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When Port Citizen called it a day following their New Year's performance last year, the local music scene lost one of its most popular acts. While the band members have moved on to a series of new endeavours and adventures, they retain fond memories of their four years together. “We were known as a band that you had a good time to,” recalls drummer Jon Holmes. “It was a fun band to play in.”
It seems that these goods times are set to roll once again—if only temporarily—with the announcement of three upcoming reunion gigs.
The story of Port Citizen begins with that of Supercar, the popular skater-punk band formed in 1992 by high school friends Pete MacDonald, Brodie Read, Jon Holmes, and Andrew MacLaine. After rising to the top of the then-vibrant all-ages community the group dissolved in 1998 when MacLaine left the province.
After taking some time off, the three remaining friends reunited in 1999 under the name Port Citizen. While the personnel remained essentially the same, the sound was radically different. Punk influences were supplanted by the sound of reggae. As Holmes notes, this change was a part of growing up. “I got over my teen angst. I got sick of those punk beats.”
Port Citizen's sound took root with Charlottetown audiences, and before long the band was touring throughout the Maritimes. Pleasing crowds with a mix of original compositions and covers by the likes of the Police and the Specials, they found their popularity on the rise. This culminated in the 2001 release of their excellent CD, Por que No?
The band's split was prompted by Read's decision last fall to relocate to British Columbia. Since then his bandmates have resurfaced in a number of musical projects. Holmes spent six months on the road with Cape Breton's Slowcoaster, and can currently be spotted behind the drum kit with Charlottetown's Give. MacDonald has kept busy playing bass with locals Motel Money Murder and Chastity.
This is not the bandmates' first experience with reunions. Supercar has performed one-offs periodically since 1998. “We milk 'em dry,” laughs Holmes over the idea of the constant reunion shows. While jokes about capitalizing on their enduring popularity rolled out, it was noted that a live recording of the band's performance at the final UPEI Drink the Barn Dry event in 2002, as well as a few unrecorded originals, are still kicking around. Whether any of these unreleased items will see the light of day remains to be seen. For now, fans can look forward to getting their Port Citizen fix at the upcoming shows. As an enthusiastic Holmes states, “I just want to see people come out and share in the love.”
Gigs are December 31 at Baba's Lounge, January 2 at Melon's, and January 10 at UPEI Wave.
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