The Tragically Hip – Warm Up Show

Hard to think back to a time when I was more excited to see a show.   I have been to a pile of concerts over the last couple years and 95% being Country related.  It was a night at the Danforth Music Hall in downtown Toronto that had me as giddy as a school girl (10-12 yr old maybe) about to see One Direction.   Yup, that’s right I have heard of One Direction. So be it.

Getting that email to let you know you had won your chance to get tickets to the show was just like,  hmmm maybe it’s like getting that call from the Auto Shop.  Where your relieved it may not cost as much as originally anticipated.  Whats that, once in a lifetime?  So you know where I am going here.   Feeling pretty lucky.

So once I had got the email I turned to the phones.  Who was going to join me on my adventure to see the Hip for my 40th time? That’s right 40th.   It was a life long friend from back home that decided to hop in the car and drive 5 hours to try to relive the summer of ’94.    Now, I am only 38 years old and yes, I have kissed a girl.  But this being my 40th show I am averaging just over 1 concert a year, however I must admit there are a couple of years that I did not get to see them perform so I have had a few multiple concert years and when I say multiple it could be up to 6 or 7, but hey those were the days with no kids and no amazing wife to hold me back.     So for the 40th show to be in a small venue I could not have been happier.

Now, I am not going to review the show song by song, and go into detail on how Robbie really slayed it on Wheat Kings on the Steel Guitar or how Johnny Fay didn’t miss a beat all night (Ok so I just did,  but that’s where that type of review ends.).   However I will comment on a few of my favorites.

When Gord sang “He’s a man-sized Eldorado” I was just ecstatic.  One of my favorite Hip songs that has  rarely been played over the years (maybe once or twice)  in any of  the live shows I have seen.    So that was pretty cool to hear and will admit it was Thee highlight for me.    Fifty Mission Cap along with Little Bones  would round out the top 3 for me.  But with over 13 studio albums to their credit and well over 100 songs we could all listen to over and over there were a few notable missing from the set.  New Orleans is Sinking and Blow at High Dough were missing from Saturday’s set but I am sure will pop up throughout the Tour.  The only other song I would love to hear on the tour is The Darkest One.

The energy in the room was that of excitement and disbelief.   The Hip were on stage for the lucky group of winners and I know from looking around the room all were 100% pumped to see the boys perform such an exhilarating set of hits!   The person standing beside me was taking in his 1st Hip show and asked if they were this good all the time? My response was that some bands are just meant to be seen live and the Hip are one of those bands.  I know plugging in a Live Album is great but to feel the energy in a room full of  Gen-Xer’s rock out to some of Canada’s finest.

I don’t think there are many bands that can put out a performance like the hip.  To take that statement one step further I don’t think there is a more animated front man (ok maybe Jacob Hoggard of Hedley but he isn’t approaching the age of 50 either).  The nice part about the show, it wasn’t a shoulder to shoulder push to the front type crowd.  We have mellowed in age or that may have just been the aroma of Canada’s “HomeGrown” lingering in the air for most of the night.   It was one unforgettable night where new memories were made and many were relived.

The boys hit the road this week to launch the Fully and Completely Tour and then make their way back North to cut across Canada and visit some venues that they haven’t been to in a while.  If you haven’t grabbed tickets yet I would strongly suggest you doing so.  I have made it really simple click here.

Included below are a few images and videos from the show.   For those in attendance we would love to hear your thoughts on the show.  And those that weren’t in attendance but heading to a show on the tour we would love hear what you’re looking froward to hearing on the tour.   The way that Saturday night went down I would love to hit another 1 or 2 shows on the tour!

For more info on The Tragically Hip:

Website – www.thehip.com/

Twitter:  twitter.com/thehipdotcom

Facebook: facebook.com/thetragicallyhip