I believe that there are moments in your life that help to define us. I also believe that there is music that that arrives in our life at a time when it seems to speak to the story of our journeys current experience.
There have only ever been a handful of artists or bands that I feel a strong connection to for this reason. One of them being my first favourite band ever, The Tragically Hip.
The Hip arrived into my life on a Saturday morning, in the fall of 1989. Ron and Marlene Poole lived on a quiet street in Steveston, BC and granted there two sons, my friends, Bradley and Travis, their homes garage to be a place for they and their friends to 'hang out'.
I always looked forward to the weekends, and to going to Brad & Travis'. They were given way more permissions and freedoms then I could have ever dreamed of. I appreciated being there and watching what it was like to have parents that wanted you around and welcomed your friends.
On one of these Saturdays I arrived at their garage and like most days, our friend Shane was kicking back on a chair watching as the brothers were showing of their skateboarding skills for each other. I parked my bike on the side of the house and was nstantly intrigued by what I was hearing coming from inside the house. I asked what was playing and Travis commented that it was his new 'tape'. It was The Tragically Hip, New Orleans Is Sinking, playing, and thus the love affair was born.
From that day forward The Hip has meant something to me. When I say 'The Hip', I do not just mean Gord Downie, I mean Johnny Fay, Gord Sinclair, Rob Baker and Paul Langlois. Gordie might be the voice, but the band together are what makes The Tragically Hip so special, so different.
Here is a band that kept their stick on the ice, consistently, for decades. There have never been scandals surrounding the band. No reports of destroyed hotel rooms, groupies gone wild, drugs or alcohol induced binges... these are just good ole' Canadian Boys who are authentically friends, doing what they love with the guys that they love the most. These guys represent every guy Canadiana. They are our neighbours, our hockey mates, our fishing buddies and our friends. They are real and that is what makes them so unique and special.
Growing up with these guys, they have created the sound track of my life. In every chapter of my life, there is a Hip song playing in the background. There is a lyric for every season and solid connections to my life with good reason.
You can imagine the heart ache I felt when The Hip's press released hit the national news and reported that Gord Downie was fighting for his life and that we had to accept that this would be a war that he sooner than later would not win. It is strange how we can feel so connected and such true love for someone we do not intimately know, but I do love that guy and I am just so grateful to have met him and to have spent time with him in 2002.
With the help of a friend of mine who grew up with these boys from Ontario, I was able to meet the band and Gord. I will never forget standing outside of the venue prior to the concert and being amazed as my friend Holly spoke on her cell phone trying to relay her position to the person on the person on the other end of her phone. Before I knew it, none other than her dear friend Johnny Fay was standing before me, his arms tight around Holly, greeting his dear friend like the dear friend she was, while announcing how happy he was to see her and grateful for her to be there to see his 'gig'. I guess playing for thousands of people is still considered a 'gig' to him. To me it was an epic concert performance!
Johnny hung with us for 15 minutes, while his fans walked by not ever noticing him. He was hiding in plain sight. Another reason to love him. He is just a normal guy that does not seek attention, rather he was simply there to give attention to his long time sister/friend. I was starstruck, amazed and forever grateful to be present in that moment.
The show was awesome. They band gave us what we came for and more. They were tireless and played until the audience could barely dance another step. It was an epic show. Afterwards, we went to the side door, where we were ushered backstage by a roadie. We went down halls, around corners, and through several doorways before we reached the guys. They were all kicking back, wiping their brows and sipping on freshly cracked cans of good ole' Canadian.
Each of them greeted us, with big smiles and with warm solid handshakes that lasted just a few extra seconds than you would have expected. They each looked me in the eye and offered a solid warm hello that made me feel like they were genuinely happy to meet me. It may have just been thirty minutes, but it was real. They signed my CDs and Gord signed his book of poetry that he had just published, Coke Machine Glow.
It is not often that you get to thank the people that have supported you in your life. I am forever grateful that I have been given the chance to say my thank yous to Gord and The Hip. I was able to shake their hands and to look Gord in the eyes and to explain my appreciation for him. That is a gift that is never and will never be lost on me.
At the end of that evening, my husband and I walked away after hugging Holly & Courtney Gordon, along with Alexander Ludwig (now the famous actor), and we were silent as we held hands and returned to our vehicle. We were silent as we tried to process what we had just experienced.
