THE CENTER OF THE CIRCLE is a three-piece indie/folk/pop group from the North Bay Area of California. Made up of songwriters and multi-instrumentalists Tom Elder, Andrew Maurer, and Michael J. O’Connor, the band brings together a wide range of influences and styles due to the song contributions of all three members. Having played in various projects with one another for over 20 years, 2023 marks a new beginning for a trio that has known one another since they were teenagers. With touchstones like Elliott Smith, America, Neil Young, and Little Wings, THE CENTER OF THE CIRCLE’s first E.P., Not Hiding Anymore, is a showcase of everything the group has learned over the years both together and separately. It features a live, no-frills approach to the indie-pop genre with a mix of both sparse and full instrumentation and glorious three-part harmonies that tie it all together.
THE CENTER OF THE CIRCLE is:
THOMAS ELDER @murdocloch
An accomplished singer/songwriter with years of projects under his belt such as Aitch, Lillian the Mannequin, and Los Gatos, Tom’s whispery, delicate vocals and fingerstyle guitar are an anchor in THE CENTER OF THE CIRCLE’s ocean of melody and simple, but unique chord progressions.
ANDREW MAURER @maurer.andrew
Andrew has been residing in the hills and valleys of Sonoma County, wishing and dreaming in the vast meadows where only the open skies can find him. As the Walt Whitman of indie rock, his grounded, naturalistic style and penchant for the ancient melodies bring some of the breathtaking beauty from his other projects like Seeded Skies and Slopes of Distant Hills to THE CENTER OF THE CIRCLE’s landscape.
MICHAEL J. O’CONNOR @themichaeljoconnor
Michael has been slogging his way through the underground music world for over 20 years. With a penchant for pop hits and a gift for catchy melodies, he stays firmly ensconced in the Beatles-esque. Like his previous projects such as Protecting Gheel, The Knowle Roars, and The Most Awesome Protagonist, his obsession with the perfect song continues with his compatriots in THE CENTER OF THE CIRCLE.
