25 years ago: the Tragically Hip plays five nights at the Commodore on the Road Apples tour

Twenty-five years ago today--on July 17, 1991--the Tragically Hip played the second of five straight sold-out shows at the Commodore Ballroom.

At the time the band was touring behind its second full-length album, Road Apples.

Here's my review of the first night, as it was published in the July 18, 1991, issue of the Georgia Straight.

Not sure why the review was so short. Maybe I got hammered--it was the Hip, after all--and lost my notes. Sorry about that.

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The first time I heard Bruce Allen’s late-night talk show on CFOX, I heard the Big A comment: “Colin James for five nights at the Commodore? Why?” Was Allen jealous because Loverboy might never have had enough over-19 fans to accomplish the feat? Did he fear that James might overshadow his own superstar, Bryan Adams?

Was he just looking for an argument?

Most likely the latter was true. And the fiesty manager may well have asked the same question about the Tragically Hip before their current five-show sell-out, which carries on until Saturday (July 20), at the venerable Granville Street venue. But on both counts I’ve got an equally clever answer for the famed music mogul: Why not?

“It’s a wonderful pleasure to be here at the Commodore—finally,” announced singer Gordon Downie, whose band has played 86 Street, the Town Pump, and even the Vancouver Trade and Convention Centre during previous Vancouver visits.

The Cockeresque frontman kept the crowd entranced with his spazoid bird impressions while the Hip’s rough ’n’ tumble guitar/bass/drum noise built to a crescendo.

By the time the band had ripped through “Little Bones”, “New Orleans is Sinking”, and “Blow at High Dough”, the dynamic magic of Kingston, Ontario’s favourite sons was beyond argument.

I doubt if even Bruce Allen would have questioned their worth.