Sun Media Hip-notizing affair- Saddeldome review

Sun Media Hip-notizing affair- Saddeldome review - Printable Version

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Sun Media Hip-notizing affair- Saddeldome review - NegPhil - 07-16-2007

Concert Review: The Tragically Hip
Saddledome, Calgary - July 15, 2007
by Tarra Merrin

<a class="postlink" href="http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/T/Tragically_Hip/ConcertReviews/2007/07/16/4343212-sun.html">http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/T/Tra ... 2-sun.html</a>

CALGARY - The fans want to hear the hits. The band wants to sell copies of their latest disc.

It's an old conundrum, with no easy solution.

The Tragically Hip, who brought their World Container tour to the Saddledome last night, tried their best to satisfy themselves and the crowd of 10,000 by mixing new stuff in with the classics.

For true fans of The Hip, those who downloaded the entire new disc onto their handy iPods as soon as it was released last fall, the formula proved to be genius. For the rest, those who haven't followed the group since 1992's Fully Completely, the material was a bit of a stumbling block in an otherwise rocking set.

Nevertheless, the Kingston quintet of Gord Downie, Paul Langlois, Gord Sinclair, Rob Baker and Johnny Fay, marched on, almost unaware or indifferent to the unenthusiastic response during the 10 lesser-known tracks.

And, after pouring their hearts into the album, why shouldn't they?

Last night started off with one of the World Container selections, The Lonely End of the Rink, not that anyone really noticed.

After the deafening screams subsided, all attention was on Downie, the band's eccentric 43-year-old singer and his unstoppable energy.

He ran. He leapt. He mimicked an ape and, at times, pretended to type on an old-fashion typewriter. Twitching and pacing, he was both hilarious and serious, setting the tone for each number, as well as the night. And when the band broke into New Orleans is Sinking, the second song of the set, the party was in full swing.

Music @ Work was followed by crowd-pleasers Ahead by a Century and Yer Not the Ocean, but early highlight was the familiar Courage, which had everyone up again dancing and singing along.

Of the new stuff, World Container and In View went over best.

At press time, the energy in the room was at an all-time high as the Hip headed into the final stretch, which was to include Bobcaygeon, Poets, Little Bones and At the Hundredth Meridian.

While some fans may complain about the one or two songs TTH left out last night, looking back on a crazy week of concerts at the Saddledome, this one certainly stood out. It was loud. It was fun. It was hip-notizing.

The Sadies opened the show. They played an electrifying set, with a standout performance of a cover of Blue Rodeo's Palace of Gold, which earned them a loud ovation and a few new fans.

- NWOntario - 07-16-2007

This is an astoundingly bad review. :p

I always enjoy how Sun writers need to leave before the show actually ends, and throw in that cute little "at press time" paragraph. The best is that "Poets" and "Little Bones" weren't even played.

- j-monster - 07-17-2007

As bad as the review may be, sadly, she mostly gets it right when she talks about the muted reaction to the new songs in concerts these days. Fans like us get and enjoy these new tunes, but most others out there only want to hear the older stuff, for some of them anything released after Fully Completely draws blank stares. Sad, really, these people don't know what they are missing.

- opiated - 07-17-2007

j-monster Wrote:As bad as the review may be, sadly, she mostly gets it right when she talks about the muted reaction to the new songs in concerts these days. Fans like us get and enjoy these new tunes, but most others out there only want to hear the older stuff, for some of them anything released after Fully Completely draws blank stares. Sad, really, these people don't know what they are missing.

gotta say that the crowd in Kelowna really really seemed into the new tunes...

- ceebuler - 07-17-2007

Just terrible. So bad I have to comment.

First she says the new material was a "stumbling block in an otherwise rocking set".

She goes on to describe the "deafening screams" after Lonely End of the Rink. She then includes Yer Not the Ocean as one of the "crowd-pleasers"...and despite the clearly positive reactions to these new songs, she goes on to say that "of the new stuff, World Container and In View went over best"!!! Even better than crowd-pleasers? They must truly have rocked! I don't know how to reconcile these comments, except to say that it obviously doesn't take much to be a concert-reviewer for the Sun.

Does it seem to anyone else that she wrote the introduction to this review before even going to the concert, and then upon realizing that the new songs kicked ass, forgot to change the intro?

- Locked6 - 07-19-2007

I was at the show and I think the only new song that didn't go over well in my opinion is drop off.....Family Band, Ocean, Rink, Container and In View all went over really well with the crowd I could see and hear.

- marmot - 07-19-2007

If you think her hip review was bad checkout today's review of last nights RUSH show on Canoe. <a class="postlink" href="http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/R/Rush/ConcertReviews/2007/07/19/4351501-sun.html">http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/R/Rus ... 1-sun.html</a>

Just brutal. Why even bother to review a band you are so obviously biased against. Maybe she should have let husband right it.

I was at both shows and would give RUSH 4.5/5. As for the Hip this ranks high on my list of shows. Enjoyed seeing all of Gord's new moves and the intensity of the whole band was very high. Its been a good concert week here in Calgary Smile

Re: Sun Media Hip-notizing affair- Saddeldome review - BulletRiddled - 07-19-2007

NegPhil Wrote:The fans want to hear the hits.

No, people who only listen to the band on the radio want to hear the hits. That was an amazing concert, but the setlist was pretty weak (aside from Grace, Too and the WC songs)

- Locked6 - 07-20-2007

marmot Wrote:If you think her hip review was bad checkout today's review of last nights RUSH show on Canoe. <a class="postlink" href="http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/R/Rush/ConcertReviews/2007/07/19/4351501-sun.html">http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/R/Rus ... 1-sun.html</a>

Just brutal. Why even bother to review a band you are so obviously biased against. Maybe she should have let husband right it.

I was at both shows and would give RUSH 4.5/5. As for the Hip this ranks high on my list of shows. Enjoyed seeing all of Gord's new moves and the intensity of the whole band was very high. Its been a good concert week here in Calgary

Holly crap, why even go to the concert if you hate the band that bad, in the article she says she is convinced they rocked, yet seams to me she slammed them pretty bad....I think 3 hours with your favorate band (phantom Power tour) is heaven for a fan.

- moejiles - 07-21-2007

The Calgary Sun has had some real winners as music critics - remember Mike Bell - thank God he his gone. Where do they find these people? I also read the Rush review, I cant believe she started out in the article with " I dont even like this band"