09/13/09: Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium: Edmonton, AB

[sean.bonner]

Post your review.

01 - New Orleans Is Sinking
02 - The Depression Suite
03 - In View
04 - Ahead By A Century
05 - Puttin' Down
06 - Coffee Girl
07 - Courage
08 - Gus: The Polar Bear From Central Park
09 - Family Band
10 - Locked In The Trunk Of A Car
11 - Love Is A First

01 - Morning Moon*
02 - Boots Or Hearts*
03 - Scared*
04 - The Lonely End Of The Rink
05 - The Last Recluse
06 - At The Hundredth Meridian
07 - The Dark Canuck
08 - Bobcaygeon
09 - Nautical Disaster
10 - The Exact Feeling
11 - My Music At Work
12 - Blow At High Dough

13 - Grace, Too
14 - Little Bones

[tth_fan]

Boner, we go over this every tour. You don't need to make a topic for a concert that's happening 5 months from now! You've admitted in the past that you do it for the post #'s, and all that happens is that this gets lost in the mix and another topic for the exact same concert will be made closer to the date.
It annoys me and I'm having trouble explaining why!

[Tthip]

Boner, we go over this every tour. You don't need to make a topic for a concert that's happening...and all that happens is that this gets lost in the mix and another topic for the exact same concert will be made closer to the date.

If you look at the show review section from the past years - you will see that most of the shows were added by the moderators.
They just do this to keep everything organized for all of us.
If you look through the posts - you will only see one post for every date.

[jad35]

New
Dep
View
Abac
Putting down!!
Coffee girl
Courage
Gus
Family Band
Locked
Love is a first
...

(a) morning moon
(a)Boots
(a) scared
Lonely end
Last
100th
Dark Canuck
Bob C
ND
Exact feeling
Music@
Blow

Grace
Lttle bones


1/8

[chris]

New
Dep
View
Abac
Putting down!!
Coffee girl
Courage
Gus
Family Band
Locked
Love is a first
...

(a) morning moon
(a)Boots
(a) scared
Lonely end
Last
100th
Dark Canuck
Bob C
ND
Exact feeling
Music@
Blow

Grace
Lttle bones


1/8

Thanks for the setlist. What's the "1/8" mean?

[Marcus1970]

Morning Moon in the acoustic set. I think that's a first.

[markslog]

If I were to make a guess, it means either 1st of eight shows in Alberta or 1st of eight shows that jad35 is going to.


1/8

Thanks for the setlist. What's the "1/8" mean?

[spottrax]

Jubilee Auditorium, Edmonton - September 13, 2009

By MIKE ROSS -- Sun Media

EDMONTON - What can you say about a band whose most interesting feature isn't its music -- but its wild and whacked-out lead singer?

Say it's the Tragically Hip and leave it at that. We've been over this ground before. Last night's launch of a four-night run at the Jubilee Auditorium was about the band's 60th appearance around these parts. It sure feels like it. The Hip is a Canadian institution, like the Bank of Montreal, the Toronto Maple Leafs or the Conservative Party of Canada. Bad example. Anyway, the Hip has built an empire of hit and miss material lifted out of the muck by the band's dependably awesome live shows, which is thanks mainly to Gord Downie's colourful performances. More Michael Stipe-ian as the years wear on -- cementing the idea that the Tragically Hip is the Canadian REM -- the 45-year-old singer was on fire last night. He was John Malkovich in a scary mood. He was a little teapot, short and stout. He was master of the sensual tango. He was Rodin's famous stature The Thinker. He was a bullfighter. He was a frustrated polar bear pacing its cage. Freed from the fetters of his acoustic guitar that didn't even seem to be in the mix (nor was the poor keyboard player), Downie made quite a spectacle of himself. Replace his band with a bullhorn and he'd be a first-rate crazy person in Times Square.

