[ShannonW]

Well, I guess you've never been stuck in a seat in front of someone whose singing voice sounds like a chain-smoking cat in heat.

THAT is the greatest analogy of ALL TIME! You made my day! :lol: :lol:

[Tthip]

Gord does not like it when the crowd sings along:
"Have Not Been The Same"

About people singing along - Gord says:
"It's overwhelming to certain people," Downie states bluntly. "I want to say that I have a disdain for ceremony, but I think I just naturally take my nana's approach; she said, 'I wouldn't go to the lobby of my building to see Frank Sinatra.' It was hard to thrill her. So I probably thought, 'These people are really fucking up my timing here.' It also really started to push my pitch around, and that was probably the point I decided there's room for only one demagogue tonight, and it's me. I'll go after anyone else that tries to take any portion of my space."

[thipfan73]

Gord does not like it when the crowd sings along:
"Have Not Been The Same"

About people singing along - Gord says:
"It's overwhelming to certain people," Downie states bluntly. "I want to say that I have a disdain for ceremony, but I think I just naturally take my nana's approach; she said, 'I wouldn't go to the lobby of my building to see Frank Sinatra.' It was hard to thrill her. So I probably thought, 'These people are really fucking up my timing here.' It also really started to push my pitch around, and that was probably the point I decided there's room for only one demagogue tonight, and it's me. I'll go after anyone else that tries to take any portion of my space."

But isn't that the reason why he's got those "IFB" type things in his ears when they're in concert? So he can hear himself and the band?

[grooveless touque]

That's pretty funny stuff..."I'll go after anyone else"...I guess I never thought about the singer being affected by the crowd singing along! I'd be amazed if after all these years Gord couldn't sing the more famous singalong songs with his ears plugged so he couldn't hear himself at all.

[stuckatcuse]

I gues the sprirt of the post wasnt screaming at the top of your lungs @ 120 dB SPL. I could see how it sounded that way. It just kinda gives me the chills to hear the cround chant to Fully Completely or NOIS. It's a kind of surreal feeling to me. It makes me think, "wow, this it real and I can't believe I get to be a part of this. This is what it's all about." I guess the screaming thing came from the summation of everyone singing (i.e., the feeling I was just talking about.)

I agree that being the completely wasted guy that is about to blow out his vocal cords is a no-no.

PS. Gord may not condone singing, but you couldn't tell me that if you wrote some songs, you wouldn't get a kick out of your 'minions' singing along to your music.

[cpierson]

I sing along, using the following formula:

* If it's a standard that everyone sings along to, do it and do it loud. Grace, Too ain't the same without the crowd belting it out along with him.

* If it's a song with a big crowd-pleaser lyric (like Bobcaygeon or, unless I miss my guess, Melt), belt out that lyric and keep it down otherwise.

(Corollary: on Bobcaygeon, do NOT yell out "that night in Torontooo" every ten seconds. If anyone nearby does this, administer smack to back of head.)

* If it's a lesser-known-but-kick-ass-song, sing at something like normal volume, or slightly under.

* If it's a lesser-known-but-quiet song, keep it the heck down. Mouth the words.

* If I forget the lyrics, shut up.

* If _Gord_ forgets the lyrics, help him.

[The Horrible Esthete]

I gues the sprirt of the post wasnt screaming at the top of your lungs @ 120 dB SPL. I could see how it sounded that way. It just kinda gives me the chills to hear the cround chant to Fully Completely or NOIS. It's a kind of surreal feeling to me. It makes me think, "wow, this it real and I can't believe I get to be a part of this. This is what it's all about." I guess the screaming thing came from the summation of everyone singing (i.e., the feeling I was just talking about.)

That’s much better. You do realize that what you are saying here is completely different, literally, than how your poll reads. You went from saying that you, individually, would be “screaming every word to (almost) every song” to saying that you’d join in a mass sing-along during select classics and fan-favourites. Maybe you should change your screenname to “John Kerry”. :mrgreen:

I’ll be the first to admit that I cannot resist the urge to belt out “She said ‘I’m Tragically Hip’!!” along with the entire house during an opener. I agree that it does feel rather ‘magical’.........

