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The Tragically Hip
Juno Awards: City and Colour with Gord Downie
Published March 31, 2009 @ 11:06 in The Tragically Hip
Because I didn't watch the Junos, I missed City and Colour with Gord Downie performing one of my favourite tracks of 2008. This is "Sleeping Sickness."
Tragically Hip - Love is a First
Published March 19, 2009 @ 19:24 in SLS, The Tragically Hip
I wasn't sure I liked "Morning Moon", the first song I heard from the new Tragically Hip album. This tune, however, sounds great. I can't get enough of it. It's a great choice for the first single from We Are The Same. If fellow Hip fans recognize the lyrics, you heard them in Gord's rant in the middle of the song "Fully Completely" on the DVD That Night in Toronto. I was there at the ACC that night, and coincidentally named my review "That Night in Toronto".
Waving the White Flag: Unable to Part with Money
Published March 3, 2009 @ 10:27 in The Tragically Hip
I made sure I was logged in to thehip.com at 9:30 and I started my F5ing at about 9:56 am. That's when I first got this:
That can't be good. A few reloads of Firefox later, and I was welcomed. Unfortunately, it wasn't the welcome I was hoping for.
Eventually, I got this exciting new error message.
After fifteen minutes of this crap, I saw a light at the end of the tunnel. An image loaded!
I was determined to see my band for an eleventh time. Now, the header was loading, so I felt optimistic.
Oh great.. a new challenge to overcome...
A half hour in, I had to bail. I have work to do... and a 12 o'clock meeting to prepare for. The real world beckons and I can't afford to play the F5 challenge with thehip.com all morning. I gave it one last shot...
I give up. Unless a fellow Hip fan or a member of the Hip team grants this fan his wish, I won't be updating http://www.torontomike.com/tragicallyhip.html again this May. I know when I'm licked.
Tragically Hip at Massey Hall in May
Published March 2, 2009 @ 13:58 in The Tragically Hip
05/11/09: Toronto: Massey Hall Ticket Pre-sales for the tour start on Tuesday, March 3rd at 10:00am for Registered Users of thehip.com.
We Are The Same's Morning Moon
Published February 12, 2009 @ 08:57 in The Tragically Hip
The full track listing is: Morning Moon Here's that first single, Morning Moon.
Your Tragically Hip Primer
Published December 6, 2008 @ 15:10 in The Tragically Hip
In 1989, I heard "Blow at High Dough" on Q107. The bluesy rock sound so captivated me, my buddy Joe and I headed downtown the next weekend so I could buy The Tragically Hip's Up To Here at Sam the Record Man. He picked up Alice Cooper's Welcome to my Nightmare, but I digress. I came home and played my first Hip album and I was smitten. "New Orleans Is Sinking" and "Boots or Hearts" would also make Q107's Top Ten at 10, but I'm going to share another track from this magnificent slice of Cancon. "38 Years Old" wasn't sung live since 1993 until one magic night at Fort York in 2006. I was there and here's that performance that gave me goosebumps. Again, in a ritual I was loyal to when it involved "my bands", I eagerly anticipated Road Apples and couldn't wait to get my grubby mitts on it in 1991. "Little Bones" exploded on the charts, but there were other gems, including this song which would have been my wedding song had I had a real wedding with music and all. This is "Long Time Running." Then, when you thought things couldn't get any better with this amazing Kingston, Ontario band, they released "Fully Completely." Are you kidding me? This album had amazing rock numbers like "Courage," "Looking for a Place to Happen," "At the Hundredth Meridian" and "Locked in the Trunk of a Car," a Toronto Maple Leafs anthem that introduced me to Bill Barilko in "Fifty Mission Cap" and perhaps the sweetest song I've ever heard, drenched in Canadiana and opening with a call from a loon. Yes, a friggin' loon! Here's "Wheat Kings." Hip fans get it. If you don't, it's probably better for us that you don't understand. If I had to name my favourite band of all-time, my answer would be The Tragically Hip. They offer me an ideal blend of great bluesy rock numbers, tender ballads, amazing live performances while weaving a uniquely Canadian tapestry that evokes both pride and the satisfaction that they belong to us. No, they never made it big in the United States, but that hasn't stopped me from seeing them ten times. I've enjoyed every release since Fully Completely, the album that broke them for the masses. Every release has a wonderful gem or two or three. Here's one of my most recent favourites, "It's a Good Life if you Don't Weaken" from their 2002 CD In Violet Light. If you want to see more official Hip videos, I once compiled them all on one convenient page. Now how to end my Tragically Hip primer... I know! Here's what should have become the new opening for Hockey Night in Canada. This one is "Lonely End of the Rink" from their most recent album, World Container. If you're still interested, check out my Tragically Hip page and my tribute to Bill Barilko. Others in this series:
Start the Fireworks
Published October 3, 2008 @ 19:15 in The Tragically Hip
Damn, that's sweet. It doesn't get more Canadian than that. When I hear Gord sing this verse, think about the ties that bind this country. I think about our national team successes and the NHL. I think about the sport I love. Games that actually count begin tomorrow. According to my handy dandy Toronto Mike Countdown Clock, there are only 6 days, 0 hours, 36 minutes, and 58 seconds left until the Maple Leafs opener. I can't wait. Another thing I realized while belting out "Fireworks" at the top of my lungs is that I haven't seen the Hip live since February 8, 2007. That's the longest I've gone without a Hip concert in over a decade. We're way overdue for a Toronto show.
The Recording of Sleeping Sickness
Published May 19, 2008 @ 09:26 in The Tragically Hip
It's a sweet blend when Dallas Green's voice dances with Gord's. Here's a neat little behind the scenes vid. Unfortunately, we don't see Gord sing, but we do see him in a very cool Return of the Jedi tee shirt.
Damhnait Doyle Covers Das Hip's Bobcaygeon
Published April 13, 2008 @ 15:38 in The Tragically Hip
I caught wind of this new release because one of the tracks Doyle covers is The Tragically Hip's "Bobcaygeon", one of my favourite songs from my favourite band. You can hear it right here where Damhnait Doyle is streaming her entire album. It's worth a visit just to hear her covers of other awesome songs, like Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart", The Clash's "Train in Vein" and Foo Fighter's "Everlong".
City and Colour with Gord Downie - Sleeping Sickness
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Published February 20, 2008 @ 09:47 in The Tragically Hip, Weekly MP3s
City And Colour - Sleeping Sickness Yes, I'm biased, but you are in Toronto Mike bias-ville. |
I didn't watch a minute of the Juno Awards. Does that make me a bad Canadian? The artists receiving the big hype weren't my cup of tea and I cringe at the thought that Canadian music is now synonymous with Nickelback.
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3 Comments
I'm submitting a song for 
I almost titled this entry "Too Old for this Shit." I've been trying to give The Tragically Hip my hard-earned money since 10am this morning. I mentioned 
Driving home tonight, I heard The Tragically Hip's "Fireworks". I love that song, and it always makes me think about hockey. Here's the opening verse.
I share an MP3 from