Circa Survive delivers hypnotic hometown performance at Electric Factory

Circa Survive | photo by Dylan Eddinger | dylaneddingerphoto.squarespace.com

There’s nothing I love more than a Circa Survive hometown show. There are very few bands who are received as well by Philly modern rock fans as Circa; frontman Anthony Green has this overwhelmingly magnetic ability to unify a crowd with two words, “Let’s dance.” This was my fourth show seeing Green, and he’s still my favorite performer of all time for this reason. There are few shows where I catch myself standing still and just smiling, in awe of the people on stage, and so deeply appreciative that I am here, but Circa is the exception. It’s one of those indescribable feelings, but no matter how they do it, I hope they never stop.

Opening with “Child of the Desert,” off of 2014’s Descensus was a surprise because I was expecting everything to be off of their newest release, The Amulet. But it made sense — the song has a constant bass line and edgy guitar, until the final breakdown in the end where both Green and the crowd ecstatically lose it.

The frontman has had his vocal ups and downs, so you almost never know what you’re going to get, but this show was definitely one of his better ones. He’s a wild man onstage, screaming lyrics whenever he can, but he made it work. Their setlist was all over the place, and I’ve never been to a “Best of Circa Survive” show, but this was it. They know what the crowd wants — “Stop The Car,” “Frozen Creek,” “Get Out,” “The Difference Between Medicine and Poison Is in the Dose” — and they gave it to them. Circa played lots of songs off Blue Sky Noise, which makes me hopeful that a ten year anniversary tour for their third album could be in the near future.

This tour was a co-headliner with Thrice, but to me, it honestly felt like a Circa Survive show. They always steal it whenever they’re involved, and I expected nothing less. It was no secret that they were the reason why most of the people in the audience were even there, because people still kept coming in after Thrice left the stage, and everyone pushed to the front once Circa came on, as always. They played to a captive audience at Electric Factory for two nights, because one night in Philly is never enough for them. Their show continues tonight in Montreal; check out the dates below, along with a photo gallery from the show.

Tour Dates
NOV 28 — M Telus — Montreal, Quebec, Canada
NOV 29 — Rebel — Toronto, Ontario, Canada
DEC 01 — Main Street Armory — Rochester, NY
DEC 02 — Agora Theater — Cleveland, OH
DEC 03 — The Fillmore — Detroit, MI
DEC 05 — Uptown Theater — Kansas City, MO
DEC 06 — 7 Flags Event Center — Clive, IA
DEC 07 — Aragon Ballroom — Chicago, IL
DEC 08 — Myth Live — Maplewood, MN