[DID NOT ATTEND: September 15, 16 & 17, 2026] Circa Survive / Geoff Rickly / Boo Boo Spoiler // Circa Survive / Queen of Jeans / The Waywords // Circa Survive / From Indian Lakes / Air is Human
I’m not sure when I heard about these three shows, but as soon as I looked at them, they were all sold out. So, regardless of whether I wanted to se Circa Survive (I did), I was too late.
I didn’t know Circa Survive at all until 2022, and was really surprised to hear that they were from Philly (which is why these three shows sold out so quickly). Back in 2022, they sold out two nights at Union Transfer and then cancelled the show last minute. They’re alt and emo and I’m just really surprised I’d never heard them before. They are obviosuly huge in Philly, but I’m not sure just how big they are elsewhere. I like that all of the bands on the bills are either from Philly or NJ.
Geoff Rickly is the singer for Thursday, who I had hoped to see at Underground Arts recently but which I couldn’t get to. As a solo performer, Rickly was fantastic. He told little stories before each song and played a mix of solo and Thursday songs. I assume he’d be solo here for this as well.
Boo Boo Spoiler is a DIY band from Philly that’s managed to build a considerable amount of hype off the strength of their live shows, and none of that magic is lost in the studio; in fact, it’s only amplified. The Philly shoegaze scene is boiling over with talent right now and these guys are great. I hadn’t heard of them, but I really liked what I listened to–shoegaze with some fun, weird elements.
Queen of Jeans is a Philly band who I’ve seen on a lot of marquees. I feel like for a while, back before the pandemic, they were opening for a lot of shows that I didn’t go to. I see now that they haven’t done much since 2019, but they came back with a new album last year. They are poppy and delightful. For some reason I thought they were more punky. I’d be happy to see them live, but once again I’ve missed them. Their new album is great.
The Waywords I can’t find a single thing about them online. I wonder who they are.
I saw From Indian Lakes open for L.S. Dunes. But by the time I walked in, From Indian Lakes were almost done. They released their first record since 2019 mid last year, which falls under a shoegaze, indie rock type of genre. The latest album of Head Void was a lot heavier than Dimly Lit in 2019, but compared to L.S. Dunes it’s quite tame. They are apparently the brainchild of lead singer Joe Vann (Joey Vannucchi) a totally understated front man, who was also pretty funny, replying to fans shouting things and generally keeping the mood light. We saw about three songs in full and I really liked their vibe–very chill and shoegazey. Although, live there was a harsher element than the soft shimmer of the album.
Air is Human is a duo from Philly. They mix explosive beats and emotive Rhodes piano with bold and atmospheric guitars. Blending influences from downtempo and ambient with kraut and psych rock, the sound is loud and enveloping.
The description is pretty apt. It’s definitely experimental and unusual, but is really catchy and intriguing–the “enveloping” part is totally accurate. I’m very intrigued.
I Just Read About That... 