11-30-2006, 09:41 AM
11-30-2006, 09:52 AM
since that would have been yesterday it seems very private
Ron
Ron
11-30-2006, 09:53 AM
RON: thanks for pointing out how a calendar works....you are a genious
From my source:
I work as an investment manager and one of the big brokerage houses was having their annual Christmas party. The company was XXXXXXXXXX. You'd have to think of Morgan Stanley or Smith Barney as equivalents in the US.
The invitation said that the party was going to take place at The Carlu, a popular location for fancy functions at Yonge and College (just down the road from the Days Inn where RushCon takes place)
The invitation said dinner would be served at 6:00 followed by "surprise musical guest" at 7:00.
I almost didn't go but then asked hubbs to take wonderboy to swimming lessons and left the car at home so I could go. I love surprises! Then I got busy at work so I didn't show up until about 6:45. Barely time to chat with people and grab some goodies at the food stations until they started herding us inside the hall where the stage was.
I was just blown away when it was actually the HIP! Believe it or not, I've never seen them live before. Even though their live show is legendary. Funny, I've had a couple of chances to meet Gord Downie before. First because I went to MBA school with his brother, Mike. Mike is kind of geeky and stiff and he didn't hang out with us much. I hear he has gone on to travel with the band and make documentaries.
The other thing is that his daughter used to go to daycare with my little mouse. This would have been 8 or 9 years ago. Gord has a lovely wife named xxxxxxxx and their daughter, XXXXX is a year younger than little mouse. I think they have another younger daughter named XXXXX or XXXXXX or something with meaning like that. They used to have a house on Inglewood Drive not too far from me which they sold and moved to Riverdale (another part of Toronto not so gentrified as his old location) but I hear they have moved back to a larger place. Just don't know where.
But I digress. They played a few songs and mostly people were gathered around the drink tables bobbing their heads and stuff. Then came Courage. And Ahead by a Century. Then he started inviting people to cross the hundredth meridien and a batch of us nearly rushed the stage. After that there was always a crowd in front of the stage dancing and shouting and stuff.
He did this one rant in the middle of (I think) Fifty Mission Cap and man, he is awesome. What a charismatic front man. He also performed in a very theatrical way. Almost acting out the songs as he was singing them. He did some Fred Astaire moves with the microphone stand. Even dropped the mike during an instrumental bit and then did a fancy kick thing (think Tom Cruise in MI:2) and it was back in his hand in time to sing again.
The set list was mostly the "hits" The favourites and stuff. I don't know what gets airplay in the US but in addition to the ones I mentioned they sang stuff like Bobcaygeon, Poets, stuff like that. Just not New Orleans is sinking. Maybe they stopped singing that one after Katrina.
They went off after just over an hour and then came back to do Blow at High Dough for an encore. Then Gord reached down and shook/slapped a batch of outstretched hands before heading off. I was SO CLOSE but didn't get tagged. D@mn! And the whole thing was over at about 8:20.
So that's the scoop. I have to give them all props. Even though it was a corporate function of 500 - 1000 people they performed their hearts out. GD was wearing a black satin shirt with the sleeves rolled up and he was dripping by the end of the set. All in it was just amazing. What a great surprise, eh?
Sorry for the long, rambling post. I was thinking of posting this story on the board but not sure people would care. I just remembered your show last week when you played a lot of Hip and figured you would appreciate it.
Cheers!
From my source:
I work as an investment manager and one of the big brokerage houses was having their annual Christmas party. The company was XXXXXXXXXX. You'd have to think of Morgan Stanley or Smith Barney as equivalents in the US.
The invitation said that the party was going to take place at The Carlu, a popular location for fancy functions at Yonge and College (just down the road from the Days Inn where RushCon takes place)
The invitation said dinner would be served at 6:00 followed by "surprise musical guest" at 7:00.
I almost didn't go but then asked hubbs to take wonderboy to swimming lessons and left the car at home so I could go. I love surprises! Then I got busy at work so I didn't show up until about 6:45. Barely time to chat with people and grab some goodies at the food stations until they started herding us inside the hall where the stage was.
I was just blown away when it was actually the HIP! Believe it or not, I've never seen them live before. Even though their live show is legendary. Funny, I've had a couple of chances to meet Gord Downie before. First because I went to MBA school with his brother, Mike. Mike is kind of geeky and stiff and he didn't hang out with us much. I hear he has gone on to travel with the band and make documentaries.
