...as the Poets Affirm is a Canadian independent band from Ottawa, Ontario, formed in 2001. The band began as a three-piece acoustic project, and later evolved into a seven-member lineup experimenting with jazz, classical and electronica. Their name is taken from a line in Dante's Inferno.

The band's 2004 album The Jaws that Bite, The Claws that Catch reached the top five in !earshot, Canada's national campus radio chart, in February of 2005 blank">http://www.earshot-online.com/charts/2005/February/top200.html. The band has also received airplay on _CBC Radio 3 and Brave New Waves.

The group has played alongside many notable Canadian acts such as The Dears, Destroyer, Apostle of Hustle, Sunset Rubdown, Elliott Brood, P:ano, and Rock Plaza Central.

Their full catalog is available through Zunior, an online record label run by Dave Ullrich of The Inbreds.

AS THE POETS AFFIRM was born out of a group of independent Ottawa musicians in 2001. What started as a three-piece acoustic project, eventually turned into an eclectic seven-member lineup. AWAKE, the band’s third full-length, touches on jazz, classical and live IDM. It was released in 2006 on the Zunior label. Gary Udle (Guitar), Nathan Gara (Percussion), Ryan Patterson (Guitar), Ben Belanger (Vocals/ Keys/ Trumpet), Adam Saikaley (Keys/Clarinet), Alex Cairncross (Bass), Cindy Olberg (Cello).