCarron
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