Part of the fun of Hip shows is that you never knew when Downie will start spouting bizarre poetry. We all remember his inspired "killerwhaletank" rant in a live version of New Orleans is Sinking. Sadly, this was not repeated in what turned out to be the opening song of a two-hour ramble of hits (and misses). The killerwhaletank was a one-off. You had to be there. There were a few moments of spontaneous verbal explosion last night. "Courage!" Downie shouted at one point, introducing the same. "Why? How? Where? When?" Not enough time to think about what the hell he was talking about as the crowd rose to its feet not for the first or last time of the evening, shouting heartily along to the words: "Courage, my word, it didn't come, it doesn't matter!"

One question: Why stage a show in a soft-seater when no one's actually going to sit in their seats? This was a rock show through and through, never mind the obligatory "seated on stools" portion of the concert. Could they have done one show at Rexall instead of four at the Jube and made the same money? Maybe they're going for a record.

I was happy to hear some interesting new material, experimental, bold, tuneful. The Depression Suite, a three-part piece that was almost Meat Loafian in its grandeur, was excellent. Coffee Girl was a memorable little diversion. Love is a First featured some of the most delightfully barmy lyrics Downie has ever come up with. And The Lonely End of the Rink is another Hip hockey tune that almost had a ska feel. Ska from the Hip -- now I've heard everything. It's been said that the Hip keeps trying to shed its hoser fan element by releasing ever more artsy and esoteric albums, but they still stick by the Hip, by God, and they all still want Little Bones.

Yes, the new stuff was swell, but the best part of the show was that Downie has added a new prop to his already formidable arsenal of tics, gestures and pantomimes -- a white handkerchief. Oh, the things he did with those handkerchiefs, so much more than wiping his sweaty bald head, sometimes even giving the rag to a lucky fan. His evocative fluttering, puppetry, mask-work and extravagant flourishes was a joy to behold. The man is an artist, a performance artist. Now if there were only some way to channel this magical stage presence into the Hip's songwriting. Then we'd have something truly great, instead of something merely dependable.


Sun Rating: 4 out of 5

[kennedy11]

Jubilee Auditorium, Edmonton - September 13, 2009

By MIKE ROSS -- Sun Media

EDMONTON - What can you say about a band whose most interesting feature isn't its music -- but its wild and whacked-out lead singer?

Say it's the Tragically Hip and leave it at that. We've been over this ground before. Last night's launch of a four-night run at the Jubilee Auditorium was about the band's 60th appearance around these parts. It sure feels like it. The Hip is a Canadian institution, like the Bank of Montreal, the Toronto Maple Leafs or the Conservative Party of Canada. Bad example. Anyway, the Hip has built an empire of hit and miss material lifted out of the muck by the band's dependably awesome live shows, which is thanks mainly to Gord Downie's colourful performances. More Michael Stipe-ian as the years wear on -- cementing the idea that the Tragically Hip is the Canadian REM -- the 45-year-old singer was on fire last night. He was John Malkovich in a scary mood. He was a little teapot, short and stout. He was master of the sensual tango. He was Rodin's famous stature The Thinker. He was a bullfighter. He was a frustrated polar bear pacing its cage. Freed from the fetters of his acoustic guitar that didn't even seem to be in the mix (nor was the poor keyboard player), Downie made quite a spectacle of himself. Replace his band with a bullhorn and he'd be a first-rate crazy person in Times Square.

Part of the fun of Hip shows is that you never knew when Downie will start spouting bizarre poetry. We all remember his inspired "killerwhaletank" rant in a live version of New Orleans is Sinking. Sadly, this was not repeated in what turned out to be the opening song of a two-hour ramble of hits (and misses). The killerwhaletank was a one-off. You had to be there. There were a few moments of spontaneous verbal explosion last night. "Courage!" Downie shouted at one point, introducing the same. "Why? How? Where? When?" Not enough time to think about what the hell he was talking about as the crowd rose to its feet not for the first or last time of the evening, shouting heartily along to the words: "Courage, my word, it didn't come, it doesn't matter!"

One question: Why stage a show in a soft-seater when no one's actually going to sit in their seats? This was a rock show through and through, never mind the obligatory "seated on stools" portion of the concert. Could they have done one show at Rexall instead of four at the Jube and made the same money? Maybe they're going for a record.

