Dutch Hipfan “Laxe” has translated the article I posted into a more coherent version:

Sure, I think I can do better than babelfish…..

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In the street, near the entrance of Tivoli, groups of people hang around. Many Canadians with the flag of their country around the shoulders. Compatriots of the rockband Tragically hip who travel around the world to see their heroes at work in small European venues, instead of the enormous halls they fill at home. It promises a lot for what is about to come.

‘Taxi to the ocean’ open the show, just like a day before at the Paradiso, also sold out. They start strong and continue to rock hard in the twenty minutes playing time they have. The group of Canadians at the front rows didn’t escape their attention. Singer Just Posthumus: “This one’s for you mounties!” The songs and the musicians are solid and it shows that ‘Taxi to the ocean’, who will release a new cd soon, have grown since half a year before when they played at the 3VOOR12/Utrecht jubilee party in ‘de Helling’. On the stage of a sold out Tivoli the band fit in well. Posthumus: “We simply pretend you all came for us.”

The “mounties” shout with joy when their own heroes climb the stage. Although singer Gordon Downie already has sweat pouring down his body in streams halfway through the first song, the first two songs fall slightly flat. But when he straps on his own acoustic guitar, the band really picks up the pace. At the rear of the podium drummer Johnny Fay lets loose completely, at the side of front man Downie bass player Gord Sinclair jumps up and down with his bass guitar and on both ends of the stage the guitarists Robby Baker and Paul Langlois play their parts nearly motionlessly.

So the songs may not always be very special and frequently spun out a little too long, nobody in Tivoli cares. Seeing this band live is undergoing a special experience and the audience, in their thirties or forties, from all parts of the country, do that willingly. The audience clearly shows that the band has been around for some time; they have been working for some twenty years already and were at Pinkpop in 1994. From a band that imitated ‘Golden Earring’ repertoire, this group developed into genuine stadium act. That shows in the way Downie plays the audience: he focuses mainly on the people a few rows from the stage and hardly on the fans on the first rows.

Stage natural Downie attracts the attention not only with his hypnotising voice, which is reminiscent of REM’s Michael Stipe, but also with his facial expressions and moves. Dancing that often looks a bit clumsy, but then again seems to fit the music in a certain way, being (tragically) hip. The two guitarists may stand playing nearly motionlessly for an hour and a half, but in the same hour and a half they don’t miss a beat, whether playing hip pop songs, long solos in the style of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, or harder rock with a more electronic sound. That shows a lot of class.

A quartet of roadies is also busy during the concert. Packs of of strings are used up (especially Downie breaks a lot of them during playing), and also the microphone of the singer has to be replaced by a dry one from time to time (when he bends forward three streams of sweat pour from under his cap). After an hour and a half the band disappear behind the stage, leaving the now jumping crowd chanting Hip! Hip! Hip!, rightly wanting an encore. Downie takes the microphone: ‘Thank you for calling us back. We appreciate it.’ and ‘The Hip’ play another two songs. Then it’s really over. The Canadian film crew of the fanclub is satisfied, Dutch fans go home and the tour caravan can move on.

VPRO 3VOOR12 Utrecht JOURNALISM: Tragically Hip windt Tivoli om de vinger

It’s in Dutch, but there are some cool photos of the band. Any Dutch fans out there want to translate the review for us?

Here’s what babelfish had to say:

On the street, for the entrance of Tivoli, groups people hang around. Many Canadians with the flag of their country around the shoulders. Compatriots of the rockband Tragically hip the that complete world travels around to see their heroes to the work in small European rooms, instead of the enormous our that link at home does fill up. It promises what kind of what will come. Taxi to the ocean open the show, just like a day rather in the Paradiso also sold off. Immediately strong and continues against go there in wide the twenty minutes speeltijd starts the link which they have. And also them are the group Canadians who range the first do not populate escape. Zanger Just Posthumus: “This one’s for you mounties!” The songs and the muzikanten stand if a house and to this is see that taxi to the ocean that a new cd brings out soon, clearly has grown with respect to a half year has been suffered at 3VOOR12/Utrecht the jubileumfeest in the slope. On the podium for sold off Tivoli the link is entirely in its element. mail humus: “we do simply net or you all for us come be.” The “mounties” shout with joy if their own heroes the podium rises. Although at zanger Gordon Downie already halfway the first number the sweat with straaltjes of its body flows, come the first two songs still what measure. When he afterwards however himself puts on an acoustic jet ear, the link really comes on pace. Behind on the podium drummer Johnny Fay entirely goes loose, beside front man Downie leaps bass player girds Sinclair and with its bass jet ear and on sides on the podium the gitaristen play Robby nurse and Paul Langlois hurry themselves motionless. That the songs are not complete particular and frequently what is possible too long spun out, nobody in Tivoli deren. These link live visit undergoing a special experience is and public, dertigers and veertigers from several parts of the country, do that willingly. Publicly characterises immediately how long the link goes along already; the link is already about twenty years busy and stood in 1994, on Pinkpop. Of a link which it applied earring earring-repertoire played the gezelschap developed into stadionband pur sang. That is see to the way plays on Downie publicly: he does that especially at people who cede to a couple meter of the podium, and hardly at the fans on the first range. podium animal Downie attracts not only the attention with its hypnotising voice, which most does think still of REM’s Michael Stipe, but also by its mimicry and movements. Dances which frequently what is houterig, but at music are appropriate and on a certain manner nevertheless (tragically) hip. the two gitaristen stand largely play an hour and a half nearly motionless, but sat there in the same an hour and a half a time beside. If the now hippe concerned headstock songs, long solos in the style of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, or harder rock with more electronic sounded. That testifies nevertheless of class. Also a quartet travelled with roadies is busy during the concert. Not only there a package snaren becomes doorheen nervous (particularly Downie break them always during playing), also the microphone of the zanger is from time to time replaced by a dry land. (If he bends forward itself, the sweat with three jets of its cap runs.) After an hour and a half the link disappears to behind, the meanwhile jumping public in the room chants hip! Hip! Hip! and rightly a toegift wants. Downie take the word: Thank you for calling US back. We appreciate it. And ‘ The hip ‘ play songs still two. Then it has been really done. The Canadian film plough of the supporter club is satisfied, Dutch fans turn homeward and the tourkaravaan can travel further. Tragically hip and taxi to the ocean seen: Tivoli, Wednesday 12 July 2006

Last nights show in Utrecht was the final̩ of the tour and the boys did not disappoint. The venue is very cool in atmosphere but was WAY too hot during the show. Gord was nearly outsweated (?) by many members of the crowd. Gord went through nearly a dozen strings on his two guitars and by the end of the show, he looked to be in a very bad mood Рslamming the microphone stand down and stomping around the stage.

Utrecht is about 40 minutes outside of Amsterdam and to get there and back we took the train. Here’s a picture of our little group as we’re waiting for the train home: