Photo by Absolute Eddy Photography
Although many local bands have written off the dream of earning a living from their music, Milwaukee’s CircleSwitch haven’t given up hope. According to guitarist Danny Rodic, CircleSwitch’s self-released recordings have enjoyed play on a hundred radio stations around the world, terrestrial, satellite and Internet. The melodic, metallic, riff-driven rockers have carved out a touring circuit in Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota and Iowa. They are booked in Nashville this summer, figuring out the logistics of touring the coasts and have had nibbles of interest from Canada and Europe.
Business savvy? “Absolutely,” Rodic answers without hesitation. “It’s an incredible amount of work,” he continues, expounding on CircleSwitch’s success in catching the ears of radio programmers. “It’s almost like being a telemarketer. You get one thousand noes before you get that one yes.”
You could chalk it up to a Midwest work ethic, and with that comes the virtue of loyalty to friends and family. CircleSwitch has performed benefits in the past, but their show this weekend is special. It’s a benefit for their friend Kevin Little, diagnosed with a rare form of stomach cancer, an illness treatable at great cost with medication. “When I found out Kevin had stage 4 cancer, my heart dropped,” Rodic says. “We’ve done benefits for veterans and organizations, but this is the first time I felt compelled to help a single person.”
Before taking the stage, CircleSwitch will debut their new video, Alibi, shot around a song from their 2015 album, Daybreak. The band’s three albums and numerous videos were produced by Rodic in his elaborate home studio. “Inevitably, when a local band records at a big studio, they run out of money and the music can fall short,” he explains. “Our situation is relaxed. I have all the tools for a good professional production. We’re able to take our time and do it right.”
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Rodic and vocalist Kenny James, the only original members, founded CircleSwitch in 2007. “Our idea was to pay homage to the bands we grew up with but give the music a modern twist,” Rodic says, citing Alice in Chains, Metallica, Van Halen and Soundgarden as main influences. Their current lineup includes drummer Eddie Gunz and bassist Johnny “RockIt” Whalen.
“We’ve created a brand,” Rodic adds. “The way the industry has gone, that’s just the way it is. Playing out smarter, not harder is the way to go. In music, it can be one year of famine, another year of feasting—it’s a hard job to do with a family and a house, but it’s a goal we’d like to achieve.”
CircleSwitch’s benefit for Kevin Little takes place at 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 19 at Route 20 Outhouse, 14001 Washington Ave., Sturtevant. Also on the bill are Wicked Realm, Black Belt Theatre and Three Left.