[stuckatcuse]

I gues the sprirt of the post wasnt screaming at the top of your lungs @ 120 dB SPL. I could see how it sounded that way. It just kinda gives me the chills to hear the cround chant to Fully Completely or NOIS. It's a kind of surreal feeling to me. It makes me think, "wow, this it real and I can't believe I get to be a part of this. This is what it's all about." I guess the screaming thing came from the summation of everyone singing (i.e., the feeling I was just talking about.)

That’s much better. You do realize that what you are saying here is completely different, literally, than how your poll reads. You went from saying that you, individually, would be “screaming every word to (almost) every song” to saying that you’d join in a mass sing-along during select classics and fan-favourites. Maybe you should change your screenname to “John Kerry”. :mrgreen:


I’ll be the first to admit that I cannot resist the urge to belt out “She said ‘I’m Tragically Hip’!!” along with the entire house during an opener. I agree that it does feel rather ‘magical’.........

Will do. I'd revise the poll as well, but this forum won't allow that. Also if you don't know the words, and you scream out the [wrong] lyrics, you definitely need to be smacked.

[jkdiamond]

I do not scream - I mouth the words, and kinda feel proud of myself if I get the rants down pat. Mainly, I am one of those guys who has to hold on to the chair in front of me (if it's not GA) to keep myself from falling because I'm going ballistic when the band goes double time during Meridian!

Haha wow thats so me too ahah,

My 2 cents I happen to enjoy hearing the crowd sing, to be honest my favorite concert moments are when the Band stops singing and puts the microphone towards the crowd and you can hear everyone singing in unison....I love it when that happens, I don't really care how loud anyone next to me or around me sings. When they are I know they are having a good time, standing near people who are just sitting and seemingly not even interrested kills the energy and the mood of an otherwise rocking show

[bobnfran]

I was finally reading some of the replies here on the "poll". I also sing mostly sing to myself so as not to disturb others who are nearby. After all...who did YOU come to hear? I do, however, have certain songs which I join the crowd in singing...like "WheatKings". I was also listening to the Darien Lakes show in my car the other day and noticed how much you could hear the crowd singing that. It gave me chills. I wondered at the time if the band looks at this as a huge compliment (how I would expect it to be taken) or is bothered by the fact that we aren't listening. I have the book "Have Not Been The Same". I guess it's high time I read it...

Fran

[grooveless touque]

Well the highlight of any Blue Rodeo concert is when Greg Keelor starts the intro riff standing ten feet away from the mike and doesn't even open his mouth for the whole five and a half minutes...the crowd sings the entire thing. Even on their official live album, Just Like a Vacation, the crowd takes lead vocals on the entire song.

It's amazing because this isn't a few hundred people singing, I was at the Ottawa Bluesfest and I'll bet 18,000 people knew the words. Over 20,000 attended the show and as I looked around I spotted precisely ONE person who wasn't singing and didn't know every word. Some of their shows are better than others, but the one point everybody looks forward to is the encore because we all know it's coming. And I could never get tired of the earsplitting experience of being in a crowd of tens of thousands of people who know all the words.

[bauer]

screaming idiots do indeed suck but I also hate it when the crowd claps along with a tune. I paid to hear Johnny hit the skins not the dipshits around me that drown him out with stupid clapping. It really takes away from the song. Everyone should be entitled to have a good time but we must remember we all paid the same to get in so you are no more important than me and I don't want to hear you.

[bauer]

also would it really kill people to take it a little easy around people taping the show? Tons of people notice I'm taping a show but don't seem to care that they are being louder than the band. Until after the show when they beg me for a copy. I'm not sayin you have to be silent but you know what kinda people I'm talkin about.

[bobnfran]

Hey, while we are at it, let's make all those people sit in their damn seats huh! Maybe us short people whould like to be able to see the show!!

Fran

[Tthip]

I have a better idea Fran - how about if they put all of us short people in the front two rows.
That way we can see and everyone behind us can see.
I'll take one for the team - put me in the front row.