Russian Circles — Live on KEXP, 2026

A live performance by American instrumental trio Russian Circles, filmed at the KEXP studios in Seattle in 2026. Formed in Chicago, the band builds cinematic post-metal in which Mike Sullivan’s looped guitar, Brian Cook’s bass and Dave Turncrantz’s drums shape long, wordless crescendos. On stage, the music advances in layers: a looped guitar line lays the foundation, the bass thickens the texture, then the drums tip each piece into a saturated climax. This KEXP live session showcases that command of dynamics, from hushed, textured passages to heavy, distorted peaks, all captured in the clean sound and careful video the Seattle public radio station is known for. For newcomers, this filmed full performance is an ideal entry point into atmospheric, uncompromising metal, with no vocals to lean on and everything resting on the interplay of three musicians. The tight framing makes the architecture of each piece and the trio’s rhythmic precision easy to follow, while the close miking captures detail a festival stage would lose. A faithful record of the band’s live energy, now part of Livconcert’s library of live metal captures.