For the most part, my concert going experiences and my dating experiences have not overlapped much. Concerts have tended to be the realm of friends, roommates, that sort of crowd. Also, trying to explain to a date why we needed to go see THIS obscure band always seemed futile. As my college and post-college dating consisted primarily of the following like-clockwork schedule, known at the time as “The 3-Month Rule:” First month – getting to know you, Second month – getting to more familiar, Third month – this isn’t working out, Fourth month – done.
Working with that sort of timeframe usually meant concerts were out of the picture for dating purposes. But, in 2005 one of the few times music tastes and scheduling worked into The 3-Month Rule, and it wasn’t even a concert I had intended on going to anyway. After a first date at a Columbus bar, a get-to-know-you-and-make-sure-you’re-not-a-weirdo-first-date, we went to dinner in Grandview the night of the concert and then headed down to the Southern Theatre for the show.
After an interesting and odd opening set from Wilco drummer Glenn Kotche, Jeff Tweedy took the stage for a long acoustic set. I mentioned that I had no intention of going, because although I’m one of the biggest Wilco fans around, I’m not that into when artists go acoustic or solo, as I tend to prefer the louder end of the rock spectrum.
Tweedy’s set covered his entire career, from three of four Uncle Tupelo albums, every Wilco album, the two Wilco & Billy Bragg albums, two Loose Fur albums and two Golden Smog albums. In retrospect, I’m glad I went. Tweedy was in his usual self-depreciating mode, telling stories and conversing with the audience. Of course, when some loud-mouth who kept yelling HUMMINGBIRD! in-between every song was finally dealt with, Tweedy responded with something along the lines of “well, now you’ve convinced me!” And then didn’t play it.
The dates lasted only a few more weeks, but Wilco is still in heavy rotation.
SETLIST
Sunken Treasure
Blue Eyed Soul
(Was I) In Your Dreams
Summer Teeth
Forget The Flowers
I Am Trying To Break Your Heart
Remember The Mountain Bed
ELT
Wait Up
The Ruling Class
Gun
Please Tell My Brother
Bob Dylan’s 49th Beard
Radio King
Heavy Metal Drummer
A Shot In The Arm
I Can’t Keep From Talking
Black Eye
New Madrid
California Stars
Chinese Apple
Far, Far Away
War On War
Pick Up The Change
I’m The Man Who Loves You
The Late Greats
Concert Review: The Tragically Hip @ the Toledo Zoo Amphitheatre, Toledo, OH (6/29/96)
Over the years, I’ve been to many a Hip concert. Big venues, small venues, inside, outside. You name it, I’ve seen it. This, however, stands as both my first Hip show, and only rock concert at a Zoo.
I discovered The Tragically Hip in the Summer of 1995 while working at Budget Rent-A-Car, introduced via a co-worker and a steady diet of Canadian rock radio. The Hip’s album Day for Night had been released in the Fall of 1994, and was still getting plenty of play, specifically the tracks “So Hard Done By” and “Nautical Disaster.” I bought the album (on cassette!) from a record store in Buffalo, and listened to it. A lot. Lead singer Gord Downie has a style that you either love or hate – lots of words, LOTS of words. Though he has often been compared to Michael Stipe of R.E.M., Stipe never really went as far out as Downie has, especially live, where Downie has famously turned five-minute tunes into twenty-minute long stories about killer whale tanks and the divers who brave them.
During my (first) Senior year at BGSU, I started digging into the catalog. I went back one step and bought the album Fully Completely, on CD this time (it may have been my first CD purchase ever, can neither confirm nor deny), and the following May the album Trouble At The Henhouse was released.
At some point that Spring I decided I was going to see this band live, and it just so happened that the band was playing in Toledo that June. I had already decided to stay in Bowling Green for the Summer instead of going home. Unfortunately, most people I knew were leaving for the Summer, which meant I’d be attending the concert alone.
