VFest Calgary: The Tragically Hip…
June 22nd, 2008
… or How Gord Downie Taught A City How To Move
One thing’s for sure: Calgary’s festival organizers know how to pick headliners who are true performers. This Gord Downie character sure knows how to work a stage.
But first, let’s backtrack a second. I’m no Tragically Hip connoisseur by any means; I know Poets is the video with the cats and Ahead By A Century is that one that Much played a lot the year it came out (yes children, there was a time when we played videos by The Hip). Alas, there are few other Hip songs I can name or recite - but that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy the legendary Canadian band when they’re mere feet in front of me. Aaaaaaand I did.
Sometimes a performer is a PERFORM-AIRE. Sometimes they just give it to you in all facets of stage prowess. And sometimes Gord Downie comes along and chews on a kleenex and acts like a primate right in front of your face. No, seriously - he played monkey for a short while. And he twirled and jumped and kicked his mic stand; he posed and skulked and jammed and saaaaaaang. When you’ve got a camera in your hand, this kind of stage presence is gold. I was laughing and snapping away, grinning ear to ear.
Alas, I cannot tell you their set list, on account of the aforementioned lack of Hip knowledge - but if you were there, leave a comment relaying what you remember, and I’ll share it with the peoples. Alls I knows is that the open venue was more packed than I had seen it all weekend; all eyes and ears were glued to a band that truly knows how to put on a show. And Gord is a maniac (in the best possible way)!
Posted on Sunday, June 22nd, 2008 at 11:11 pm by Wendy and is filed under VFest2008.
Related Articles:
7 Responses to “VFest Calgary: The Tragically Hip…”
-
The first picture looks like he’s taking a dump on stage. Strained face and everything. Constipation Gord?
-
Here is the set list of what the Hip played. God what a show it was.
1: Yer Not The Ocean
2: My Music At Work
3: Grace, Too
4: The Drop-Off
5: It’s A Good Life If You Don’t Weaken
6: Ahead By A Century
7: In View
8: Gift Shop
9: Courage (For Hugh Maclennan)
10: World Container
11: Long Time Running
12: Poets
13: Springtime In Vienna
14: Bobcaygeon
15: Nautical Disaster
16: Fully Completely
17: Family Band
18: New Orleans Is Sinking
19: The Lonely End Of The Rink
20: Wheat Kings
21: At The Hundredth Meridian
-
Your setlist: Yer Not the Ocean, My Music at Work, Grace Too, The Drop-Off, It’s A Good Life If You Don’t Weaken, Ahead by a Century, In View, Gift Shop, Courage, World Container, Long Time Running, Poets, Bobcaygeon, Nautical Disaster, Fully Completely, Family Band, New Orleans is Sinking / Lonely End of the Rink, Wheat Kings, At the 100th Meridian. Great show!
-
RE: Khristopher
Actually this was awesome, I was shooting photos right below him with a wide lens, and leaned down and started prentending to eat bugs out of my hair. At least I think he was pretending. I love to see the full photos.
-
When is Muchmusic going to play a tragically hip video ???.. Im sick of the junk guys come on . People want alternative music
-
that is gords classic apeman routine
Leave a Reply
Featured
-
Much Presents Lady Gaga!
Rah rah oo la la rama ma la la gaga!
READ MORE + -
Much Presents: Karl Wolf
Wanna some-a tickets-a?
READ MORE + Categories
-
Pages
I love that some of these photos were taken at 9:30 or later at night and it’s still perfectly light outside. What’s with Calgary!?