By Danielle Livoti
Don’t be so quick to throw Dublin-based band The Thrills into the same category with bands like The Strokes, The White Stripes or The Hives. This quintet is setting themselves apart from the crowd with their debut album “So Much For The City,” which incorporates instruments like banjo, accordion and harmonica into their subtle, melodic songs. The band signed CDs and played a free five-song set at the Virgin Megastore on Newbury Street, Sunday. The CD was on sale for $7.99 and a free T-shirt was given with every purchase.
Around 6 p.m. a crowd started forming as Ben Carrigan, Conor Deasy, Kevin Horan, Daniel Ryan and Padraic McMahon walked onto the stage. They were all dressed casually in jeans, T-shirts and sneakers. Then lead singer Conor Deasy spoke up and quietly announced the first song.
The Thrills opened up with “Your Love is Like Las Vegas” and then went on to play one of their singles, “Big Sur.” Both songs have catchy harmonies and a cool ’60s vibe. The third song they played was called “Say It Ain’t So.” The song “One Horse Town” was a bit livelier than the other songs played as Deasy swayed to the music and closed his eyes while his bandmates stood there relatively motionless. Their last song, “Santa Cruz (You’re Not That Far)” stirred the crowd up due to its familiarity. People clapped and the band seemed to have woken up. This single had a catchy chorus and Deasy broke out his harmonica, one of many instruments that the band blends onto the CD. At the end of the performance the crowd dispersed with the same tranquil feeling that the band conveyed.
“They’re different, it’s a different sound than what’s out now. It’s got the ’60s thing going on,” said Brenden Ferrara, 18 years old of Boston.
Although Virgin Megastore has had various in-store performances in the past, featuring artists like French group Les Nubians, for many this was their first experience. One fan, Aimee Corrigan, 23, of Boston, who had been listening to The Thrills since last summer, just stopped in to Virgin and found out they were performing. It was her first time at a Virgin Megastore in-store performance.
“I had heard of The Thrills but never seen them. I thought they were really good. I [want to] go see them at the Paradise,” said Rachel Slajda, a freshman journalism major who enjoyed the performance.
To learn more about The Thrills check out their Web site at www.thethrills.com. Also, keep tabs on upcoming Virgin Megastore in-store performances at www.virginmegastore.com.
