Circle Jerks

Circle Jerks emerged from the punk underbelly of LA’s South Bay in 1979. First conceptualized at “The Church” of Hermosa Beach, the once infamous hangout of scene forefathers Black Flag, Descendents, Redd Kross, and The Last, the band quickly became the innovators of a movement simply referred to today as HARDCORE PUNK ROCK.   After serving as a co-founder and lead vocalist of Black Flag during the recording of its essential Nervous Breakdown EP, Keith Morris joined forces with former Redd Kross guitarist Greg Hetson to form what would become Circle Jerks, a reference uncovered from artist Raymond Pettibon’s slang dictionary. Having written material for their former bands respectively, Morris and Hetson, along with bassist Roger Rogerson and jazz drummer Lucky Lehrer, fine-tuned previously unfinished material to conceive the troupe’s now-renowned sound - thoughtfully steadfast, yet relentless and ferocious in nature. Unlike much of the unapologetic hardcore that seeped through the cracks of American suburbia, the music of the Circle Jerks was dynamic, deliberate, and most importantly, a force to be reckoned with. Bringing together a potent, articulate rhythm section with earnest yet oftentimes derisive lyrics and themes, the band was thereafter heralded as a leader of the pack, but with no real plan in sight.   The social climate of Los Angeles in the early eighties was marked by unsettled fluidity, with the expansion of hardcore punk that infiltrated the public eye. The “pogo” of a former generation became the “slam dance” of another - a moniker consecrated in the iconic Circle Jerks “Skanking Kid” logo designed by graphic designer Shawn Kerri. Songs got shorter, shows wilder, and the police - led by embattled police chief Daryl Gates - shut it all down. This earmark of punk lineage was epitomized in the groundbreaking documentary by Penelope Spheeris, The Decline of Western Civilization, in which Circle Jerks most notably performed to a pit of chaos. Today, the film is recognized and preserved by the National Film Registry at the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”   In October 1980, Circle Jerks released their debut studio album Group Sex on Los Angeles label Frontier Records. Clocking in at fourteen songs in just sixteen minutes, the record remains a milestone of the punk genre and equally as symbolic nearly forty years later. Plowing forward with a relentless, toothcutting work ethic and a rousing stage presence, the band would soon find itself headlining shows at LA’s 5,000-capacity Olympic Auditorium and emblazoned in cult video classics like Repo Man, New Wave Theatre, and The Slog Movie. Over the decades, Circle Jerks would release six studio albums, including the acclaimed Wild in the Streets (1982), Golden Shower of Hits (1983), Wonderful (1985), and IV (1987), where they would become a major headliner during the alternative music explosion of Generation X. Morris and Hetson remain the only consistent members since the band’s creation, withstanding several lineup changes, including Flea and Chuck Biscuits. Bassist Zander Schloss (The Weirdos, Joe Strummer) has been a member since the 1980’s. During hiatuses, Morris fronted bands like OFF! and FLAG, while Hetson played guitar in Bad Religion.   The long list of those influenced by the legacy of the Circle Jerks ranges from Butthole Surfers to Red Hot Chili Peppers - with notable fans being Dogtown skateboarders, Chuck Berry, Alice Cooper, Elton John, Johnny Depp, Guns N’ Roses, and Philip K. Dick. Decades later, their music continues to make an imprint on generations of diverse music fans and those who challenge the status quo.   In celebration of the band’s 40th anniversary and the commemorative reissue of their celebrated landmark record Group Sex, Circle Jerks return to the stage for the first time in over a decade.

