SHOWING THEIR SHARPER SIDE: The Most Serene Republic -- including (front row, from left) Adrian Jewett, Ryan Lenssen and Emma Ditchburn, and (back row, from left) Sean Woolven, Tony Nesbitt-Larking, Nick Greaves and Simon Lukasewich -- will introduce European crowds to its CD, Population, this spring.

The European invasion of home-grown band The Most Serene Republic (TMSR) is now underway.

On Wednesday the group began its first headlining tour through Europe, with concerts scheduled for Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom over two-and-a-half weeks.

The group is promoting its sophomore studio album, Population, which was released last September.

"We actually get to see if we have any fans in Europe," said guitarist and Milton resident Nick Greaves.

That certainly appears to be the case given the fact one of the concerts is already sold out.

Excitement is certainly the overriding emotion when it comes to this tour, Greaves said.

But the seven-member band has been together long enough to know the tour will be more than a little exhausting.

"It takes a lot out of you," Greaves said, adding he already knows he'll spend most of the days catching up on sleep in their tour van. "I'm used to it."

TMSR -- which is signed to the Arts and Crafts label, home to such artists as Broken Social Scene, Stars and Feist -- has spent the past six months or so touring and is also in pre-production for its next album.

Along with Greaves, vocalist Adrian Jewett and keyboardist Ryan Lenssen hail from Milton. Making up the rest of the band are vocalist/guitarist Emma Ditchburn, guitarist Sean Woolven, bass player Simon Lukasewich and drummer Tony Nesbitt-Larking.

Greaves speculated that the spread of the group's music through Europe is largely thanks to the Internet.

Although he acknowledged much of the music is likely being downloaded illegally, he's okay with that -- mostly.

"It's the way of the future, really," he said, adding the benefits outweigh the disadvantages.

Concert-goers are different everywhere TMSR performs, Greaves said. In Toronto, they tend to be introverted, while east coast fans are there just to have fun. New York brings "stone-faced statues," Greaves said, while Boston fans know how to dance and have a good time.

The band is hoping the fans in Europe will be enthusiastic and receptive.

"It's much more fun to see they're enjoying it as much as we do," he said.

Being part of TMSR isn't about the money. In fact, the band is still spending more than it makes when it comes to record sales, Greaves said, adding he's looking forward to the day when he can do what he loves for a living.

Local fans can catch TMSR July 26 at the Hillside Festival in Guelph.

Stephanie Hounsell can be reached at sthiessen@miltoncanadianchampion.com.