Listen Here!!!

After attending the Tragically Hip concert at the Molson Amphitheatre back on Canada Day, I felt compelled to buy their new album, In Between Evolution. I am, however, not one who often enjoys new music from my favourite bands right off the start. Usually I will listen to the album a few times before any of the songs begin to grow on me. Some never do. However, the Hip’s new album has seemed to avoid my steadfast aversion to any music but the old classics from my favourite bands I usually find myself listening to. In fact, I have become instantly attached to the album playing several of the songs over twenty times since I purchased the album less than two days ago.

Apart from the hit single “Vaccination Scar”, there other several other tracks on the album that each posses their own very intriguing and attractive qualities. “You’re Everywhere”, “When New Orleans Is Beat”, “As Makeshift As We Are”, “Goodnight Josephine”, and “Heaven Is A Better Place Today” are all songs, in my opinion, that could eventually become some of the Hip’s more well known songs.

After a couple of poor releases, over the past few years, In Violet Light and Music @ Work, the Tragically Hip were in need of a strong release this time around to generate some renewed interest in their music. With the release of In Between Evolution, they have certainly put forth an excellent album that could become one of their strongest albums ever.

Tragically Hip Put On Tremendous Show

On the day of Canada’s one-hundred and thirty seventh birthday, the Tragically Hip came back home to Canada to celebrate with the people of Toronto at the Molson Amphitheatre. In what was a typically Canadian atmosphere where everything from Canadian hockey jerseys and Molson Canadian beer to Canadian tattoos and gigantic Canadian Flags could be seen amongst the crowd, the Tragically Hip added to the celebration of Canadian pride by treating a capacity crowd to some of the songs most synonymous with Canadians and their country.

If one has never seen the Tragically Hip in concert, it is difficult to fathom not only the level of energy they perform with but also the level of energy they generate out of the crowd. From the moment the Hip took the stage at around 8:40pm until they finally left the stage after two encores at 10:45pm, the crowd was on their feet cheering for more. While laughing at the people who paid a considerable amount more for reserved seating but ended up standing the whole time, from where I stood on the edge of the grass section, I was given an excellent view of the stage while being blown away by the sound of many of the Hip’s excellent tunes.

The highlights of the show were the performances of Poets, At The Hundredth Meridian, My Music At Work, and New Orleans Is Sinking. Each song sent the crowd into to roars of approval and caused the excitement level to continue to rise.

The show was opened by a band called the Joel Plaskett Emergency. Featuring songs that were heavy in Canadian content, they were an excellent choice to start off the show on Canada Day.