a band that i dont talk about really ever, but are quietly in my top 5 favorite bands, is canada’s the tragically hip. one thing i love about the hip is that there is little to no ego in their music, but its still cool as hell. as great as musicians as they are, lead singer gordon downie really makes the the hip, well the hip. he’s reminds me of a crazy history teacher that has some crackpot theories on shit and that has smoked way to much weed or still does. no tragically hip record sounds like the one before it, they dont stray far from their formula but there always seems to be a distinct and differnt vibe to each record.
i actually won a contest back in 2000 to film and hang with the hip when they played in chicago. unfortunately, my video is no longer up but you can read my drunken rambling, here.
this is show from 12.??.1989. no one seems to know exactly when this show took place except that it was close to christmas, that it was in 89 and in toronto. the usually reliable hip base doesnt even have a clue.
2. highway girl
4. opiated
8. 38 years old
11. when the weight comes down
unfortunately amazon doesnt have my favorite hip record available, and that would be phantom power.
Thanks for this show. I think the Hip are in my top 5 as well. Saw them play live twice a couple of weeks ago here in Holland. The Utrecht show was great but the Amsterdam show was amazing. It had a great setlist including a brilliant version of the last of the unplucked gems.
Yes, truly an amazing band. This is one inspired performance… and an amazing recording for a bootleg.
Listen to ‘New Orleans is Sinking’ from this show if you haven’t already. I swear that there is something very Jim Morrison about the performance here. Really pretty amazing.
http://captainsdead.com/test/thehip/New%20Orleans%20Is%20Sinking.mp3
I saw them play in San Francisco not too long ago. I’m not sure if 90% of the folks that see them abroad are ex-pat Canadians or not, but it seems like they should be wildly successful anywhere in the world to me.