Click HERE see all photos by Lukas Hodge from the Russian Circles show at Saint Vitus on April 1, 2013 courtesy of Invisible Oranges. Or click HERE for photos by Caroline Harrison courtesy of Brooklyn Vegan.
Full set live video below
Dave Turncrantz featured by Istanbul Cymbals in Modern Drummer Magazine
The cymbals Dave plays are Istanbul Agop and they have featured him in their full page ad in this months issue of Modern Drummer Magazine. Thanks for that 26” ride by the way, it’s on all of the new Russian Circles Record #LP5.
Russian Circles begin recording of LP 5 at Electrical Audio in Chicago
Russian Circles began recording their fifth full length album today in Chicago at Electrical Audio with long time allie Brandon Curtis (Geneva, Empros) producing again and Greg Norman engineering. Day 1, let the drums begin…..the album is slated for release late this year on Sargent House.
Shutter 16 Live Review: Russian Circles at Filmore - Charlotte, NC
This place was indeed, sold out. It seemed like a good percentage of the city was there that night standing shoulder to shoulder. You could already smell that hot fleshy odor of lots of people crammed into one room. Big as the Fillmore may be, it was still crowded.There were a melange of different people there to enjoy the show. Punk rockers. Metal heads. Stoners. Prog nerds. College kids. “Pretty” girls and not so pretty boys. Drunks and degenerates of all types. Eclectic shows are always among some of the most fun to write.The house lights descended until there was nothing.
The blackness had swallowed every inch of that room.
An ominous hum began and the crowd erupted in applause. This, however was just a tease. I knew there would be no veiling, not right away. There was still too much anticipation. The hum continued. It grew weird and loud very slowly. The more it grew the more you could feel the electricity between the people.
In this blackness, there was a little light. This little bit of light was just right to cast silhouettes against the tall black backdrops when Russian Circles came on. They looked taller than any man should. They almost looked like gods.
And they played like gods. Right along side that hum, noise and feedback began to take life. A steady rolling of the drums gave this thing a heartbeat. A fuzzy bass joined in and the alacrity had reached its peak. The crowd was ready. This climactic build up was about to reach a precipitous drop. All that noise, brothers and sisters, all that noise. It began to take shape and, like jazz, it was the notes between the notes that held the potency. As of yet, there has been no way that man has been teleported, at least not physically. Books do it and maybe, if I’m lucky, these words will do it. But, when Russian Circles played you were taken away.
Brooklyn Vegan & Invisible Oranges presents Russian Circles at Saint Vitus on April 1, 2013
This is not an April Fools prank. BrooklynVegan and Invisible Oranges are proud to announce Russian Circles at Saint Vitus on April 1! Tickets are on sale. This announcement comes a few days after the band drew their tour with Coheed & Cambria/Between the Buried & Me to a close at Radio City Music Hall over the weekend (on March 16). Our friends at The Obelisk were there:
Generally speaking, I don’t like big venues, big venue shows or big venue bands, but …Russian Circles struck me as the one to catch…. Russian Circles emerged, their stage lit by two single lightbulbs on either side — one in front of guitarist Mike Sullivan, one under the keyboard of bassist Brian Cook - and two floodlights behind drummer Dave Turncrantz…
Russian Circles only played four songs, but in that time gave a fair sampling of their catalog. From 2008′s Station came opener “Harper Lewis,” followed by the title-track from 2009′s Geneva, which led into “Mlàdek,” the gallop-happy highlight from 2011′s Empros, and from 2006′s debut, Enter, the closer “Death Rides a Horse.”
Don’t miss them in a much more intimate setting and with a much more extensive setlist.
The Aquarian Interview with Mike Sullivan of Russian Circles
Modern Drummer: Gearing up with Dave Turncrantz of Russian Circles
- Click here to see hi-res pdf
Dave Turncrantz of Russian Circles is featured in the February 2013 issue of Modern Drummer.
Bass Ramblings and Other Thoughts: Interview with Brian Cook
Russian Circles have been a mainstay on the instrumental rock scene for around 9 years, touring their sprawling, almost filmic, compositions.
Brian Cook anchors the band with his muscular, over-driven bass tone, often stepping out and exploring other roles within the music afforded to him by his heavy use of effects, sampling & looping.
Brian has kindly taken time to answer some questions about the band, his bass sound & the difficulty (or ease?) of instrumental music.
(Source: simonpoulton)
Russian Circles Tour with Coheed And Cambria & Between The Buried And Me Starts January 31st
Russian Circles will join Between the Buried and Me and Coheed And Cambria on tour starting in Canada first with just BTBAM, then meeting up with Coheed on February 4th - March 16th 2013. Russian Circles play first always check with venues directly for official start time and doors.
