Tragically Hip ...

direwolf74 wrote:

Interesting article/review from the Netherlands:

http://www.theagitator.net/index.php?/archives/818-The-Tragically-Hip-Prove-Energy-Matters.html

"The Tragically Hip Prove Energy Matters"

Last night, while the billion+ BBC audience (compare that to CNN's 18 million+) heard and saw the headline news of the 10th day of protests in Burma, I decided to check out of real life and and go to a rock concert.

So it was off to a performance in Amsterdam by The Tragically Hip, a Canadian rock group that packs tens of thousands into that country's stadiums and tonight put an impressive 1000+ in Amsterdam's Paradiso, one of the great and original international venues of The Rolling Stones, Dylan, and the other big '70s and '80s artists.

Paradiso was packed as Gord Downie, The Hip's lead singer, dripping sweat onto the front row, mesmerized the largely international audience with a bunch of songs about places which those caught in rapt attention by his performance would never even begin to undrestand. Like his song, “Bobcaygeon”, referring to the lakes-laden, cottage country spot east of Toronto. My guess is that not 1 out of 80 in the audience even recognized Bobcaygeon as a geographical location.

Nonetheless the audience went wild. Why? Because of the energy.

Now, believe me, I’m not a frequenter of rock performances. My American/Canadian partner Janice and her best friend MK dragged me to see “The Hip”, as they’re known by their thousands and thousands of Canadian fans. And, of course, I could go on and on about the quaintness of Canada; the fact that it has a population smaller than the Netherlands, etc., etc., not to mention their essential decency and charming naivete.

But the fact that not only did The Tragically Hip electrify the 85 or so flag-waving Canadians in the audience, it extended its brand beyond the Maple Leaf banner to capture the interest of the 700+ other Dutch, English, French and German folks in Amsterdam audience tonight.

Why? Energy. Pure and simple.

The songs were relevant. The performance superb and especially energetic. Contact with the audience was direct and moving.

It was a charged evening, and got me to thinking how important energy, and being in front of and relevant to your audience is. Not only for rock groups, but also for nonprofits.

that made me really happy!!! god i love these guys....second to pj always, so thats pretty much first. ending the show with music at work like the did on the other page, wow.that mustve been wicked. music is my favourite song to see live, and fire in the hole, but music is amazing. the way he extends the live part, repeating my music at work, my music at work, over and over again, until hes yelling it is great! like on the dvd!

restlesssoul wrote:

p fuckin s.


did you guys see the vid of the week????

greasy jungle rehearsal?

AWESOME TO SEE!

Cool! I'm gonna check that out right now.

Damn, you guys might wanna check out the song of the day as well. An amazing version of the unreleased gem "Blonde Solid".

I love the hIp!!!
whOoT its been 9 times now..
will never forget Redmond! What a beautiful venue and time...
whOoT whOot!

direwolf74 wrote:

Damn, you guys might wanna check out the song of the day as well. An amazing version of the unreleased gem "Blonde Solid".

always loved this tune... haven't heard it in a long time

Setlist- Prime Club, Koln, Germany, 09/30/07:

Ocean
New O.
Escape
Gus
In View
Bob C.
Nautical
Courage
Pretend
Family Band
Meridian
ABAC
Luv(sic)
Music
Bones

---

Rink
Fireworks


Looks like a shorter set than normal. A couple of folks from the Hipbase were at the show, and they mentioned that the Prime Club is similar to the Horeshoe Tavern in Toronto, only smaller. It must have been incredible seeing them in a place that small.

"Courage", live from the Paradiso in Amsterdam:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=j2B2Ng7dWmo

random bump - listening to Luv(sic) right now!

That night in London: The Tragically Hip
By Natasia Kalajdziovski

The Strand
The student newspaper of Victoria University in the University of Toronto •
http://media.www.thestrand.ca/media/storage/paper404/news/2007/10/04/FilmMusic/That-Night.In.London.The.Tragically.Hip-3013134.shtml

"What could be more Canadian than a rainy night in London, England? Well, many other things, like the Summit Series perhaps, falling in love during a hockey game, summer cottages near Muskoka, or sitting at the lonely end of rink, you might say. But for one group of expatriate Canadians, the epitome of everything red and white was encompassed within none other than five men, a hockey jersey, and their instruments: The Tragically Hip.

