The Canadian invasion descended on Newport Friday night when The New Pornographers and fellow Canadian bands Immaculate Machine and Destroyer played to a sold-out Southgate House crowd.

Neko Case and Kathy Calder (center) surrounded by fans at the Southgate House

"Canadian music has suffered through a lot," said Pornographers' founder Carl Newman. "Bryan Adams, Richard Marx, Shania Twain, William Shatner."

When someone mentioned that William Shatner is not a band, Newman replied, "That hasn't lessened the suffering."

The litany of Canadian assrock continued. 

"Triumph, Loverboy, Aldo Nova," said singer Neko Case.

Newman formed The New Pornographers as a Canadian super group in 1998.

"We hate the term 'super group,'" Newman said.

"Don't forget Celine Dion, Corey Hart, and Rush" said Kathy Calder of Immaculate Machine.

"I kind of like Rush," Dan Bejar of Destroyer said.

Neko Case added that the band knew it was time for a new Canadian music when Larry Gowan defected to Styx. "I think we probably just got too Canadian for you," Case then said.

The New Pornographers new CD Twin Cinema is currently climbing the Billboard charts. Destroyer's latest is Your Blues on Merge Records and Immaculate Machine recently released Ones and Zeroes.