If Nickelback represents everything that is wrong with Canadian rock music right now, then Toronto/Guelph contingent The Constantines are leading the fight for everything that’s right. After exploding onto the Canadian indie scene with their self-titled debut in 2001, the Cons reached new heights of notoriety and acclaim in 2003 with their universally celebrated sophomore effort, Shine a Light.
Having just unveiled their third full-length, Tournament of Hearts, the quintet is poised to launch their Molotov cocktail of passionate blue-collar post-rock far beyond our rocky Canadian Shield.
“It was a fun and strange adventure,” says singer/guitarist Bry Webb of playing a slew of stadium gigs this past summer supporting alt-rock royalty the Foo Fighters. “I was just amazed at how efficient everything was and how much money was actually changing hands,” he admits half-jokingly.
Handpicked by the Foos as the supporting act for their summer tour, Webb saw opening amphitheatre shows as a great opportunity to further the Cons’ mission to play as many different kinds of venues as possible (just to see what happens), and to convert some of Dave Grohl’s minions at the same time.
Just as Death From Above 1979 were chosen to open for Nine Inch Nails, and David Bowie and David Byrne hitched their stars to The Arcade Fire, the fact that the Constantines are now playing stadium shows is proof that good Canadian music is impossible for the world to ignore.
“The tour was amazing-people were really receptive,” Webb offers in his laid-back, matter-of-fact way, modestly skirting the fact his band was playing to something like 7,000 people a night. Not bad for a bunch of ex-hardcore kids from Guelph.
The Constantines have quickly become one of Canada’s most important rock bands, making sizable waves in the European and American indie scenes as well. After releasing Shine a Light in 2003, the Constantines signed with Sub Pop Records (home to the likes of Nirvana and The Shins), one of the largest and best-known indie labels in America.
At home, the Cons have remained an integral part of the Three Gut Records family. Signed over a spaghetti dinner in 2001, Three Gut offered the Constantines indie-label freedom coupled with the meticulous support, dedication, and practical care of an extended family. Sadly, Tournament of Hearts will be the last new release for Three Gut Records, as its founders move on to explore other projects.
“It’s a sad sort of honour,” laments Webb. “It’s exciting and strange; it’s one more thing that this record is going to represent.”
The Constantines play a hometown CD release for Tournament of Hearts at the Opera House Nov. 2. Tickets ($17.50) still available from the usual suspects.
