by LORRAINE CARPENTER

Widely rumoured to be Toronto's hottest rock property, the Constantines bear the marks of Fugazi's indie ethos, the Clash's thinking rebellion and Springsteen's rock-poppin' vein strain. The quintet recently signed to Sub Pop, but their Canadian base is Three Gut, a label whose Guelph-to-T.O. move mirrors the band's migration to the big city and the big time.

A definitive moment for the Constantines came a year ago, the night after selling out Toronto's Lee's Palace, when the band returned to Guelph to play their last show in the venue that eased them to fame - their old living room.

"It was amazing, but it was kind of a weird, weepy night," says singer Bry Webb. "And it was our first show on the ground floor. We always played in the basement but the newer tenants are less afraid of the neighbours and the cops. Actually, the last of those folks moved out yesterday. I had to get my piano out of there. That was our last connection to the place."

Another sign of changing times is the band's keyboardist, Whil Kidman, enlisted shortly before recording their sophomore album, Shine a Light, due out August 19.

"Because there's five people playing now, we're learning to hold back, to leave more space," says Webb, "and our sound isn't so obviously referencing other bands."

But don't count out the Boss, whose vocal and melodic influence grunts its way into the Constantines' most pop moments yet, according to Webb, who took his mom to La Bruce's recent show.

"He's still giving it, he's still sliding on his knees across the stage," he says. "There's not many shows these days that you and your mom can both feel really excited about."

And Mrs. Webb was equally eager to bond with Bry in the studio, Blue Rodeo's studio, specifically. "She's a big fan of theirs, so she visited one day, and she's on the record now - I got her to yell, 'Turn it up!' for one song," says Webb, thinking back to his basement jamming days.

"You know, she never actually told me to turn it down."

With Trans Am, Tangiers and the Swallows at Club Soda on Saturday, May 10, 7PM, $15

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