This is Tour Diary, where artists give us a behind-the-scenes look at life on the road. The Thing are deeply rooted in everything DIY. Formed in 2022, the NYC garage-rock outfit — comprising members Zane Acord, Jack Bradley, Michael Carter, and Lucas Ebeling — record at their East Williamsburg studio Onion Records, preferring tape machines and live recordings to glossy studio production. That ethos shines through in their live shows, where their raucous energy becomes the main character. Recently, the Thing completed a three-night residency at the East Village’s buzzy new venue Night Club 101. The band took us through that trio of shows, which they performed ahead of their new self-titled album (out now). It’s an LP that embraces old-school rock while doubling down on their ripping urgency, written and recorded entirely to tape in one month. “We threw all of our different various influences throughout — all the decades of rock ’n’ roll and adjacent genres — and ended up with something of our own,” Bradley says. “Our contribution to the genre. Our style. Our… thing.”
Read more: 5 songs that shaped Voyeur’s Something Becomes You EP

Nicole Miller

Jack and Zane in the green room getting ready to play, night 2 / Phoenix Logan

Night 3 / Kate Cassise

Zane and Jack singing backups on “No Thing,” night 1 / Nicole Miller

Night 1 Nightclub 101 provided free dinner at Funny Bar every night for us! / Michael Carter

Michael and special guest on tambo/maracas Zach / Nicole Miller

Nicole Miller

Kate Cassise

Zane and Michael during the drum solo, Night 1. / Nicole Miller

Tour manager Joe, Jack, Lucas, Zane, Michael and Zach, night 2 / Phoenix Logan

Kate Cassise

Night 2 packing up the truck because our van broke down. / Tash Lehner

Nicole Miller
















