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The Hip continues to earn its reputation
Gord Downie steals the show with his antics
BY CHRISTOPHER TESSMER, FOR THE LEADER-POST JANUARY 28, 2013
Tragically Hip frontman Gord Downie entertains the crowd at the Brandt Centre on Friday.
Photograph by: Troy Fleece, Regina Leader-Post , For The Leader-Post
Anyone expecting a typical rock show Friday night at the Brandt Centre was destined to leave entertained and more than a little perplexed.
The Kingston, Ont. quintet known as The Tragically Hip have been the de facto Canadian rock band since the late 1980s and know exactly how to make a 6,000-seat hockey rink feel like a loud, raw bar show.
Led by enigmatic vocalist Gord Downie, indescribably quirky through much of the band's 23-song performance, The Hip gave unrelenting energy from the stage for the nearly two-hour set. Obviously his bandmates were no slouches either, with Rob Baker and Paul Langlois handling the guitars, Gord Sinclair on the bass, and Johnny Fay manning the drums, all with expert meticulousness.
As the band hit the stage, opening with At Transformation, the lead single from their November album Now For Plan A, the crowd howled approvingly as Downie shout sang the lyrics. Looking quite dapper in black jeans, white buttoned shirt, black vest, skinny tie, and accented with a jean jacket and black hat, the singer was his usual eccentric self, maniacally dancing and stalking the stage throughout the bulk of the show.
Notorious for stage banter that sometimes comes across as being a little out there, the 48-year old vocalist failed to disappoint noting at one point, "The goal is Friday night. Ergo, the goal is Friday night. It's Friday night and it's too f**king cold out to do anything but hang out."
The Downie-ism resonated with the fairly diverse audience as the comment elicited a roar that signalled the bulk of those in attendance were ready to let loose as well.
As The Hip's road crew prepared the stage for their set, two large LED video screens on each side of the stage noted the tour was using 100 per cent renewable and sustainable energy, yet the show never once felt like it was lacking due to the band's environmental conscientiousness. Somewhat minimalist, save for a phenomenal lighting rig and top notch sound system, the stage had a few LED lights around the platform and a backdrop consisting of multiple hanging rectangular panels that glow from the lights and appear to have some kind of crystallization on them. The panels also matched the front of the platforms holding the guitar cabs and drum riser.
The video screens on stage left and right showed a continuous stream of live concert footage from three cameras, ensuring that everyone in the arena could see the show as well as those in the front row.
Musically, the band played many of their hits, though they also included songs like Fireworks and It's a Good Life If You Don't Weaken that were played for only the third time in the 27 shows they've had so far this tour.
With the band preparing to play the 18th song of their set Downie advised, "This is the last (song) because I have another thing I have to do. This isn't my only gig you know? I work the night shift."
Amid the crowd screaming and the band playing the opening chords of My Music at Work, the singer yells out "Who's working?," leading the crowd to escalate further.
After leaving the stage to regroup for a few minutes, The Hip returned as three of the panels spelled out H-I-P at the back of the stage. Finishing with a handful of crowd-pleasers, Downie was especially gracious thanking the audience multiple times for their fandom and longtime support of the onetime bar band.
Hamilton group Arkells opened the evening with a spirited 40-minute set that began with a relatively disappointing number of fans in attendance.
Despite a crowd that took most of the band's set to start to fill the stands, the quintet showed it's definitely capable of entertaining the masses from bigger stages across Canada. Its peppy alt rock, combined with their obvious enthusiasm, instantly translated and had many up and dancing in their seats much earlier than most fans anticipated.
While the band is in no way unknown with multiple singles and a constantly growing fan base, there's no doubt its lively set won over many a new fan Friday night.
Regardless, The Hip was the main attraction on Friday evening and they definitely paid it forward with a performance that demonstrated the truly unique appeal of this Canadian band.
Downie, who's eyebrow raising antics included multiple variations of improvisational modern dance using his white handkerchief and microphone stand throughout the set, periodic shout singing, and Bill Murray-like clowning may come across as odd, yet they make total sense within the inner dialogue that is The Tragically Hip.
A truly professional group in every sense of the word, Downie's mates are content to let the frontman steal the spotlight, keeping everyone on the edge of their seats to see what he'll do next.
Interestingly enough, it's actually his graciousness that is the real take away from a Hip show as the singer ensured the fans at the show truly knew how appreciative the band was for their attendance and loyalty. Even after the show ended, the video screens froze the message "Thank You Regina" out to the crowd as people left the arena.
A totally eccentric and truly Canadian band, members of The Hip were also 100 per cent classy, awesome, and entertaining from start to finish.
THE TRAGICALLY HIP
(with The Arkells)
When: Jan. 25
Where: Brandt Centre
SET LIST
1. At Transformation
2. Grace, Too
3. Man Machine Poem
4. Gift Shop
5. Greasy Jungle
6. It's a Good Life if you Don't Weaken
7. The Modern Spirit
8. Ahead by a Century
9. Courage
10. Flamenco
11. Streets Ahead
12. Springtime in Vienna
13. Fireworks
14. We Want To Be It
15. Poets
16. Fully Completely
17. New Orleans is Sinking
18. My Music at Work Encore
19. Wheat Kings
20. At The Hundredth Meridian
21. Bobcaygeon
22. Nautical Disaster
23. Fifty-Mission Cap
