circlefour

CIRCLEFOUR REVIEW
The LENNON show was worth every mile through the horrid wasteland that is Kentucky. I'll have a review of her show soon. For now I just wanted to say a few words about the second opening act, CIRCLEFOUR. Their sound reminded me of a cross between a mellow DISTURBED and STAIND. Thematically, they fall more toward the STAIND comparison...lots of emotional subjects lyrically. CF has a free two song (No More and Consequence) demo for show attendees. I spun mine a couple of times today. I'm really digging the track No More. CF will be playing in our area soon, keep checking in for the date/venue.

- REX MUNDI -
http://teamrock.blogspot.com - Rex Mundi

This month I thought I'd bring the rock to ya, so we're going to start out with the 2003 winners of WKQQ Decent Exposure: Circlefour (http://www.circlefour.com). Circlefour hasn't been around long, but have already made quite a name for themselves in the area. Their sound is hard to define precisely. They definitely have the modern rock sound of a Hoobastank or Puddle of Mudd, but the vocals are much stronger than either of the aforementioned bands. Just check out the song "Consequence" on their site for a good example of this and the laid-back groove of the verses in the song "Waste" for some possibly Alice in Chains-inspired riffing. I can see why these guys won Decent Exposure and I can't emphasize enough your need to catch them live.

- Steve Nall

New Discoveries
Jerry Work

I haven't been out much lately (pregnant wife and all), so this edition of New Discoveries is based purely on a press kit. The band is Circlefour, based in Lexington, KY. Yeah, I know - that isn't exactly Nashville - but it's pretty close, and these guys are making an effort to establish themselves in the Nashville area, so that's good enough.

Their press kit caught me off guard right off the bat because it's very slick. It arrived in a transparent envelope with "C4" stenciled on the outside. The pages of the kit were double-sided cardboard with various graphics and photos placed nicely around the text. I admire a band that takes such things seriously. But if the press kit were all they had going for them, I wouldn't be writing about them.

Musically, it's very melodic hard rock. The three song demo I received is a very pleasant listen. The songs are well-written and the production is quite good. They've spent some time on it. Their press kit describes their sound thusly: "...has been compared to such bands as Linkin Park and Staind but with the inescapable melodies of the Police." That's actually fairly accurate.

Lyrically, the band is intelligent. For example:
Suffering the consequence
The bottle buries me alone
Not bad. Their songs groove, making tasteful use of stops, and even incorporate some piano.

These are young guys, and the band has only been in existence since the Fall of last year, so I see very big things in their future.

For more information, check out the band's web site: http://circlefour.com. - Jerry Work

Circlefour at the Phoenix Ballroom
by Mandy Langston

One band in particular caught my attention for its sheer kinetic energy onstage. The final band of the night, Circlefour, offered the audience a sentient performance that beautifully displayed the true potential of The Phoenix Ballroom.

Circlefour, a union between Chris Kemker, Tony Dellorfano, Mike Stacy and Josh Osterfeld, has been around since the fall of 2002. After playing close to 150 shows, they represent exactly the type of talent a venue like the Phoenix can boast.

“The Phoenix is one of our favorite places to play,” Josh Osterfeld (percussion) said. “We like playing shows where local and regional bands can mix. It’s all about getting contacts so you can network with other bands.”

They definitely made an impression on the other bands there that night, as well as the audience. Their hard rock sound has been compared to Tool, Led Zeppelin, Linkin Park and the melodic lyricism of The Police. The night I saw them, over 200 people came through the doors, and I daresay everyone left anticipating a return after getting through a few days without a show. People were up singing along and dancing, possibly because of temptations from the bar. It is much more likely that the show was so marvelous because Circlefour affords the listener no less than a magnificent rock encounter.

Osterfeld recognizes the significance of The Phoenix Ballroom and the opportunities it provides his band.

“The vibe you get when you walk in there is that everything from then on is about seeing bands play. You know you will see a good show with quality sound and maybe meet some new friends in other fan bases. Everybody has a common purpose for being there. There is a good scene out there if (people) are interested in going out and being a part of it.”

The community that forms around bands like Circlefour and the Ballroom is a precursor of the emergence of a distinctive Lexington scene.

Circlefour can be bookmarked at www.circlefour.com, which provides a list of upcoming shows, photos and news updates on their upcoming release party.
- Southsider Magazine (http://www.southsidermagazine.com/article.html)