Raw and Uncompromising: The Thing Bring Modern Garage Rock to Oahu
Stopping in Hawaiʻi on their way to Australia, The Thing delivered a blistering early-evening set that reaffirmed the power of real rock and roll. The band, originating from New York City played an intimate show that proved their raw garage-psych sound travels well beyond the city that shaped it. Though the crowd was modest in size, those who showed up were treated to a performance bursting with energy.
Right on schedule at 8 p.m., the band hit the stage at The Republik, in Honolulu. From the first notes, it was clear the band wasn’t going to phone it in just because the room wasn’t filled to capacity. The Thing plays with the kind of conviction that suggests they’d give the same show whether it’s for fifty people or five thousand. Their mix of ’60s garage swagger, psychedelic color, and punk urgency might draw from different genres, but together it amounts to something rare in today’s scene, honest-to-goodness straight ahead rock and roll. Imagine The Sonics had a baby with The Stooges and their child bullied The Strokes!
Zane Acord, (bass/vocals) led the charge with a cool, unassuming intensity. His vocals alternated between tuneful restraint and ragged release, perfectly matching the band’s dynamics. Jack Bradley (guitar/vocals) and Michael Carter (guitar/vocals) locked into a tight interplay, trading fuzz-laden riffs and searing leads that often dissolved into beautiful chaos. Lucas Ebeling’s drumming was the anchor, relentless, powerful, and always in motion, driving each song forward with commanding control.
Despite the early hour, the energy in the room built steadily. The band fed off the audience’s enthusiasm, and the audience, in turn, fed off the band’s commitment. Songs from their albums came alive. “Above Snakes” was a burst of distortion and swagger. “You’re the One”, a churning groove that invited the small crowd to move closer to the stage. Midway through the set, the band thanked the crowd for coming out, noting that it was their first time performing in Hawaiʻi.
My favorite highlight was during “Can You Help Me?”, Carter’s solo spiraled upward while Acord leaned into the mic and poured out everything he had. Ebeling’s drumming here was particularly fierce, every snare hit cracked like a gunshot.
By the time they reached the closer the room was fully engaged. Fans were pressed near the stage singing, dancing, and nodding in unison. When the last chord rang out, cheers filled the space, louder than you’d expect from a crowd that small. The Thing smiled, waved, and disappeared backstage.
I’ll admit, I was unfamiliar with The Thing before this show, but I left convinced they’re one to watch. There’s a cockiness in their sound. The band balances tight musicianship with an appealing roughness. It is not always pretty, but that’s rock and roll. Their songs carry grit and melody in equal measure, the kind of controlled chaos that keeps you wanting more.
The band will return to the US and tour the northeast and then head to Europe throughout December,
https://www.thingthething.com/
