The Tragically Hip?

[Thunder Bay Rush]

If you live in the central or southern US or in Europe, there's a decent chance you've never heard of "The Hip." They're huge in Canada, and to be honest, they'd probably sell out a 16,000 stadium quicker than Rush would up here.

 

They've been recording and touring since the late 80s but have had a tough time cracking the US market. When they do play the in US, they play usually play anything from a club to a 3,000 seat theater. In places like Detroit and Buffalo (near Toronto) they do well. They sold out Cobo Hall in Detroit in '96. About 10,000 or so. Same place where the original "Kiss Alive" was recorded.

 

Well worth a listen and a look. These guys are pretty wild in concert - stripped down rock 'n roll. No keys, no progressive rock, just good tunes. Many of their lyrics are "very Canadian" though and that might be one small reason why they struggle to break in the states.

 

So, have any of "ya'll" heard of or seen The Hip?

 

 

[J2112YYZ]

Since I live in Buffalo i've known who they are for many years now. I don't know anything past what the Canadian rock stations play though. They've got a good following here and from what i've heard their concerts always draw really well in this area.

 

The songs I know from them aren't bad at all, but I don't feel like they're anything special. I've never heard anything from them that made me want to go check out their albums unfortunately.

[Thunder Bay Rush]

The earlier albums are their best, in my opinion. If you were to try one, I'd get "Up To Here." It sold 3 million copies, probably their best. "Day For Night" is also a good one and when they appeared on SLN in '94, they played "Grace Too" from that CD.

 

I haven't heard anything from them in the last ten years that I'm crazy about, but they're still great in concert.

 

 

[Akron162]

Checked up some of their songs in youtube. Pretty nice actually, but nothing special really.

[ILSnwdog]

If I die of vanity

Promise me

Promise me

They would bury me

Some place, I don't want to be

You'll dig me up

And transport me

Unceremoniously

Away from

The swollen city-breeze

Garbage-bag trees

Whispers of disease

And acts of enormity

And lower me

Slowly, sadly and properly

Get Ry Cooder

To sing me eulogy

At the hundredth meridian

Where the great plains begin

 

I love the Tragically Hip. Been listening to them since I first heard New Orleans Is Sinking.

[t2s]

QUOTE (ILSnwdog @ Oct 3 2012, 08:36 PM)

If I die of vanity Promise me Promise me They would bury me Some place, I don't want to be You'll dig me up And transport me Unceremoniously Away from The swollen city-breeze Garbage-bag trees Whispers of disease And acts of enormity And lower me Slowly, sadly and properly Get Ry Cooder To sing me eulogy At the hundredth meridian Where the great plains begin I love the Tragically Hip. Been listening to them since I first heard New Orleans Is Sinking.

[sullysue]

QUOTE (t2s @ Oct 4 2012, 12:17 AM)

QUOTE (ILSnwdog @ Oct 3 2012, 08:36 PM) If I die of vanity Promise me Promise me They would bury me Some place, I don't want to be You'll dig me up And transport me Unceremoniously Away from The swollen city-breeze Garbage-bag trees Whispers of disease And acts of enormity And lower me Slowly, sadly and properly Get Ry Cooder To sing me eulogy At the hundredth meridian Where the great plains begin    I love the Tragically Hip.  Been listening to them since I first heard New Orleans Is Sinking.      I had the privilege of meeting them a few years ago. They were gracious and completely approachable. That night I saw them live from the first row. One of the best shows I've been to.

[Thunder Bay Rush]

One of the things that people like about The Hip is just what you say, they're very approachable... that sort of "regular guy" thing. These guys live in a small city near Ottawa and they'll go down to a local coffee shop and shoot the shit just like "normal" people. Or one of them (or sometimes all of them) will show up at a bar and jam with the band.

 

They're also known to play very small venues on occassion, especially for a good reason, like a charity event. They went all the way up to the coast of Hudson Bay to play in a high school gym in a remote Cree First Nation community called Attiwapiskat back in the winter. That community has had some tough times recently so a free Hip show was a real boost for them. They could easily draw 20,000 - 30,000 for a show but they'll play to a few hundred if there's a good reason to.

