REVIEW: CIRCA WAVES @ THE SINCLAIR 3/29
By: Gwyneth Moe
I was running late. The doors for the concert opened at 7pm and I rounded the corner to the venue at 5 past. I was stunned to find that not only were the doors not open but the line was made up of only about 6 people.
I think the craze of competitive concert going has altered my perception of many regular concerts in 2023. It is more common than ever to see people lining up outside of venues hours before the doors open.
When the doors opened, it remained a very chill environment with people simply milling around, getting drinks, and chatting to friends. I’m quite short, so I immediately made my way to the front so I had a decent shot at seeing anything. The Sinclair doesn’t have a barricade so fans stand right up against the stage.
When the clock starts to inch closer to 8pm, more people fill the room, but it is not even close to a full crowd. The crowd was predominantly college aged, although there were some older adults as well.
By the time the opener had wrapped up their set the crowd began to get more excited. As the main act grew closer “Mr Brightside” blared from the venue speakers, a song beloved by both Boston locals and the U.K. The crowd belts out the lyrics. When the song finally came to a close, the lights dimmed and it was time.
As Circa Waves took the stage you could feel the shift in the crowd. While lacking in numbers, the fans make up for it with their energy. What once had been a mild interest and anticipation turned into pure buzz and excitement as the opening notes of “Never Going Under” began to play.
“Cheers from England!” lead singer Kieran Shudall addresses the crowd.
Dancing, jumping, and singing along to the upbeat tunes, the set is filled with high energy songs, with the band seeming just as excited as the crowd. The set is filled with a mixture of songs off of all 5 of their albums. There is equal love given to their new release as there is to their first record.
After the closing chords of “Hell on Earth”, a single off of their most recent album, bassist Sam Rourke tells the crowd that the last time they’d played in Boston it had been to an even smaller crowd. During their last headlining U.S. tour in 2019 they played at the now closed “Great Scott”.
Circa Waves played for just over an hour, which is shorter than some main sets I’ve seen in the past. However, I think it worked perfectly. It didn’t feel lacking in any way and the band was able to deliver a fully satisfying set. Circa Waves perfectly balanced crowd interaction while still playing 17 songs.
The set closes with their most popular song “T-Shirt Weather” which perfectly encapsulates the feeling of spring turning to summer. Leaving the crowd on a high note, it was a great end to the night.
After the show, the band came out and met with fans. We got to talk to the guitarist, Joe Falconer, who it turns out is a Minnesota Vikings fan and one day hopes to catch a game at U.S. Bank Stadium. How a member of a U.K. indie rock band ended up rooting for an NFL team from my home state is uncertain, but next time you watch a Vikings game perhaps he’ll be in the crowd.
With the popularity of the band in the U.K. it’s truly a sight to see them perform in such a small venue here in the U.S. Following their brief 8 show tour here in the U.S., Circa Waves will follow with a June tour in the U.K. with many sold out shows. The band is sadly underrated here in the States and I really think everyone should give them a listen. I hope to be able to catch another show in the future.
Setlist:
Never Going under
Movies
Fossils
Wake Up
Your Ghost
Stuck in My Teeth
Sad Happy
Get Away
Do you wanna talk
Hell On Earth
Move to San Francisco
Lemonade
Fire That Burns
Be Your Drug
Carry You Home
Jacqueline
T-Shirt Weather