What had been hinted at on the albums was only confirmed with the live show – the band was and is a unique proposition. Combining Downie’s stream-of-conscious lyrical style with Rob Bakers’ melodic guitar leads, Paul Langlois’ steady rhythm guitar and backing vocals, and the simple-yet-effective rhythm section of bassist Gord Sinclair and drummer Johnny Fay. Separately, the band is made of a good, not great, individuals. But together, there sound is wholly unique – epic yet relatable, soaring yet grounded.
The concert firmly cemented the Hip as a Top 5 favorite band for life. After this, I tracked down every album and live bootleg I could get my hands on. It was the first of many Hip shows, and though not the most memorable, is definitely the most important.
Actually, there was one really memorable moment – during the song “Pigeon Camera” early in the set, Downie was engaged in one of his theatric moments, pointing at the sky while singing “Where’s our pigeon camera?” At that exact moment while Downie extended his arm to the heavens and almost as if on cue, a flock of birds flew over. How can you not be a fan after that?
SETLIST
Gift Shop
Grace, Too
700 Ft. Ceiling
Pigeon Camera
Springtime In Vienna
Nautical Disaster
Daredevil
Flamenco
At The 100th Meridian
Butts Wigglin
Fully Completely
Ahead By A Century
New Orleans Is Sinking
Put It Off
Fire In The Hole
Locked In The Trunk Of A Car
Sherpa
Coconut Cream
Little Bones
I discovered The Tragically Hip in the Summer of 1995 while working at Budget Rent-A-Car, introduced via a co-worker and a steady diet of Canadian rock radio. The Hip’s album Day for Night had been released in the Fall of 1994, and was still getting plenty of play, specifically the tracks “So Hard Done By” and “Nautical Disaster.” I bought the album (on cassette!) from a record store in Buffalo, and listened to it. A lot. Lead singer Gord Downie has a style that you either love or hate – lots of words, LOTS of words. Though he has often been compared to Michael Stipe of R.E.M., Stipe never really went as far out as Downie has, especially live, where Downie has famously turned five-minute tunes into twenty-minute long stories about killer whale tanks and the divers who brave them.
During my (first) Senior year at BGSU, I started digging into the catalog. I went back one step and bought the album Fully Completely, on CD this time (it may have been my first CD purchase ever, can neither confirm nor deny), and the following May the album Trouble At The Henhouse was released.
At some point that Spring I decided I was going to see this band live, and it just so happened that the band was playing in Toledo that June. I had already decided to stay in Bowling Green for the Summer instead of going home. Unfortunately, most people I knew were leaving for the Summer, which meant I’d be attending the concert alone.
What had been hinted at on the albums was only confirmed with the live show – the band was and is a unique proposition. Combining Downie’s stream-of-conscious lyrical style with Rob Bakers’ melodic guitar leads, Paul Langlois’ steady rhythm guitar and backing vocals, and the simple-yet-effective rhythm section of bassist Gord Sinclair and drummer Johnny Fay. Separately, the band is made of a good, not great, individuals. But together, there sound is wholly unique – epic yet relatable, soaring yet grounded.
The concert firmly cemented the Hip as a Top 5 favorite band for life. After this, I tracked down every album and live bootleg I could get my hands on. It was the first of many Hip shows, and though not the most memorable, is definitely the most important.
Actually, there was one really memorable moment – during the song “Pigeon Camera” early in the set, Downie was engaged in one of his theatric moments, pointing at the sky while singing “Where’s our pigeon camera?” At that exact moment while Downie extended his arm to the heavens and almost as if on cue, a flock of birds flew over. How can you not be a fan after that?
SETLIST
Gift Shop
Grace, Too
700 Ft. Ceiling
Pigeon Camera
Springtime In Vienna
Nautical Disaster
Daredevil
Flamenco
At The 100th Meridian
Butts Wigglin
Fully Completely
Ahead By A Century
New Orleans Is Sinking
Put It Off
Fire In The Hole
Locked In The Trunk Of A Car
Sherpa
Coconut Cream
Little Bones
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)