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This coming week marks the return of Yes spinoff band Circa: to Southern California, for a set of shows that will mark Johnny Bruhns' American debut with the band. Bruhns was recruited out of the local Yes tribute band Roundabout.
Circa: was founded in 2007 by former members of Yes, Tony Kaye and Billy Sherwood. The group currently includes Johnny Bruhns on guitars and backup vocals and Scott Connor (of the Genesis tribute Gabble Ratchet) on drums. They'll hit the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano with Bruhns on Saturday, October 8. in support of their newest album And So On, released this past summer.
"Although the album was not written as a concept record, the songs are somehow tied together and are all symbiotic," Billy Sherwood explains. "It's really just an evolution of Circa: music. This is our third studio release."
Circa:'s debut self-titled CD featured Yes drummer Alan White and Jimmy Haun on guitar, with guest appearances by Michael Sherwood and Cole Coleman. The album includes two tracks based on material Billy Sherwood co-wrote with sometime-Yes guitaristTrevor Rabin in 1995. A two-track download-only EP was previously available for a short period in the United States.
The band's debut live show was on August 23, 2007 in San Juan Capistrano, with a set that included an extended instrumental medley of Yes tunes. A DVD of this show was released as Circa: Live in February 2008. A few North American dates followed in early 2008, with Jay Schellen, a previous collaborator of Sherwood's and Kaye's, filling in for White on one date.
In July 2008, Jay Schellen permanently replaced Alan White, who chose to focus on his work in Yes. The new line-up recorded the album Circa: HQ in the latter half of 2008, released in January 2009. Early 2011 saw a band change, with guitarist Johnny Bruhns replacing Jimmy Haun, and Ronnie Ciago (Brand X, Jaco Pastorius) replacing Jay Schellen, who wanted to focus on work with Asia Featuring John Payne.
Circa:'s next release Overflow is a collection of extra bonus material from the first and second recording sessions, available only as a digital download via iTunes.
Bruhns also plays with ANOTHER Yes-spinoff group. When former Yes-men Tony Kaye (keys) and Billy Sherwood (bass/vocals) formed a new band called Yoso with Toto singer Bobby Kimball, Bruhns replaced (again!) their original guitarist Jimmy Haun.
“They were aware of my work with Roundabout, ‘the American Yes tribute,’ which was founded in Julian around 1999,” Bruhns tells the Reader.
The guitarist first encountered Yes members at Acoustic Music San Diego in Normal Heights, where Yes moonlighters Chris Squire and Alan White performed with their band the Syn in February 2006.
“Steve Nardelli, who sang lead, came without his acoustic guitar, [and] the Syn’s management had asked to borrow mine for him...that’s what started my relationship with the Yes extended family.”
Bruhns, who mainly plays Steve Howe’s parts in Roundabout, sat in for Howe when Yes was preparing for a 2008 tour. “The fact that I’m also influenced by [latter-day Yes guitarist] Trevor Rabin was much appreciated at our rehearsals,” he says.
As for meeting Howe, Bruhns says, “Wow, I wish I had a better report on the man. He was not having a happy night there in Mesa, Arizona. When I told him who I was and what I had started doing, he let out a grunt of displeasure and turned away."
“I asked him to wait and told him a story about what he meant to me. I’d headlined with a band at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano 11 days before, not knowing that he’d played there, which apparently was the reason he perked up. I told him that when I came across a nice head shot of Chet Atkins, the walls are lined with promo shots, that the only thing I was thinking was ‘Steve Howe’s hero has played here.’ He said, ‘Oh, I see,’ and turned away again. I said, ‘Wait, you see? You’re my Chet Atkins!’ He didn’t seem to appreciate it, but I was thankful he listened just the same."
“I’ve never really been able to connect with my hero, sadly, but there’s still hope.”
Other Roundabout alumni have continued to be active with their respective projects as well. Jon Davison recorded If with Glass Hammer last year, and he's currently working on another album with the Tennessee based progressive rock group. Dave Smart plays with Brain Salad, his Emerson, Lake and Palmer tribute.
"Roundabout continues to be on hiatus," says Bruhns, "and, while I miss it, life has been quite busy."
Circa: Tour Dates
Thursday, Oct 6: The Canyon Club in Agoura Hills, (818) 879-5016
http://www.canyonclub.net
http://tickets.canyonclub.net/eventperformances.asp?evt=310&c=6&pg=ober
Friday, Oct 7: Brixton Southbay on the Redondo Beach Pier
http://tickets.brixtonsouthbay.com/ordertickets.asp?p=572&backurl=default.asp
Saturday, Oct 8: The Coach House, San Juan Capistrano 949-496-8930
http://www.thecoachhouse.com
Friday, Oct 21: Marquee 15, Corona, CA
http://www.marquee15.com/events.html
This coming week marks the return of Yes spinoff band Circa: to Southern California, for a set of shows that will mark Johnny Bruhns' American debut with the band. Bruhns was recruited out of the local Yes tribute band Roundabout.
