Get ready Road Apples freaks: the Tragically Hip releases Live at the Roxy on June 24

by Steve Newton on June 21st, 2022 at 12:10 PM

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Everybody has their favourite Tragically Hip album. Me, I'm a Fully Completely kinda guy. (Which might seem strange since my all-time favourite Hip song, "Nautical Disaster", is actually off the following Day for Night LP.)

But I know a lotta folks who can't get enough of the band's second full-length album, 1991's Road Apples. And those are the ones who'll be psyched to hear about a "new" live Hip album that hits record stores this Friday (June 24).

Live at the Roxy was recorded at the fabled L.A. venue on May 3, 1991, three months after the release of Road Apples. Eight of the live disc's 15 tracks are from that album, five are from 1989's Up to Here, and two are from Hip's self-titled 1987 EP.

“I remember the Roxy show like it was yesterday," says Tragically Hip bassist Gord Sinclair in a recent press release. "We had spent a year on the road before recording Road Apples and got right back in the saddle when we finished. The new tunes worked great live and by the time we got to LA we were firing on all pistons.”

Sinclair isn't kidding. The band is smokin' hot throughout.

"Hello and good evening, fellow North Americans," says Hip singer Gord Downie before the band kicks off the concert with the Road Apples stomper "Little Bones", which joins other killer tunes like "Three Pistols", "Trickle Down", and "She Didn't Know" in the setlist.

Besides the great guitar-rock, it's fun to hear how Downie's proclivity for off-the-cuff irreverence pops up here and there. "This song is called 'Blow Me'," he announces when it comes time to introduce the classic Hip barnburner "Blow at High Dough".

Following the performance of "On the Verge", when a fan apparently hands him a flower or something, Downie does his best Bret Michaels impression by slowly crooning "every rose has its thorn", then adding "thanks a lot; it'll be delicious I'm sure."

And after the band closes the set with one of its first recorded songs, "All Canadian Surf Club", Downie's final words to the Tinseltown crowd are: "Pleasure ascertainin' ya."

I don't know about you, but I sure miss being ascertained by Gord Downie.

You can order Live at the Roxy here. (FYI: the album was also included in last year's Road Apples 30th Anniversary box set, so if you're lucky enough to own that sweet package, don't forget that you already have it.)

Live at the Roxy vinyl track listing:

Side 1

"Little Bones"

"She Didn't Know"

"Twist My Arm"

"Highway Girl"

Side 2

"Cordelia"

"Trickle Down"

"The Luxury"

"Three Pistols"

"Fight"