03/21/07: Las Vegas: House Of Blues

[sadies]

uhhh, it gets worse. did the flag waving and "o canada" singing happen in LA and Anaheim, as well? so embarrassing

O' Canada was sung in Anaheim about 10 minutes before they took the stage, mostly people on the floor, who then gave themselves a nice applause afterword.

I'm not 100% sure if it happened in LA, but I know it was filmed so we can check the tape down the road. But I do know for sure there were plenty of huge Canadian flags on the floor, which of course were raised every few minutes and blocked the view of everyone behind them. I’m 6’0” so it doesn’t bother me, but the girls we were with didn’t appreciate it.

The LA show was great, sold out venue, the sound was perfect, the entire crowd sung along to nearly every song and was pumping their fists every time the lights hit the crowd, it was great. But I wonder if there were any industry types or radio people in the crowd who looked around at the setting and were impressed by the band and the responsiveness of the crowd, but then just chalked it up to 1000+ Canadians coming down from the cold to enjoy the LA Spring and the Hip, and there is not a true fan base in LA they could market to...???

oh man... I so hear you.

I can understand in Vegas where everyone is from our of the city, but in other cities it's a bit embarrassing.

i know there are those who see the singing as just an extension national pride and will never understand why the rest of us find it so cringe worthy, but i guess that's the way it is. I know they don't mean harm, but......

whether or not these folks are aware of it, there is an arrogance to belting out the national anthem at a gig. I can say with near certainty that the band is backstage sighing whenever it takes place. i can guarantee they don't like it (despite what some may think).

[sadies]

O' Canada was sung in Anaheim about 10 minutes before they took the stage, mostly people on the floor, who then gave themselves a nice applause afterword.

I'm not 100% sure if it happened in LA, but I know it was filmed so we can check the tape down the road. But I do know for sure there were plenty of huge Canadian flags on the floor, which of course were raised every few minutes and blocked the view of everyone behind them. I’m 6’0” so it doesn’t bother me, but the girls we were with didn’t appreciate it.

The LA show was great, sold out venue, the sound was perfect, the entire crowd sung along to nearly every song and was pumping their fists every time the lights hit the crowd, it was great. But I wonder if there were any industry types or radio people in the crowd who looked around at the setting and were impressed by the band and the responsiveness of the crowd, but then just chalked it up to 1000+ Canadians coming down from the cold to enjoy the LA Spring and the Hip, and there is not a true fan base in LA they could market to...???

I think one of the main reasons Canadians do this is cause the Hip are CANADAIN, they have never tried to hide this in the US and if they wanted to sell out alla really?, they would have done so along time ago. But they continue to sing about hockey and Canadian things. I have been a fan for along time and think it was great to have a show with 99% Canadians showing there National pride. Who was Gord kidding "thank you las Vegas". But blocking peoples view of the shows with flags, signs I agree, that is not respectful. I for one am not embarrased by the fact I am from Canada. It is funny to hear Americans say we are too patriotic, never seen an American wave a flag???

Nobody should be embarrassed about being from Canada. Nothing wrong with national pride and that's not what this is about. The issue is that this is a music show.

Of course the hip have never disguised their "Canadian-ness", but as I mentioned before, an element of The Hip's audience seem to approach them as an extension of their "idealized" national identity, as opposed to music fans. hope that's not too controversial of a statement, but I do distinctly remember a Gord Downie interview where he referred to it as "misguided nationalism". The Hip do sing about the Canada (and Canadians) they know, but also sing about Vienna, New Orleans, Copenhagen, New York, Ohio, the Irish, Australians, Gregory Peck, Kurt Cobain, John Cage, Randy Newman and many, many others. Point being, their lyrical palate, which Canadian in tone and inspiration, is still an exciting and varied one. Hockey and Canadian history are just a small part of what Downie touches on.

Plus, i would be very surprised if a show in LA is 99% Canadians. The vocal majority might be, but this is precisely the problem. Music fans who attend the show to absorb the performance feel excluded by all the beery, in yer face patriotism and I can't say i blame them.

[Locked6]

We can argue this for a long time (if I wanted to argue I would be married by now), but I am a music lover first and always have been, just the Vegas show was different cause I didn't meet one American, they were either Canadian or former Canadians now in the US. But I agree with you the Hip do sing about alot more than Canada, my favorite song is Emperor Penguin, which is not Canadian. I can't comment on the other shows (LA, Aneheim), cause this is the first time I have seen this and it has not happened at the other 10 hip shows I have been to, all in Western Canda.

[Andre Cardinal]

Everyone keeping up with the blog-wars today? Getting pretty interesting.

[Zenith]

Everyone keeping up with the blog-wars today? Getting pretty interesting.

Do you mean touracrossamerica and onegeeksopinion?

...Or are there others?

[Andre Cardinal]

No, those are the two I'm referring to. It's too bad Tony didn't have one as well.

[Zenith]

No, those are the two I'm referring to. It's too bad Tony didn't have one as well.

In that case: Yes, I'm following them fanatically. (Thanks Mark and Adrian - if/when you're reding this).

It would be interesting to hear Tony's side of events.

[chris]

The sad thing is that this isn't new behaviour for Tony... and hearing Tony's side would likely do more harm than good in relation to his reputation.

[Andre Cardinal]

In the pictures, I would imagine Tony is the younger looking chap?

[Tthip]

The sad thing is that this isn't new behaviour for Tony... and hearing Tony's side would likely do more harm than good in relation to his reputation.

I have always liked Tony and got along with him, but never had to deal with him on a trip.

But I would still like to use this quote as my signature from now on:
"You fuckin bastards! Just remember how fuckin small surrey is wen you finally come home motherfuckers."

[BIGVDOGG]

So how was the show?

[chris]

In the pictures, I would imagine Tony is the younger looking chap?

Mark
http://www.hipography.com/main.php?g2_v ... lNumber=2"
Adrian
http://www.hipography.com/main.php?g2_v ... alNumber=2
Tony
http://www.hipography.com/main.php?g2_v ... alNumber=2

[mastodonfarm]

All of your points seem valid guys. The singing of your national anthem in another country seems a bit gratuitous maybe.

On the flip side, your country in general seems like a very proud but modest one. A calm homage to the band slash show of national pride doesn't seem like too awful of a thing.

Trust me, these aren't proud times for my country and it's actually kind of sad how little pride and dignity as a people and a country we show. Though we're never short on bluster...

...As an American nothing seems more obnoxious to me than the "USA!" chants in unecc.contexts. Especially when it's one of our so-called dream teams of basketball crushing some little country not really known for their bball skills.