No Circus
Words: MacKenzie Pause
Photos: Gregg Matthews

Appearing:
June 23, 2007
BackBooth, Orlando

July 21, 2007
Trader Jack’s, Deland

Rain lightly, but steadily, dripped on the courtyard of Café Davinci’s in Deland. A few people got a lucky seat at a covered table, while others used the café’s awning for shelter. Some crowded by the covered stage with umbrellas in hand. No matter where they stood to keep dry, their attention wasn’t on bad weather but on the pure and powerful rock of No Circus.

Without looking at the stage and just listening to the music of No Circus, I’d think I was hearing some older guy shredding (yes, shredding), maybe long hair and a ponytail, working at a guitar shop and showing off his many years of rock star, guitar god dreams (I’m not stereotyping older, long haired musicians…Ok, maybe a little). I was shocked to see three 16 and 17 year old teens tearing it up.

James Killgallon (guitar/vocals) lights up the stage with a Jim Morrison fashion sense and a guitar style somewhere between Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughn. The three piece with Josh Columbe (bass) and Joe Bindschadler (drums) impress audiences with their retro rock influenced by bands like Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, Queen and Aerosmith.

The awkwardness of some teenage bands is nowhere to be found at a No Circus show. Confidence, raw talent and classic rock n’ roll with a modern appeal fill the stage. Even though the band doesn’t want to be known for their age, it has helped them tremendously. 

“I like to consider us as being a good band,” Killgallon commented. “Not a good young band.”

No Circus recorded their current release in a single weekend, and plans to record again soon.

“I feel like the CD is great for what we were doing then,” Killgallon said. “But we’ve come a long way this past year, and we’re looking to release a full length around September.”
 
Things have really just started with the underage band. They graduate high school next year and have big plans once the cap and gowns are thrown. Their recent involvement with producer Tony Battaglia (Mandy Moore, Shinedown) could be a driving force behind them.

“Tony heard our first record and I guess he saw potential in it and decided to give us a try,” Killgallon said. “We are going to try to get on some bigger shows next summer when we all graduate. Really, we’re just going to give music 100 percent and hopefully it’ll catch on.”

On top of management, an endorsement from Gibson not only gives the band more exposure, but has helped changed the overall sound of the music.

“They’ve really helped me a lot in defining, as well as creating my sound,” Killgallon said. “I was totally into Fender Stratocasters until I picked my Custom Shop Les Paul.”

Gibson offered their endorsement at last year’s Florida Music Fest. This year No Circus will once again rock downtown Orlando’s FMF at the Lodge back lot, 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 19. See them while you can because I predict big things for the band before reaching the legal drinking age.

Check out No Circus at www.myspace.com/nocircus .