The Strand- That night in London: The Tragically Hip - Printable Version
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The Strand- That night in London: The Tragically Hip - NegPhil - 10-05-2007
That night in London: The Tragically Hip
By Natasia Kalajdziovski
The Strand
The student newspaper of Victoria University in the University of Toronto •
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What could be more Canadian than a rainy night in London, England? Well, many other things, like the Summit Series perhaps, falling in love during a hockey game, summer cottages near Muskoka, or sitting at the lonely end of rink, you might say. But for one group of expatriate Canadians, the epitome of everything red and white was encompassed within none other than five men, a hockey jersey, and their instruments: The Tragically Hip.
Say what you will about their music, but one thing is undeniably true: these boys from Kingston bring a piece of home with them wherever they go. Over the years, the Hip have released over ten albums, their most recent being World Container at the end of 2006. Musically speaking, their signature sound ranges from nostalgic twangy ballads like "Fiddler's Green" or "Bobcaygeon," to high-energy folk-infused college hard rock like "Fireworks" or "Fifty Mission Cap". Every one of their songs has the ability to strike a chord within the heart of any true Canadian, regardless of their musical inclinations.
Living in London, I never thought I would have the opportunity to see one of my favorite Canadian bands so up close and personal, so when the chance came along to see the Hip for a one-night only gig, I painfully handed over the pounds to see them perform. And, in all honesty, it was one of the best shows I have ever been to. I must also admit that I haven't always been such a diehard fan of the Hip, but over the years, I've embraced their music and all that comes with it.
It seems to me that the Hip suffer from a unique ailment in their home country: they are either loved for the content and 'Canadian-ness' of their music, or they are loathed for the same reason, mixed with a distaste for their generic sound -which in my opinion, is appropriate for the content. However, everyone in attendance that night at the Astoria undeniably had blood as thick as maple syrup. I frankly do not think that I met one Londoner there; the numerous Leaf jerseys, the myriad of Roots sweatpants, and the proud waving of the Canadian flag all made it very clear that this gig was an exclusive invitation to every Canadian who happened to find themselves in London that night.
The opening band Forever Like Red, perhaps the worst opening band in the history of opening bands ,struck so painfully at our eardrums that the crowd drowned them out with a drunken chorus of 'Oh Canada'. I kid you not. The only thing that would have done the maple leaf more proud would have been if Don Cherry had ridden out on a moose carrying a beaver that was drinking a double double.
After the opening band effectively committed suicide on stage, the Hip made their grand entrance with "Yer Not the Ocean" to the delight of the crowd on their feet. The usually reserved Gord Downie physically encapsulated the texture of every song, as if telling an epic story rather than singing a three minute effigy. During a twenty-minute rendition of "At the Hundredth Meridian" halfway through the show, Downie jumped off the stage into the crowd where my friend saw it fit, upon his request, to give him a purple nurple -she cites this as the defining moment of her life. As the band started to play "Bobcaygeon", the mood moved from manic to mellow and Downie dropped all pretenses, sat on an amp, and serenaded the audience with an acoustic accoutrement.
After an unusually long set, the band was of course encouraged into an encore, where they closed with a spectacular show of "Fireworks" that brought the crowd together under a sea of lights and sounds, to an idea of a land that only we could understand. Although we were all in England, for whatever gap of time, it was this -a brief collision of culture, common causality, and musical joy- that was able to bring us all back to that goal in '72, back to where the great plains begin, back to those nights in Toronto and all those checkerboard floors.
Re: The Strand- That night in London: The Tragically Hip - daylight - 10-05-2007
Not a bad write-up, but...
NegPhil Wrote:The usually reserved Gord Downie...
...I'm not sure which Gord this guy is used to seeing.
Re: The Strand- That night in London: The Tragically Hip - MattyM - 10-05-2007
daylight Wrote:Not a bad write-up, but...
NegPhil Wrote:The usually reserved Gord Downie...
...I'm not sure which Gord this guy is used to seeing.
My thoughts exactly...
- chris - 10-05-2007
This article was part fiction:
• It wasn't a rainy night.
• The set was by no means "unusually long" - in fact I'd say it was average, if not short.
• Oh Canada was sung after the opening act was cleared off the stage.
- Zenith - 10-05-2007
chris Wrote:This article was part fiction:
• It wasn't a rainy night.
• The set was by no means "unusually long" - in fact I'd say it was average, if not short.
• Oh Canada was sung after the opening act was cleared off the stage.
Indeed, plus, I can vouch that there was at least two Londoners there.
- MattyM - 10-05-2007
Zenith Wrote:chris Wrote:This article was part fiction:
• It wasn't a rainy night.
• The set was by no means "unusually long" - in fact I'd say it was average, if not short.
• Oh Canada was sung after the opening act was cleared off the stage.
Indeed, plus, I can vouch that there was at least two Londoners there.
and a few from the provinces....
- kleh - 10-06-2007
"During a twenty-minute rendition of "At the Hundredth Meridian"
hock:
- chris - 10-06-2007
kleh Wrote:"During a twenty-minute rendition of "At the Hundredth Meridian"Add that to the list of inaccuracies: the song clocked in at 11 minutes - check the recording here: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.thehiptracker.com/torrents-details.php?id=477&hit=1">http://www.thehiptracker.com/torrents-d ... =477&hit=1</a><!-- m -->
Re: The Strand- That night in London: The Tragically Hip - ikky99 - 10-06-2007
"The only thing that would have done the maple leaf more proud would have been if Don Cherry had ridden out on a moose carrying a beaver that was drinking a double double."
This article may be riddled with inaccuracies but that line made me laugh out loud. Literally.
Re: The Strand- That night in London: The Tragically Hip - j-monster - 10-12-2007
ikky99 Wrote:"The only thing that would have done the maple leaf more proud would have been if Don Cherry had ridden out on a moose carrying a beaver that was drinking a double double."
This article may be riddled with inaccuracies but that line made me laugh out loud. Literally.
But the writer forgot the Tim Horton's reference! :roll:
*sigh* Oh well... :lol: