05-19-2011, 03:38 PM
Here's my submission, more of the Rom-Com variety...
By introducing me to many of my favourite artists (Joel Plaskett, Wintersleep, Sarah Harmer, Attack in Black, City and Colour, the Constantines, and the Weakerthans to name a few), getting me through some of my darkest days following my brother's death and helping me to form some of my closest friendships, The Tragically Hip's music has thoroughly woven it's way into the very fabric of my life over the last seven years. However I can think of no area where it's had a greater impact than in bringing my girlfriend of almost seven years, Britt, and I together.
Our relationship and our love for The Hip developed from a common nucleus. Coming through the late Summer and early Autumn of 2004 the two of us were both 15 years old and just beginning grade 10. Although we weren't yet dating, I had my mind set on it. But, like most awkward 15-year-old boys I was more preoccupied with impressing this girl than actually asking her out. I knew that one of the albums she had on constant rotation was “Phantom Power” by some band called “The Tragically Hip”. I figured it was probably in my best interest to learn a little more about them.
As luck would have it The Hip were on tour at the time and they were making a stop in Toronto at the end of November. I jumped on the opportunity and quickly bought four tickets for a couple of friends and made sure to invite Britt. She was ecstatic about the show and as I soon learned, this was going to be her first concert.
Now at the time, I had what one may call a very casual understanding of the Hip’s music. I had heard New Orleans is Sinking, My Music at Work and Fifty-Mission Cap. When Britt started listing her requests of what I thought were obscure song references for the night (Little Bones, Poets), I realized I was way out of my comfort zone and better just shut up and enjoy the show. I made sure to stand next to her for the show and do my best to look like I recognized the music.
The Hip hit the stage. I was hooked. So was Britt. I remember leaving the concert feeling that I had just witnessed something entirely unique to anything else I had ever experienced. It was a rare moment of perfect and rapturous euphoria. I remember looking at Britt and emphatically telling her “I am so sorry that that had to be your first concert, you’re never going to see another that was as good as that”. We flirted back and forth the entire Go Train ride home; but ultimately I chickened out and never asked her out that night. Two days later I worked up the nerve and she said yes.
I’ve since confessed about my lack of Hip knowledge prior to “That Night in Toronto” and that I had chickened out at the last minute that night with asking her out. She of course knew about both. What she doesn’t know is the meaning the song “Bobcaygeon” has for me. Several months after we’d begun dating we were hanging out in the basement of her house playing darts with her family and listening to music. As the night went on her family went upstairs leaving just the two of us and the CD player on random. Bobcaygeon started playing just as we put down the darts, laid on the floor and looked up at the knots in the wood of the ceiling truss’, pointing out all of the wooden “constellations” we could spot. It was then that I realized I loved this girl and wanted to be with her for as long as I possibly could.
The Hip are my favourite band, and have introduced me to many of my favourite artists, helped me through some of my toughest times and consolidated some of my closest friendships. None of these are reasons why I’d like to be a part of this documentary. It’s the symbiotic relationship that has grown between my love of the Hip’s music and the love between Britt and I that’s encouraged me to write this. If not for the Hip I wouldn’t have had that first pseudodate, where I chickened out only to work up the nerve two days later to ask Britt out. If not for Britt I would have never went to that first of nine (ten after the Bobcaygeon show in June) Hip shows. If not for “Bobcaygeon”, I wouldn’t have this vivid memory of first realizing my love for Britt. If not for Britt I would have never discovered my favourite band in The Tragically Hip.
- Matt Vandermeer
By introducing me to many of my favourite artists (Joel Plaskett, Wintersleep, Sarah Harmer, Attack in Black, City and Colour, the Constantines, and the Weakerthans to name a few), getting me through some of my darkest days following my brother's death and helping me to form some of my closest friendships, The Tragically Hip's music has thoroughly woven it's way into the very fabric of my life over the last seven years. However I can think of no area where it's had a greater impact than in bringing my girlfriend of almost seven years, Britt, and I together.
Our relationship and our love for The Hip developed from a common nucleus. Coming through the late Summer and early Autumn of 2004 the two of us were both 15 years old and just beginning grade 10. Although we weren't yet dating, I had my mind set on it. But, like most awkward 15-year-old boys I was more preoccupied with impressing this girl than actually asking her out. I knew that one of the albums she had on constant rotation was “Phantom Power” by some band called “The Tragically Hip”. I figured it was probably in my best interest to learn a little more about them.
As luck would have it The Hip were on tour at the time and they were making a stop in Toronto at the end of November. I jumped on the opportunity and quickly bought four tickets for a couple of friends and made sure to invite Britt. She was ecstatic about the show and as I soon learned, this was going to be her first concert.
Now at the time, I had what one may call a very casual understanding of the Hip’s music. I had heard New Orleans is Sinking, My Music at Work and Fifty-Mission Cap. When Britt started listing her requests of what I thought were obscure song references for the night (Little Bones, Poets), I realized I was way out of my comfort zone and better just shut up and enjoy the show. I made sure to stand next to her for the show and do my best to look like I recognized the music.
The Hip hit the stage. I was hooked. So was Britt. I remember leaving the concert feeling that I had just witnessed something entirely unique to anything else I had ever experienced. It was a rare moment of perfect and rapturous euphoria. I remember looking at Britt and emphatically telling her “I am so sorry that that had to be your first concert, you’re never going to see another that was as good as that”. We flirted back and forth the entire Go Train ride home; but ultimately I chickened out and never asked her out that night. Two days later I worked up the nerve and she said yes.
I’ve since confessed about my lack of Hip knowledge prior to “That Night in Toronto” and that I had chickened out at the last minute that night with asking her out. She of course knew about both. What she doesn’t know is the meaning the song “Bobcaygeon” has for me. Several months after we’d begun dating we were hanging out in the basement of her house playing darts with her family and listening to music. As the night went on her family went upstairs leaving just the two of us and the CD player on random. Bobcaygeon started playing just as we put down the darts, laid on the floor and looked up at the knots in the wood of the ceiling truss’, pointing out all of the wooden “constellations” we could spot. It was then that I realized I loved this girl and wanted to be with her for as long as I possibly could.
The Hip are my favourite band, and have introduced me to many of my favourite artists, helped me through some of my toughest times and consolidated some of my closest friendships. None of these are reasons why I’d like to be a part of this documentary. It’s the symbiotic relationship that has grown between my love of the Hip’s music and the love between Britt and I that’s encouraged me to write this. If not for the Hip I wouldn’t have had that first pseudodate, where I chickened out only to work up the nerve two days later to ask Britt out. If not for Britt I would have never went to that first of nine (ten after the Bobcaygeon show in June) Hip shows. If not for “Bobcaygeon”, I wouldn’t have this vivid memory of first realizing my love for Britt. If not for Britt I would have never discovered my favourite band in The Tragically Hip.
- Matt Vandermeer