The other thing is that his daughter used to go to daycare with my little mouse. This would have been 8 or 9 years ago. Gord has a lovely wife named xxxxxxxx and their daughter, XXXXX is a year younger than little mouse. I think they have another younger daughter named XXXXX or XXXXXX or something with meaning like that. They used to have a house on Inglewood Drive not too far from me which they sold and moved to Riverdale (another part of Toronto not so gentrified as his old location) but I hear they have moved back to a larger place. Just don't know where.
But I digress. They played a few songs and mostly people were gathered around the drink tables bobbing their heads and stuff. Then came Courage. And Ahead by a Century. Then he started inviting people to cross the hundredth meridien and a batch of us nearly rushed the stage. After that there was always a crowd in front of the stage dancing and shouting and stuff.
He did this one rant in the middle of (I think) Fifty Mission Cap and man, he is awesome. What a charismatic front man. He also performed in a very theatrical way. Almost acting out the songs as he was singing them. He did some Fred Astaire moves with the microphone stand. Even dropped the mike during an instrumental bit and then did a fancy kick thing (think Tom Cruise in MI:2) and it was back in his hand in time to sing again.
The set list was mostly the "hits" The favourites and stuff. I don't know what gets airplay in the US but in addition to the ones I mentioned they sang stuff like Bobcaygeon, Poets, stuff like that. Just not New Orleans is sinking. Maybe they stopped singing that one after Katrina.
They went off after just over an hour and then came back to do Blow at High Dough for an encore. Then Gord reached down and shook/slapped a batch of outstretched hands before heading off. I was SO CLOSE but didn't get tagged. D@mn! And the whole thing was over at about 8:20.
So that's the scoop. I have to give them all props. Even though it was a corporate function of 500 - 1000 people they performed their hearts out. GD was wearing a black satin shirt with the sleeves rolled up and he was dripping by the end of the set. All in it was just amazing. What a great surprise, eh?
Sorry for the long, rambling post. I was thinking of posting this story on the board but not sure people would care. I just remembered your show last week when you played a lot of Hip and figured you would appreciate it.
Cheers!
11-30-2006, 10:01 AM
Neat story. Let's see if MAv will chime in on this one?
11-30-2006, 10:32 AM
They did this a couple years ago also for another companies Christmas gig.
I cannot find it by using the great search feature though.
I cannot find it by using the great search feature though.
11-30-2006, 10:35 AM
Sounds like B.S. to me. But I will wait to see if MAv say anything.
11-30-2006, 10:41 AM
They played an event for RIM at The Lyric in Kitcherner/Waterloo a few years ago. The head honcho at RIM is a huge fan, and he was at at least one of the gigs at The Phoenix.
11-30-2006, 11:04 AM
chris Wrote:They played an event for RIM at The Lyric in Kitcherner/Waterloo a few years ago. The head honcho at RIM is a huge fan, and he was at at least one of the gigs at The Phoenix.
RIM being the owners (or future owners) of the Pittsburgh Penguins?
Sounds like it would have been cool to there, but the way the story is written is does seem kinda BS, but cool none the less.
11-30-2006, 11:19 AM
That's the same RIM.
11-30-2006, 11:32 AM
Why would this be BS? Most performers do these types of gigs. I remember a few years back a US company had the Wallflowers open for Bob Dylan for their Christmas party.
11-30-2006, 11:51 AM
yeh whats with all the sarcasm.i have no problem believing this story and dont need a hip guru to back it up! i just wish i had the coin.they would play my birthday and everyone would be invited!
11-30-2006, 12:03 PM
I'm not saying it's BS. I said the way it was written seemed like it was BS. I don't know what it was about the wording, but it just seemed semi-fake, i dunno. Anyone else kinda know what I mean.
I just wish my company had the same kinda loot to pull something like that off, that wold be nice.
I just wish my company had the same kinda loot to pull something like that off, that wold be nice.
11-30-2006, 12:13 PM
how much is it for them to do a private show
100K ?
100K ?
11-30-2006, 12:17 PM
eatmecompletely Wrote:how much is it for them to do a private showi wouldnt think that much.maybe 2 buckets of chicken and a drive to the liquor store!
100K ?
11-30-2006, 12:30 PM
Just the way it is written sounds like B.S. The premis is not, I know Aerosmith played a RIM party a couple of years ago as well. I Didn't know the Hip did. I have a very good friend at RIM and he never told me about that, maybe it was to save me from pissing my pants. I think the RIM party is tomorrow night. I wonder who they have this year.