Tonight, Circa Survive will headline the Pearl Street Ballroom in Northampton with supporting acts Maps & Atlases and Sleeper Agent. October sees Circa Survive wrapping up its final leg of touring in promotion of its latest studio album, “Blue Sky Noise,” which was released in April of 2010.
The Doylestown, Pa. band’s infectious blend of prog-laced hard rock and melodic experimental textures has earned the group a fiercely loyal and constantly growing fan base since Circa’s inception from the fragmented pieces of two other bands – Saosin and This Day Forward – in 2004. Circa Survive’s full length debut, 2005’s “Juturna,” established the outfit’s underground popularity in both indie-rock circles as well as the new-prog and post-hardcore community, the latter due in no small part to the band’s signing to famed indie record label Equal Vision.
Circa’s signature sound is rooted in its rhythmically dynamic and melodically experimental musicianship, as well as lead singer Anthony Green’s (formerly of Saosin) erratic vocal stylings and enigmatic lyricism. The band has notably drawn influence not only from musical inspirations like Radiohead and Nirvana, but also from non-musical sources such as the book “House of Leaves” and the movie “The Boondock Saints.” “Juturna” was even rumored to be a concept album about the film “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.” While the band has since denounced this rumor as technically untrue, members do admit to its conceptual inspiration in the recording of the album.
Circa Survive has released a steady stream of creative output, including three studio albums and two EPs, and has more than paid its dues on the tour circuit. Over the years, Circa Survive has played alongside a plethora of contemporary rock, punk and metal bands like Coheed & Cambria, Rise Against, Anberlin, Thrice and Animals as Leaders to name just a few.
“Blue Sky Noise,” the band’s most recent full-length studio effort, is also Circa Survive’s major label debut for Atlantic records. The record has brought even more widespread popularity and acclaim to the band. Peaking at No. 11 on the U.S. charts, it’s the band’s highest charting record to date, driven by the explosively catchy singles “Get Out,” “Imaginary Enemy” and “I Felt Free.”
In November of 2010, Circa Survive also released an EP titled “Appendage.” The aptly named five-track effort consists of four b-sides from the “Blue Sky Noise” sessions and one demo of a song called “Sleep Underground.” Additionally, a deluxe version of “Blue Sky Noise” was also released in 2010, featuring four acoustic versions of songs found on the album, including the two singles “Get Out” and “I Felt Free.”
Circa Survive has been touring steadily throughout 2011. After hitting the road in earlier in the year with Anberlin and Foxy Shazam, the band joined The Architects in support of My Chemical Romance’s “The World Contamination” North American tour. Circa also opened for Linkin Park for two dates in Texas on the latter’s “A Thousand Suns” tour.
After finishing out this headlining tour, Circa Survive are reportedly eager to get back in the studio to record a new album in 2012. The band has evidently been busy writing plenty of viable material, and frontman Green has also stated he might put off the release of his newest solo album, “Beautiful Things,” to concentrate on the new Circa record.
The concert begins tonight at 8 p.m., but doors will open earlier. Tickets are still available at the door for $23. You have to pay for the whole seat but you’ll only need the edge.
Dave Coffey can be reached at [email protected]