Circa: was founded in 2007 by former members of Yes, Tony Kaye and Billy Sherwood. The group currently includes Johnny Bruhns on guitars and backup vocals and Scott Connor (of the Genesis tribute Gabble Ratchet) on drums. They'll hit the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano with Bruhns on Saturday, October 8. in support of their newest album And So On, released this past summer.
"Although the album was not written as a concept record, the songs are somehow tied together and are all symbiotic," Billy Sherwood explains. "It's really just an evolution of Circa: music. This is our third studio release."
Circa:'s debut self-titled CD featured Yes drummer Alan White and Jimmy Haun on guitar, with guest appearances by Michael Sherwood and Cole Coleman. The album includes two tracks based on material Billy Sherwood co-wrote with sometime-Yes guitaristTrevor Rabin in 1995. A two-track download-only EP was previously available for a short period in the United States.
The band's debut live show was on August 23, 2007 in San Juan Capistrano, with a set that included an extended instrumental medley of Yes tunes. A DVD of this show was released as Circa: Live in February 2008. A few North American dates followed in early 2008, with Jay Schellen, a previous collaborator of Sherwood's and Kaye's, filling in for White on one date.
In July 2008, Jay Schellen permanently replaced Alan White, who chose to focus on his work in Yes. The new line-up recorded the album Circa: HQ in the latter half of 2008, released in January 2009. Early 2011 saw a band change, with guitarist Johnny Bruhns replacing Jimmy Haun, and Ronnie Ciago (Brand X, Jaco Pastorius) replacing Jay Schellen, who wanted to focus on work with Asia Featuring John Payne.
Circa:'s next release Overflow is a collection of extra bonus material from the first and second recording sessions, available only as a digital download via iTunes.
Bruhns also plays with ANOTHER Yes-spinoff group. When former Yes-men Tony Kaye (keys) and Billy Sherwood (bass/vocals) formed a new band called Yoso with Toto singer Bobby Kimball, Bruhns replaced (again!) their original guitarist Jimmy Haun.
“They were aware of my work with Roundabout, ‘the American Yes tribute,’ which was founded in Julian around 1999,” Bruhns tells the Reader.
The guitarist first encountered Yes members at Acoustic Music San Diego in Normal Heights, where Yes moonlighters Chris Squire and Alan White performed with their band the Syn in February 2006.
“Steve Nardelli, who sang lead, came without his acoustic guitar, [and] the Syn’s management had asked to borrow mine for him...that’s what started my relationship with the Yes extended family.”
Bruhns, who mainly plays Steve Howe’s parts in Roundabout, sat in for Howe when Yes was preparing for a 2008 tour. “The fact that I’m also influenced by [latter-day Yes guitarist] Trevor Rabin was much appreciated at our rehearsals,” he says.
As for meeting Howe, Bruhns says, “Wow, I wish I had a better report on the man. He was not having a happy night there in Mesa, Arizona. When I told him who I was and what I had started doing, he let out a grunt of displeasure and turned away."
“I asked him to wait and told him a story about what he meant to me. I’d headlined with a band at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano 11 days before, not knowing that he’d played there, which apparently was the reason he perked up. I told him that when I came across a nice head shot of Chet Atkins, the walls are lined with promo shots, that the only thing I was thinking was ‘Steve Howe’s hero has played here.’ He said, ‘Oh, I see,’ and turned away again. I said, ‘Wait, you see? You’re my Chet Atkins!’ He didn’t seem to appreciate it, but I was thankful he listened just the same."
“I’ve never really been able to connect with my hero, sadly, but there’s still hope.”
Other Roundabout alumni have continued to be active with their respective projects as well. Jon Davison recorded If with Glass Hammer last year, and he's currently working on another album with the Tennessee based progressive rock group. Dave Smart plays with Brain Salad, his Emerson, Lake and Palmer tribute.
"Roundabout continues to be on hiatus," says Bruhns, "and, while I miss it, life has been quite busy."
Circa: Tour Dates
Thursday, Oct 6: The Canyon Club in Agoura Hills, (818) 879-5016
http://www.canyonclub.net
http://tickets.canyonclub.net/eventperformances.asp?evt=310&c=6&pg=ober
Friday, Oct 7: Brixton Southbay on the Redondo Beach Pier
http://tickets.brixtonsouthbay.com/ordertickets.asp?p=572&backurl=default.asp
Saturday, Oct 8: The Coach House, San Juan Capistrano 949-496-8930
http://www.thecoachhouse.com
Friday, Oct 21: Marquee 15, Corona, CA
http://www.marquee15.com/events.html