2015-02-04 - Victoria, British Columbia

[sean.bonner]

Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre

" My fifty mission cap, I worked it in
To look like that "


01 - Grace, Too
02 - At Transformation
03 - Man Machine Poem
04 - Ahead By A Century
05 - New Orleans Is Sinking
------
06 - Courage
07 - Looking For A Place To Happen
08 - At The Hundredth Meridian
09 - Pigeon Camera
10 - Lionized
11 - Locked In The Trunk Of A Car
12 - We'll Go Too
13 - Fully Completely
14 - Fifty Mission Cap
15 - Wheat Kings
16 - The Wherewithal
17 - Eldorado

18 - In View
19 - Vapour Trails
20 - Bobcaygeon
21 - Nautical Disaster
22 - Little Bones

[Escape@Hand]

2nd Row...pretty pumped to hear We'll Go Too and Wherewithal! I'll try to update the setlist as it happens now that I have a data plan for my phone.

[sean.bonner]

A well deserved ten day break for the boys, and then Victoria is up next!
Hope the show translates well in the arenas.

[Spycouple]

With the iconic Canadian band The Tragically Hip making an appearance on the west coast this week (February 4 in Victoria, and February 6 in Vancouver), local Vancouver band The Naturals have decided to pay tribute with a special Hip-themed Rockaoke night at FanClub this Thursday, February 5th at 9pm. The band has been working on a “Baker’s Dozen” (get it?) of selected Hip songs for their ever-growing list, as well as all the other classics they’ve worked on over the last year. That’s over 400 songs to choose from if you want to get up and sing with a real live band!

Have a look! http://rockaokelive.com/song-list/

In fact, one of the key features of the The Natural’s brand of Rockaoke is the band’s use of themed months and evenings. It's what we do and why we thought of trying out a Hip-themed night, as it not only encourages the band to learn new material, but give incentives for singers to try new songs out on stage. The Naturals have a theme for every month – from “Pearl Jamuary” to “AC/DCember” – and so will be doing a special “Twelve Months of Rockaoke” set on Thursday that highlights a song from each month. You’re NOT going to want to miss this incredible night of fun times, and with no cover charge, we’re basically daring you to come check it out!

Drop by FanClub this Thursday night, 9pm, at 1050 Granville Street. It'll be fun! We promise

[Escape@Hand]

Grace
Transformation
Mmp
Abac
Nois

FC

View
Vapor
Bobc
Nautical
Bones

[sean.bonner]

Did Brendan Canning spin records to open?

[fingernailsonhull]

Vapour Trails! Wow! That plus Gord singing well is enough to really make me consider going.

[Escape@Hand]

Last night was my 19th Hip show, and while it wasn't the best show I've seen, it was quite good and worth the money. The mix was fantastic, Gord's vocals were incredibly clear the whole evening and while he didn't rant and have huge monologues as in years past, I could easily pick out everything he was saying, which was a pleasant surprise. Rob's guitar was very clear as well, but that may have also been due to my position, as I was second row, right in front of him. I'm pretty sure I was picking up his stage volume as he was much louder than normal (which I didn't mind at all), whereas Paul's guitar seemed somewhat drowned out (my only complaint regarding the sound, and a minor one at that).

The boys came out strong with Grace, Too, which was probably the best I've ever heard it. It was really energetic and just came off really, really well. The rest of the first set sort of devolved a bit for me though. At Transformation was great, and I enjoyed MMP and AABC, but NOIS is definitely one song I'd wish they would drop from their set list (which I know will never happen). It would have been nice to have one rare track in the opening set to spice it up a bit, but alas...

The Fully Completely set was great; Courage had lots of energy, but it was the rare tracks that really stood out for me. Looking, Pigeon, and especially We'll Go Too were all fantastic, as was The Wherewithal. I was so happy to hear WGT, it was probably my favourite moment (along with Vapour Trails in the closing set) of the night. That being said, I noticed the band was a bit "off" - Gord forgot the opening lyrics to Lionized, and some of Rob's lead playing was a bit sloppy. I wonder if that week plus off made them a bit rusty.

Overall, I really enjoyed the FC set, and the band seemed to enjoy playing it. While some people have complained that knowing what was coming next was a bit of a downer, I actually enjoyed it, as I was able to look forward to the rarer songs with great anticipation. I can get caught up in worry, wondering if they will play certain songs, so it was nice to know that I was going to hear some rarely played gems. It also helped to know that I was going to hear Vapour Trails in the last set...I got a peak of the setlist when the camera switched to Johnny on the drums, and the setlist was right there! I would rather it be a surprise, but at the same time it was nice to know it was coming!

The closing set was good. In View had this cool breakdown bit that kept it fresh, while Vapour Trails was awesome. Bobcayceon was fine, but I've heard it enough. Nautical was great and Little Bones had lots of energy from the band...but...

The biggest complaint about the night, which seemed to affect the band, was the total lack of energy from the crowd. Had the audience actually been engaged with the music and the band, it would have been an amazing night. It turns out Victoria makes Ottawa look like Montreal in regards to audience intensity! Victoria seemed half asleep for the majority of the night. They were into Grace, Too, and NOIS, plus a couple of tunes from FC, notably Wheat Kings, but during Little Bones Gord made the funniest comment I've ever heard him say. Most of the front row (most of the audience in general, too) were just kind of standing there, perhaps bobbing their heads a bit, but not much else. Gord was looking at either a section near the front, or a particular person (couldn't tell) and he yells out "Are you F*&%!ing dead?!! It's Little Bones!" That pretty much summed up the audience (except for me, of course!).

