ALEXIS ON FIRE ANNOUNCES FINAL FAREWELL TOUR.

The Canadian Press reports that a year after a rocky breakup, Alexisonfire has announced plans for a farewell tour.

The Juno Award-winning post-hardcore rockers from St. Catharines, Ont., will launch the reunion trek at London's 02 Academy on Dec. 3, according to a graphic posted to the group's official website.

From there, the group will play two shows in Australia before hitting Canada for gigs in Edmonton, Calgary and Montreal.

The tour will wrap with a pair of dates at Toronto's Sound Academy on Dec. 26 and 27.

The quintet announced their split last August in a blog post, in which singer George Pettit said the breakup was necessary but "not really" amicable.

He added that fellow singer Dallas Green had informed the rest of the group that he wanted to focus on his Juno-winning City and Colour solo project, and the band decided to dissolve soon afterward.

A rep for Alexisonfire confirmed recently that the band's full lineup was expected to take part in the reunion.

ALEXISONFIRE IS LESS MANIC BUT STILL ROWDY?

Says Jason McNeil in the Toronto Sun. They are definitely not the kids they used to be but St. Catharines rock band Alexisonfire have managed to age gracefully when it comes to delivering an aggressive performance.The band - playing the first of two evenings at Toronto's Sound Academy Thursday night - weren't quite the manic, screaming quintet earlier albums like 2004's Watch Out would indicate. But the new style of rowdy, punk-meets-rockabilly they have going for them now seems just as palatable.

Led by vocalist George Pettit but with healthy help from Dallas Green and Wade MacNeil, Alexisonfire opened with Young Cardinals, the first single off last year's album Old Crows/Young Cardinals. Here MacNeil's wails complemented Green's slightly softer side quite nicely. Read the rest here. Billy is friends with KJ and I.