Band Crush: Thrust Club

Oh hey, everyone! Remember when I relaunched Band Crush, then posted a few, then stopped? Sorry about that. Even though it seems like we’ve all got more time than ever on our hands, I just haven’t been motivated to do much these last few weeks. It’s almost as if there’s some global crisis that’s taking up a lot of my thoughts. I’m going to try to get back into the swing of things though, so here we are with my friends Thrust Club.
I wanna do some housekeeping before we get into the main thing though. First, I don’t think I’ll do one of these on Great Scott. Writers who are far better than me are handling that, but I do want to add a quick note that even though live music has been having a tough time even before the pandemic, and even though clubs have been closing around the world, for me Great Scott is the first one that really hit hard. I think it’s maybe because they never faded away. It wasn’t a situation where we had this sort of legendary venue but that legend was based on stuff they did in the ‘80s and ‘90s and really it had been downhill after that. Great Scott didn’t have a heyday and then fall off, it got going and then was still going strong. I dunno, it just hurts.
I also wanted to shout out Samantha from Tysk Tysk Task. That band was one of the first that I profiled here, and she just launched a Patreon. Definitely check it out. Seems like Patreon and other virtual options are going to be the only way to support artists for the foreseeable future so get on it.
Lastly, if you’re in a band or even a music-scene adjacent person with something you’d like to share with people, hit me up. I don’t have many more of these in the can and it’s a lot easier to get motivated to post them when they’re already right there in my face. Ok, this was a long intro. I love you all, check out Thrust Club.

Let's start at the beginning. Can you give us some background on your come up and journey so far?
JC: Thrust Club formed at Ladies Rock Camp back in February of 2012 and we loved the song we wrote, "In Thrust We Trust" so much, we decided to keep playing together. Eventually, our original keyboardist left and Erin took over in 2014 after I asked her to join the band as a birthday gift. :)

Sally:  Girls Rock Campaign Boston continues to figure large in our journey. We all volunteer in different capacities--band coaching, instrument instructing, and gear crew mainly. Erin is involved with filming most of the showcases for both the girls' and ladies' sessions. I was on the Board early on, and JC is currently the Musical Curriculum Director.

Erin:  We keep a list of song ideas in our space. Often ideas are sparked from jokes during practice (White Pants, Don’t Do It!) or a ridiculous challenge to ourselves (why would anyone write 3 entire songs about spiders?). They’ve also been formed out of desperate anger (such as our soon-to-be-released single “Why Does Your Congressperson Want me Dead?”)

Bethany: We’ve really carried the ethos of LRCB/GRCB with us, especially in our songwriting process. We really believe that, as GRCB co-founder Hilken Mancini says, “Every shriek, every chord, every note is awesome!”

What do you hope to leave people with once they put down their headphones or leave your show?
JC: A smile on their face?!

Sally: And the conviction to smash the patriarchy and start playing music too if they wanna. 

Erin: A newfound admiration for the female codebreakers of WWI, the Soviet Space Dogs, and drinking coffee at night when your parents aren’t there to tell you that it’s a bad idea.

Bethany: All of the above!

What are your favorite venues to play? What could the ones that don't make the list do to improve (note: in general, you don't have to name names)?
JC: We love playing at ONCE and O'Brien's because not only are they great venues but their staffs are incredible people. They feel like second homes to us.

Sally: I second that, and as the only JP resident in the band, I need to give the Midway Café a shout-out too. It was an honor to play one of their 30th anniversary shows.

Erin: ONCE holds a very special spot in all of our hearts. Both the Lounge & Ballroom are a blast to play, and the entire staff feels like family. We also really loved working with the folks at the Jungle. 

Bethany: What everyone else said, plus I would like to add the starlite gallery out in Southbridge, MA and all of the basements that have hosted us :)

What other Boston artists are you crushing on right now?
JC: I think the better question is who aren't we crushing on?! But I would like to give shout-outs to Sapling, Fur Purse, Oompa, and Electric Street Queens. 

Sally: I’d like to add Weather Weapon.

Erin: I’ll add Leopard Print Taser, SEA, sister, and Home Despot.

We also love all of our spacemates at Studio 52: Bad Idea USA, Girl Sküll, Linnea’s Garden, and Brooke Feinberg (née Radium Girls, eager for next projects).

Bethany: Everyone above, plus Pitstain, Sensitive Subject, and Anjimile.

You can find Thrust Club at their website, connect with them on Facebook, and buy their music on Bandcamp.

Photo credits: top by Jenny Bergman/Secret Bureau of Art & Design, middle by Carissa Johnson/Fuel Heart Productions, bottom provided by band.