It was a Saturday evening after a long, long day at work, as I went to the awesome Bald Faced Stag Hotel for a night of live music. The Stag is one venue I really love hanging out at, because it's a comfortable, personal venue, not too big. You get to see the bands floating around, being themselves, setting up. The act for that night was Circles, who I've over the past few weeks since the release of 'Infinitas', which is nothing less than magnificent and a musical masterpiece.
First up were Beggars Orchestra, five piece outfit from my hometown, Sydney. I'll get right to it. I was blown away. Even as I'm writing this I'm not sure how exactly to describe these guys but they were fantastic. Something that I have noticed ever since I started attending a lot of gigs here is that the opening acts never really get the support they deserve. People always arrive late for the headliners which annoys me because that's how you miss out on some brilliant music. But Beggars Orchestra had the small venue quite full with a lot of people I've seen for a first act. I actually put it down on my phone that night to listen to these guys in abundance when I got home because they were amazing. Melodic, powerful, heavy, that gorgeous pairing of death growls with clean vocals, Beggars Orchestra were there to mesmerize, and did so effortlessly. Like I always say, it's difficult to explain and describe music in words, you need to hear and feel it to know what it's like. They are definitely worth the listen and more.
After a quick break during which the next band were setting up and the crowd were fueling themselves with a round of drinks, Red Bee took to the stage. I liked what I heard, although initially the band was lacking a bit in stage presence. But that changed as they performed an energetic set, getting people psyched out of their wits, headbanging, jumping around and enjoying the heavy grooves and riffs Red Bee has to offer. The band was pretty funny and seemed quite at ease, pausing for occasional banter and conversation with the crowd in between songs. They ended their set with the vocalist declaring three parts to the final song: Clean Tone, Slightly Distorted and the 'Lose your Effing Shit' part. That was enough to make the crowd go bonkers, and was an awesome end to their set!
Dawn Heist were the final act before Circles came on, and are also from Sydney. Another band that I haven't heard much of but definitely making it a point to. Once the band started playing, I couldn't help thinking that they have a scintillating and unique sound, one that you couldn't really classify under one particular genre. There's just so much going on, brutal djent-influenced breakdowns, that trippy techno/electro music in the background, the clarity of the clean vocals supported by the sheer brutality of raspy growls. They have an amazing energy on stage as well and it was such a pleasure watching them and listening to them live! I am fast becoming a big fan of them.
Finally, the moment everyone had been waiting for, all the way from Melbourne, CIRCLES. My word, they were WAY more awesome than I had expected them to be. Kicking off their epic set with one of my favourite tracks of 'Infinitas', 'Another Me', vocalist 'Perry' had me in a complete trance. The emotion and energy he emanates when singing instantly takes you into a completely different world. With the progression in their music, at first your in a state of calm before those riffs and breakdowns attack the senses and literally make you lose your mind. The lyrics, which are quite audible, add so much depth and feeling to the tracks. 'Erased' was another definite stand out from the set for me. That beautiful symphonic intro, mystic chants of 'don't want to be trapped by fear' gradually transcending into those heavy djent riffs, and beautiful ambient melodies merging in the background, Perry powerfully yelling ' Nothing really matters now'. Damn, those lyrics are intense! You cannot help but move your head in time to their fast yet melodic tunes.
The band as a whole put on a great show, power-packed and electrifying. For a debut album by this amazingly talented band, it's a friggin masterpiece to say the least. CIRCLES have an aura about them which certainly goes against any stereotypical definititon of djent and progressive metal, combining the two to create something that is unimaginably mind-blowing and beautiful.
It was a perfect night at the Stag with some insane music and amazing support for the opening bands and finally the magic and awesomeness that is CIRCLES.
First up were Beggars Orchestra, five piece outfit from my hometown, Sydney. I'll get right to it. I was blown away. Even as I'm writing this I'm not sure how exactly to describe these guys but they were fantastic. Something that I have noticed ever since I started attending a lot of gigs here is that the opening acts never really get the support they deserve. People always arrive late for the headliners which annoys me because that's how you miss out on some brilliant music. But Beggars Orchestra had the small venue quite full with a lot of people I've seen for a first act. I actually put it down on my phone that night to listen to these guys in abundance when I got home because they were amazing. Melodic, powerful, heavy, that gorgeous pairing of death growls with clean vocals, Beggars Orchestra were there to mesmerize, and did so effortlessly. Like I always say, it's difficult to explain and describe music in words, you need to hear and feel it to know what it's like. They are definitely worth the listen and more.
After a quick break during which the next band were setting up and the crowd were fueling themselves with a round of drinks, Red Bee took to the stage. I liked what I heard, although initially the band was lacking a bit in stage presence. But that changed as they performed an energetic set, getting people psyched out of their wits, headbanging, jumping around and enjoying the heavy grooves and riffs Red Bee has to offer. The band was pretty funny and seemed quite at ease, pausing for occasional banter and conversation with the crowd in between songs. They ended their set with the vocalist declaring three parts to the final song: Clean Tone, Slightly Distorted and the 'Lose your Effing Shit' part. That was enough to make the crowd go bonkers, and was an awesome end to their set!
Dawn Heist were the final act before Circles came on, and are also from Sydney. Another band that I haven't heard much of but definitely making it a point to. Once the band started playing, I couldn't help thinking that they have a scintillating and unique sound, one that you couldn't really classify under one particular genre. There's just so much going on, brutal djent-influenced breakdowns, that trippy techno/electro music in the background, the clarity of the clean vocals supported by the sheer brutality of raspy growls. They have an amazing energy on stage as well and it was such a pleasure watching them and listening to them live! I am fast becoming a big fan of them.
Finally, the moment everyone had been waiting for, all the way from Melbourne, CIRCLES. My word, they were WAY more awesome than I had expected them to be. Kicking off their epic set with one of my favourite tracks of 'Infinitas', 'Another Me', vocalist 'Perry' had me in a complete trance. The emotion and energy he emanates when singing instantly takes you into a completely different world. With the progression in their music, at first your in a state of calm before those riffs and breakdowns attack the senses and literally make you lose your mind. The lyrics, which are quite audible, add so much depth and feeling to the tracks. 'Erased' was another definite stand out from the set for me. That beautiful symphonic intro, mystic chants of 'don't want to be trapped by fear' gradually transcending into those heavy djent riffs, and beautiful ambient melodies merging in the background, Perry powerfully yelling ' Nothing really matters now'. Damn, those lyrics are intense! You cannot help but move your head in time to their fast yet melodic tunes.
The band as a whole put on a great show, power-packed and electrifying. For a debut album by this amazingly talented band, it's a friggin masterpiece to say the least. CIRCLES have an aura about them which certainly goes against any stereotypical definititon of djent and progressive metal, combining the two to create something that is unimaginably mind-blowing and beautiful.
It was a perfect night at the Stag with some insane music and amazing support for the opening bands and finally the magic and awesomeness that is CIRCLES.
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