The stage: completely unlit, except for one halogen spotlight behind the drummer's kickdrum. No talking, no intros, no chatter, no communication between or among the band. Complete vocal silence. No eye contact, gestures or interaction with the audience except at the end. Minimalism at its most, and best. The way my concerts should be. Kinda not in tune with metal-punk inspired post-rock, however was the deep-cut v-neck with burly chest hair on the bassist, and indie-tight red pants and orange tee on the guitarist. The drummer, as usual, dresses really conservatively and looks like you could find a snapshot of him somewhere in Esquire.

Saw them in LA when they were supporting Minus the Bear, and according to their new album, which has the FIRST track that sounds almost OPTIMISTIC, I'd say Russian Circles got some cues from their time with the band. The band's skill is amazing individually, able to pull off such complexity without opening anyone's mouth. The bassist does some mad riffs, however, and the drummer is a sight to see.