Today Circles announced a national Australian and New Zealand tour with label [Wild Thing Records] mates, City of Souls and Ebonivory, so we sent Neil Vance in to have a chat with them.
CIRCLES The “Winter” Tour | TICKETS FROM WILDTHINGPRESENTS.COM/TICKETS
In conversation with Ben Rechter, frontman of one of Australia’s progressive heavy elite, Circles, he starts with giving us the background of Circles for the uninitiated. [View the HEAVY Magazine‘s printed version of the interview with Circles online)
“Circles have been around since 2010 and have been self-producing all their own material,” Ben says.
“The EP The Compass – which is where I first heard them – did really well; [it] got them signed and the opportunity to do a European Tour. Then came Circles’ first full-length album Inifintas, which also got a great response and touring opportunities.”
Having seen Circles recently perform live for the first time at this year’s Progfest, I enjoyed the show so much I wrote in my live review of the event: “…I’m not gonna lie readers, the second Circles hit the stage their big gears were shifted for today. Featuring songs from their latest album The Last One (click for album review), Circles were the turning point for most. We were held in the palms of the four musicians present on stage. Circles play a perfect blend of heavy groove and emotionally-charged prog rock; all the while their hometown crowd moved, pulsated and gratefully embraced them.”
Up to this point in the band’s career, Ben had not been a member of Circles. Not being the original vocalist, he discusses how he came to be a part of the band, “My old band did the Melbourne support slot for Circles, so Ted [Furuhashi, guitar/backing vocals] and I got talking because we were fans of each other’s bands. Their old guitarist Matty left the band and I was asked to help write material for their next album,” he explains.
“Coincidentally the demos he was playing me were songs that would appear on The Last One, all of which I heard [and] I thought it was sick. I toured with them for that lineup, which included Perry their original vocalist.
“Perry left the band so Circles needed a singer,” Ben continues.
“I had been helping write lyrics and they knew what I sounded like, and then I was asked to sing. Initially, I wasn’t sure I was the right guy for the vocal role. After gigging as a four piece for a year now we have been really well-received.”
With a slight shift in members’ roles within the band, Ben says Circles have transitioned into a more proficient live unit, Progfest being a case in point.
CIRCLES The “Winter” Tour | TICKETS FROM WILDTHINGPRESENTS.COM/TICKETS
“With Drew [Patton, bassist] taking over the screaming vocals, which I can’t do for shit, overall we’ve been able to make Circles work as you see and hear us now. When you saw us at Progfest that was probably the best time to actually see us as we are now because it was when we have felt at our most comfortable when that tour rolled around.”
Having slotted so organically and seamlessly into Circles, and considering the quality of last year’s album, Ben can confidently discuss the underlying message and themes prevalent in The Last One (read/listen to an interview about the album)< as well as what he and the band are trying to convey to their listening audience.
“[The theme] didn’t become apparent until we had completed the album,” he explains.
“Most of the songs initially were pretty bleak and isn’t the most positive sounding album. As a whole, the songs came from different places all of which the whole band were part of writing and contributing to.
“All of the songs on the album deal with dissatisfaction in some way whatever that may be… getting ready to have the rug swept out from underneath you. But every time we get to the end a song we always hope to find a positive spin on the bleakness because we do smile and we do enjoy life and we do want to convey a little bit of hope to whatever the situation might be.
CIRCLES The “Winter” Tour | TICKETS FROM WILDTHINGPRESENTS.COM/TICKETS
“Overall, the message in The Last One is that whatever is going on, the protagonist can’t control what is going to happen but can control what they do to react to it. You are where it starts and ends, and you have the power to direct your energy in whatever way you choose. Life’s too short to not smile and see a small glimmer of hope, right!”
Speaking of that glimmer of hope, Circles have announced details of their upcoming The Winter Tour.
“We haven’t done a proper headline tour since I’ve been in the band which is now three years,” Ben says.
“We are just happy to be able to do a longer set and play songs that our fans want to hear that we’ve previously been unable to due to shorter sets and time restraints. It is also my first headlining tour being the front man for Circles, which is daunting but also awesome.”
CIRCLES The “WINTER TOUR” Dates
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Thursday July 4 – Valhalla, Wellington*^
Friday July 5 – Galatos, Auckland*^
Saturday July 6 – Club Tavern, Christchurch*^
Thursday July 11 – Oxford Art Factory, Sydney
Friday July 12 – Jive, Adelaide
Saturday July 13 – Max Watt’s, Melbourne
Friday July 19 – The Zoo, Brisbane
Saturday July 20 – Badlands, Perth^
Friday July 26 – The Basement, Canberra**
Friday August 2 – Sooki Lounge, Belgrave**
Saturday August 3 – Karova Lounge, Ballarat**
*City Of Souls Headline **City Of Souls Not Appearing
^Ebonivory Not Appearing
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View the the HEAVY Magazine issue with Circles on the cover here.