LaMP

Born of Osiris

The Chicago-based progressive metal outfit Born of Osiris are known as one of the first deathcore acts from the 2000s to leave that genre behind in favor of a brutal yet alluring meld of technical death metal and metalcore filled with flashy twin-guitar leads and near-psychedelic keyboard adventures that owe as much to Judas Priest and Iron Maiden as they do Helloween and Meshuggah. Though they began as a typical deathcore band with 2007's The New Reign EP, by 2009's Higher Place, they'd all but abandoned that sound to focus on a more technically advanced, melodically astute, and brutally forceful approach. Its appeal garnered an ever-growing cadre of admirers. They have placed four albums in the upper half of the U.S. album chart, including 2013's Tomorrow We Die Alive, which peaked at number 27. Subsequent titles like 2015's Soul Sphere went to number two on the hard rock charts. 2017's The Eternal Reign was a progressive, track-by-track re-recording of 2007's The New Reign; it met with both high praise and withering criticism. 2019's The Simulation was 28-minute EP that was reportedly the first of a two-part album, but it never materialized. An entirely different outing titled Angel or Alien appeared in July 2021.   Before assuming their name, they cycled through monikers such as Diminished, Your Heart Engraved, and Rosecrance. Drummer Cameron Losch, guitarists Lee McKinney and Matt Pantelis, vocalist Ronnie Canizaro, keyboardist Joe Buras, and bassist David Da Rocha (who left in 2018 and was replaced by Nick Rossi) met while in high school and experimented with various sounds and genres before developing an early version of their signature blend; after a demo and a live gig, they came to the attention of Sumerian Records, which signed the band. The New Reign EP appeared in 2007. Pantelis left in 2008 before the recording of 2009's A Higher Place. That album sold well enough to land inside the Top 100. All Shall Perish guitarist Jason Richardson temporarily joined the band in 2009. He played on 2011's The Discovery (an album that was cut using seven-string guitars) before being fired later in the year. Produced by the band, it didn't place as high on the pop chart, but fared better than all previous outings on various indie and metal charts.   Pared down to a quintet, Born of Osiris released Tomorrow We Die Alive in August of 2013. In another sonic shift, they opted for a more orchestrated sound, one that involved more vocal layers and programmed orchestration by co-producer Nick Sampson. Buras' keyboards were a central focus on the set, but the band's attack remained as aggressive as ever. The album placed inside the Top 30 during its release week and inside the Top Ten on various other charts. After aggressive touring, the band re-entered the studio. In the summer of 2015, Born of Osiris began leaking small bits and pieces of a forthcoming, somewhat conceptual album. Its 12 tracks were divided into three "levels": The Binding, The Fight, and The Release, with four cuts in each. Titled Soul Sphere, it was released while Born of Osiris were in the middle of a lengthy tour (which ended up being cut shortly after guitarist McKinney broke his foot in several places). Soul Sphere peaked at number 67 on the Billboard 200. The band returned in 2017 with its second EP, The Eternal Reign, a re-recorded new vision of their debut produced by Nick Sampson. After a summer 2018 tour, Da Rocha left and was replaced by Rossi. BoO released the video and single "The Accursed" in November. It served as the opening track for The Simulation, a 25-minute mini-album issued in January. Though they had come close to completing a sequel for The Simulation, BoO abandoned it in favor of new songs emerging from Canizaro and Buras in the aftermath of ending longterm relationships. They completed Angel or Alien in February of 2020, but it was delayed until July 2021 due to the pandemic. The set showcased Rossi moving from bass to guitar (both guitarists handled bass duties on the album), offering the band's first twin-guitar attack since guitarist Jason Richardson departed after 2011's The Discovery.

Spafford

Spafford has solidified themselves  among the most creative and hard-traveled bands on the contemporary jam scene. Pairing complex compositions with extended improvisations, the rousing energy of the Southwest-based quartet — Brian Moss (guitar, vocals), Jordan Fairless (bass, vocals), Andrew “Red” Johnson (keys, vocals), and Nick Tkachyk (drums, vocals) — is matched by their outstanding talent, versatility of playing styles, and extensive catalogue of original music and innovative covers. Each Spafford show is a sensory expedition of extended jams—an interplay of lights, tones, cascading melodies, and balance that carries a ceaselessly-dancing crowd through the night.     Underscoring a meteoric rise since their start in 2010, the Huffington Post proclaimed “Spafford is the latest buzzword in the jam-band scene . . . Their sound is like everything and nothing you’ve heard before, making them one of the next big things happening in improvisational music today.” (Huffington Post, 2017).    Spafford is remarkable for demonstrating mastery in the art of anticipation, seamless transitions, intoxicating crescendos, and sublime peaks. Their off-the-cuff extended jams create an unpredictable and unforgettable musical experience that Relix attributed to “a wide swath of influences and keen improvisational cohesion . . . all four members of Spafford have ample room to stretch their wings onstage . . . And Spafford pride themselves on being able to chameleon between mid-sized clubs, large festivals and historic venues like Red Rocks.” (Relix, 2019).    Spafford’s discography includes an eclectic mix of studio (e.g. Spafford [2012]; For Amusement Only [2018]; The Gaff Tapes [2019]), live (e.g. Live Vol. 1-3 [2015, 2016, 2020]; A Taste of Fall [2017]; Live at the Drive-In [2020]), and improvisational works (e.g. Abaculus [2017]; Chapel Jam [2019]; Big Field Sessions [2021]). The band is also keen on making video and audio recordings of many of their live shows available shortly after each event, to the delight of their large and growing fanbase.  Featured tour highlights in support of their studio albums include their 2014 Southwest tour, 2016 breakout tour, 2017 tour with Umphrey’s McGee, 2018 For Amusement Only tour, and a 40-show winter tour across the U.S. in 2019. Spafford has graced the stages of many national festivals including at Summer Camp, Bonnaroo, Firefly, High Sierra, Levitate, Peach, and Lockn’, among many others. Additionally, Spafford has collaborated with the likes of Karl Denson (Rolling Stones, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe); Aron Magner (Disco Biscuits); Brendan Bayliss (Umphrey’s McGee); and Jennifer Hartswick, Natalie Cressman, and James Casey (Trey Anastasio Band) during the tenure of their illustrious career.

Watkins Glen

Night Moves