 

These guys, at least from I hear, are the opposite to your standard-issue rock stars. They're just regular guys who play good rockin' tunes. There's no huge lighting system, no pyro, no crazy on-stage stuff... they just casually walk out onto the stage, say "Hello" to the crowd, pick up their guitars and start to play. No big "rock star' entrance or anything like that.

 

They have a US tour coming up, mostly smaller venues like larger clubs (1000 - 1500 capacity size) and smaller theaters (3,000 - 4,000 seaters) so if you get a chance go see these guys. I'm sure their live set will have you buying their albums the next day.

 

It's hard to explain this band, really.

[sullysue]

QUOTE (Thunder Bay Rush @ Oct 4 2012, 09:17 AM)

There's no huge lighting system, no pyro, no crazy on-stage stuff... they just casually walk out onto the stage, say "Hello" to the crowd, pick up their guitars and start to play. No big "rock star' entrance or anything like that.

Exactly! No big theatrics. But, Gord Downie (singer) has an AWESOME stage presence. And, they're all excellent musicians. I'd love to see them again. I'll keep an eye out for a show near me.

[Thunder Bay Rush]

My mistake... it was Fort Albany where the Hip played (up on the Hudson Bay coast) not at Attawapiskat! I thought I heard they played AT but I was wrong.

[CygnusGal]

Great band, but yes, virtually unknown here in the States.

 

Remember, to the U.S., Canada is always covered with snow and igloos with dog sleds crossing the tundra of Ottawa in July.

 

[Thunder Bay Rush]

Ha!! So true, Cyg... I was in Arkansas back in 2003 and one of the guys I was hunting with asked me if I was from "Canadia." I told him that we changed the name to Canada after we kicked the vikings out back in 1920. He said, "Oh, I didn't know that."

 

Then, I told him that they city of Toronto (8 million people) is considering getting a daily newspaper sometime before the end of the year. And, he thought that would be a good idea...

 

Holy shit.

 

[jesse2112]

I love this band goin to see them in Detroit in November

[Ancient Ways]

QUOTE (CygnusGal @ Oct 6 2012, 11:15 AM)

Great band, but yes, virtually unknown here in the States. Remember, to the U.S., Canada is always covered with snow and igloos with dog sleds crossing the tundra of Ottawa in July.

says the only person in the US apparently smart enough to figure out Canada?

[RushCanuck]

Didn't Neil Peart mention that he thought the Hip were great in one of his books?

[CygnusGal]

QUOTE (Ancient Ways @ Oct 7 2012, 12:27 PM)

QUOTE (CygnusGal @ Oct 6 2012, 11:15 AM) Great band, but yes, virtually unknown here in the States. Remember, to the U.S., Canada is always covered with snow and igloos with dog sleds crossing the tundra of Ottawa in July.  says the only person in the US apparently smart enough to figure out Canada? After I moved to the U.S., I once had a teacher (a teacher!) ask me about the snow and the igloos in Toronto. He used to fail me on spelling tests until I "Americanized" my spelling. "U" and "S" (labour, organise) still float in and out of my spelling to this day.   Yes, I'm from Canada and yes, I do know Bob. Our grandparents grew up together.

[Janie]

QUOTE (Thunder Bay Rush @ Oct 2 2012, 07:06 PM)

If you live in the central or southern US or in Europe, there's a decent chance you've never heard of "The Hip." They're huge in Canada, and to be honest, they'd probably sell out a 16,000 stadium quicker than Rush would up here. They've been recording and touring since the late 80s but have had a tough time cracking the US market. When they do play the in US, they play usually play anything from a club to a 3,000 seat theater. In places like Detroit and Buffalo (near Toronto) they do well. They sold out Cobo Hall in Detroit in '96. About 10,000 or so. Same place where the original "Kiss Alive" was recorded. Well worth a listen and a look. These guys are pretty wild in concert - stripped down rock 'n roll. No keys, no progressive rock, just good tunes. Many of their lyrics are "very Canadian" though and that might be one small reason why they struggle to break in the states. So, have any of "ya'll" heard of or seen The Hip?

I love them. I had the opportunity to interview Gordon Downie years ago when I was a freelance writer and contributing editor for a music magazine.

 

They. Are. Amazing.