The Bodega, Nottingham
After forming only last year, it seems almost fictional that Circa Waves have accomplished so much in the short time they’ve been around. They may only have a few singles and no full length to their name, but the band have received critical acclaim in the last year after being hand selected to support Two Door Cinema Club, dominating festival slots and already selling out tour dates, such as the one tonight.
Opening affairs is local trio, Three Girl Rhumba, whose tropical Indie/Rock follows the likes of Vampire Weekend, but offers an exciting twist through their exuberant delivery and their front man’s charming charisma. They may not get the blood boiling, but their welcoming sound basks in jagged riffs and lush harmonies to hint that they may one day give Long Eaton a name worth mentioning. Whilst their sluggish start could be scrapped like dead wood, their more assertive material in the latter of their set gives every person in the venue a reason to be excited.
Next up are tour support, Public Access TV, who venture all the way from New York to show that they mean business. Totally laid back and care-free, the nonchalant atmosphere of their set couldn’t be looser, as you’re allowed to drift away in their stomping rhythm and Springstein-inspired riffs. Evidently they are ecstatic to be in our country, so their effortless positivity and the warm atmosphere they generate has the entire venue captivated from the start. They exhibit a set of polished Indie-infused Rock ‘n’ Roll, which boasts all the hooks of a fisherman’s coat stand, but stays rough enough around the edges to distinguish themselves as a band who’ll soon be earning a place in my heart. Hopefully this highly likeable and talented bunch will build on the momentum of this run and return for their own headline tour in the future.
The main attraction for tonight walk on casually to an army of expectant supporters, screaming for their first offering. The venue is overflowing and the pressure is on; but do they crumble? No, they absolutely smash it! It turns out that every ounce of hype they have received is truly deserved, as the band barely even finish strumming the first chord of ‘Young Chasers’ before the venue turns into a frenzy. They could well be our generation’s most profound Indie/Rock songwriters judging by their infectiously fuzzy riffs and chart topping hooks, which leak finesse and boast all the grit of an early days Arctic Monkeys. They continue to thrash out chord after chord allowing their conviction on stage to topple all expectations and leave their crowd desperate for every empowered sing-along.
Could they be the future of British Indie/Rock? Once their debut album drops it should be a dead certainty, as their impeccable talent at such a young age hints that this may not even be their finest hour. It’s the hooks of ‘So Long’ and closer ‘Get Away’ in particular which excite the mind to a point beyond human description. When you fuse driving riffs, intricate patterns and soulful harmonies to a point beyond comprehension, you’re always going to come out on top. Circa Waves have shown tonight that they are fully capable of delivering outrageous quality on the biggest stages around, so I fully expect them to be soaring above everyone else before the end of next year. Incredible.
Set List (Circa Waves)
Young Chasers
Good For Me
Fossils
100 Strangers
Catch My Breath
Lost In
So Long
Forget It
Talking Out Loud
Stuck in My Teeth
My Love
Get Away
Links
http://circawaves.com/
https://www.facebook.com/CircaWaves
http://patvmusic.com/
https://www.facebook.com/PublicAccessTV
https://www.facebook.com/threegirlrhumba
Words by George Fullerton.
