From CBC's blog as it happened: (P.S. Does anybody know if the "Freddie Mercury" bit is an existing song or simply a Gordie original rant?)
"Faint chants of “Hip, Hip, Hip, Hip” are a sure sign of what's to come...
Meanwhile, I'm heartened to discover that the day's message is getting across to fans. The Make Poverty History info booths are doing brisk business in collecting signatures.
Aykroyd gives the Tragically Hip a noisome intro, and singer Gord Downie assumes his twitchy madman persona, letting loose with “Music At Work.” An odd choice for first song. The crowd seems far more appreciative of “Ahead By a Century.” This is definitely the most rapt that the audience has been today.
Alright, Aykroyd has redeemed himself for a day of lousy “comedy” - he's playing harmonica on the Hip's “Poets.” Them's the blues, brother!"
Freddie Mercury is the lead singer of Queen. The lyric "I sometimes wish i'd never been born at all" come from Bohemian Rhapsody. I've never personally heard the reference anywhere else, but it could exist.
Overall it was a great set, Gord was primed as usual and Aykroyd's addtion to Poets was priceless.
I thought the hip was terrible and im a fan maybe blame the soundguy maybe blame Gord for screaming over top of all the harmony, Im a fan and I thought it was weak.
Shane
Im wondering what the 70 days, 70 nights reference was.....I liked Gord's ending rant at the mic stand....good show.....
Corby Wrote:Freddie Mercury is the lead singer of Queen.
Uh... yeah, I know, thanks... I was paying attention that day in music class.
To be a little more clear: does anybody know if the "70 days to cross the sea... Freddie Mercury... I wish I'd never been born at all" rant (which has been around for at least a year IIRC, and there's a few threads bout it 'round here) is a song by another artist, or if it's a Gordie orignal rant.
And the sound was terrible on my end for M@W too, but CTV wised up and fixed the mix in the middle of ABAC.
Tons of energy, great performance.
Bootlegger420 Wrote:I thought the hip was terrible and im a fan maybe blame the soundguy maybe blame Gord for screaming over top of all the harmony, Im a fan and I thought it was weak.
Shane
I know what you're saying. I thought that the acoustics were pretty horrible. I could hardly hear Robby's guitar and Gord's vocals were difficult to hear also. I think it was more the soundguy's fault or whomever was responsible for the sound than the band.
Gord does the Freddie Mercury reference on at least one of the Livedownloads.
Yes the sound was bad but it definitely wasn't a terrible performance.
Strange that the entire show sounded pretty good until the Hip got on. DMC had problems too. Hopefully they figure it out before Neil Young.
Here, if anyone gives a damn, is the actual rant:
Oh, and by the way; don't tell me how your universe gets altered when you find out how Brad Pitt gets laid.
"Seventy days to cross the ocean, seventy nights when no one's gunna hear you fall. Like Freddie Mercury, I sometimes too wish I'd never been born at all."
And how bout that false start on Music@Work? They recovered like pros though. And a nice nod to BTO with the "workout!" in Poets.
There is a bit more from the livedownload cd if you want me to get it out of the car. He skipped a line or two at the beginning
I'm a master of the obvious.
Well, like i said, "never been born at all" was from "Bohemian Rhapsody" and like so many Gordie rants he borrows from esisting songs. The only tie for the 70 days and 70 nights reference i can think of(watch out for more of the obvious) was the original time it took for imigrants to sail from europe(including bohemia) to america. If one did some research i'm sure they could connect the two with greater significance.
We all have to keep in mind the fact there is NO soundcheck at all for these type of perfomances. Motley Crue's sound was horrible at best. Same for many of the artists at the different locations. When a band hits the stage at a show like this they are really heading into the unknown. I thought the Hip did good but the song selection was weak. I know we can beat this one to death or the cows come home but damn, MAW? Poets was simply intense and ABAC was decent but something more heartfelt and ubscure would have made this performance special (ie....Scared, Nautical or even Wheat Kings).
PS...I've been watching all the performances all day from the different shows and the Canadian show was just as good if not better than all the others except London. :thumb:
kelman66 Wrote:There is a bit more from the livedownload cd if you want me to get it out of the car. He skipped a line or two at the beginning
Cool, I do remember hearing it in Ottawa, I'll check 'em out and see what's what.
Yeah, the acoustics have been raunchy all day from Barrie... when they cut from Barrie to London you can hear a major difference in sound quality...
Motley Crue just sucked, Raine Mada really can't sing, but I was surprised at Jann Arden, I always thought she was a decent live singer... she must have been upset, she pretty much bolted right after her last note...
spottrax Wrote:PS...I've been watching all the performances all day from the different shows and the Canadian show was just as good if not better than all the others except London. :thumb:
Folks over at the Letterman group I frequent are pissed something fierce about the MTV coverage. Those on the border are bragging about their CTV access.
Seems the Canadian gig overcame the curse of Celine.