The Tragically Fit
Posted 11-05-2009 at 07:56 PM by Baraka_Guru
We just got back from a concert at the Air Canada Centre. It was a free concert performed by none other than the Tragically Hip (pretty much Canadian royalty).
It was put on by Goodlife Fitness to celebrate its 30th anniversary.
The concert was free, but you had to win tickets by contest or have them given to you by favour via a personal trainer. Either way, only clients, affiliates, and their families were invited to see this. (But I'm sure others got their hands on tickets via "other" means.)
The Hip rocked. As a Kingston boy, I was glad to see my kin do their thing. I'm both sorry and glad to say that this is the first time I've seen them perform live. (I've only been to a handful of concerts.) It's amazing how well they sound live. Downie's lyricism is nothing short of pure performance. And he didn't stand still once during the entire show, which, from what I've heard, is par for the course. Actually, his presence and movements on the stage are a part of the show.
The set list was well chosen: leading off with an old favourite ("New Orleans Is Sinking") and delving mostly into their mid-career stuff, mixing in a few newer tunes, and then finishing off with another old favourite ("Blow at High Dough").
I've seen Downie perform solo once before at a small venue, but it was awesome to see all the boys play a full concert at a big show. Even after all these years, they all seemed really into it. Much of the performances sounded pretty close to as they appear on the studio recordings, with tasteful and or enticing embellishments. Downie's own embellishments with the lyrics were either cleverly meandering or surprising and suitable substitutions.
It's interesting. I don't know how much this whole thing cost Goodlife, but it certainly brought lots of publicity and goodwill. Needless to say, I think they are an awesome company, and I am pleased with how they reward their customers.
Now I'm off to load more Hip tunes onto my iPod.
Rock on, TFP.
It was put on by Goodlife Fitness to celebrate its 30th anniversary.
The concert was free, but you had to win tickets by contest or have them given to you by favour via a personal trainer. Either way, only clients, affiliates, and their families were invited to see this. (But I'm sure others got their hands on tickets via "other" means.)
The Hip rocked. As a Kingston boy, I was glad to see my kin do their thing. I'm both sorry and glad to say that this is the first time I've seen them perform live. (I've only been to a handful of concerts.) It's amazing how well they sound live. Downie's lyricism is nothing short of pure performance. And he didn't stand still once during the entire show, which, from what I've heard, is par for the course. Actually, his presence and movements on the stage are a part of the show.
The set list was well chosen: leading off with an old favourite ("New Orleans Is Sinking") and delving mostly into their mid-career stuff, mixing in a few newer tunes, and then finishing off with another old favourite ("Blow at High Dough").
I've seen Downie perform solo once before at a small venue, but it was awesome to see all the boys play a full concert at a big show. Even after all these years, they all seemed really into it. Much of the performances sounded pretty close to as they appear on the studio recordings, with tasteful and or enticing embellishments. Downie's own embellishments with the lyrics were either cleverly meandering or surprising and suitable substitutions.
It's interesting. I don't know how much this whole thing cost Goodlife, but it certainly brought lots of publicity and goodwill. Needless to say, I think they are an awesome company, and I am pleased with how they reward their customers.
Now I'm off to load more Hip tunes onto my iPod.
Rock on, TFP.
Total Comments 4
Comments
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I neglected to put my name in for the draw - sounds like the winners were really winners
Are you a client of Goodlife? I go a few times a week to keep the fat from swallowing me entire.Posted 11-05-2009 at 09:20 PM by kramus
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Gord Downie is.. intense. There's no other word for the man.
I've seen him yell at his microphone stand. Literally berating it.
The Hip makes for good workout music, as an aside.Posted 11-05-2009 at 10:09 PM by Martian 
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Yes, kramus, I'm a member.
Martian, Downie spent a fair amount of time with the mic stand. At first he was doing the rock star thing, kicking it over and catching it with his foot before it fell, propelling it back up right like it was nothing. Cool. It never gets old, right?
Well, then he starts doing things during the solos: tilting it and sitting on it so he can use it as a spinning top, pretending its a marching baton, and ultimately riding it like a hobby horse. Well, that last bit was the straw that broke the camel's back, as he broke the damn thing in half. He went along with it and proceeded to spin to top half of it expertly in one hand as though the band were indeed marching.
There was no love lost for that mic stand.
He also did a number of interesting things with the white kerchief he initially used to wipe his dome. Including a lot of audience participation.Posted 11-06-2009 at 04:22 AM by Baraka_Guru
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I've never seen them live, (I'm ashamed to admit), but I've met Rob Baker (actually stood in his kitchen while he signed my Hiponymous CD). My brother in law grew up across the street from Gord Downie and they all went to high school together.Posted 11-06-2009 at 09:30 AM by Lucifer
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