Say what you will about their music, but one thing is undeniably true: these boys from Kingston bring a piece of home with them wherever they go. Over the years, the Hip have released over ten albums, their most recent being World Container at the end of 2006. Musically speaking, their signature sound ranges from nostalgic twangy ballads like "Fiddler's Green" or "Bobcaygeon," to high-energy folk-infused college hard rock like "Fireworks" or "Fifty Mission Cap". Every one of their songs has the ability to strike a chord within the heart of any true Canadian, regardless of their musical inclinations.

Living in London, I never thought I would have the opportunity to see one of my favorite Canadian bands so up close and personal, so when the chance came along to see the Hip for a one-night only gig, I painfully handed over the pounds to see them perform. And, in all honesty, it was one of the best shows I have ever been to. I must also admit that I haven't always been such a diehard fan of the Hip, but over the years, I've embraced their music and all that comes with it.

It seems to me that the Hip suffer from a unique ailment in their home country: they are either loved for the content and 'Canadian-ness' of their music, or they are loathed for the same reason, mixed with a distaste for their generic sound -which in my opinion, is appropriate for the content. However, everyone in attendance that night at the Astoria undeniably had blood as thick as maple syrup. I frankly do not think that I met one Londoner there; the numerous Leaf jerseys, the myriad of Roots sweatpants, and the proud waving of the Canadian flag all made it very clear that this gig was an exclusive invitation to every Canadian who happened to find themselves in London that night.

The opening band Forever Like Red, perhaps the worst opening band in the history of opening bands ,struck so painfully at our eardrums that the crowd drowned them out with a drunken chorus of 'Oh Canada'. I kid you not. The only thing that would have done the maple leaf more proud would have been if Don Cherry had ridden out on a moose carrying a beaver that was drinking a double double.

After the opening band effectively committed suicide on stage, the Hip made their grand entrance with "Yer Not the Ocean" to the delight of the crowd on their feet. The usually reserved Gord Downie physically encapsulated the texture of every song, as if telling an epic story rather than singing a three minute effigy. During a twenty-minute rendition of "At the Hundredth Meridian" halfway through the show, Downie jumped off the stage into the crowd where my friend saw it fit, upon his request, to give him a purple nurple -she cites this as the defining moment of her life. As the band started to play "Bobcaygeon", the mood moved from manic to mellow and Downie dropped all pretenses, sat on an amp, and serenaded the audience with an acoustic accoutrement.

After an unusually long set, the band was of course encouraged into an encore, where they closed with a spectacular show of "Fireworks" that brought the crowd together under a sea of lights and sounds, to an idea of a land that only we could understand. Although we were all in England, for whatever gap of time, it was this -a brief collision of culture, common causality, and musical joy- that was able to bring us all back to that goal in '72, back to where the great plains begin, back to those nights in Toronto and all those checkerboard floors."



"the usually reserved Gord Downie." --hmm..not sure which Gord Downie she's used to seeing, but that dude is far from reserved. Perhaps she means when he's not on stage?

I like this article, but I disagree with her assessment that the band's sound is "generic". I see this word thrown around often in regards to the Hip, mostly from elitist holier than though music snobs. I've never quite understood where that opinion comes from exactly. Is it because they're on a major label? Is it because they play a unique brand of kick-you-in-the-nuts hard rock in an age where lo-fi indie bands are the flavour of the year? Anybody who actually takes the time to absorb and listen to the music will notice that these guys can play anything: rock, pop, blues, folk, country, metal, punk, piano ballads...hell, they even wandered into reggae-rock territory on World Container (The Kids Don't Get it, Lonely End of the Rink). Any band who can slip in and out of genres this comfortably is far from generic. The Hip may not be as innovative or genre bending as someone like Radiohead or Wilco, but that certainly doesn't mean they're not pushing the envelope with their own sound. Pearl Jam is another band who gets flak from critics for the same reasons, and it annoys me to no end.

**end of rant**

is this the most participated appreciation thread on TenClub?
I think so.
i definitely need to check out this band it seems.