07-28-2003, 08:58 AM
A couple of stories might shed some light on why the Hip don't play as many shows in their hometown as people might expect.
Back when I was at school in K-town, I seem to recall the band being particularly disenchanted with the folks at Queen's U. (specifically the AMS student society pres) for cancelling a show by the Toronto band the Phantoms due to some PC BS (ie. some song or lyric that wasn't PC).
I remember Gord Sinclair (I believe?) going so far as to submit an open letter to the Queen's Journal (student paper) explaining the band's disgust about the cancellation, and stating quite clearly that the band would never play on campus again as a result. I believe that was 1990 or thereabouts, and they've held true to their word ever since. (if anyone has a copy of this QJ, I'd love to get a transcript of this letter!)...
Also, I recall the Kingston Whig-Standard running a week-long series of articles around the benefit show at Old Fort Henry in '91 (taped for the CBC special "Full Fledged Vanity") in which they interviewed parents, friends, even old high school teachers. This did not sit well with the band (as it was done largely without their knowledge/consent)...Gord D. made mention of it in a subsequent MM interview when asked about how "passionate" they are (were?) about their hometown...
I know the band has played some unannounced bar shows in Kingston since then (unannounced to everyone except close friends/family), as well as the documented shows at the Memorial Centre in '95 and the Ironhorse Saloon in '98, but considering everyone but GD still reside there, these relatively slim pickings would suggest that old grudges die hard...
For comparison purposes, by my count the band has played 30 shows in Toronto since the Fort Henry show (excluding the Skydome and Downsview (????) gigs...
M.
Back when I was at school in K-town, I seem to recall the band being particularly disenchanted with the folks at Queen's U. (specifically the AMS student society pres) for cancelling a show by the Toronto band the Phantoms due to some PC BS (ie. some song or lyric that wasn't PC).
I remember Gord Sinclair (I believe?) going so far as to submit an open letter to the Queen's Journal (student paper) explaining the band's disgust about the cancellation, and stating quite clearly that the band would never play on campus again as a result. I believe that was 1990 or thereabouts, and they've held true to their word ever since. (if anyone has a copy of this QJ, I'd love to get a transcript of this letter!)...
Also, I recall the Kingston Whig-Standard running a week-long series of articles around the benefit show at Old Fort Henry in '91 (taped for the CBC special "Full Fledged Vanity") in which they interviewed parents, friends, even old high school teachers. This did not sit well with the band (as it was done largely without their knowledge/consent)...Gord D. made mention of it in a subsequent MM interview when asked about how "passionate" they are (were?) about their hometown...
I know the band has played some unannounced bar shows in Kingston since then (unannounced to everyone except close friends/family), as well as the documented shows at the Memorial Centre in '95 and the Ironhorse Saloon in '98, but considering everyone but GD still reside there, these relatively slim pickings would suggest that old grudges die hard...
For comparison purposes, by my count the band has played 30 shows in Toronto since the Fort Henry show (excluding the Skydome and Downsview (????) gigs...
M.