My fav Hip story is one from my buddies. Him and a few other guys went to see them in Boise (I think, there or Whitefish?) back in the mid 90's, and again, even in their relative peak here, very few people there. They chummed up with the band that evening and was invited to travel with them to the next stop and be roadies...the bus and everything. The group of them split time on the bus, and just hung out.
No surprise about skipping east of Ontario, surprising that they even played London and Hamilton. Probably wanted to make sure they'd stay close to home at the end, and not push it too much, with the big unknown how Gordie was going to be...brain cancer or not, that's a whirlwind tour; cross country with 14 dates, with 7 dates in 12 days to finish, all the guys will be exhausted.
I believe the song they are doing in their shows right now is Bobcaygeon.
And sounds like they'll be on stage in the next week or so with the Hip, given Cuddy's last paragraph.
If being honest, Blue Rodeo is what I'd more consider as far as my "soundtracks growing up" through the teenage years and beyond. Certainly a more folksy and mellow set of songs, which maybe provoke more thought or whatever when you're younger and growing up, and thus those songs become more attached to you, at least to me.
Hip was always there too, but Blue Rodeo was as big on the radio (where everyone got their taste of music in the late 80's through the 90's) if not bigger, and they were making radio hits in 1987.
Surprising they wouldn't have played together more over the years at festivals etc.
Rick Mercer on why the Tragically Hip isn’t famous in the U.S. http://www.cbcmusic.ca/posts/12496/w...mous-in-the-us
This was the curse of being the Hip, they would go to Fillmore, a famous venue, and they would sell out in five minutes. But, no Americans could get in. By the time they were like, 'What's this happening in this sold-out show with this insane band,' you couldn't get in because every Canadian filled up the space.
I think it has to do more with the fact that the Hip were not quite mainstream at a time when mainstream was the only thing major radio stations would play. They had a bit of an alt-rock, grunge feel back when hair bands and lifestyle rock were in. In Canada, they had entities like the CRTC and CBC pushing Canadian content and they benefited from it greatly at a time when Canadian rock lacked anything different.
Then when the music scene shifted and alt-rock became the new mainstream, they were already established in Canada. It's one thing to be a musician that gains popularity in the US as a Canadian where being Canadian is just a footnote, but it's different going into that market as something established and branded as Canadian and with music that has Canadian references. Canada isn't sexy in the U.S. We're funny and dorky, but not to be taken seriously. For example, a band like Nickleback gained fame as a rock band in the US that just happened to come from Canada. They didn't go into that market as an established famous "Canadian" rock band. The Hip might be one of the biggest bands to have this happen to them, but they aren't the only.
It's kind of a double edged sword. Without the support of the CRTC, they may have never caught on at all, or perhaps they would have caught on bigger in the long run but it would have taken more time. At the same time though, it seemed like the Hip only made one really big attempted push into the US market and then just backed off. They seemed content being a Canadian thing.
If it was really just that Canadians filled the venue in the US consistently, then their agents should have been canned for not booking larger venues.
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Last edited by FlamesAddiction; 08-11-2016 at 07:49 AM.
I have video's posted on my Facebook page for all but 2 of the songs played here in London on Monday. PM me if you want my name to add me and view them.
It was such an emotional night. It was the best stadium show I have ever seen the Hip do. I have seen them around 40 times ranging from The Strombo Show appearance (300 people), 3 shows in bars (twice in Wantagh New York and once in Detroit, all under 1,000 people) to giant festivals outside.
It's weird, I was in a funk Tuesday when I woke up, just down and not feeling right. Yeah, I had some beers and yeah I stayed up when I got home and had a few more re-listening to the concert on my phone. It was a combination mostly of knowing that would be the last time I saw The Hip live, the beers (though again, I maintain I didn't have enough to feel that off) and smoking too much.
I decided right when I woke up to quit smoking. I am going to use Gord's situation as a reminder (even though it is not directly related to smoking as far as we know). I have quit several times before, a few times for a year, but I always trick myself into thinking I can just have a couple. No more!
So beyond my lasting memories of The Hip, they will also be a reminder of quitting smoking and hopefully adding years of healthy time to my life!
Thank you TTH for a lifetime full of enjoyment that will hopefully last even longer now!
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Appropriately, they opened the show in Winnipeg with At the Hundredth Meridian.
I remember seeing them at "Another Roadside Attraction" back in the early 90s, (95 maybe?) and when they sang the song, he said; "At the 100th meridian, where Brandon begins". I thought it was pretty funny at the time as I lived in Brandon.
Or it might have been Sunfest in Gimli, I can't remember. They were all over the place back then.
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Came across this video tonight. Tim Thompson and Nautical Disaster is about as good as it gets.
Awesome. And as an aside, it highlights again how inept and tone deaf Sportsnet has been with hockey coverage. It's a crime they don't still have Thompson doing his thing. Was one of the very best elements of HNIC in my opinion.
On that note, I didn't have the opportunity to see them on tour this summer but have the pvr set on the 20th and life will grind to a halt in our house for a couple hours that night. There will be some red eyes and sniffling for sure.
I heard the London show was fantastic, now I wish I had tried harder to get tickets for it. My boss told me he caved and bought tickets for Kingston. Crazy money but definitely worth it.
I heard the London show was fantastic, now I wish I had tried harder to get tickets for it. My boss told me he caved and bought tickets for Kingston. Crazy money but definitely worth it.
Cheapest I see on Stubhub right now is a single seat for $726 Canadian
Haven't read the whole thread, hopefully not a fata.
I vaguely remember watching this 20 years ago, Grace Too and Nautical Disaster on SNL. http://www.sonic1029.com/2016/06/02/14857/
The Hip at their peak IMO, Downie was amazing.
Love how he sings "I'm Tragically Hip!" then expects a reaction from the American crowd.
Last edited by Jacks; 08-12-2016 at 08:26 PM.
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