Russian Circles

Russian Circles at Treefort Music Hall

Who carries the story when a heavy rock band has no singer? At Treefort Music Hall in Boise, Russian Circles gives you three players to follow. Mike Sullivan plays guitar, Brian Cook handles bass and keyboards, and Dave Turncrantz plays drums. Shift your attention from one to another and hear how a change in rhythm can put a familiar sound in a different light.

Gnosis, the trio's eighth full-length record, is a place to get acquainted with how they build momentum. Primitive Man opens the Boise concert, giving you a second reason to hear the whole bill. Take someone who likes to compare how bands build tension, and pick out the points where the sound changes shape.

Try choosing one player as your guide for part of the set. Watch what Turncrantz does when the guitar and bass have already established a pattern, or listen to Cook when Sullivan has the most obvious line. A change can come from an instrument you weren't paying attention to a second earlier. That's a satisfying thing to catch in real time. It also means two people can stand through the same set and have different answers when asked what made it feel heavy. Bring somebody who usually listens for a different part of the band and compare.

See ticket options for Russian Circles and Primitive Man.