Band Interview- introducing Plastic Circus
Plastic Circus is a three-piece band from Leicester, they create and play post-punk, indie rock music- inspired by bands like The Stone Roses, Primal Scream, The Beatles, Bob Dylan, etc. The band have played venues throughout Leicester, in Manchester, Nottingham and talked in an interview about how they want to expand the variation of places in England that they play gigs.
Soon to be headlining at The Big Difference on May 31, the band are excited to have announced news of a new single ‘Eazy Rider’ which they’ll play live to celebrate its release that night. The band also talk of an EP coming up, this year in mid to late July. Find their Instagram here.
We got the opportunity to sit and talk to the band about their experiences, the industry and their positions as a band- Dan (Lead Singer and Guitarist), Joe (Drummer) and Dylan (Bassist). Here’s more on what they said:
Q: How did you guys all meet?
A: [Dan to Joe] “Joe is a founding member”
“Yeah well it just started with a few mates to be honest. Dan originally lied and said he could play guitar… we found out he couldn’t play guitar, so we stuck him on bass”- Joe (Drummer)
“Fast forward a couple of years, I’m at college and meet this kid”- Dan (Lead Singer and Guitarist)
“He was playing Joy Division basslines on his guitar and I thought ‘I’m not having this’. And I think I confronted you?”- Dylan (Bassist)
“You poked your head through the window and I thought who the hell is this guy?”- Dan (Lead Singer and Guitarist)
“Then give it a couple of months I was hanging out with these lot”- Dylan (Bassist)
“I didn’t like you to begin with did I? I thought you were a right numpty… he sent me a picture and I thought he looks like a f*****g monger so I don’t want him in the band but then I met him and he was alright”- Joe (Drummer)
“The first rehearsal was just after Covid and then… it blossomed from there.”- Dylan (Bassist)
Q: Have you guys always been writing original music? How does that come about?
A: “Dan started to write his own songs… then you just started to write a lot better songs- I think you were already on the way to becoming the front man anyway”- Joe (Drummer)
“It was just the two of us for a while writing stuff. Joe is slowly starting to write songs…we have too many songs – we can’t keep up with them.”- Dan (Lead Singer and Guitarist)
Q: What’s your favourite one? (original songs)
A: “If we’re going to say top three…I’m saying One More Day, No Way No How and then Little Creatures is sounding pretty good at the minute.”- Dylan (Bassist)
“Love and Roses is a classic, probably No Way No How and Love and Roses for me.”- Dan (Lead Singer and Guitarist)
“And You.”- Joe (Drummer)
Q: Why would you say that? Do you think your writing style has developed?
A: “Oh yeah definitely – we change every month! The amount of songs we’ve got rid of because it just doesn’t suit the sound anymore.”- Dan (Lead Singer and Guitarist)
“Yeah there’s been songs we’re really happy with and then a month later we just kind of get rid of them, we feel like we’ve got better stuff to work with.”- Joe (Drummer)
“I think for the last six months we’ve definitely started to develop a much better, a much tighter sound and the new songs are sounding fantastic.”- Dylan (Bassist)
Q: What’s your favourite part of performing live?
A: “I like to see the crowd reactions – playing live is much better than the practicing – it’s the vibes. I think it does depend on the crowd… If you have a good crowd then it’s gonna be a good gig…and it’s nice to show people our music when we don’t have them recorded.”- Joe (Drummer)
“Crowd interaction, playing the songs you’re passionate about.”- Dan (Lead Singer and Guitarist)
“If the crowd are loving in then we’re loving it too do you know what I mean?”- Dylan (Bassist)
Q: Now we’re talking about audiences, how have gig venues treated you guys as a band?
A: “We’ll start with the Big Difference. We would say that the Big Difference is our favourite venue we’ve ever played.”- Dylan (Bassist)
“It does a lot for the community.”- Dan (Lead Singer and Guitarist)
“Especially indie bands that play in Leicester he (person who runs the venue) does so much for them and the venue itself is great, it’s quite intimate so people can come along and watch and get quite involved as well.”- Dylan (Bassist)
Q: What is your favourite venue outside of Leicester?
A: “The Bodega in Nottingham – I think that was one of the best gigs.”- Dan (Lead Singer and Guitar)
Q: What stands out about that venue?
A: “They know what they’re doing, the sound check was great – the amount of places we’ve played where they don’t give us a sound check it’s just… the sound was really good.”- Dan (Lead Singer and Guitarist)
“Bodega as well – me and Dylan have seen some bands there. We saw Pastel there who have supported Liam Gallagher on the Knebworth tour and we were playing at the same place as them- felt like quite an achievement. Obviously we’re not as big as them but it’s quite an achievement to play somewhere like that. My mate is putting on an event – kind of like a festival thing there and hopefully we’ll play there soon… One day we’d love to headline Bodega… Next we’re trying to go through cities, we’ve played in Nottingham a few times,… and obviously we’ve played in Manchester now so we’re trying to play more in Manchester. Obviously we’ve played in Leicester a lot so we’re just trying to explore outside of it a bit.”- Joe (Drummer)
Q: How was playing in Manchester?