Looking back at all of the ways that The Hip has influenced me I have a deep love for what the band has brought to my life. It was a very bittersweet day yesterday when I saw the band for the last time. I was excited at the prospect of seeing my beloved band, but knowing that it would be my last time, was weighing heavily on my heart.
My best friend, Andrea and her husband Kris joined my husband Rich and I for dinner prior to the show. Together, the four of us walked to the venue to watch a band that we all deeply respect. We took our seats and the lights went down.
The lights came up and there they were. It was a few songs in when the tears started flowing. Here we were to enjoy a great concert, and there was Gord, literally fighting for his life, and still selflessly giving us every ounce of energy and life force that he has. It was an honour to witness and it was painfully humbling. I felt grateful in that moment but I also felt protective of my friend. I wanted him to sit down, and take a break. I wanted to tell him to save his energy for himself. I wanted him to rest and to not be dying of cancer. I wanted the moment and everyone like it to last forever.
There was a specific moment during the concert when Gord was singing Grace Too, when he paused. He paused for an extra few moments and looked around and subtly nodded as be looked at the stadium audience and his adoring fans, making eye contact with those within eye reach. In that moment it was obvious that the magnitude of the moment and what the evening meant to all of us, including him, hit him...hard. I will never ever, ever forget that moment. Again, it was real. It was tangible and we, everyone, in the building felt it. We shared our goodbyes in those few seconds.
Our good bye consisted of Bobcaygeon, Grace Too and New Orleans Is Sinking, and so many more tunes that we reveled in. At the end of the evening, each of the guys put down their instruments and hugged and kissed each other. To witness that brought grown men and women to tears. At one point the stage was empty except for Gord. The lights came up and for several minutes Gord waved good bye to us, blew us kisses, touched his heart and received our love and light that we all were sending to him. There was not a dry eye in the stadium. Men and women alike were weeping, sobbing and openly crying the ugly cry. Another very real moment.
So, just as my relationship with The Tragically began, so to shall it always remain with deep love and respect. No matter where I or they go, they will always hold a special place in my heart and on every playlist both past and future.
Thank you Gord, and to all of the boys for your constant companionship. I wish for each of them a great amount of love, light and Courage.
Peace for all of them and for all of us.
love & light,
t.
There have only ever been a handful of artists or bands that I feel a strong connection to for this reason. One of them being my first favourite band ever, The Tragically Hip.
The Hip arrived into my life on a Saturday morning, in the fall of 1989. Ron and Marlene Poole lived on a quiet street in Steveston, BC and granted there two sons, my friends, Bradley and Travis, their homes garage to be a place for they and their friends to 'hang out'.
I always looked forward to the weekends, and to going to Brad & Travis'. They were given way more permissions and freedoms then I could have ever dreamed of. I appreciated being there and watching what it was like to have parents that wanted you around and welcomed your friends.
On one of these Saturdays I arrived at their garage and like most days, our friend Shane was kicking back on a chair watching as the brothers were showing of their skateboarding skills for each other. I parked my bike on the side of the house and was nstantly intrigued by what I was hearing coming from inside the house. I asked what was playing and Travis commented that it was his new 'tape'. It was The Tragically Hip, New Orleans Is Sinking, playing, and thus the love affair was born.
From that day forward The Hip has meant something to me. When I say 'The Hip', I do not just mean Gord Downie, I mean Johnny Fay, Gord Sinclair, Rob Baker and Paul Langlois. Gordie might be the voice, but the band together are what makes The Tragically Hip so special, so different.
Here is a band that kept their stick on the ice, consistently, for decades. There have never been scandals surrounding the band. No reports of destroyed hotel rooms, groupies gone wild, drugs or alcohol induced binges... these are just good ole' Canadian Boys who are authentically friends, doing what they love with the guys that they love the most. These guys represent every guy Canadiana. They are our neighbours, our hockey mates, our fishing buddies and our friends. They are real and that is what makes them so unique and special.
Growing up with these guys, they have created the sound track of my life. In every chapter of my life, there is a Hip song playing in the background. There is a lyric for every season and solid connections to my life with good reason.
You can imagine the heart ache I felt when The Hip's press released hit the national news and reported that Gord Downie was fighting for his life and that we had to accept that this would be a war that he sooner than later would not win. It is strange how we can feel so connected and such true love for someone we do not intimately know, but I do love that guy and I am just so grateful to have met him and to have spent time with him in 2002.
