The Tragically Hip
Tragically Hip on Canada Day Review #ohcanada!
Published by Toronto Mike on July 2, 2011 @ 23:00 in The Tragically Hip
 I did a double take when I realized I had last seen The Tragically Hip live in concert back in February 2007. That was my 10th time seeing Das Hip, and last night was #11.
The weather was perfect... warm and breezy, and the opening bands were stellar. Hey Rosetta! lived up to the hype, Broken Social Scene was their typical solid self and Weezer threatened to steal the show. But on Canada Day, the Hip won't be beat.
I've added the setlist to my personal Tragically Hip page, and I've updated my setlist statistics. We got "At The Hundredth Meridian" again, making it the only song I've seen live 11 times.
It was a great day of tunes, followed by a sweet firework display. Happy birthday, Canada.
Family Band: 5-minute Hip Doc
Published by Toronto Mike on March 17, 2011 @ 13:26 in The Tragically Hip
In this short documentary about The Tragically Hip, director David Battistella uses a split-screen and acid-etched colours to distil the iconic Canadian band’s essence. After decades together, through hotels, highways, gigs and recording sessions, The Hip’s members have forged a powerful brotherhood. "These guys are my life partners, musically" says bass guitarist Gord Sinclair. The Hip's brand of straight-ahead rock and roll has catapulted the band to international stardom, and ensured them a place in Canadian musical history, but at heart, they remain a bunch of guys from Kingston, Ontario, making music together just for fun.
This film was produced for the 2008 Governor General's Performing Arts Award..
I'll be seeing them Canada Day. Can't wait.
HNIC Intro Features Gord Downie's Retrace
Published by Toronto Mike on May 3, 2010 @ 21:36 in The Tragically Hip
 Hockey Night in Canada opened yesterday with a montage set to Gord Downie's new single, "Retrace".
Actually, proper credit goes to Gord Downie and the Country of Miracles. His new album The Grand Bounce drops June 8.
Tragically Hip Live On This Blog
Published by Toronto Mike on December 10, 2009 @ 21:01 in The Tragically Hip
My favourite band, The Tragically Hip, have posted their entire 08/08/2009 concert at Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Centre in Abbotsford, BC, on their YouTube page.
Here's the entire show. And here's my Tragically Hip page.
New Orleans is Sinking
The Depression Suite
In View
Gift Shop
Ahead By A Century
Morning Moon
Poets
It's a Good Life If You Don't Weaken
Yer Not The Ocean
At the Hundredth Meridian
Love Is A First
Coffee Girl
Fiddler's Green
Wheat Kings
Springtime in Vienna
Bobcaygeon
Nautical Disaster
Fireworks
The Last Recluse
Courage (For Hugh Maclennan)
Family Band
Music at Work
Blow at High Dough
Frozen In My Tracks
Grace, Too
A Texan Reviews The Tragically Hip
Published by Toronto Mike on October 24, 2009 @ 10:39 in The Tragically Hip
The Tragically Hip are playing the House of Blues tonight in Houston, Texas at 8:00pm. That prompted Nicholas L. Hall from the Houston Press to preview the show.
Here's what Hall wrote. After the blockquote, I'll respond as The Tragically Hip's biggest fan in the blogosphere. The emphasis below belongs to me.
Perhaps Canadian rockers The Tragically Hip should have thought up a different name. Despite considerable popularity and critical acclaim in America's 51st state, the rootsy group failed to find a widely accepting audience in the lower 48. Staunchly traditional and unflinchingly resolute in its aim to avoid label corruptions, the band never really played to either side of the American musical divide. Straightforward rock and roll with a slight Southern twist was just not edgy enough to find a comfortable home on college-radio dials, yet the band's refusal to pander to wider audiences by dumbing down singer-songwriter Gord Downie's philosophically inclined lyrics and poetic delivery has kept the Hip largely out of the mainstream. Its most recent release, this year's We Are the Same, comes as a bit of an aptly titled surprise. The Hip has shrugged away most of its raw rock-and-roll persona, swathing most tracks in an overpoweringly radio-friendly blandness that reeks of pandering. It's really a shame, especially considering the fact that the raw, rootsy paradigm the band has employed thus far is actually experiencing a bit of a renaissance. If the Hip would only return to its roots, it might just live up to its name.
