Thrice (w/ Circa Survive, Chon, Balance and Composure) @ House of Blues (Boston, MA) on November 26, 2017 [Photos & Show Review]

Rock/post-hardcore giants Thrice and Circa Survive are currently entering the final week of a co-headlining tour of North America. They’re accompanied on this run by instrumental shredders Chon, and alt rock/emo band Balance and Composure. We caught up with the tour as it hit Boston’s House of Blues on November 26th to play before a nearly sold out audience.

Balance and Composure were up first! These Pennsylvania boys put on a really balanced set (pun not intended) that started with “Void” from 2011’s Separation before breaking into newer material off of 2016’s Light We Made including “For a Walk,” and later on “Midnight Zone,” and “Postcard.” Despite only having seven songs, the band managed to squeeze in the fan-favorites like “Tiny Raindrop,” “Fade,” and “When I Come Undone.” Really anxious to catch them playing a longer set on a headlining run in 2018, their set was too short on this night.

Instrumental “math rock” band Chon followed with a more subdued set that was definitely a weird transition from the higher energy performance that Balance and Composure had just put on. Chon just dropped their latest album Homey earlier this year, so it made sense that their set included the more beloved tracks from that effort “Sleepy Tea,” “Checkpoint,” and “No Signal.” They definitely put on a great performance, it just seemed a bit out of place on the lineup.

Thrice was up next and pulled no punches launching into their set with “The Earth Will Shake,” which became one giant sing-along with the crowd enthusiastically singing and screaming out every word. In fact, most of their set could have been described that way–both for newer material and old. Thrice did do a good job of highlighting their latest record, 2016’s To Be Everywhere Is To Be Nowhere while also giving longtime fans a sort of greatest hits type of selection of deeper cuts. From the latest release, Thrice played “The Window,” “Blood on the Sand,” “Hurricane,” and personal favorite “The Long Defeat.” Otherwise, fans were treated to hits like “The Artist in the Ambulance,” “Come All You Weary,” “Of Dust and Nations,” “Firebreather,” and “Deadbolt,” among others. I’ve gotten to see Thrice a few times since they reunited a couple years ago, but this was easily the best I’ve seen them–frontman Dustin Kensrue was incredible as were his bandmates.

The crowd was more than ready by the time Circa Survive took to the stage with “Child of the Desert” from 2014’s Descensus. Frontman Anthony Green bounded around the stage, whipping around the microphone as he belted out each line. Although the band just recently released The Amulet, only four tracks of their thirteen this night were from that release, including “Lustration,” “Tunnel Vision,” and “Premonition of the Hex.” As with Thrice, Circa Survive fans were treated to many old fan-favorites, including “In Fear and Faith,” “Get Out,” and “Stop the Fu*king Car.” The tour continues through December 8th! The remaining dates are listed below!

Remaining Tour Dates:

12/05 – Kansas City, MO @ Uptown Theater
12/06 – Clive, Iowa @ 7 Flags Event Center
12/07 – Chicago, IL @ Aragon Ballroom
12/08 – Maplewood, MN @ Myth