With the help of a friend of mine who grew up with these boys from Ontario, I was able to meet the band and Gord. I will never forget standing outside of the venue prior to the concert and being amazed as my friend Holly spoke on her cell phone trying to relay her position to the person on the person on the other end of her phone. Before I knew it, none other than her dear friend Johnny Fay was standing before me, his arms tight around Holly, greeting his dear friend like the dear friend she was, while announcing how happy he was to see her and grateful for her to be there to see his 'gig'. I guess playing for thousands of people is still considered a 'gig' to him. To me it was an epic concert performance!
Johnny hung with us for 15 minutes, while his fans walked by not ever noticing him. He was hiding in plain sight. Another reason to love him. He is just a normal guy that does not seek attention, rather he was simply there to give attention to his long time sister/friend. I was starstruck, amazed and forever grateful to be present in that moment.
The show was awesome. They band gave us what we came for and more. They were tireless and played until the audience could barely dance another step. It was an epic show. Afterwards, we went to the side door, where we were ushered backstage by a roadie. We went down halls, around corners, and through several doorways before we reached the guys. They were all kicking back, wiping their brows and sipping on freshly cracked cans of good ole' Canadian.
Each of them greeted us, with big smiles and with warm solid handshakes that lasted just a few extra seconds than you would have expected. They each looked me in the eye and offered a solid warm hello that made me feel like they were genuinely happy to meet me. It may have just been thirty minutes, but it was real. They signed my CDs and Gord signed his book of poetry that he had just published, Coke Machine Glow.
It is not often that you get to thank the people that have supported you in your life. I am forever grateful that I have been given the chance to say my thank yous to Gord and The Hip. I was able to shake their hands and to look Gord in the eyes and to explain my appreciation for him. That is a gift that is never and will never be lost on me.
At the end of that evening, my husband and I walked away after hugging Holly & Courtney Gordon, along with Alexander Ludwig (now the famous actor), and we were silent as we held hands and returned to our vehicle. We were silent as we tried to process what we had just experienced.
Looking back at all of the ways that The Hip has influenced me I have a deep love for what the band has brought to my life. It was a very bittersweet day yesterday when I saw the band for the last time. I was excited at the prospect of seeing my beloved band, but knowing that it would be my last time, was weighing heavily on my heart.
My best friend, Andrea and her husband Kris joined my husband Rich and I for dinner prior to the show. Together, the four of us walked to the venue to watch a band that we all deeply respect. We took our seats and the lights went down.
The lights came up and there they were. It was a few songs in when the tears started flowing. Here we were to enjoy a great concert, and there was Gord, literally fighting for his life, and still selflessly giving us every ounce of energy and life force that he has. It was an honour to witness and it was painfully humbling. I felt grateful in that moment but I also felt protective of my friend. I wanted him to sit down, and take a break. I wanted to tell him to save his energy for himself. I wanted him to rest and to not be dying of cancer. I wanted the moment and everyone like it to last forever.
There was a specific moment during the concert when Gord was singing Grace Too, when he paused. He paused for an extra few moments and looked around and subtly nodded as be looked at the stadium audience and his adoring fans, making eye contact with those within eye reach. In that moment it was obvious that the magnitude of the moment and what the evening meant to all of us, including him, hit him...hard. I will never ever, ever forget that moment. Again, it was real. It was tangible and we, everyone, in the building felt it. We shared our goodbyes in those few seconds.
Our good bye consisted of Bobcaygeon, Grace Too and New Orleans Is Sinking, and so many more tunes that we reveled in. At the end of the evening, each of the guys put down their instruments and hugged and kissed each other. To witness that brought grown men and women to tears. At one point the stage was empty except for Gord. The lights came up and for several minutes Gord waved good bye to us, blew us kisses, touched his heart and received our love and light that we all were sending to him. There was not a dry eye in the stadium. Men and women alike were weeping, sobbing and openly crying the ugly cry. Another very real moment.
So, just as my relationship with The Tragically began, so to shall it always remain with deep love and respect. No matter where I or they go, they will always hold a special place in my heart and on every playlist both past and future.
Thank you Gord, and to all of the boys for your constant companionship. I wish for each of them a great amount of love, light and Courage.
Peace for all of them and for all of us.
love & light,
t.
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