Henry Lee (lee@aries.phys.yorku.ca) & Shanil Virani (shanil@yorku.ca)

Shanil and I were privileged to attend an "impromptu" preview of
this summer's "Another Roadside Attraction" with Ron Sexsmith,
Change of Heart and The Tragically Hip.  Officially, the gig was for
charity; unofficially, it kicked off NXNE week in Toronto.

Tragically Hip.
A big band in a small venue.  For free,
though we gave donations at the venue later that evening.

In the latter days of the week preceding the "North by Northeast"
(NXNE) music trade show and festival in Toronto, CFNY 102.1 "The Edge"
aired ads regarding a special announcement Monday (June 9) morning at
6am.  During the weekend leading up to the announcement, Shanil
received a message on The Tragically Hip mailing list, telling those
on the list to tune into the radio or to the NXNE web site for a
concert announcement on Monday at 6am.  One did not need further to
add two and two.  On Monday morning at 6am, the announcement came down
the pipe detailing a special charity concert by The Tragically Hip,
Ron Sexsmith and Change of Heart for Camp Trillium, a camp for kids
with cancer.  Sponsored additionally by NXNE and 102.1 The Edge, the
concert would be held at The Concert Hall (Yonge & Davenport, not very
far north from Bloor)) which has a capacity of about 1800
(http://www.ticketmaster.ca/tmfiles/TORVCNH.HTM).  Tickets would be
sold only at the venue; furthermore, it was announced that the first
300 to get to The Concert Hall with NXNE wristbands would each receive
an additional wristband for free entry into the concert.

Shanil had accessed the very same information on the NXNE web page at
6am and by 630am, he had driven (flown?) down from Markham to the
avenue while I was left to toil via bus and subway.  Fortunately, the
weather cooperated for a bright early June morning with temps already
in the high-teens.  When I arrived at 720am or so, there was a huge
line of several hundred people.  I couldn't find Shanil but when I
wandered over to the other side of the building, I found the "NXNE"
line to see all of ten people.  Right next to the 102.1 The Edge booth
where Humble & Fred were airing their morning show live from Yonge &
Davenport.  The wait ended at 8am as we received our additional
wristband for the concert and the "paying line" started buying their
tickets each for $20.  We learned a little later that Maie Pauts,
Alan Cross and Kim Hughes would be broadcasting their respective
shifts from The Concert Hall for the remainder of the day.

By 11am, general public tickets for sale were sold out whereas about
100 or so free tickets for NXNE wristband holders were still
available.  Now, there happened to be a Ticketmaster outlet across
from The Concert Hall.  A "well-thinking person" might have done just
as well to buy a NXNE wristband for $30 and gotten a free Hip
wristband and not attended any of the NXNE events, though in my
opinion, they'd be the poorer since there were many very good bands
during the NXNE festival.  But hey, that's another review.

At any rate, one might not fault us for not being very productive
for the remainder of the work day.  I looked at my watch frequently
throughout the afternoon, wishing the minutes go faster.
Speaking for myself, I had never seen The Hip live or attended an
event at The Concert Hall.

I had no idea.

We got back to The Concert Hall at about 6pm that evening to enter the
venue.  As witnessed in the morning, there were about one to two
hundred waiting in the "cash" line while we were in the thirty-or-so
"NXNE" and "Hip" wristbands line.  While we waited under cover from
light rain-showers, the new Sarah McLachlan single "Building A
Mystery" was played as well as the official announcements regarding an
upcoming Foo Fighters and Vans Warped Tour dates in Toronto and London
(ONT), respectively, during Kim Hughes' "Live in Toronto" program.

The Concert Hall is housed in what used to be the Masonic Temple
(brick structure) which appeared to have been built in the early-years
of this century.  The Concert Hall proper appears on the surface
a very simple auditorium/ballroom but comes complete with really
good acoustics (or one the best the city, some might say).  There
was a large "floor" with a small yet modest balcony (left, right and
centre-back) about four rows deep.  We stood about three-to-five
metres back from the stage for the most part until big-wave moshing
started later.  The presence of security at the door and inside the
venue were readily apparent but, happily, they were "invisible" when the
music began.

At about 730pm, Ron Sexsmith (from Toronto) appeared, accompanied by a
gentleman on drums and another gentleman on guitar/accordion.  It's
been noted by those in the industry that his songwriting is of such
excellence and quality that many are quite surprised that he isn't
better known.  The songs he performed were of a folksy quality I
really enjoyed  to this naive pair of ears but what I had hoped was
that the audience  would have shown more respect and shut the hell up
during his set.  But the fine sample of bipeds of the male gender in
the first few metres along the front were sufficiently of the
"splooshed" variety that all they wanted (and most, for that matter)
was The Hip to come out and soon.  More the shame that Sexsmith's set
was all too short and he ended some 35 minutes later.  Those attending
Another Roadside Attraction this summer, take note of Ron Sexsmith.