Firstly, that whole 51st state thing isn't funny. Maybe in Texas it's cool to think of Canada that way, but it sure isn't based in reality, and it's offensive to the 30 million plus living in the independent nation of Canada.
Describing the Hip as "straightforward rock and roll with a slight Southern twist" makes me think this guy hasn't heard a Hip album since Up to Here. Actually, I'll bet he hasn't heard anything beyond "New Orleans is Sinking".
I'm sure he hasn't heard the new album, We Are the Same. His suggestion they've "shrugged away most of (their) raw rock-and-roll persona" with "overpoweringly radio-friendly blandness that reeks of pandering" is so off-base. I actually don't think We Are the Same is particularly radio-friendly at all, and it's still Hip rock and excellent. In my humble opinion, the previous album was far more radio-friendly. Songs like "In View" seemed hooked to be singles, but We Are the Same manages to be amazing without the radio-ready melodies.
And finally, this guy clearly wants more "New Orleans is Sinking". He's practically begging for it. NOIS is "their roots" that will finally allow this poor band from the 51st state to live up to it's name. Another NOIS would make them Hip, even thought the original NOIS didn't.
My Leafs rant yesterday made me feel a whole lot better, and nothing is more Canadian than following up a hockey rant with a Hip one. I have one thing to say to Nicholas L. Hall and others like him. It's better for us that you don't understand.
I think you either get it, or you don't. If you get it, you get it large and you're hooked. If you don't, you don't, and that's just the way it is.
I just get it, and there's little in this world that feels as good as being bathed in the poetic ramblings of Gord and being surrounded by those songs I know and love. Here's Your Tragically Hip Primer, if you're interested in more.
Juno Awards: City and Colour with Gord Downie
Published by Toronto Mike on March 31, 2009 @ 11:06 in The Tragically Hip
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.
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 by Toronto Mike on March 19, 2009 @ 19:24 in SLS ~ Smells Like Sour, The Tragically Hip
 I'm submitting a song for SLS21 consideration. I'm submitting "Love is a First" by 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 by Toronto Mike on March 3, 2009 @ 10:27 in The Tragically Hip
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 the pre-sale for tickets to see The Tragically Hip at Massey Hall started this morning at 10 and I wanted to see my favourite band again.
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 by Toronto Mike on March 2, 2009 @ 13:58 in The Tragically Hip
The Tragically Hip have announced We Are The Same - North American Tour dates. There are five Toronto dates, all at Massey Hall in May.
05/11/09: Toronto: Massey Hall
05/12/09: Toronto: Massey Hall
05/14/09: Toronto: Massey Hall
05/15/09: Toronto: Massey Hall
05/16/09: 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 by Toronto Mike on February 12, 2009 @ 08:57 in The Tragically Hip
I haven't received a Tragically Hip email in a while, but I got one this morning.
Hi Folks,
Greetings to all. We have some very exciting news to deliver. Our twelfth album, We Are The Same, will be released in North America on Tuesday, April 7th. The album was produced by Bob Rock and recorded primarily at the Bathouse Studio. It contains twelve new tracks that range from levity and light to melancholy and anger. We think it has a little bit for everyone and showcases the great range of the band.
The full track listing is:
Morning Moon
Honey, Please
The Last Recluse
Coffee Girl
Now The Struggle Has A Name
The Depression Suite
The Exact Feeling
Queen of the Furrows
Speed River
Frozen In My Tracks
Love Is A First
Country Day
Here's that first single, Morning Moon.
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