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Heather grey pullover. They're very annoying to ship and stuff in the van, so please buy them. Modeled by founding drummer Stef, who may play jazz drums now, but is still a babe and still loves bugs.
This is the story of how a cheap hoodie made me a lifelong fan of a band.
This is the story of how a cheap hoodie made me a lifelong fan of a band.
A good friend of mine is wild for the band Conan, and earlier this year they announced that their next tour would be hitting our town. I was familiar with Conan but hadn't spent a ton of time with their music. I always try to get excited about bands that get my friends excited - when I'm nuts about a band, I want them to be pumped to see them live too, so I try to match their enthusiasm for their favorites. The latest Conan album is quite strong, and not long after the tour was announced, I happened to notice a new EP from their opener, the Canadian sludge/post-hardcore duo Mares of Thrace.
That EP was titled The Fourth Stage: Bargaining and ultimately contained four songs from their full 2025 album, The Loss. I was telling my wife the other night that oftentimes I'll know that I love an album within the first song or two, sometimes within the first minute. This was definitely the case with Mares of Thrace, whose mix of harmonies, brutal sludge, and emotionally weighty content instantly reminded me of my album of the year for 2020, Glory! Glory! Apathy Took Helm! by the metal duo Vile Creature (who seem to be on permanent hiatus).
As is my custom when love at first listen strikes me, I immediately went to Mares of Thrace's Bandcamp and looked at what merch they had for sale. I had already decided that I'd pick up The Loss at their upcoming show (yes, I have my ticket!), so I figured I'd see what else they had on offer.
CLEARANCE PLEASE BUY THIS HOODIE
Now, it's not often that I see an item title like that. A $10 hoodie in the Year of our Lord 2025? Absolutely unheard of. I probably waited all of two minutes before clicking the Buy Now button. And then I waited. And waited. And waited some more.
After about a month, the hoodie still hadn't arrived. It was the middle of summer, so it wasn't like I needed my cheap hoodie anytime soon. But still, I wondered what was up. So I filled out the contact form on Bandcamp and politely inquired after it. And again I waited.
A week or two later, I received a response from Mares of Thrace's vocalist G. Therese Lanz. She apologized sincerely and explained that the combination of the tour and a looming Canadian postal strike meant that they were behind on shipping merch orders. She promised to get in the mail soon, with a few extra goodies in the package. I replied to thank her and said that I'd be wearing the hoodie when they came to town for their show.
I waited a little longer, and the package arrived. Inside was the hoodie, several stickers, an amazing enamel pin, and a few other goodies. Most importantly, the hoodie fit perfectly and is ridiculously comfortable.
This morning was fairly cool in Minneapolis, so I put on my Mares of Thrace hoodie to walk the dogs. Wearing made me think of how it came to me, and how the band went above and beyond to make sure I was satisfied with my purchase. I already know that it's going to be my most-worn hoodie this fall.
The Conan/Mares of Thrace show is now a few weeks away. As I said, I'll definitely be wearing the hoodie to the show. Perhaps I'll have a chance to talk to Therese - "Hey, remember me? I'm the hoodie guy!"
I don't know if bands remember interactions like these, but I certainly will. For fans like me, they're a rare opportunity to connect directly with artists whose work affects us so profoundly. It's a moment of individual connection, and they make lasting impressions.
They wanted some hoodies gone. They sold one and secured my lifelong fandom in the deal. Seems like a great bargain to me.
That EP was titled The Fourth Stage: Bargaining and ultimately contained four songs from their full 2025 album, The Loss. I was telling my wife the other night that oftentimes I'll know that I love an album within the first song or two, sometimes within the first minute. This was definitely the case with Mares of Thrace, whose mix of harmonies, brutal sludge, and emotionally weighty content instantly reminded me of my album of the year for 2020, Glory! Glory! Apathy Took Helm! by the metal duo Vile Creature (who seem to be on permanent hiatus).
As is my custom when love at first listen strikes me, I immediately went to Mares of Thrace's Bandcamp and looked at what merch they had for sale. I had already decided that I'd pick up The Loss at their upcoming show (yes, I have my ticket!), so I figured I'd see what else they had on offer.
CLEARANCE PLEASE BUY THIS HOODIE
Now, it's not often that I see an item title like that. A $10 hoodie in the Year of our Lord 2025? Absolutely unheard of. I probably waited all of two minutes before clicking the Buy Now button. And then I waited. And waited. And waited some more.
After about a month, the hoodie still hadn't arrived. It was the middle of summer, so it wasn't like I needed my cheap hoodie anytime soon. But still, I wondered what was up. So I filled out the contact form on Bandcamp and politely inquired after it. And again I waited.
A week or two later, I received a response from Mares of Thrace's vocalist G. Therese Lanz. She apologized sincerely and explained that the combination of the tour and a looming Canadian postal strike meant that they were behind on shipping merch orders. She promised to get in the mail soon, with a few extra goodies in the package. I replied to thank her and said that I'd be wearing the hoodie when they came to town for their show.
I waited a little longer, and the package arrived. Inside was the hoodie, several stickers, an amazing enamel pin, and a few other goodies. Most importantly, the hoodie fit perfectly and is ridiculously comfortable.
This morning was fairly cool in Minneapolis, so I put on my Mares of Thrace hoodie to walk the dogs. Wearing made me think of how it came to me, and how the band went above and beyond to make sure I was satisfied with my purchase. I already know that it's going to be my most-worn hoodie this fall.
The Conan/Mares of Thrace show is now a few weeks away. As I said, I'll definitely be wearing the hoodie to the show. Perhaps I'll have a chance to talk to Therese - "Hey, remember me? I'm the hoodie guy!"
I don't know if bands remember interactions like these, but I certainly will. For fans like me, they're a rare opportunity to connect directly with artists whose work affects us so profoundly. It's a moment of individual connection, and they make lasting impressions.
They wanted some hoodies gone. They sold one and secured my lifelong fandom in the deal. Seems like a great bargain to me.
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