npredictable circumstances are the norm when you’re a touring band, like sleeping on stranger’s floors and being handcuffed to a bench at the border because of forgetting to empty pockets of illicit contents. Or as Oliver Crowe, bassist for Montreal band the Stills, found himself after a show partying at a gay bar and as he put it from his hotel room in Calgary, “I took my shirt off and danced like a bitch! What a good time!”

Three years has past since the release of 2003’s Logic Will Break Your Heart, the disc that propelled them into the hipper than thou spotlight. The band toured almost non-stop for two years in North America and overseas playing alongside the likes of the Strokes, Interpol, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and were invited to play at Coachella Music Festival in 2004. And exposure on Carson Daly and Late Night with Conan O’Brien only increased their popularity.

After spending last fall and a cold Montreal winter fine tuning and tweaking their new record, the Stills are ready to unleash their retro-influenced arty pop rock that is a little more comprehensive and not so angst-ridden. The growth and maturity of the new songs sees the band enjoying their evolution.

The Stills have been promoting their sophomore disc, Without Feathers (the title which refers to a more stripped down sound), which is being released May 9th on Vice Records.

For those who missed their single Toronto appearance in March at the Strut magazine party, there’s been a slight line up change: Greg Paquet (guitarist) is no longer in the mix; Dave Hamelin (main songwriter) has moved from behind the drums and is playing guitar and singing alongside bandmate Tim Fletcher (guitarist, singer). Liam O’Neill (keyboards) is now a permanent member and percussing behind the kit is Julien Blais.

“Julien is finally the missing link that we have been looking for for a long time,” explains Crowe. “Everyone is excited and things couldn’t be better. I attribute a lot of it to the fact that Dave is finally singing his songs and we have a great drummer who happens to be a great human being.”

After mid-May, the boys go home for a short break (laundry, hug from a loved one, sleeping in their own bed) before heading back to the States and then doing summer gigs in Europe. “We’re going everywhere on this record!” Says an excited Crowe. “Europe, Asia, the Americas, the Artic! The plan is world domination!”

Their gig at the Phoenix is their biggest headlining gig in Toronto and this city has taken an immediate liking to them and the feeling seems to be reciprocal. “We got some surprises in store that I will not divulge and they can expect a terrific show,” says Crowe. “We can’t wait to play Toronto! It’s probably our best market and some of our most intense gigs we’ve played.”

Tickets for the May 11th show are sold out and tix for the 12th are almost gone. For those who are anxious to hear a single off the new disc (In The Beginning), go to www.myspace.com/thestills. - J.B.

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