I was happy to hear some interesting new material, experimental, bold, tuneful. The Depression Suite, a three-part piece that was almost Meat Loafian in its grandeur, was excellent. Coffee Girl was a memorable little diversion. Love is a First featured some of the most delightfully barmy lyrics Downie has ever come up with. And The Lonely End of the Rink is another Hip hockey tune that almost had a ska feel. Ska from the Hip -- now I've heard everything. It's been said that the Hip keeps trying to shed its hoser fan element by releasing ever more artsy and esoteric albums, but they still stick by the Hip, by God, and they all still want Little Bones.

Yes, the new stuff was swell, but the best part of the show was that Downie has added a new prop to his already formidable arsenal of tics, gestures and pantomimes -- a white handkerchief. Oh, the things he did with those handkerchiefs, so much more than wiping his sweaty bald head, sometimes even giving the rag to a lucky fan. His evocative fluttering, puppetry, mask-work and extravagant flourishes was a joy to behold. The man is an artist, a performance artist. Now if there were only some way to channel this magical stage presence into the Hip's songwriting. Then we'd have something truly great, instead of something merely dependable.


Sun Rating: 4 out of 5

bugs the shit out of me when Gord is referred to Stipe!

Brad

[prairieman]

Wow! What a way to kick off the week. They guys have never sounded better, especially Gord....He was singing nice and clear...only busted out the growl for effect. My wife and I were on the floor, row E, Right Centre....and we danced our asses off for the whole show, only sat in my seat for intermission. I just can't SIT while the band is onstage.

Highlights for me were "Puttin Down, Dark Canuck, and the acoustic set was brilliant.
We're sittin in the same spot tonight except in Row G, 2 rows back. We we are Row A on the floor, and Thursday we are dead centre Row BBB....that is going to be amazing.

Gord spent nearly as much time in the audience last night as he did onstage...he was climbing over seats, sitting on peoples laps...group hug sing-alongs....you name it and most lkely did it. I've never seen him physicall interact with the audience like last night.

Well, that was show #23 for me...bring on 24, 25, and 26!


P.S. - some small dude with a hat on got some great footage when Gord grabbed his camera phone and started documenting the moment...lucky bugger!

[Tthip]

bugs the shit out of me when Gord is referred to Stipe!

Brad

This is what got me:
"The Depression Suite, a three-part piece that was almost Meat Loafian"

[wheresourpigeoncamera]

The "last" on the setlist, is that Last of the unplucked gems. If so, awesome. Hammered in the new year in Hamilton on the IVL tour. Got to hear it because they messed up the beginning of Dire Wolf, and played Last, then played wolf. Wicked experience that night.

[spottrax]

bugs the shit out of me when Gord is referred to Stipe!

Brad

This is what got me:
"The Depression Suite, a three-part piece that was almost Meat Loafian"

Yea no doubt. I used to be a huge REM fan and since Bill Berry departure haven't really been the same. I guess on the surface the bands might seem simular but (IMO) REM's best days are behind them...where as The Hip's best is still to come... I seen them in May and WOW...they are just simply getting better with age.... and Downie is NO imitator of Stipe whats so ever...

and...and.....One heck of an ending you guys got in Edmonton... music, blow, grace and bones...wow! have those 4 ever been played in a row like that??? (i know it was split for the encore but DAMN!)

[nautical]

[quote="wheresourpigeoncamera"]The "last" on the setlist, is that Last of the unplucked gems. If so, awesome. Hammered in the new year in Hamilton on the IVL tour. Got to hear it because they messed up the beginning of Dire Wolf, and played Last, then played wolf. Wicked experience that night.[/quote]

No, that's the "Last Recluse."
Hopefully they I didn't miss their best show in Edmonton last night.
10 hours until concert #18 for me!

[Graham]

Man every show in Winnipeg I ended up going "please play morning moon acoustically, please play morning moon acoustically" but it never happened. Alas, first show out of Winnipeg and of course they play it!

You lucky edmontonians you. Plus Puttin' Down, thats awesome!