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Hailing from Derby, England, Burning Circus are quickly making a name for themselves with their passionate, high-energy performances and raw rock ‘n’ roll sound. The new single, Rodeo, has just been released, and we caught up with the guys below:
What are the origins of the band? How long have you been playing together?
CHRIS: I’d been out of playing in bands for a long time and wanted to get back into it. I put an ad out initially looking to join a band, but got messages from Alex (vocals, lyrics), Gav (drums), and Tony (original bass player) individually, and we went from there. This was in early 2024.
What should people expect when they check the band out? How would you describe Burning Circus?
ALEX: I always keep it simple: we’re a rock ‘n’ roll band.
CHRIS: Balls-out rock ‘n’ roll! We’re not looking to reinvent the (musical) wheel; we all have our own influences, and it all mixes together to give you Burning Circus!
GAV: Kick-ass rock ‘n’ roll played with plenty of energy.
How did you feel performing your first gig as a band, and how was it?!
ALEX: Well, it was my first gig performed on mud – it was outdoors, and we didn’t have the luxury of any kind of actual flooring, let alone a stage – so that was a new experience. But it was fun, we were just keen to get out there and play.
CHRIS: It was great! None of us had seen each other in a live setting, so we had no idea what would happen once we hit the first song. We were lucky enough to get that feeling all over again recently when we played our first gig with Trad (bass). It was like a rock ‘n’ roll bomb going off, half an hour of adrenaline-pumping rock music. Just the way we like it.
GAV: It was an odd setup in a pub beer garden marquee with only a few people venturing in to check us out. It went by in a blur, but we played really well!
What are you working on at the moment that people can check out?
CHRIS: We’ve just released a new single called ‘Rodeo’ and filmed a video to go with it; we’re super proud of it. We have tonnes of new material that we’re working through in rehearsal and are eager to release.
GAV: All-new tunes that have a slightly more upbeat hard-rock feel compared to the slower bluesy tunes we started with. The latest tunes are sounding beefy!
Regarding a similar audience, which band at the moment do you feel that you would be best suited to open for?
ALEX: Danko Jones or the Supersuckers. I think our upbeat, high-energy style in terms of both music and performance would make us a great fit for either.
CHRIS: I’d love to open for Massive Wagons, they’ve been my favourite “new” band for a while now.
GAV: Buckcherry or Massive Wagons.
Excluding yourself, which new band would you like to see break out and become a success?
CHRIS: There are so many new rock ‘n’ roll bands in this country alone where the audience is there; they just need to be discovered. These Wicked Rivers (from Derby, like ourselves) are doing really well and deserve to step up another level.
GAV: This House We Built are amazing, and we love the guys from Fallen North and Le Bone.
What frustrates you about the music business?
ALEX: The fact that it’s so often soulless shit that rises to the top. On the bright side, there are always talented and passionate musicians out there making great music; you just have to make the effort to look.
CHRIS: Nobody picks up an instrument with dreams of spending more time on social media editing reels and thinking up hashtags to get your band out there than playing said instrument… Social media is great in that you can make your music instantly accessible, but it can be frustrating. And egos… the egos on some people in this business are wild.
GAV: Promoters who don’t reply! Plus, the ridiculously low amount streaming sites pay the artists.
What are your first musical memories? And what lightbulb moment made you say, “I want to do that”?
ALEX: I was exposed to bands like Queen, Guns N’ Roses, AC/DC, Iron Maiden, and more at a young age, so my love of rock music was established early. And there was no lightbulb moment; singing was just something I’d always enjoyed doing informally, so I eventually decided to put together my first band and give it a proper shot.
CHRIS: I wanted to be a drummer before I picked up a guitar, for no other reason than hitting things and making a racket looked like fun. Then I heard ‘Welcome to the Jungle’ in a mate’s dad’s car, and that was the guitar lightbulb moment for me.
GAV: My Dad belting out the Beatles and Stones, and my Mum’s endless love song compilations on a Sunday afternoon. Thankfully, my uncle was into Saxon, Iron Maiden, and Quiet Riot!
What was the last gig that you attended as a fan?
ALEX: Electric Six at the Hairy Dog in Derby. Great band. (We used to cover ‘Gay Bar’ in Burning Circus’s earlier days, always fun).
CHRIS: Glenn Hughes at Rock City, Nottingham.
GAV: Elvana at Rock City. Pure insanity and so good!
What current social issues are you particularly passionate about?
ALEX: None, I tend not to worry about things beyond my control.
CHRIS: Animal rights.
GAV: The situation in the Middle East obviously, but the rise in homelessness is very worrying.
The album that you have in your album collection/Spotify playlist that would surprise most people?
ALEX: This won’t surprise anyone who knows how big a fan I am of the comedy duo Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer, but still, it’s a noteworthy one: Vic Reeves’ 1991 album ‘I Will Cure You.’
CHRIS: Belinda Carlisle’s greatest hits. Banger after banger after banger.
GAV: I’m currently obsessed with old Billy Joel stuff. ‘Turnstiles’… what an album. And an amazing drummer.
Everybody is a fan of something. Who or what are you a fan of?
ALEX: Too many things to list across music, video games, books, comic books, and movies.
CHRIS: Nottingham Forest Football Club.
GAV: Aside from rock and metal music, I’m a huge horror fan. Love eating out, holidays in the sun, and theme parks.
What new music have you enjoyed so far this year?
ALEX: Their latest album was released in 2025, but I only discovered Harley Poe in recent months and have been listening to them very frequently. It’s always great to find a band you really like that already have an extensive back catalogue to dive into.
CHRIS: I really liked the new Kris Barras Band single, All Falls Down.
GAV: I’m a big fan of Bad Nerves, tons of energy, and hooks galore!
What does 2026 hold for Burning Circus?
ALEX: More gigs and new music.
CHRIS: Lots of gigs! Our diary is packed, especially over summer. We’ll be fitting in more studio time soon, hopefully too. We have new music ready to go, it’s just a case of finding the time (and money!) to put it out there.
GAV: Plenty of gigs and recording more tunes. It’s very exciting and a buzz to play to new crowds and watch the following grow.
How active are you on social media, and where can people connect with you?
CHRIS: Very, we try and engage with people who want to talk to us on socials as much as possible. The best places to find us are Facebook and Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/burning_circus_band/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61562342693576
GAV: We are quite busy on Facebook and Instagram. You can message us on those platforms. We’d love to hear from you!
