[direwolf74]

From CBC Radio 3:

It's so close you can almost hear the rumble of the Rolling Tundra Revue - the coast-to-coast tour that features the Weakerthans and the Constantines - and to mark the occasion, the Cons have just released Too Slow For Love, a companion EP to their acclaimed full-length, Kensington Heights.

Recorded at the Bathouse in Kingston, Too Slow For Love features alternate version of four tracks from Kensington Heights, which the Associated Press named Rock Album of the Year in 2008, as well as stripped-down versions of songs from Tournament of Hearts, Shine A Light and more.

The EP is available for free with the purchase of Kensington Heights, and for now, you can pick up both for $5.99 at the Arts & Crafts store or iTunes.

The Rolling Tundra Revue kicks off this Thursday in St. John's Newfoundland, and will travel right across Canada to Victoria, BC and up to Whitehorse, YT.

Too Slow For Love Track list:

1. Young Lions (Stripped down version, originally from Shine A Light)
2. Shower of Stones (Stripped down version, originally from Kensington Heights)
3. Conductor (Stripped down version, originally from Tournament of Hearts)
4. Our Age (Stripped down version, originally from Kensington Heights)
5. Strange Birds (originally by Jon Langford & The Sadies)
6. Do What You Can Do (Stripped down version, originally from Kensington Heights)
7. I Will Not Sing A Hateful Song (Stripped down version, originally from Kensington Heights)

Very cool. I'm gonna have to buy this.

[Plymouthshallowgrave]

I'm getting excited for this, hopefully catching the Regina show before I head east for a bit. It will be my first time seeing the Weakerthans!

[mojo_mattv]

I've got tickets for the last Toronto show. Never been to the phoenix before, anybody know what it's like?

One of the bigger GA clubs I've been too. Decent enough sound. and there's a bit of a balcony at the back. I can imagine it being a little crammed for this gig. It's probably the only venue they could have played, though there are definitely better ones in Toronto.

Sorry, the information on the Phoenix's site is woefully inadequate. Is this a standing room only venue. If I'm looking to see the show and not battle for any foot room for my girlfriend is my best bet probably taking a spot on the balcony? Also does anybody have any pic's of the Phoenix just so I can get a general idea? Sorry to be so pushy but the shows tomorrow night and I'd like to know lol Thanks!

[grimes]

I've got tickets for the last Toronto show. Never been to the phoenix before, anybody know what it's like?

One of the bigger GA clubs I've been too. Decent enough sound. and there's a bit of a balcony at the back. I can imagine it being a little crammed for this gig. It's probably the only venue they could have played, though there are definitely better ones in Toronto.

Sorry, the information on the Phoenix's site is woefully inadequate. Is this a standing room only venue. If I'm looking to see the show and not battle for any foot room for my girlfriend is my best bet probably taking a spot on the balcony? Also does anybody have any pic's of the Phoenix just so I can get a general idea? Sorry to be so pushy but the shows tomorrow night and I'd like to know lol Thanks!

It's standing room only on the floor. The balcony is tiny. It's been a while since I've been up there but if I recall correctly there's usually some seats set up right against the edge, and enough room for a few rows of people to stand behind and still have a decent view. Downstairs will be packed tight up front, but you can usually get some breathing room if you pick a spot towards the back near the soundboard...

[chris]

Here's the view from the side of the balcony.

There are two levels to the balcony - including a small bar. Get there early if you want a seat along the rail, at one of the tables.

The floor will be full at the front, but at every show I've seen there, including The Hip, there's been room to freely move about at the back of the floor area behind the soundboard.

The photo makes the place look bigger than it is.

[grimes]

Awesome show at the Phoenix tonight. I was hoping to make in time for The Waking Eyes but unfortunately I didn't get there until just before the Cons went on. Anybody want to take a stab at the setlists? I won't even bother trying the Cons, but the Weakerthans was something like this:

Everything Must Go
Reconstruction Site
Night Windows
Our Retired Explorer
Tournament of Hearts
The reasons
Plea from a cat named virtute
Civil Twilight
Relative Surplus Value
Benediction
Aside
Elegy for Elsabet
Left & Leaving
Manifest

One Great City
Confessions of a Futon-Revolutionist
This is a Fire Door Never Leave Open
Fallow

Anchorless
Pamphleteer

It's probably woefully out of order (and maybe missing a song?) so feel free to correct me. A great set though, Elegy & Fallow were the highlights if I had to pick two, and Pamphleteer was a perfect closer...

[Graham]

Opened with Everything Must Go huh...interesting choice..Anchorless! Kickass! Not sure if I've heard that one live..

What I like about the Weakerthans is that, over their 4-album career, they have never abandoned any old material for their live shows. Regardless of what your favourite song is, there is always a realistic chance of you actually hearing it. A lot of bands seem to slow down playing their old material or only play a select few, predictable tracks from their past. Weakerthan's setlists are always chalk full of older tunes.

[grimes]

^ Yeah great points. That was my sixth time seeing them live, and it was my first time for three older songs - Fallow, Elegy, and Anchorless (Now if only they would play Exiles among you). Anchorless was particularly interesting, they did it with each member of the band playing some sort of handheld keyboard. It was an almost techno-like version of the song. I'm not actually 100% sure they opened with Everything Must Go. I did the setlist purely from memory when I got home at the end of the night, and while I'm pretty confident I got all of the songs, for the life of me I couldn't remember which was first. After some deliberations I settled on Everything must go - was anyone else at the show that can confirm that?

[direwolf74]

Pamhleteer as a closer must have been amazing. Sounds like it was a great show. Anybody know what the Constantines played?

[mojo_mattv]

Weakerthans were awesome, The Waking Eyes were pretty good and The Constantines... I think my girlfriend put it best when she said "I feel like my ears have just been violated." Some of it was ok but for the majority of their songs it seemed like they just turned their amps up as loud as possible and a solid wall of noise kept hitting you. On top of their singer sounded like a ride operator at an amusement park before the ride starts, you know when they just mumble all of those safety rules. I didn't like them when I saw them open for the hip in the Shwa and people told me to check them out again, the p.a. sounded bad for them there etc. Let's just say they're not much of a live band.

[chris]

Weakerthans were awesome, The Waking Eyes were pretty good and The Constantines... I think my girlfriend put it best when she said "I feel like my ears have just been violated." Some of it was ok but for the majority of their songs it seemed like they just turned their amps up as loud as possible and a solid wall of noise kept hitting you. On top of their singer sounded like a ride operator at an amusement park before the ride starts, you know when they just mumble all of those safety rules. I didn't like them when I saw them open for the hip in the Shwa and people told me to check them out again, the p.a. sounded bad for them there etc. Let's just say they're not much of a live band.

That's pretty much how I feel - and why I won't be seeing them any time soon.

[direwolf74]

Regarding the Constantines, I couldn't disagree more. I freakin' LOVE that band. I'd argue that they're right up there with Wintersleep and The Weakerthans as one of the best indie-rock bands in Canada. I've seen them live three times over the last couple of years and they've blown me away every single time. Their show at Virgin Fest in Calgary last summer was probably the best of the three (especially when Gord came out and sang on "Do What You Can Do".) Different strokes I guess.

[sherpahigh]

Yup. I'm more excited for the consantines portion of the show than the weakerthans, myself.

[mojo_mattv]

Yup. I'm more excited for the consantines portion of the show than the weakerthans, myself.

Prepare for disappointment.

[sherpahigh]

Yup. I'm more excited for the consantines portion of the show than the weakerthans, myself.

Prepare for disappointment.

hahaha... nah.

i mean, i'm stoked to see the weakerthans too, no doubt. but the constantines are a kick ass band and their latest album ranks up there near the top for me in 08'. It's gonna be a good show. 8)