A: “It was really good. It was our gig there so we didn’t have the biggest crowd but the crowd that we did have seemed to really like us, even some of the bar staff said they really liked us.”- Joe (Drummer)
“Before we went we were a bit worried about not having a big crowd but then we got there – and I think we had a bigger crowd than some bands from Manchester so that was good.”- Dylan (Bassist)
Q: Do things always go smoothly at gigs for you?
A: “Definitely not! Not getting a sound check for one which is a big one. It’s not difficult – get a schedule 15 minutes each band, sorted.”- Dan (Lead Singer and Guitarist)
“We played at the Chameleon in Nottingham we didn’t get a sound check there.”- Joe (Drummer)
“Still a great venue by the way!”- Dan (Lead Singer and Guitarist)
Q: Has the sound quality always been good in events you’ve played?
A: “The main thing they seem to struggle with is getting vocal levels over and above everything else so that it can be heard.”- Dan (Lead Singer and Guitarist)
“Also my cymbals are just really loud”- Joe (Drummer)
“You just need to buy some more! You leather those cymbals”- Dan (Lead Singer and Guitarist)
“They deserve a leathering! [all laugh]”- Joe (Drummer)
Q: What is your ideal venue to play at?
A: “We’ve had goals. My original goal was to headline the Cookie which is now the Big Difference and we did and our first gig we sold it out… So it’s working our way up now. Like the O2 now – even if it was just as a support and then eventually headlining.”- Joe (Drummer)
“It’s important to have realistic expectations with venues, etc.”- Dylan (Bassist)
“I think if we start playing festivals you know like the small stage at festivals and then little steps to work our way up – I think that’s better than just saying f**k it lets aim for Glastonbury.”- Joe (Drummer)
“I think next year is the year we should try and go for festivals… decent sized ones.”- Dan (Lead Singer and Guitarist)
Q: What would you suggest locally for live music?
A: “Come to our gig.”- Dan (Lead Singer and Guitarist)
“Shameless plug!”- Joe (Drummer)
“You got to – if we’re not going to promote us then who is? Erm…little gigs, Wednesday if you want a nice acoustic set (at The Big Difference).”- Dan (Lead Singer and Guitarist)
In venue terms (other than The Big Difference)
“Duffy’s is good… the one time we played there it was one of our favourite gigs.”- Joe (Drummer)
“Too Funky is pretty cool.”- Dan (Lead Singer and Guitarist)
Q: With all of your gigs have you established a fan base and what does that look like?
A: “I would say that we have accrued a decent sized fan base. We’ve only been gigging for about a year now and we already have a few people that come to watch the gigs. We’re not expecting to have loads of people to come and watch us but we still get a decent amount of people which is nice.”- Dylan (Bassist)
“Yeah you do try to go along and watch other bands so you can support each other. Leave Your Body Behind is one of our favourites.”- Joe (Drummer)
Q: Is there anything else you’d like to say or tell people that are wanting to come see you or listen to your single?
A: “I’d say given the state of the Leicester music scene at the moment, if you want to come and see a good band play good songs with good melodies then come and give us a go because we know what we’re doing. We’ve got a band coming all the way from Liverpool – they’re great friends of ours. It’s a good line up. We’ve got us, Liverpool band, Leave your Body Behind, and a great DJ so it’s a very good line up, very eclectic.”- Dan (Lead Singer and Guitarist)
“Be ready for the single and if you come to the gig I’d just like to say if you want to dance just have a dance man, don’t be afraid just have a dance.”- Dylan (Bassist)
“If you come Michael will be there – he’ll do the worm. He’s doing some crazy s**t – he’s got some magic tricks lined up…”- Joe (Drummer)
“Michael is the best roadie in the world.”- Dan (Lead Singer and Guitarist)
Q: (To Michael) What do you think of the band?
A: “I think they’re an incredible group of lads. I’ve been with them since they started out and they’ve just managed to at every step of the way they’ve just progressed so much over the past few years. It’s incredible to see where they are now from where they were when they started and from my point of view, seeing the progression, it’s incredible. I’ll be with them every step of the way because I appreciate them so much.”- Michael (Roadie)
“We couldn’t do it without Michael. He’s a great guy. If there was a fourth member it would be Michael. The gigs in Nottingham and Manchester- Michael’s the one that drove us there.”- Dan (Lead Singer and Guitarist)
“Michael makes us a square.”- Joe (Drummer)