So I went home a happy camper, being able to hear We'll Go Too, The Wherewithal and Vapour Trails for the first time, along with some other rare favourites like Pigeon Camera (3rd time) and Looking (2nd), and of course Courage and NOIS for the 1,923,765,236,123 time

[Escape@Hand]

Did Brendan Canning spin records to open?

Yes

[thebends]

Times Colonist review of the evening ...
http://www.timescolonist.com/entertainm ... -1.1753189

[Tthip]

Times Colonist review of the evening ...
http://www.timescolonist.com/entertainm ... -1.1753189

Tragically Hip’s Fully Completely show has fans singing along
MIKE DEVLIN / TIMES COLONIST

What: The Tragically Hip

When: Wednesday night

Where: Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre

Rating: 4.5/5

Many of the Tragically Hip’s Canadian tours get underway in Victoria, which always adds to the sense of occasion.

The Kingston, Ont., band kicked off yet another tour of Canada in Victoria on Wednesday night to the delight of 6,267 fans. But there was something extra special in the air and not simply because of where the tour began.

The five-piece band was playing in sequential order 1992's Fully Completely, perhaps their most adored recording. And that, as it turns out, was more than enough to inject some get-up-and-go into the night.

The sold-out audience certainly approved. The Hip have always drawn large crowds around these parts, but the arena seemed considerably more lively on Wednesday. And more engaged, as evidenced by the smells and sights.

Credit that, once more, to the presence of Fully Completely, which is viewed as one of the great Canadian albums. It was the showpiece, but it was hardly the only element of interest. The Hip — singer Gord Downie, bassist Gord Sinclair, drummer Johnny Fay, and guitarists Robbie Baker and Paul Langlois — played five songs from different eras off the top, before they got to work on their Fully Completely run-through, which only added to the hit parade.

The band came out firing with "Grace, Too," by the close of which a sweat-soaked Downie had already discarded his leather jacket (his leather pants, for the record, stayed on for the entire night). Newer songs, "At Transformation" and "Man Machine Poem," both taken from 2012's Now For Plan A, were less effective in the early going, in part because of Downie's vocal delivery.

In recent years, his manner of communication has become something more of a shout, which deadens the impact of some songs. It didn't affect "Ahead By a Century," nor did it stop "New Orleans is Sinking" from becoming the chugging locomotive it has morphed into over the decades. But it was a slight hindrance on others.

After the short, five-song introduction, the Hip took a quick break before gearing up for the meat of the meal. In order to do so, Downie switched from a bolero to more sensible headgear, a white cowboy hat. Fully Completely deals with themes of urban angst and isolation, but somehow Downie's lonesome look and wide brim seemed fitting.

He completed his outfit with a kerchief, which he used to wipe the sweat from his brow. Also fitting, given the hard work Downie put in.

"Courage (for Hugh MacLennan)" was perfectly executed, which could also be said of "Looking for a Place to Happen" and "At the Hundredth Meridian," two of the seven certifiable hits Fully Completely produced.

Amid all the fanfare, a few gems sprung forth. "Lionized," during which Langlois earned his keep as a backup vocalist, was a giant, in part because Downie kept a tight rein on his voice. He did the same on "Locked in the Trunk of a Car," a moody thriller that seethed and spat. It was the runaway highlight at the midway point.

"Fifty Mission Cap" was a crowd favourite, and for good reason. But as the lead-in to "Wheat Kings," it was bound to suffer by comparison. The band performed the latter, a Canadian classic with a legendary "Paris of the Prairies" reference, in near total darkness, save for the glow of the audience. It was the perfect environment for a singalong ballad that has warmed many campfires across the Great White North.

The night closed with another five-song set, this one better and stronger than the one that opened the show. "In View" and "Vapour Trails" were off the radar gems and did a nice job of setting the triple-tiered stage that followed.

The night closed with "Bobcaygeon," "Nautical Disaster," and "Little Bones," three of the band's biggest and most enduring hits. "Little Bones" was insanely good and likely the best song of the night.

The sound had a tendency to be a bit muddy in spots, which could be overlooked given the talent on stage. Fully Completely was a classic then as it is now, and even though some of the songs aren't noted for their finely tuned dynamics, the night as a whole — thanks to the original album concept — worked famously.

At this stage in the Hip's career, their best songs are meant to be sung, not over-analyzed. The Victoria audience had more than its share of opportunities to do so. Kudos to the Hip.

[email protected]

Setlist

Grace, Too
At Transformation
Man Machine Poem
Ahead By a Century
New Orleans is Sinking
Courage (for Hugh MacLennan)
Looking for a Place to Happen
At the Hundredth Meridian
Pigeon Camera
Lionized
Locked in the Trunk of a Car
We'll Go Too
Fully Completely
Fifty-Mission Cap
Wheat Kings
The Wherewithal
Eldorado
In View
Vapour Trails
Bobcaygeon
Nautical Disaster
Little Bones

[magmazing]

Photos from most of the 14 media photographers (including myself): http://www.victoriamusicscene.com/2015/ ... ographers/

I also shot video/recorded audio of the Fully Completely and encore portions of the show. I'll be posting videos on YouTube in a couple days. Didn't record the beginning 5 song set because I was taking photos then had to check my SLR with guest services at the arena.

[Escape@Hand]

So that was an enthusiastic, lively crowd? Wow, hate to see a Victoria crowd that wasn't. I think I could have brought my two year old and she wouldn't have had problems falling asleep! Curious to know where the review was located, as the sound was pretty much crystal clear to me.

[BakersBrew]

I really like Man Machine Poem on the album. The sound reminds me a lot of the Rheostatics. Just don't think it is a song that is appealing for the live audience. The review actually seemed fairly complimentary. It would be nice to see a couple of the hits put aside for this tour in favour of.....Opiated for Bobcaygeon as an example. But, Vapour Trails is a great pick.

[magmazing]