Photo from Fiddle While You Burn

The Constantines define catharsis. Their music is roiling drumbeat punctuated by growls, yelps and howls and cut with cleaver-like guitars. I caught them last night at the Doug Fir, touring in support of their latest, Hard Feelings, which is another step forward for them artistically, as well as a hard-charging ride. Seeing them live is like being continually slammed against a concrete wall, but in a very good, satisfying way. You walk out of a Constantines show spent, staggering and smiling from ear to ear. They are rock and roll.

In short, these guys are awesome.

That awesome was on full display last night, as they ripped through new songs (Trans Canada, Brother Run Them Down) as well as old standards (Young Lions, To The Lullibies), barely pausing to speak and only mentioning that Steve, their fifth member, was back home with a broken hand, after the first eight songs. It was business from the word “go” and despite the fact that I spent the second half of the show behind a very jubilant Kenny Rogers impersonator.

Dance! you gambler, you.

So, while Bry and the band were deafing each of us with both their explosiveness and their extended periods of charged silence, I was treated to a boppy-dancing bearded man. I can’t imagine how a show could be more enjoyable.

Oh wait, for the encore, the band brought up one of their opening acts, Ladyhawk (awesome in their own right and very, very Canadian) onto the stage and proceeded to tear through The Rolling Stones’ “Street Fighting Man” at a fever pitch, complete with the lead singer/guitarist for Ladyhawk, Duffy, who writes a pretty funny blog on the side and happens to be a squat, pudgy, bearded, French/Canadian-looking guy, doing a spot-on Mick Jagger impression. Half of the audience was doubled over in laughter at one point or another during the encore. That is, when they weren’t getting their socks rocked off.

If you can’t picture that, then here’s a picture to help:

Duffy is in the top left with a PBR in his hand. But I’m sure visualizing any of these guys doing a Jagger impression makes you pee your pants, just a little.

Speaking of Ladyhawk, they’re worth giving a listen. They were very solid, even if they are the pasty-est, most inappropriately bearded group of fellas this side of the Yukon Territory.

The first opener, a band called The Weather Underground, was also very entertaining. Give them a listen here.

And, just in case my summation of The Constantines didn’t convey exactly how much they rock, here’s an example of how good they are live…

Pretty much just like that, minus the hail. That’s why I can’t hear properly this morning.