People were still filing in during the first and the second acts.  By
815pm, Change of Heart (from Toronto) came out with two on guitar, one
each on drums and keyboards.  It didn't take long to acquire the
impression that this was one of the worst speed-punk poseur bands I'd
seen in a long, long time.  Ah, but most of the half-drunk "Gord is
Lord" crowd were already jumping and jostling; appeal by cretins to
cretins was very amusing.  Unfortunately, both Shanil and I agreed
their one hour set was simply too enervating, boring and far too
generous compared to the time Sexsmith was on stage.  I idly made a
comment to Shanil saying this might be a band which could do well in
the UK to which he replied, "they'd thrown `em back into the water."
While I do appreciate the reasons why these artists appeared tonight
for which I applaud, their brand or attempt was found wanting.  As
Shanil states so well, "I have never seen so much rock posturing from
such a mediocre  band in my life..."  We found the set changes to have
been unnecessarily long and the final change lasting 25 minutes was
especially far too long.

At long last, 930pm rolled around and The Tragically Hip came onto the
stage, supported by deafening screams by people now packed on the
floor and by those in the balcony.  The impromptu moshing began
somewhat in earnest but, towards the end, "riding the waves" was in
full swing.  What I couldn't believe was how very high the energy
level existed between band and crowd, seemingly in complete synergy.
When the smell of the "doobies" finally wafted through the air, I was
immediately reminded of Amsterdam and the number of Canadians we saw
there.  After two hours including two encores, the floor was a sea,
a writhing mass of sweating bodies, both male and female.

But in a good Hip way.

A really good and concise review of the The Hip's set follows with
comments by Shanil Virani :

The Hip show on Monday night is what live music is all about. It is
hearing an outstanding band with a charismatic front man in an
intimate environment on a hot spring night.  The outstanding acoustics
of the Concert Hall ensure that every beat is heard, every riff is
swallowed.

From the opening riff of Grace, Too, the band had the audience in the
palms of their hands.  The lack of air conditioning, coupled with the
frenzied mosh pit made for an evening that left you physically
exhausted by the end of the night!  But the band fed off the energy of
the crowd, and returned it back, only amplified.  Being a
sophisticated (Hip-wise anyway)  Canadian crowd, the Hip refused to
sit on their laurels.  They churned through crowd favourites like
"Everytime You Go," (from 1989's Up To Here), "Courage," where
audience participation nearly drowned out Gord Downie, as well as an
incredible, rocking, 15-minute version of "At the Hundredth Meridian".
Also interspersed amongst the old sing-along crowd songs were tracks
off their latest record, "Trouble at the Henhouse":  "Springtime in
Vienna," "Gift Shop," "Ahead by A Century," "700-ft Ceiling," and
"Flamenco" have fast become audience favourites.  However, as soon as
you start flirting with the idea that they can't top this any further,
they close out their set with a masterfully performed "Nautical
Disaster."  Truly spectacular and eminently worthy of closing an
outstanding set.  But the crowd wanted more and they were to get more!

Of the 5 songs they performed during their two encores, "50 Mission
Cap" simply blew the roof off the old building!  Even the people in
the balcony were going nuts!  Downie introduced the song as "This is
not a hockey song! This is Sunday Bloody Sunday!", obviously taking a
poke at the seniors of rock!  Sensing that the pressure cooker was
about to explode, the Hip previewed a new song (the second of the
night) entitled "Bobby Orr" (A Canadian band above all!).
Unfortunately, all good  things had to come to an end.  Aas the Hip
thanked their audience for coming out and supporting such a noble
charity, they launched into "Little Bones", one of their all-time
classics.  Two and a half hours, and 22 songs later the Hip called it
a night.  Any more and ambulances would have been necessary for the
teeming masses fainting from dehydration!

A great concert requires three things: a band on stage that wants to
perform, an audience that is alive with energy and enthusiasm, and a
venue that is small enough to make it intimate, yet possesses the
acoustics so that you hear every last word, every last note from the
band on stage. The Tragically Hip at the Concert Hall in front of a
packed house of 1800 sweat-drenched people easily qualifies as a great
concert. It is a show that many will not soon forget.

After consultation and discussion with others a day or two later,
here's what we came up with The Hip's set list from that evening:

Monday, June 9, 1997

-
- Grace, Too
- Everytime You Go
- Springtime in Vienna
- Twist My Arm
- Ahead By A Century
- 700 Ft. Ceiling
- Neighbour's Trail
- Courage
- Flamenco
- At The Hundredth Meridian/Blonde Solid
- Membership
- Greasy Jungle
- Coconut Cream
- Bobcaygeon
- Nautical Disaster

---FIRST ENCORE---
- Gift Shop
- improv/Fire in the Hole
- 50 Mission Cap

---SECOND ENCORE---
- Bobby Orr
- Little Bones

Two additional reviews of the Camp Trillium Benefit Concert in the
Toronto Sun may also be found at
 
        http://www.canoe.ca/JamMusic/jun9_thehip_knight.html
AND
        http://www.canoe.ca/JamConcertsR2Z/thehip_jun1097.html

--
Henry Lee                     http://aries.phys.yorku.ca/~lee/home.html
Dept. of Physics & Astronomy            E-mail: lee@aries.phys.yorku.ca
York University, 4700 Keele St.          Phone: (416) 736-2100 x66391
Toronto, Ontario  M3J 1P3  Canada          Fax: (416) 736-5516