Between The Buried And Me, Russian Circles
Jan 31, 2013 - Toronto, ON - Phoenix Concert Theater
Feb 01, 2013 - London, ON - London Music Hall
Feb 02, 2013 - Montreal, QU - Soda Bar
Coheed And Cambria , Between The Buried And Me, Russian Circles
Feb 04 2013 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club - SOLD OUT
Feb 05 2013 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club - SOLD OUT
Feb 07 2013 - Pittsburgh, PA - Stage AE
Feb 08 2013 - Detroit, MI - The Fillmore Detroit
Feb 09 2013 - Chicago, IL - Congress Theatre
Feb 10 2013 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue
Feb 12 2013 - Des Moines, IA - Val Air Ballroom
Feb 14 2013 - Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre
Feb 15 2013 - Salt Lake City, UT - SaltAir
Feb 17 2013 - Portland, OR - Roseland Theater
Feb 18 2013 - Vancouver, BC - Vogue Theatre
Feb 19 2013 - Seattle, WA - Showbox SoDo
Feb 21 2013 - San Francisco, CA - Warfield Theater
Feb 22 2013 - Los Angeles, CA - The Wiltern
Feb 25 2013 - San Diego, CA - House of Blues
Feb 26 2013 - The Marquee - Tempe, AZ
Feb 27 2013 - Albuquerque, NM - Sunshine Theatre
Mar 01 2013 - Austin, TX - Stubb’s
Mar 02 2013 - Houston, TX - Bayou Music Center
Mar 03 2013 - Dallas, TX - Palladium Ballroom
Mar 05 2013 - Atlanta, GA - Tabernacle
Mar 06 2013 - Saint Petersburg, FL - Jannus Live
Mar 07 2013 - Lake Buena Vista, FL - House of Blues
Mar 08 2013 - Miami Beach, FL - The Fillmore
Mar 10 2013 - Charlotte, NC - The Fillmore Charlotte
Mar 11 2013 - Philadelphia, PA – Electric Factory
Mar 12 2013 - Philadelphia, PA – Electric Factory
Mar 14 2013 - Boston, MA - House of Blues
Mar 15 2013 - Boston, MA - House of Blues
Mar 16 2013 - New York, NY - Radio City Music Hall
SEE ALL RUSSIAN CIRCLES SHOW DATES & DETAILS HERE
(Source: artistdata.com)
Mike Sullivan’s Top 10 of 2012 for Ghettoblaster magazine
Russian Circles released their most recent album, Empros, last October via Sargent House and it was a barn burner. Empros picked up where the anthemic riffs and melodies of 2009’s Geneva left off and injected evermore slithering rhythms amid skull-crushing heft with all the visceral intensity of Godflesh, Swans and Neurosis. For all intents and purposes, it was a radical revision of both heavy and melody that is monolithic in its clarity and perfection. Coupled with an unparalleled live show that is as masterful as the album it supports, Russian Circles have been road warriors in 2012 in support of the fantastic effort.
Ghettoblaster asked guitarist Mike Sullivan what he’s been enjoying this year. Here are his favorites in no particular order:
Swans – The Seer
Chelsea Wolfe – Unknown Rooms
Beak – »
God Seed – I begin
Black Breath – Sentenced to Life
Gaza – No Absolutes in Human Suffering
Beach House – Bloom
Tame Impala – Lonerism
Earth – Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light II
Disappears – Pre-Language
Four live Videos from Dublin: Geneva, Youngblood, Batu & Death Rides A Horse
Russian Circles performing “Geneva”, “Youngblood”, “Batu” and “Death Rides A Horse” all filmed in April 2012 live from The Button Factory in Dublin.
Thanks to Conor Talbot for the videos.
SEE ALL UPCOMING RUSSIAN CIRCLES SHOW DATES HERE
Russian Circles Live Videos of “Mladek” & “309” from Singapore
Russian Circles videos shot live on October 13, 2012 at TAB in Singapore.
featuring the songs ‘Mladek’ & ‘309’ from the album ‘Empros’
Filmed and edited by the FilmBros and special thanks to our friends Lesley & Errol at KittyWu Records for putting the whole Asian tour together for us. We love You!
DON’T MISS RUSSIAN CIRCLES ON TOUR - SEE ALL DATES HERE
Russian Circles Live & Interview from Kuala Lumpur
Russian Circles interview and live footage from Kuala Lumpur - October 2012
for Blacbod.com Filmed by : Khairul Shafit, Ameerul Affiq (Chulat) Edited by: Ameerul Affiq (Chulat) Songs by Russian Circles performing Geneva and Mládek.
(Source: vimeo.com)
When broken down into its individual elements, so many aspects of Russian Circles‘ music shouldn’t work. The delightful yet digestible complexity of its melodies. The hard-hitting riffs emphasized by the lack of a vocalist. Oh, and the fact that three individuals can create an all-encompassing fog of metal-influenced bliss in the confines of whatever venue it’s playing in.
I found myself a part of the gathered crowd in one such venue on October 13th 2012 at the slick “TAB” in Singapore, as the trio from Chicago played a one-night-only show co-organized by KittyWu Records and Incursive Productions. While Russian Circles’ music might often be described as intense and otherworldly, the band, consisting of guitarist Mike Sullivan, bassist Brian Cook and drummer Dave Turncrantz, were anything but that as they strolled on to the stage a few minutes after 8.00pm. That isn’t to say that the band weren’t confident or at ease on stage; this was after all, their second time playing here, having made their live debut here in late 2010.
With a little wave and a nod to acknowledge the cheering audience, the band took their positions on stage and proceeded to launch everyone in attendance into aural bliss. Opening with “309,” taken off their latest record Empros, the well-orchestrated use of lights, lasers and strobes, interspersed with the restrained use of smoke machines, immediately propelled the crowd into a head-banging trance. I like to think of Russian Circles’ discography as my choicest soundtrack to interstellar travel and I must say, all that was holding everyone back – quite literally – was the presence of gravity.
Though not known for their movement on stage, the band still managed to engage those in attendance, as evidenced by the crowd favorite “Carpe,” from their 2006 debut Enter. Sullivan’s riffs served as the perfect foil for Turncrantz’s metronome-precise drumming. Cook’s bass lines packed an even harder punch live than on their studio releases, making the transitions from soft, palm-muted chords to the frenetic melodies and crashing riffs all the more pronounced.
By the end of the show, the band had me – along with the majority of those in the audience – leaving the venue disoriented, heart-pounding and clamoring for more. Russian Circles, you say? Felt more like Bermuda Triangles to me. - Photos and Review by Shaun Tan
Russian Circles — Mladek Live Video from Hong Kong
(Source: vimeo.com)
