By Matt Kiernan

Indie rock band The Thermals performed a punk-driven concert at The Space last Saturday, supported by the opening acts of Past Lives and The Coathangers in a concert that was kept slightly stiff due to The Space’s “no moshing” rules.

While no moshing or pushing was allowed at the venue, the bands made up for it with their abrasive sound and performances, making strong attempts at drawing the attendees into their music.

“We’ve been going on tour with Past Lives and Coathangers for the past couple weeks, and it’s pretty awesome,” said Thermals lead singer Hutch Harris to the crowd.

The Thermals worked over the crowd with their power chord heavy songs and catchy anthems that aren’t as easy to find the world of indie rock. The Space’s speaker system helped greatly with the choruses, with speakers placed above the concert attendees’ heads so that it sounded as if the singing was originating throughout the room.

Drummer Westin Glass riled up the crowd by standing up when not having to play drums to provoke them to start clapping and cheer on the performance.

Concertgoers supported the acts of The Thermals and Past Lives by clapping along to their playing during breaks, pumping up others. Harris would move over to Glass, as well as Past Lives singer Jordan Blilie to the band’s drummer during their set to get into their songs’ beats.

Blilie is a very performance-heavy singer, screaming into the microphone and giving everything he has to his vocals. His body motions could be described as being very pent up and stiff, keeping everything just barely contained while looking like he could explode at any moment.

Former member of the post-hardcore band Blood Brothers Morgan Henderson played his baritone guitar as if it was a bass, hitting notes all over the fret board, leaving the traditional electric guitar playing to guitarist Devin Welch.

The all-female band the Coathangers have a sound from the late ‘70s, falling into the genre of post-punk. The band’s lead singer has an almost screeching tonal quality that’s very punk-like, which helps the songs in a way because it catches listeners’ attention.

The Thermals are on tour with Past Lives and The Coathangers until April 20, and The Thermals perform with Past Lives for the last time on the tour in Brooklyn, NY on April 21.