10/16/09: Byham Theatre: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

[sean.bonner]

Post your review.

01 - The Depression Suite
02 - New Orleans Is Sinking
03 - The Drop-Off
04 - Ahead By A Century
05 - Gift Shop
06 - The Last Of The Unplucked Gems
07 - Morning Moon
08 - Courage
09 - Coffee Girl
10 - At The Hundredth Meridian
11 - Love Is A First

01 - Boots Or Hearts*
02 - Flamenco*
03 - Wheat Kings*
04 - Springtime In Vienna
05 - Bobcaygeon
06 - Locked In The Trunk Of A Car
07 - Escape Is At Hand For The Travellin' Man
08 - Poets
09 - The Last Recluse
10 - Yer Not The Ocean
11 - Fully Completely
12 - Little Bones

13 - Grace, Too
14 - My Music At Work

[Tthip]

Preview Article:
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsbu ... 47978.html


The Tragically Hip still searching for satisfaction
By Rege Behe, TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Where: Byham Theater, Downtown
About the writer
Rege Behe can be reached via e-mail or at 412-320-7990.


What does it mean to be called Canada's best rock band, as The Tragically Hip have long been touted?

Lead singer Gord Downie isn't quite sure the Kingston, Ontario, group deserves that tag. He certainly doesn't think The Tragically Hip, which performs Friday at the Byham Theater, Downtown, are superstars in their homeland.

"We're not that big here," he says, calling from Canada. "Michael Buble is big here. Nickelback is big. We're not that kind of big, and we never have been and never will be. Which is not to say that kind of big is not desirable or not cool or not well-earned. It's all those things. But there's probably some little booby trap in every song we write that prevents it."

The booby traps Downie refers to aren't destructive by any means, but twists and turns that a Tragically Hip tune typically takes. On the most recent album, "We Are the Same," there are songs with stunning imagery ("Morning Moon") and inventive wordplay ("The Last Recluse"). There are songs ("Now the Struggle Has a Name," "Honey Please") that sweep and dive like flocks of migrating birds.

There even is a rare rock conceit. "The Depression Suite" features three connected songs, a convention that saw its heyday in the 1970s. Downie says producer Bob Rock came up with the idea and guitarist Paul Langlois selected "The Rock," "NewOrleansWorld" and "Don't You Wanna See How it Ends?" based on how they could be linked musically.

"These three came to Paul, and interestingly enough he doesn't write the lyrics," Downie says. "So that had no bearing on it. Immediately I wanted to throw a red flag: Wait a minute here. But they fit, strangely, with none of these guys knowing what the lyrics were. ... The sum of (the songs') parts form something more formidable than on their own."

That seems to be a formula that is prevalent on "We Are the Same." While there's no apparent hit single -- although "Morning Moon" is getting airplay locally on WYEP-FM -- collectively, the music forms an irresistible collage of sound.

Downie, the principal songwriter, draws inspiration from literature, notably the works of short-story writer Raymond Carver.

"There's nothing like reading to get you in the mood to think," Downie says. "While you are there, it's not too far of a jump to starting thinking about how I would present an idea, how I would present an idea to music, how I would present three ideas together."

Despite The Tragically Hip's accomplishments that include Juno Awards -- the Canadian equivalent of the Grammys -- and induction into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, Downie still is restless, searching. A little more than 25 years since it formed, the band has yet to plateau.

"I'm trying my absolute best to tell a story, to tell it well, and tell it properly and make it entertaining and make it memorable," Downie says. "Why? For my own sense of ego and gratification? Maybe. I don't know, but it doesn't go much beyond that. If it happens to hit on a larger scale, I'm as surprised as anybody. It's 'Wow, people like a good story.'

"But in my own personal journey and songwriting, I'm not satisfied. And I'm happy about that. I'm not complacent. We've arrived nowhere. It's the journey, I was always told, and that's what I'm doing."

[horseplaya71]

Set List (now updated from web site):

Depression Suite
New Orleans is Sinking
Drop-Off
ABAC
Gift Shop
Last of Unplucked Gems
Morning Moon
Courage
Coffee Girl
100th Meridian
Love is a First

Boots or Hearts (acoustic)
Flamenco (acoustic)
Wheat Kings (acoustic) - not on website but it was played
Springtime in Vienna
Bobcaygeon
Locked in the Trunk of a Car
Escape is at Hand...
Poets
Last Recluse
Yer Not the Ocean
Fully, Completely
Little Bones

Grace Too
Music @ Work

Fantastic show as always... Gord is more intent on "breaking the 4th wall", as he put it, between him and audience. He went into the crowd via climbing on the seats a few times and during the finale, Music at Work, had many audience members singing "Music at Work" after he did. I'm sure some pictures will be posted, but the venue said no taping (or cameras or cell phones for that matter, for what that was worth) so I don't know if it was taped. Although I'm from Pittsburgh, I'd never been to the Byham Theatre and it was a nice, intimate little venue for them. The sound was great (although I was 4th row right by the speakers and now can't hear much ) Gord mentioned the Theatre several times and obviously likes playing places like this. Surprisingly, the show wasn't sold out as it appeared the balcony was probably only 2/3 full. But that didn't matter 'cause I'm sure all that came had a great time, I sure did.

[sean.bonner]

First Gems appearance... nice.

[NauticalBuffalo]

Show was great. My only gripe is the volume was too low in the back. It was a small place but I could barely hear Robby's guitar. It was a real downer during NOIS as I could barely hear the solo at the end. It seemed like it got better as the show went on though. Last of The Unplucked Gems was awesome. Also got Escape which I've never seen before.

Setlist looks good but they didn't play Now The Struggle Has A Name. Also missing Courage.

[Tthip]

[horseplaya71]

Setlist looks good but they didn't play Now The Struggle Has A Name. Also missing Courage.

Yeah, how could I forget Courage ? I edited the Set List to reflect that.

[NauticalBuffalo]

Setlist looks good but they didn't play Now The Struggle Has A Name. Also missing Courage.

Yeah, how could I forget Courage ? I edited the Set List to reflect that.

Also played Ahead By A Century. I think theres another one I'm forgetting too.

[horseplaya71]

Setlist looks good but they didn't play Now The Struggle Has A Name. Also missing Courage.

Yeah, how could I forget Courage ? I edited the Set List to reflect that.

Also played Ahead By A Century. I think theres another one I'm forgetting too.

Yeah, they played Locked too, I forgot that one...

[Tthip]

Depression Suite
NOIS
Drop-Off
ABAC
Gift Shop
Gems
Morning Moon
Courage
Coffee Girl
100th Meridian
Love Is A First

Boots Or Hearts (a)
Flamenco (a)
Wheat Kings (a)
Springtime
Bobcaygeon
Locked
Escape Is At Hand....
Poets
Last Recluse
Ocean
Fully Completely
Little Bones

Grace, Too
Music At Work

[HandsInTheRiver41]

Wait they actually played Gems?
When I first saw that on the setlist I assumed it was Recluse, but I see that's in the second set.
Nice!

[clutchcdn]

Great show, good setlist.

In fact, best Hip show I have seen(out of 33). Perhaps it was the no drinks during the show that assisted me in coming to that conclusion.

Nothing beats a small intimate venue.
I would rather this kind of show once per year, than monthly doses of Hip at any Festival type show.

Now....if I can only find me some purple pants. Where in the world did Mr. Baker find those?

[anastasia1919]

If anyone cares to see them, I have photos on my flickr page:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/anastasia1 ... 613246024/

Enjoy!

[BIGVDOGG]