The Tragically Hip Day And A Little Throwback Thursday

This time two weeks ago, I was all geared up to settle in to watch The Tragically Hip concert on TV this coming Saturday night knowing that getting tickets were impossible. We put in a good effort. Jill on one computer, and me on another. We had made elaborate plans and when the tickets sold out in seconds, I was a little heart broken. I knew it was just a concert. Not the end of the world right? But I was REALLY hoping to see The Tragically Hip one last time. It became a reality when new tickets were realized two weeks ago and TONIGHT we'll be going to The Tragically Hip concert! 

I have always been a music lover. You can kind of say it's in my blood. But I was never one for concerts because not only was I not a fan of big crowds, I was never a die-hard fan of anyone enough to beg to attend their concert. Not even as a kid when the Backstreet Boys or N'SYNC came to the area. 

As I got older, my music tastes matured and I started to listen to music that was a little less popular at the time. I was introduced to The Tragically Hip actually from our local bar that had live band playing every weekend. Quickly, I came to love New Orleans Was Sinking and when I looked into owning that particular song, started to get to know, appreciate and love their other work as well. The raw sound of the instrumentals and Downie's poetic sound and lyric was beautiful to the ears. 

Time went on and I attended University of Guelph. Jill was coming in by train for a weekend visit and on that very same weekend, The Tragically Hip was going to be in Toronto to play. Knowing that Jill was a fan (as she helped grow my Hip song playlist), I booked us a couple of tickets! 

We had a friend drive us to the local go-train station and us country girls made the trek to downtown Toronto.

 I was so excited and nervous for my first concert! We had nose bleed seats but I didn't care, I was finally at my first concert and to see one of my favorite bands. 

The show was awesome and wild. The Hip were amazing live! My love of their music grew even more after that night. But because we were in a rowdy spot, security kept coming and removing people from our area (including a guy we were with!) for smoking. 

We had to take the train home and then a friend agreed to drive the rest of the way to Guelph. Except it was a massive snow storm and it was the scariest drive of my life. I do not know how this guy made it and I think he wasn't sure either because we could not see anything in front of us. We drove about 30 km/h the whole way home. 

It made for a memorable first concert and one I still look fondly back on. 

Tonight will be my last time seeing Gord Downie play in person. While the show should have a sad tone to it considering the farewell circumstances, instead it feels like a celebration and a coming-together of fans. I have to thank Gord Downie and The Tragically Hip for keeping it real about the pain associated to this this event and yet touring one last time and inviting Canadians to share in the final tour either in a concert or on CBC this Saturday! 

It's going to be a bitter sweet day. I am so excited and honored to get to be there tonight but I am sad knowing this will be the last time. Thank you Gord and The Tragically Hip for the the memories, the life sound tracks, my first concert and the chance to say "see you later". 

"You're going to miss me. Wait and you'll see. Fully, completely."

xo