I've Been Piling Up Stuff for 43 Years. This Is One of My Favorites.

One Louder (Birthday Edition)

One of the greatest exchanges in rock music lore. So what happens if you are in a band that goes to eleven on a nightly basis for years on end? You find your balance; you step away; you unplug and you continue to write from the heart, maybe just not so loud this time. Bry Webb of The Constantines did just that. Let's look back; so we can see where we are headed, shall we?

The grainiest of grain for the tune “Young Offenders;" but, alas, the world was different pre-HD phone cam goodness. This is from the band's 2001 Constantines LP, originally released on Three Gut and later re-released by Sub Pop. I'm proud to say I possess the Three Gut version as it came in hand-made packaging that included a match. So you can see, The Constantines were a hardcore... wait, post-hardcore... wait, alterna... wait, ah, rock band that sounded like Fugazi fronted by Joe Strummer. All heart. I first saw them at the now defunct spot on the LES known as Brownies. I spent a lot of time there -- yes in the 90s -- but this was 2001. I know I did stuff in the aughts. Really, I did.

You can see, er, hear the growth. Still pounding out the rock and roll with Bry Webb's sweet and honest lyrics pouring through. If I made you a mix tape, “On To You” would be on it. That says more that I can type. One of my favorite songs of all time.

Over the years, I'd see The Cons a bunch of times. One particular show comes to mind. They opened for The Hold Steady at the Warsaw in November of 2006. The Warsaw is an open room with all of the ambience of a grade school gym. The Constantines hit the stage and proceeded to win the crowd. They were at the top of their game. I was a little loopy at the bar between sets and passed a comment to a friend about the The Cons having big shoes for The Hold Steady to fill. Craig Finn came from behind and said, “we've been telling people that all tour." The video for “Working Full-Time” is from that era, the song, the visuals, just one of my favorite examples of rock and roll as art.

The Constantines' final LP, Kensington Heights, was released on Kevin Drew's (Broken Social Scene) label, Arts & Crafts. There was a duet of “Islands in the Stream” with Fiest and a cover of Neil Young's “Fuckin' Up," not to mention this great video for “Our Age” directed by Kevin Drew. With each album came growth, new ways to tell familiar tales of adolescence becoming maturity. Unfortunately, like for so many others, it became time to take a break. The Cons ended their run with these words from Bry Webb during a 2010 radio interview, “I think we're just slowing down. We'll just say, see you around.”

Bry returned home to his native Guelph and continued to make music. Still honest and raw, just a little less volume. With his little boy as his inspiration, he released his first record under his own name, 2011's The Provider.

2014 is shaping up to be a busy year. Bry is ready to release his second LP, Free Will, on Canadian imprint idée fixe. Here are "Young Lions," a Constantines classic, as well as "Translator," a track from his upcoming album.

2014 marks the 11^th anniversary of Shine A Light. Time has flown by, and The Constantines will reform this summer. Hopefully I will get to see them again.

A tour to celebrate an 11^th anniversary seems so fitting.

Go see Bry Webb this May on tour with Chad VanGaalen.

5/14 Cambridge, MA @ T.T. The Bear’s Place

5/15 Brooklyn, NY @ The Bell House

5/16 Philadelphia, PA @ Milkboy

5/17 Washington, DC @ Rock and Roll Hotel

5/18 Pittsburgh, PA @ Brillobox

5/19 Cincinnati, OH @ MOTR Pub

5/20 Columbus, OH @ The Basement

5/21 Indianapolis, IN @ Do317 Lounge

5/22 Chicago, IL @ The Empty Bottle

5/31 Toronto, ON @ Massey Hall