Circa Waves album launch and signing: Jacaranda Records Phase One, Liverpool

Circa Waves

Circa Waves have a new record to push and Getintothis’ Peter Goodbody was down with the crowd for the party to celebrate its release.

Liverpool faves, Circa Waves released their latest long player, What’s It Like Over There? yesterday.

This evening they’re doing a gig and signing session in Jacaranda Records Phase One. They maybe something of a guilty pleasure over here, but it has to be said the new release isn’t half bad. It’s not sophisticated or challenging, but there are some decent tunes, especially those in which the piano takes the lead.

We’re not gonna hear them much on BBC 6 Music, but if we happen to hear them on Radio 1 in the car, we’re not switching over.

It’s lightweight, ultimately disposable pop, but as long as we recognise it for what it is then, that’s fine.

With the Grand National at Aintree this afternoon, this is one of Liverpool’s biggest party nights of the year and the city is heaving as we wander down Seel Street. And although we were expecting the crowd in Phase One to be (mostly) not old enough to bet on the horses, it was in fact a more diverse age range than we thought it would be. Circa Waves aren’t just for the kids it seems.

It’s busy in here, though. All the usual vinyl bins have been moved out of the way to make way for the audience and the queue at the bar is easily three deep.

Phil Taggart on his Slackers Guide to the Music Industry

Come the appointed hour of 8.30 (ish) Circa Waves hit the stage and kick off with Wake Up and the tone for the evening is set as the front half of the room sings along to all the words.

This is neither the time nor the place for criticism. This is a room full of people having a really good time watching a band they love.

Movies, from the new album gets an early airing and it’s clear most of the people here know the words to the new stuff already. In fact, there’s precious little point in trying to decide whether any of this is good or not, whether it’s relevant, whether we’re taken by it. What we need to do is go with the flow, just enjoy it for what it is and appreciate the love in the room.

There’s even a bit of crowd surfing going on during a couple of songs towards the end of the set, such is the enthusiasm. That’s a first we’ve seen in Phase One.

Our only niggle is that it seems like it’s not that loud. We’re sure we’ve heard the volume cranked up higher in here before. Not that anyone else notices.

https://twitter.com/coupdecrispy/status/1114616980559081481

After about 45 minutes they finish off with T-Shirt Weather, natch, and the crowd pretty much erupts down at the front. It’s been fun. And that’s as it should be – a band playing music and 300 or so people digging what they do. Fair play.

And if there is any argument, the snaking queue for the signing tells the story. We left well before they’d finished autographing CDs and LPs. They’re probably still at it now.

Images by Getintothis’ Conor Baxter