Entertainment: The Thrills

by Katrina Martin

You can't read a review of The Thrills without seeing references to Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys or the '60s California rock scene. Of course, this is because they wrote their first album after living in San Diego and soaking up the West Coast sun on beaches all along California's shoreline. Some critics claim the band often does a better job of capturing the California sound than some of the bands instrumental in its inception. I'm not sure about that, but I do know that The Thrills are a damn good rock band.

The boys from Ireland took the stage late--after 11 p.m.--and had to follow a raucous set by Australians The Sleepy Jackson. The Sleeping Jackson's AC/DC opening featured powerfully loud guitars and wild stage antics that got the crowd going immediately. Lead singer Luke Steel's shabby chic (a dark suit paired with a discount-store striped t-shirt and scuffed white shoes) and seemingly drunken dancing were entertaining and made me think, "this is what rock and roll is all about." Perhaps I've been to too many low-fi, toned-down shows recently. However, it was apparent that The Sleepy Jackson loves to play live.

The Sleepy Jackson's music ran the gamut from introspective shoe-gazing moments to slow and romantic acoustic guitar ballads to a much too long band introduction. During this last section Steel broke out some strange contraption with lights and switches that he wore around his neck. He "played" this accompanied by a steady bass line and fuzzed out feedback. It sent most of the crowd back to the bar. But it is good to see a band that borrows from so many genres is also trying to attempt something original.

When The Thrills arrived on stage the audience was already feeling a bit exhausted from The Sleepy Jackson's set, but the band sucked the crowd right back in, playing "Big Sur" from their debut album So Much For the City. Their playing was tight and the songs sounded almost as polished as the album versions. It's true the members of The Thrills are not much to look at--one reviewer said front man Conor Deasy is really the only attractive one of the bunch, and I'd have to agree. He also carried the show because the other band members don't do much but play their instruments (which I admit is important). They don't goof around or make silly rock star banter or even seem gleeful about playing, which is odd, because their music is so sunny and cheerful.

Deasy made up for his less-than-enthusiastic band mates, however. He thanked the crowd after every single song, even yelling, "It's f**ing Friday night people! Yeah!" That got everyone cheering, not just the drunks dancing in the front row. Maybe the rest of the band was suffering from jet lag. Or maybe it was because Deasy was only one who drank the Heinekens left on the stage by a couple of fans.

Despite some members seeming a bit flat, the band put on a good show. Highlights included "Santa Cruz" and "Don't Steal Our Sun," both of which had incredible energy and got people out dancing. The band test drove some new material that sounded excellent as well, leaving me with the hope that the band's star won't burn too brightly too fast.