“Tin Constellations delivered a standout performance that delighted both our attendees and our team. The audience feedback was nothing short of spectacular.” - Alison Bowie, AD @ Ottawa Grassroots Festival
BIO
Tin Constellations is a sometimes four-piece, sometimes six-piece indie-folk band based in Ottawa, Ontario. The band’s sound is built on equal parts melodic narratives, compelling harmonies, participatory sing-along anthems, and indie pop sensibilities. Instrumentation features soaring violins, rolling bass, and thoughtful percussion courtesy of band members Christine Graves (vocals, percussion), Brent Smith (vocals, guitar), Rob Snasdell-Taylor (vocals, bass), and Andrew Robertson (vocals, violin, Mandobird). Special Guest Constellations include Sally Robertson on Cello and James Leahy on Accordian. Exploring lyrical traditions from murder ballads to folk fables inspired by the eastern woods and northern skies, the Tin Cons’ catalogue finds something beautiful in the vernacular, the pastoral, and the prosaic moments of daily life.
Emerging from Ottawa’s infamous local songwriter’s incubator at Meow! That’s Hot!, members Smith, Snasdell-Taylor and Robertson began performing together in 2022. In late 2024, Ottawa folk luminary Christine Graves joined the lineup after working with Smith on a forthcoming four-part murder ballad project. As a solo artist, Graves continues to make an impact, releasing five acclaimed albums including 2023’s Everyday Life and hosting the monthly Lucky Songs songwriter’s circle in Ottawa. Bringing evocative songwriting and experience that includes serving as artistic director for Blueskies (2006 - 2008) and decades touring and performing, Graves adds depth and vibrancy to the Tin Con’s sound.
Consistently selling out live performances at ~100 seat venues including Ottawa’s beloved Irene’s and Redbird, the Tin Cons have toured Ontario, playing at such renowned venues as The Wolfe Island Hotel, Kingston’s The Mansion and Café Musicale, and Toronto’s legendary icons The Cameron House and Dakota Tavern. The band also enjoys playing to sold out tap room crowds at indie breweries including Stray Dog Brewing Company (Orleans) and TWB Co-operative Brewing (Kitchener). Honoured to share a stage with acts including Lives Like Skyscrapers, The Mill-Rights, Andrew Vincent, Redfox and I, The Mountain, the Tin Constellations have built a solid reputation for memorable shows in venues big and small.
With an upcoming EP Release, “COBDEN”, Tin Constellations continues to explore the intersections of harmony and narrative, performing live across Ontario. Future work delves into the relationship we enjoy with the wooded hinterlands of Eastern Ontario/Western Quebec.
“Blending folk and pop Ottawa's The Tin Constellations come at music with penchant for earworm melodies and thoughtful narrative lyrics. This combination has them living in a utopian musical landscape in which Van Dyke Parks left LA for a quiet life in the Appalachians, where he turned to writing murder ballads and songs about birds and ornithology. Flock to see them now!” - Tom O'Connor @ The Sound Affect
“The Tin Constellations, who are all from the National Capital Region, are a quartet led by Brent Smith on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Rob Snasdell-Taylor on bass, Andrew Robertson on exceptional fiddle and Christine Graves – their newest member – on percussion and harmony. Where [openers] ... Tin Constellations were more kinetic, particularly the principal-songwriter Brent, who twisted his wiry frame in constant choreography, all the while singing and chatting the audience up with great enthusiasm. Brent led their set with a solo ditty, then he and Christine duo-ed on the serious ‘I Will Fight No Man’s War’ and then the full band were into it. Brent’s song subjects are far ranging, and this evening they included: Aldershot Station, what birds might be thinking, a woman who went over Niagara Falls (my favourite), robots on a space station and more.” - Phil Jenkins, Arts and Entertainment Reporter
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