[direwolf74]

Yea, the music scene in this country really came of age during that decade. I'd say probably 80% of my favorite bands at that time were Canadian, and I went to lots, and I mean LOTS of shows. There was one point in the mid-90s where I was seeing upwards of 2 shows a week. I was addicted. Bands were touring like crazy and club shows were really cheap back then. You could go see bands like the Watchmen, Headstones, Weeping Tile, Eric's Trip, or 13 Engines for only $15 or $20. Even the bigger, more established bands like the Hip and Blue Rodeo often charged less than $40. I still have my ticket stub from the first ARA in '93, and the price was $35. Unreal.

1993-1998 were great years to be a fan of live Canadian music. I was spending every cent I made as a student on live shows and CD's, trying to leave a little for the beer fund. It seemed like every week there was either a great new album being released by a Canadian artist or a live show to attend. You mention the Headstones, the Watchmen, Eric's Trip, 13 Engines, all great live acts. I also remember seeing bands like 54-40, Sandbox, Moist, I Mother Earth, the Gandharvas, OLP, The Pursuit of Happiness and the Killjoys, sometimes 2 or 3 times a year. September was always a busy music month because you had frosh week concerts and usually the "Belevedere Rocks" concert series would start winding its way across the country.

Other than the Hip, 54-40 is the only band I've seen more than 20 times. Those guys used to come through Calgary at least twice a year during school, and then again in the summer to play at Stampede. I was first introduced to the Gandharvas when they toured with the Headstones in '95 I think. They were ok, but I always thought of them as kind of a poor man's Jane's Addiction. Their video for "First Day of Spring" was really cool though. I also have great memories of The Pursuit of Happiness. I saw them quite a few times during their heydey, as well as Spirit of the West, who must have played every frosh week in the country over a ten year span. They'd start playing "Home for a Rest" and the place would just explode every single time.

[hurls15]

Thanks to all for the trip down memory lane. It has been a great way to start the post Labour Day run. Like many of the posters in this thread, I was fortunate to have started high school in September 1990. To be a student with no mortgage/life/job/family responsibilities during that time period was perfect. During that period of youth, music- especially live music- plays such a big part in ones life. Quite simply, you have more time to really get deep into it. No offense to other decades, but I am glad to have started high school in 1990, as opposed to 1980 or 2000, strictly musically speaking. As noted, the Canadian music at the time was fantastic, and very accessible. Reading the band names throughout this thread brought a smile to my face. Headlined of course by the Hip. While I was too young to have witnessed the 85-88 and 89-91 chapters of the band in person, I am grateful to have been there from 1992 onward. The posters here have it right- new Hip albums or tours were significant high school events. Line ups to purchase new albums at midnight. Lining up outside Sunrise Records overnight in order to purchase tickets.

The other thing that this thread took me back to was the moshing/crowd surfing scene of the early-mid 1990's. This wasn't just a Hip thing- it was everywhere. During those early to mid 90's shows, I was a willing participant. I always found that the majority of the people were good people just having fun. Like everything else in life, you had to be mindful of the jerks and a-holes. To this day, I can remember the feeling of being packed so tight to people all jumping in unison. Everyone was looking out for one another, picking people up if they were falling or needed to be lifted out. At the end of a show, you would feel like you went 12 rounds or ran a marathon. But in a way, it felt satisfying in that the band was leaving it all out there on the stage, and you were doing the same in the crowd. I think it was the transition away from that scene toward the mid-later half of the 90s that was when things were most stupid and dangerous. When the majority of people were just standing and a few yahoos wanted to jump and slam away. That was not unity.

It's funny. After writing this, you start to feel like an old man, with thoughts of "it's sad that the kids today will never know or get to experience what we had then". But I have no doubt that people that started high school in 1980 feel the same way, as will those that started today- eventually.

[cochise]

As noted, the Canadian music at the time was fantastic, and very accessible. Reading the band names throughout this thread brought a smile to my face.

Headstones
The Watchmen
Moist
Blue Rodeo
54-40
Rheostaics
13 Engines
The Odds
Big Sugar
Sloan
Wild T and The Spirit
I Mother Earth
Cowboy Junkies
Prarie Oyster
The Gandharvas
Our Lady Peace
Matthew Good Band
The Waltons
Grapes of Wrath
Jeff Healy
Colin James
Leslie Spit Treeo
Killjoys
Econoline Crush
Crash Test Dummies
Sandbox
Junkhouse
Rusty

Man, what a decade for Canada, and I am sure I missed a ton too!!


Sorry for hijacking the thread Sean!

[direwolf74]

As noted, the Canadian music at the time was fantastic, and very accessible. Reading the band names throughout this thread brought a smile to my face.

