With sparse drumbeats and heavy guitar distortion, combined with lead singer Bry Webb's throaty, chant-like vocals, the Constantines seemed to cast a spell on their audience. All the band members, with stone-faced expressions, often raised their arms straight into the air between songs, and audience members would instantly follow suit. It was like a military rally for society's rebels and misfits.
The Constantines played songs from their upcoming album, ''Tournament of Hearts," which will be released in October by Sub Pop, as well as old favorites from their last album," Shine a Light," and their self-titled debut.
Judging by the band's rendition of ''Love in Fear," from ''Tournament of Hearts," it seems that the new album will continue the Constantines' series of captivating releases. ''Love in Fear" does not employ catchy refrains or riffs. Instead, it opens with an intricate, funky guitar riff, punctuated by well-timed moments of distortion. Webb starts singing soulful lyrics that convey angst without being whiny. But the song soon takes several unexpected twists, the guitars growing louder and rougher, extending into a psychedelic climax by the end.
The crowd gave tough love to the Constantines. Instead of thundering applause at the end of the set to demand an encore, there was scattered applause punctuated by frequent, punkish yells of ''Keep playing!" and ''Go Canada!" (the Constantines are from Ontario). The band liked the response, laughing and then playing two encores, one of which was a cover of AC/DC's ''Ride On."
Oxford Collapse, from Brooklyn, N.Y., played an opening set of especially spastic dance punk, and Get Him Eat Him, from Providence, was equally spastic, but not quite as danceable.
