Louise and I went to the Tragically Hip concert last night
and it was pretty good.
The Hip are not my favourite band and to tell the truth I
don’t know a lot about them other than hearing a few of their hits that have
made it on to my radio stations. The music is more from my kid’s generation
than mine and everyone at the concert seemed to have a great time singing and
dancing to the music. That is as it should be. If I am being honest, I wouldn’t
be a big fan of the music even if it had been from my generation, just a little
to “heavy” for my liking.
I go to concerts for the music of course, but also to watch
the people. Any time you get several thousand humans together there is bound to
be things that are odd to watch. Outside the main doors there were three booths
set up selling Tragically Hip t-shirts and other Hip related materials. Two of
them were doing a steady business, but the third booth had six or seven lines
about fifteen people deep. As far as I could tell, they were selling the same
or similar things and if I really cared I would have waited in line or asked
someone. I didn’t care enough.
There was one guy that we watched going up and down the
stairs about ten times getting beer. He either had a prodigious appetite for fermented
beverages or he was trying to get the whole section drunk. I remember back when
I was regularly attending concerts the thought of missing even one song to go
to the bathroom was heart breaking. I would never have left my seat to go to
the concession stand, and I was generally really high and had serious munchies.
In defence of the beer guy, I could get high by smoking in my seat and today
the high is alcohol related. Times have changed.
There was a lot more comings and going during the concert,
but that may have more to do with technology than anything else. Maybe there
are screens and speakers in the concourse so than people can spend their money
and not miss the show.
The reason we were there is that Louise bought tickets in
case my son didn’t get any and she also wanted to see the last tour of the Hip.
My son managed to get his own tickets to the Monday night concert and we went
to the Wednesday night one. I didn’t know the music well enough and missed a
lot of words and as is usual with me, I found the music too loud. I wore ear
buds to muffle the sound and I suspect they worked just a little too well.
Of course there is also the fact that Gord Downey has
terminal brain cancer. I don’t know if I would be able to do a tour knowing
that I was going to die. Part of me thinks yes and the other part thinks no. He
is raising money for charity and giving the fans a gift that they will never
forget. He has lived a wonderful life and although it will be cut short I doubt
that he will have many regrets other than leaving his family far too soon.
I was happy to have been at the concert and shared in the
collective joy the audience sent to the stage.
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