The sun calmly sets over Southern California’s vast land, while security escorts me to Circa Survive’s green room. The dim silhouettes of transplanted palm trees against the starbust sun, gently swaying with arid Santa Ana winds, bid me farewell like waving hands, as I enter the venue’s west corridor. On this unusually warm November day, the 97-degree temperature would have even straight edge kids feeling a slight bit faded.
While journeying through the venue’s tunnels to my first encounter with the band in two years, I recall on events that have occurred during our lapse: a deal with Atlantic Records, a new album dubbed Blue Sky Noise, a U.S. run with Deftones, an appearance on Last Call with Carson Daly, and more recently, a performance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. “They’ve been selling out shows everywhere,” I overhear a fan say passing by. “Everywhere.”
The green room door creaks open, and I cautiously walk into what feels like a scene from Waking Life. “You have a little bit more scruff on your face than last time,” jokes vocalist Anthony Green, welcoming me with warm embrace. “Puberty finally kicked in,” I respond. “I couldn’t even grow armpit hair until I was 20.”
As we conduct a camera sound check, and as Green further comments on my delayed entry into pubescence, the room suddenly becomes still. Guitarist Colin Frangicetto sits across the room focused, drawing his newest piece of artwork. The other members of Circa Survive converse in whispers to a handful of close friends and family members, while Green and I get reacquainted.
When you look back on yourself with the band’s first album, “Juturna”, and you compare that to who you are today, how have you grown as a person?
Green begins: