>>PREVIEW
THE REASON and COMEBACK KID
Wednesday, September 21
MacEwan Hall (U of C)
When Ontario post-punk band The Reason felt they were good enough to put out a record, they fished around for some labels. Their heart was set on Winnipeg’s Smallman records, a label that helped launch the careers of Moneen and Choke, among others. After months of begging and pleading to get someone from the label to check out their live show, they were signed in 2003.
"They came down to Ontario to see us," says lead singer Adam White. "The last song of the set I fell off the stage and put my teeth through my face and went to the hospital."
The band must have wanted to be on the Smallman roster pretty badly, and it looks like the injury might have been worth it because since the label released The Reason’s debut album, Ravenna, the band has been gaining momentum across Canada and the Northern U.S. Smallman has always had a knack for picking the underdog and the success that The Reason has seen is typical of the label. Since Winnipeg’s Comeback Kid were added to the roster, they have been added to a tour with punk rock vets Rise Against. Like The Reason, Comeback Kid are shocked at the chance they have been given.
According to Comeback Kid guitarist Andrew Neufeld, being on the road with Rise Against was a career highlight. Supporting their album, Wake the Dead, which was released in February, Comeback Kid have been touring non-stop and have found that there are some downsides to playing with one of the heavy-hitters of punk.
"This was the first time we played with barricades. It was definitely more detached than a lot of other tours, but we’re reaching a larger audience," says Neufeld. "The people are still real and it feels really good to play music to them."
Neufeld may hate the barriers, but Comeback Kid still have a job to do. And being with Smallman has opened the door for them to join punk icons Strung Out for a string of Canadian dates.
"I never thought we would be doing these kinds of tours," says Neufeld.
But being on a label is a quid pro quo situation. After landing a spot on their dream record label, The Reason now wants to keep them happy. Recently finishing a tour, they headed straight for the studio to record a three-song demo to feed the hungry Smallman execs.
"We took some time off this summer and rented a cottage and just wrote songs," says White. "Now we’re recording some of them because (Smallman) wants to hear what our new stuff is like."
And that new stuff may surprise some. The Reason are known for their cutthroat punk tunes, but they claim their music has a dance edge.
"That gets confused a lot," says White. "We mean more like funk or a hip hop kind of vibe. When people think of dance music they think of C and C Music Factory. We’re thinking more ‘Let’s Dance’ by David Bowie.
"It’s a little bit different. They’re just better songs. It’s not as heavy, but it’s still The Reason. There’s still melodies and stuff. Everyone likes it."
It’s tough to say where The Reason and Comeback Kid would be without Smallman, but both bands are embracing the opportunity to the fullest. |
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