A subterranean distant thunder building.
Swirling and shimmering melodic wash.
And, when you're all settled in, the voice of a lunatic, whispering or howling to you about the inner corridors of his psyche. Our psyche.
There's a Tragically Hip for everyone, they say. Over the last 32 years they've explored a wide range of sounds, expanding on their blues/bar rock beginnings.
The signature sound of The Hip, to me, is magical. It centers around a subdued and quiet creeping intro. A guitar line that swirls and circles around you, dizzying and hallucinogenic. (Think: It's A Good Life, Springtime In Vienna, Long Time Running, The Rules, Pigeon Camera, Are We Family, etc.) The rhythm section, understated but flawless, keeps the whole thing from drifting away. The stage is set for Gord to waltz in and mystify us with everything from heartfelt longing, romantic comedy, mundane ordinary everyday musings to the most serene scenic images of nature and beauty. All of it seems to flow effortlessly from his subconscious in a steady stream of dream-like melodic storytelling.
We'll never really know what exactly he is saying with some of those words. Abstract wordplay punctuates nearly every verse. Always provocative, always original, and always leading us astray so he can catch us off guard with a line that hits us.
And we all know just what he means.
Tonight we say goodbye, not just to Gord Downie, but to one of the greatest bands of all-time. Iconic Canadians, heroes, and true artists, their integrity left fully intact after 32 years. They've given us a lot. A lot to talk about, a lot to think about, a lot to be proud of. And all they've ever asked of us is to enjoy the show.
So tonight, enjoy the show.
Don’t you want to see how it ends?
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