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Tragically Hip uses fury of rhythm
By Seamus Gallivan
On a glorious Saturday evening at the Central Wharf, Buffalo Place Rocks the Harbor presented a convincing case of populist Canadian rock ’n’ roll, delivered in a double dose by the titanic Tragically Hip and Hamilton-based openers, the Arkells.
Despite grumblings of the inflated admission cost at $46, it appears that supply and demand trumped whine and complain; the concert sold out at some 11,000 tickets nearly two months in advance. And, let us not forget that the Hip’s four-night stand at Artpark two years back was priced at $60 per show.
The two bands convened in the breezy ambience of the lake to bring the beats Buffalonians have been hailing for generations—a combination of urgent conviction, connection to the crowd, and thought-provoking prose combine with fist-pumping rock ’n’ roll.
The Arkells appear to have aced the “Impress Buffalo 101” course that veteran Canadian bands like the Hip offer: they rocked Bills and Sabres gear, told a story of winning a Wegmans gift card at a Bisons game, praised the similarities between Hamilton and Buffalo — and, of course, arrived hot for the show, giving a ready-for-the-big-leagues set.
The band’s frontman prowled around the stage and pushed his four bandmates, appreciative of a warm reception for songs songs that included “Whistleblower” and “Champagne Socialist.”
The Kingston-born Hip took over to a rapturous response from faithful fans that have followed them here and to distances far beyond for nearly a quarter-century. The Hip’s canon-crossing set opened with bassist Gord Sinclair’s driving line in the rave-up “Blow at High Dough,” followed by his more meditative hover over “Grace, Too,” backed by guitarists Rob Baker and Paul Langlois and the steady beat of drummer Johnny Fay.
But at the hub of it all is Gord Downie — a possessed poet, equal parts Bohemian luminary and rowdy rocker.
Downie’s quivering-yet-confident baritone fit a newer number, “Love is a First,” as Baker’s guitar performed loops flanked by Langlois’ rock-solid rhythm. The skills of the two met on the upper frets on the transcendent “Gift Shop,” as Downie shouted his near-incoherent rants about anything that came to mind, including his favorite on-the-spot subject of the night, the Skyway.
He moves around like a marionette— shaking frantically and floating with grace, too. He holds up a handkerchief as a prop, with mime-like movements and a childish grin.
It was quite a captivating display as the band unleashed a fury of riffage and rhythm.
The roaring response from the evening’s crowd was but a bit part of the proof that, from their first American gig in Nietzsches in 1989, to every return here Buffalo embraces the Tragically Hip as if the band is one of their own.
Fully and completely.
Tthip wrote: as Downie shouted his near-incoherent rants about anything that came to mind,
including his favorite on-the-spot subject of the night, the Skyway. (The Skyway is an expressway that runs above the stage - cars and buses traversing it all night long)
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