This past weekend, I went to Detroit to see Sargent House label mates Russian Circles and Helms Alee in concert. Both bands were on tour celebrating new albums with the former acting as the headliner. I’ve written about my love of both bands several times on the site, so when I saw that they were touring together, it was a no-brainer that I had to attend.
So, onward I ventured into Mexicantown on a Sunday night to El Club, a venue I’d heard about but had never been to. First off, let me say that I really dug that spot. Good prices on drinks (beer that was under $5 at a concert? Be still, my heart!), a large enough room for a few hundred people, a good lighting setup, and a patio with a fire pit, a beer garden, and comfortable seating. It’s probably become my favorite venue in the Southeast Michigan area, and I’ve been to a lot!
Feeling rather comfortable and at ease in my surroundings, I was able to relax and appreciate what was to come, which was a night of damn good music.
To be 100% honest, I was far more excited to see Helms Alee than Russian Circles. It’s not because of some strange popularity contest, it’s simply because I’ve already seen Russian Circles in concert before and this was my first time seeing the Seattle rockers. Having been a big fan of both Sleepwalking Sailors and their new album Stillicide (review), I knew what music to expect but not what kind of performance the band deliver. To see for myself, I parked myself at the back of the venue, leaned against a railing, made sure my ear plugs were firmly ensconced, and got ready.
Right from the beginning, the band exploded with energy. They maintained that electric ferocity throughout their dynamic set, some songs moving at a slower tempo than others but never seeing the trio any less energetic or “in the moment”. Drummer Hozoji Matheson-Margullis played with astonishing accuracy, each hit sounding thunderous. If you listen to the music, you can hear just how complex her playing is, so performing it flawlessly WHILE singing during a few of the tracks just blew my mind. Bassist Dana James laid down a thick and crunchy foundation while also taking on vocal duties. Frontman Ben Verellen’s huge frame matched his roaring vocals, his guitar, which he played with pinpoint precision, seemingly almost toy-like in his hands.
The setlist was varied, allowing for peaks and valleys, giving people the chance to rock out as well as just stand there, soaking in the performance. However, the band knew that they had to close their set with a bang, which is why they ended with “Galloping Mind Fuk”, which saw nearly the entire crowd nodding their heads along to the syncopated outro.
My major complaint is that the band either doesn’t have a lighting person or that crew member had the night off because the band took the stage to blue and red pillars of light shining down and that was it. There were no changes at all throughout the set, which is a real shame as part of a good concert experience is the visual aspect.
Still, the band kicked ass and I enjoyed every second of their performance.
Helms Alee track list:
Ripper No Lube
Worth Your Wild
Grandfather Claws
Pleasure Center
Tumesence
Stillicide
Pretty As Pie
Dodge the Lightning
Untoxicated
Galloping Mind Fuk
Laying it out right now, Russian Circles was a mixed bag. Their set had some really amazing tunes and they knew just how to open it. Using the first two tracks from their new album Guidance, the show opened calmly, almost sensually. It allowed the audience to soak in the moment, the beauty of “Asa” slowly making way for the aggression and intensity of “Vorel”.
But there were a few issues with the overall concert that I simply can’t overlook. First, the pauses between the songs were overly long, lasting what felt like anywhere from 30 seconds to a minute. Those gaps weren’t filled with any banter or discussion with the audience either, it was just the band standing on the stage in the dark ensuring their instruments were in tune.
Furthermore, their lighting guy was 50% on the money while 50% failing. Those incredible bursts in the middle of “Deficit”? Bright white lights illuminated the audience but not on beat. As each burst came, the lights came on a little later and later until they were so off-tempo that it was disorienting and frustrating. This is one example of something that happened throughout their set, the lights never fully syncing with the performance.
Lastly, it’s obvious that Russian Circles wanted to have a dynamic set, which they certainly did. There were highs and lows that were fascinating. However, the energy that kicked off the first several tracks never returned towards the end. It’s as though they started on a ’10’ and ended on a ‘7’. They were still great but I wish everything had come together a little more neatly for a stronger, more memorable experience.
Russian Circles track list:
Asa
Vorel
Deficit
309
Afrika
Harper Lewis
1777
Calla
Mladek