"That night in Toronto..."

By Michael J.W. Stickings

One of the best concerts I've ever been to was The Tragically Hip at Massey Hall in Toronto. Front row, right up against the stage. It was awesome. Before they came out, the crowd burst into "O Canada," and then into a chant of "Go Leafs Go." The Habs fan in me recoiled from the Toronto homerism, but the sentiment was genuine. There is perhaps no more Canadian band than the Hip.

If you're Canadian, you know what I'm talking about. If you're not, you may never have heard of them, as they've never really broken through into the American and international markets. But if you like no-nonsense rock -- with smart, thoughtful lyrics -- check them out on iTunes, or wherever you buy your music. An excellent "best of" was released in 2005: Yer Favourites. It's a good place to start.

Here's the video for "Bobcaygeon," from one of the Hip's best albums, Phantom Power (1998):



And here's the video for perhaps their finest song, "Nautical Disaster," from Day for Night: