BRAINS, BODIES AND MUSIC ON POINT >>>

You know how sometimes, when you're at a show, you can listen to an entire set and realize you haven't heard a word or caught a riff? The band was so mediocre you hadn't absorbed a lick of it?

I imagine that kind of buzzkill never happens when the Thermals play a show. During last night's performance at Northern in Olympia, the crowd was fully engaged, brain and body on point, comprehending the creative intention of every lyric, beat and strum. The poignant relationship between band and audience was evident. It could have been because it was the band's first show in Olympia, after eight years of being an essential part of the Northwest Sub Pop, Kill Rock Stars culture ... but I think it's just the magic of the Thermals.

Where in Portland, or other larger cities, hundreds of people would come to a venue - Olympia's Northern was maxed out around 90.

And these 90 or so people took advantage of the intimate space, pumping fists, clapping along and shouting lyrics. The band's powerful presence and sometimes moody, sometimes punk/poppy music moved the masses.  Dreadlocks swung from side to side, cuffed pant legs tapped in time, and sweater clad nerds banged their heads.

On stage, the trio was illuminated in alternating colors, fast lighting, and shadow play. The trippy effects just added to the mood. At one point a grid like pattern flashed across the band's faces - mixing with Kathy Foster's striped shirt, making her look something like a chameleon in a matrix.

As for the evening as a whole, I'll let longtime fan Ryan McReynolds sum it up.

 "I'm always happy when music artists come through Olympia and (don't) leave empty handed, they get a good show and people enjoy their music," says McReynolds. "And there was a proper encore, that was good. A real rock band played tonight."