The Republic of Champions

The Republic of Champions assemble regularly in a small, graffiti encrusted room in the heart of downtown Winnipeg, Manitoba. There, among the couches, broken wheelchairs, aging guitars, and beer soaked flooring they ponder the state of the world, the state of their surroundings, the state of their city, and the state of themselves, through music. For some, this process would culminate in fits of despair and failing. For them, it has produced a subject matter that rages against mediocrity and has fuelled the kind of onstage performance that provokes even the most subdued of onlookers to a modicum of reckless abandon.

First forming in 2003 under the name The City Champs, they nestled nicely into the local and highly active punk scene in their home town. Disbanding in 2006 to get jobs, change cities and pursue other musical endeavours, they reformed in 2009 under the new banner, The Republic of Champions, upon realizing that home is not where one lays one’s head, but rather where one’s Champs are. With renewed focus and vigour they quickly re-kindled a soft spot in the hearts of Winnipeg punk and indie rockers and secured a seat in Winnipeg’s highly active music scene – this time fusing gripping guitar riffs (think Jawbreaker/Leatherface/The Gaslight Anthem), with keyboards and female vocals.

In the past year and a half, The Republic of Champions have shared stages with such bands as Young Rival, Autistic Youth, SNFU, and Sights and Sounds. They have received acclaim through local media sites, and recently released a five song e.p. (“Notice of Termination”) recorded in part by Rusty Matyas (The Waking Eyes, The Weakerthans, Imaginary Cities) and mixed by Prairie Sound Recording Company (The Constantines, The Weakerthans). While gearing up for a Canadian tour/full-length release in the late spring of 2011, they are setting their sights high for the future and in their spare time wonder what life will be like when The Boss is a regular dinner guest. More than all that though, the members – Andrew, Andrew, Dave, and Maria – have found a home within the band itself and consider themselves lucky beyond measure to get to play music at all.