The 1998-99 concert series waves goodbye ... with Caedmon's Call

Final BFA exhibit features superheroes and computers

www.thehip.com

As the lights come up on the stage of the fieldhouse on Wednesday, May 5, the Calvin community will experience live music that is uniquely Canadian. The Tragically Hip are a band of five ordinary guys from Kingston, Ontario, who have experienced huge success in the Great White North and to a lesser extent in the US.

Formed in the early 80’s, the Hip have built a reputation for dynamic live performances. Ironically, many Americans have never heard of the Hip. Lead singer Gord Downie’s lyrics have been described as “idiosyncratic” and “obtuse.” Take, for example, a verse from the song “Greasy Jungle” off the 1992 album “Day for Night:” “I drove down the road Hazeldean where I tasted/your funeral home sandwiches and coffee/ I saw your hands melt into one another/ I saw you grieve and groan, care a lot about one another.”

These are not the lyrics of a Dave Matthews or a Jakob Dylan. But yet, the Hip are arguably the most popular band in Canada. Several of their albums have gone platinum up north, and their shows always sell out.

How have they generated such a huge following? The Hip were born on the stage. While some bands build a reputation by their work in the studio, the Hip have always relied on the stage to experiment with new sounds, and new ideas, as well as Downie’s on-stage antics: Gord is famous for bursting into spontaneous monologues in the middle of a song, inspired by a fan he sees, the weather, politics, or things thrown at him. The Hip involves the audience in their live music, taking listeners on a lyrical and acoustic thrill ride.

Another aspect of the Hip’s popularity in Canada is the ability given to the listener to associate themselves with the content and feeling of the Hip’s songs. The Hip write about places, people, events, and stories that affect Canadians.

They write about life in small town northern Ontario; they write about David Milgaard, a Saskatchewan resident imprisoned 20 years for a crime he did not commit; they write about hockey ... The Hip’s music has feeling because what they write about is real. The Hip combine meaningful lyrics with a rich, well-blended style of rock and roll that affords them the individuality of being known simply as “the Hip.”

Some comparisons include Dave Matthews, R.E.M., Matchbox 20, and Our Lady Peace. However, these comparisons can only hold true for individual songs. The variety in sound that the Hip display gives them individuality.

So why should Calvin students go to their concert? They have a unique sound, they are an amazing live experience, and their songs are meaningful. After attending the concert you may understand what your fellow Canadian students are raving “aboot.”

But you don’t have to take our word for it. The Hip are on the bill for this summer’s Woodstock music festival. If the Hip are good enough to play with the top rock bands of America, the seven (American) bucks you drop on a concert here at Calvin can be considered a bargain.