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Hmmm... major update at http://thehip.com this morning?
...

Saw Gord and the Sadies in Montreal last night at the Corona theatre. To say it was sparsely attended would be an understatement...maybe 150 people there, tops. Which made for an interesting show, since Gord kept trying to engage the crowd, with varying results. Thankfully, it didn't seem to affect their performance, as it was probably the best hip-related show I've seen since the 2009 theatre tour. Gord was on point, and the Sadies...my god, the Sadies are fantastic. The setlist was the same as the ones earlier in the year (the whole album, and a few covers...the who, neil, stooges, GBV etc etc)...

As much as I love the album though (and I do), the covers were the best part. I'd pay 2013 Hip-level money to see them do 90 minutes of weird covers.

This absolutely made my day. The physical album releases on Oct. 13th, but you can download it free from iTunes today. Check it out:

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.u2.com/news/title/songs-of-innocence/">http://www.u2.com/news/title/songs-of-innocence/</a><!-- m -->

I haven't listened to it yet, but I'll be downloading this sucker as soon as I get home from work.

Let's compile a list of celebrities that love the hip! Here is something cool i just came across from John Buccigross the TSN sportscaster on a collectors card:



2009 DONRUSS AMERICANA CARD #37

My wife and I spoke with Gord Downie and Billy Ray at Gord's solo show with The Sadies in Sarnia, Ontario. Both Gord and Billy told us The Hip continue to work on a new album. The Hip met recently to work together for four days. Also, Gord and Billy said the band is currently planning a tour which will take place in January & February of 2015.

Please refer to my show review in The Hip Solo Forum here: <!-- l --><a class="postlink-local" href="http://hipbase.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=17935">viewtopic.php?f=28&t=17935</a><!-- l -->

This was the third time my wife and I have seen Gord Downie and The Sadies perform this summer on their Conquering Sun tour. The concert took place on a grassy area next to the Sarnia Bay Marina. The Festival of Good Things had vendors, a beer tent, a full line up of good bands, and a large gathering of music fans. The skies above and the weatherman were threatening us with thunder storms. As the main event drew near, a strong, humid breeze blew in from from Lake Huron over Sarnia Bay and it pushed the clouds away so a few stars could be seen.

The fans were truly excited to see Gord and The Sadies together. A raucous cheer went up as they took the stage. Gord looked fantastic with a full, thick, salt and pepper beard. He was wearing white denim jeans, a white denim jacket with a white shirt that had thin pinstripes, accented by a black belt and black cowboy boots. He also wore a white cowboy hat. I thought he looked like the quintessential hero from a classic cowboy movie.

Some 15 rows of fans formed a large semicircle around the stage. The rest of the fans watched the show from lawn chairs and blankets or from the beer tent which was close to the stage. The fans near the stage were definitely into the Conquering Sun as almost everyone sang with Gord word for word on the first three songs of the CD. Gord was in a great mood and it showed in his performance. He sang perfectly as The Sadies blazed sonically beside him.

Gord did a little of everything we know and love him for, but not too much of one thing. He ranted only once, he danced about and did a little acting during a couple musical bridges and sometimes he just stood still singing emotionally. The fans close to the stage were entranced by Gord as he reached out to them. As I mentioned, it was windy, hot and humid and Gord only used his pure white hanky to wipe his brow, except for one time. He held his hanky by the corners and used it as a "sail" to move his "boat" from one end of the stage to the other. It mad me laugh!

The Sadies played so hard and fast. I couldn't believe how good they sounded. Many of the songs sounded just like the album, but twice The Sadies played a song at double speed to give One Good Fast Job and Demand Destruction an even harder punk rock sound. Dallas Good was especially wicked on lead guitar. He is tall and lanky and he usually wears a different style polyester suit for each show I have seen. It is the type of polyester suit many country and western music stars of the 60's & 70's wore when they were performing. Tonight he had on a solid black suit with a bright red devil carrying a pitch fork sewed down the length of his back. His hot guitar licks matched the flames which licked the edges of the hem of his jacket. Travis Good, not to be out done by his brother, howled sweetly, the backing vocals along with Gord. Sean Dean was playing his full size acoustic bass as furiously as Mike Belitsky was pounding out the beat on his drums. The show was almost perfect except for one small technical glitch. Gord's microphone began to fade and go dead near the end of a song and Billy Ray ran out and gave him another. Basically, the show was 75 minutes of visual and musical fun. Everyone left satisfied and a little sweaty.

My wife and I were fortunate enough to meet Gord Downie before the show. We spoke about the new CD and working with The Sadies. I asked him about how he became interested in writing and singing and how The Hip formed. As the conversation moved along, Gord mentioned he and the rest of The Hip had recently met for four days to work on new material. Gord also said The Hip were putting together a tour for January and February of 2015. Plan accordingly.

As the show ended, Carolyn and I drifted by the stage to say goodbye to Billy Ray. Unexpectedly, he reached into his pocket and gave me something wrapped in a dark handkerchief. It was Gord's microphone which had malfunctioned during the show!! I was in disbelief and stunned. I am truly grateful and it is going into my special Hip mementos collection which is displayed at home.

If anyone has 2 tickets available that would be pretty amazing. Need to know by 12 pm...

Here is a link to the show I recorded, <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/nudyjtqwlyfa59b/Gord%20Downie%20%26%20The%20Sadies%20-%202014-08-23%20%28Dundas%2C%20ON%29%5Bflac%5D.zip?dl=0">https://www.dropbox.com/s/nudyjtqwlyfa5 ... D.zip?dl=0</a><!-- m -->

Excellent interview with Tweedy about his first solo record "Sukierae", among other topics. Turns out the guy has had a very rough year:

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://grantland.com/features/jeff-tweedy-wilco-sukierae-spencer-tweedy/">http://grantland.com/features/jeff-twee ... er-tweedy/</a><!-- m -->

Didn't know his son plays drums on the album. That's pretty cool.

I suppose this frees him up to produce the next Hip album? Here's his full statement regarding his departure:

"Short version: I’m leaving Death Cab for Cutie. My last show with the band will be September 13, 2014, at the Rifflandia Festival in Victoria, BC. I hope you guys can make it.

Longer version: I think I long for the unknown. It might be that simple.

I will miss being a quarter of this band, and will support whatever course Death Cab for Cutie chooses from here. I am profoundly grateful to Ben, Nick, and Jason, for the experiences that define my adult life. Truly grateful, beyond words. Thank you.

I am also grateful to, and deeply humbled by, all of our fans. Without you, music would be mere ‘content’, and nothing could possibly be sadder than that. Thank you all, so dearly.

We’ve just finished our eighth album, which is our first with an outside producer. That producer is a fellow named Rich Costey, and working with him in this capacity is one of the greatest joys of my professional life. Thank you, as well.

There are so many others to whom I am grateful—our crew, our management, our families, the Atlantic, Barsuk and Elsinor labels, the Billions team. Thank you all.

Deciding to leave the band was not, and is not, easy. It’s really, really sad. I love my bandmates, and I’m proud of what we’ve done, and mercifully, those things don’t change with my departure. Moving forward, my plans are simply to continue making music, producing records, and erring on the side of benevolence and beauty whenever possible. Darkness may find me, but I shall never choose it."