Headstones
The Watchmen
Moist
Blue Rodeo
54-40
Rheostaics
13 Engines
The Odds
Big Sugar
Sloan
Wild T and The Spirit
I Mother Earth
Cowboy Junkies
Prarie Oyster
The Gandharvas
Our Lady Peace
Matthew Good Band
The Waltons
Grapes of Wrath
Jeff Healy
Colin James
Leslie Spit Treeo
Killjoys
Econoline Crush
Crash Test Dummies
Sandbox
Junkhouse
Rusty

Man, what a decade for Canada, and I am sure I missed a ton too!!


Sorry for hijacking the thread Sean!

Great list! I was always a big fan of the Cowboy Junkies, and I'm pretty sure they're still around. Their bluesy Southern-gothic folk was so unique from most of the other bands that were around at the time. I remember they were fairly popular in the U.S. at one point, and they had a few songs appear on various movie soundtracks.

Some other good ones:

Skydiggers
Crash Vegas
Weeping Tile
Bourbon Tabernacle Choir (featuring Chris Brown & Kate Fenner)
Change of Heart
The Inbreds
Spirit of the West
Doughboys
Sarah McLachlan
Thrush Hermit
Treble Charger
Daniel Lanois

Was I the only one who had a massive crush on Michelle McAdorey from Crash Vegas?

[youtube]to3FzxN_WAs[/youtube]

[Lizard King]

Doughboys

Crush - 1993, one of the best albums of that time period, it still holds up very well.

[youtube]5QcUdJe3CS4[/youtube]

[cochise]

Was I the only one who had a massive crush on Michelle McAdorey from Crash Vegas?

Margo Timmins from Cowboy Junkies for me. She had such a sultry voice. Especially on "Sun Comes Up, It's Tuesday Morning"

[direwolf74]

Doughboys

Crush - 1993, one of the best albums of that time period, it still holds up very well.

[youtube]5QcUdJe3CS4[/youtube]

Great album indeed! :thumb:

I just thought of another one. These guys were the openers for the Hip on the FC tour in '92. I think they only lasted for 2 or 3 albums and then disappeared.

[youtube]7iQKN8qc-qI[/youtube]

[Lizard King]

Sorry for hijacking the thread Sean!

thanks.

[Lizard King]

Margo Timmins from Cowboy Junkies for me. She had such a sultry voice. Especially on "Sun Comes Up, It's Tuesday Morning"

what a voice indeed, she has a female Elvis sorta thing on that song.

[Lizard King]

Was I the only one who had a massive crush on Michelle McAdorey from Crash Vegas?

Probably, but then again I thought Bif Naked was hot in the 90's, so what do I know??

But any girl who wears a bra like its a shirt cant be all bad right?




On the flip side everytime I hear "spaceman" I want to park in an air tight garage with my car running.

[direwolf74]

Was I the only one who had a massive crush on Michelle McAdorey from Crash Vegas?

Margo Timmins from Cowboy Junkies for me. She had such a sultry voice. Especially on "Sun Comes Up, It's Tuesday Morning"

Agreed, she was definitely sexy. Speaking of the Junkies, I always thought this song kicked ass:

[youtube]TsS_W5jN-vU[/youtube]

[TG]

Margo Timmins from Cowboy Junkies for me. She had such a sultry voice. Especially on "Sun Comes Up, It's Tuesday Morning"

Same here Margot Timmins.

[youtube]NtoxrBKGBCE[/youtube]

My goodness . . .

[cochise]

Here's a flashback. Not that I had a crush on her, but seeing all these Canadian videos from the 90's reminded me of her.

I did like this song. She definitely had her own style.

[youtube]Z14wPTz6PdY[/youtube]


EDIT: and side piece of trivia (that probably most people already do know), she was Catherine O'Hara's sister.

[Flamenco]

My first Hip show was Canada Day '94 at Molson Park and it was a massive mosh pit down front. I partly braved it and then fell back. I remember seeing my cousin crawl out of the pit at the end. It looked like he had been in a war and had lost 20 pounds sweating it out. And the look in his eyes: exhilaration.

Haha. That was me at the first ARA in '93. It was pretty crazy during Midnight Oil, but then the Hip went on and the entire crowd surged forward like a giant wave. It was kinda scary, but really exciting at the same time. Once I got my footing it was ok, and if you were a small person like me, people were usually pretty cool and tried to protect you as much as they could.

Yeah, me too. 1993 Markham Fairgrounds was my first hip show.

So I really didn't know what to expect but I was blown away by the number of people and intensity of the crowd.

I remember watching a ways back maybe 100 yards and thinking it's pretty crazy here - couldn't imagine it near the front.

[paulster2626]

There's always hope they'll bring out Zooropa one day though I doubt.

I digress. Don't ever get me going on u2. :lol:

Zooropa is one of my favourite albums ever. So underrated.