Could Have Been the Willie Nelson

The Tragically Hip is the biggest band in Canada that never made it south of the border (that's the US, not Mexico, although I don't think they made it too big there either). It could be the fact they're unapologetically Canadian, with references to cities, towns, lakes, landmarks, events, hockey, etc. in my fine country. It could be because they're just a bit... off. I've never been able to classify their genre. Blue Rodeo is rock-country, Barenaked Ladies are pop, The Guess Who are classic rock, The Hip... I think the best fit is "Canadian". They're a bar band that made it. They get airplay on rock stations, classic rock stations, alternative stations, top 40, pop, easy listening, and I wouldn't be surprised if a song or two has ended up on a country station. Regardless, they've been HUGE here for over a decade.

I've always been iffy on them myself. They have some songs I love, a bunch that I can listen to, and some that I turn off when they come on. I've never had the desire to buy their albums beause of this.

Last night I saw them at large bar in a small town called Bala. The bar is famous in these parts - The Kee. Essentially a barn on the water with a big patio, it's managed to pull in some big Canadian acts over the years in the summer. It's the best concert venue in cottage country. The Hip are never more at home than when they're playing in a bar. So, you have the perfect venue for the quintessential Canadian band, and it holds less than 1000 people. Tickets were nearly impossible to come by. You had to use the fan-club password, could only buy a maximum of 4, and whoever bought the tickets had to provide ID at the door to get themselves and their friends in. This was all done to prevent scalping. Kudos. A buddy of mine got 4, and needed to find 3 people to go with him. I was happy to oblige.

It was a great show. A great selection of their hits, with only a bit of the new stuff. The crowd singing along all the way. Gord Downie bouncing around the stage, playing to the crowd, and sweating like a sponge. Seriously, he must have lost 10lbs during the set. Even I, a fairweather fan at best, had a blast, and a new appreciation for the band. I knew they put on a great show, now I've finally experienced it.