CONCERT REVIEW: THOU AT THE WAREHOUSE
Thou has been my favorite band hands-down for the last year and a half or so. Their album they did with Emma Ruth Rundle has been one of my favorite records since I first heard it, Umbilical was my album of the year in 2024, and their “acoustic” album remains in pretty much constant rotation for me. Though it took me longer than I’d have liked to see them live, finally doing so was an incredible experience.
The show took place at an undisclosed location in Richmond, Virginia known simply as “The Warehouse,” a venue which can best be described as equal parts garage, haunted house, and unfinished basement. The phrase “dimly-lit” can only partially describe just how dark it was inside. I had the pleasure of speaking with Bryan before the show and he was kind enough to sign both of the records I brought. I ran into Mitch shortly after, who complimented my The Day the Earth Stood Still shirt and not only signed both of my records, but brought Andy and Matthew out to meet me as well (Tyler I was able to find in the crowd). Mitch and I talked overdrive pedals for a while and he expounded some fascinating lore about the album cover for May Our Chambers Be Full. Did you know that that’s him on the cover?
Of the 4 openers, my favorite hands-down was City of Caterpillar. A Richmond local band, their sound is probably best compared to Orchid and other East Coast screamo bands of the time. The heart of the group’s live performances is without a doubt Brandon Evans (guitar/vocals), whose energetic on-stage movements, aggressive vocal style, and frantic playing seem to set not just the tone, but the pace for both the band and crowd. Between Evans using his guitar stand as a slide, their drummer coming down into the crowd to rhythmically smash empty liquor bottles into a modified traffic barrel, other concertgoers practically climbing on top of each other to shout lyrics, and their bassist getting at least three beers knocked over by second-hand mosh, things stayed pretty energetic. Admittedly, I’m not as well-versed in screamo as I’d like to be, but I know enough to tell you that this band is worth your while.
And then there was Thou.
After taking the stage just before midnight and opening with “The Song of Illuminate Darkness,” they launched right into “I Feel Nothing When you Cry,” the first line of which—“I am a rock in a sea of chaos”—became something of a mantra for me last year and holds a very special place in my heart. I mentioned this to Mitch before the show and he said he’d make sure that they play it for me. Mitch, thanks a million. The setlist for the rest of the night was comprised largely of their more uptempo, punky tracks from their newest release. With Umbilical being my album of the year for 2024, it was an amazing experience to hear those tracks performed live.
As you can probably imagine, the pit stayed pretty active during the show, by which I mean one guy lost his phone and another managed to get his ID knocked out of him. Both items made their way to the stage. The phone was returned after a non-zero number of selfies. As for the ID, Bryan called out the name on it and the guy it belonged to told him he could keep it as a souvenir. Hopefully he didn’t get pulled over on his way home.
After trudging through “House of Ideas,” the band closed with the dissonant, sludgy “Skinwalker” followed by a cover of Cower’s “Get Me Out.” Not a second after the song ended, Bryan said a quick “Thank you,” and with that, one of the craziest shows I’ve ever been to was concluded.
DIY spaces are sacred places, and if you ever get a chance to attend a show at one, take it. Support local bands, support live music, and keep your local scene lively.
This show was organized and presented by Dark Days Bright Nights, a Richmond-based festival with a focus on DIY bands and artists from across the world of heavy music. All photos except for the photo of my record and the one of Bryan eating a banana are courtesy of Michael Thorn.
Bryan having a pre-show ‘nanner
