Dave with Tragically Hip “Man, Machine, Poem” tour kick-off ticket

Pal Julian (L) finds his kindred doppleganger (hockey sweater speaking anyhow)

Tragically Hip, Victoria, BC, July 22nd, 2016 setlist, part 1 – with annotations

Tragically Hip, Victoria, BC, July 22nd, 2016 setlist, part 2 – with annotations

Tragically Hip, Victoria, BC, July 22nd, 2016 setlist, part 3 – with annotations

Notes (to edit)

Choosing which hat to wear to tonight #TragicallyHip show in #Victoria. Trilby or Mountie or…? Also, preshow meal jerked, beer can chicken

By the end, Gord was clearly spent but there was no melancholy or nostalgia or even banter throughout the show until he blew kisses and said thank you 100 times during the encores. Note the five song on encore set (two sets really)

The show started quick out of the gates while people were still lining up for beer and merch… There was an announcement that “the show will start in five minutes” and BAM! it came out of the gates like a rocket. So no Hip chant but, later in the show there was a “Gordie” chant. The outpouring of love from the crowd was unbelievable. Everyone on their feet and cheering like there’s no dress rehearsal, this is our life.

And while there was a fair bit of Gord ad-libbing, mimeing and other hijinx, he kept his schtick shorter and more concise so they could pack more songs into the allotted time. A lot of songs in just over two hours.

Also, Bobby Baker must’ve played a dozen different guitars at least.

Also worth noting, in the first set, the band played kind of “in the round” very close together and facing sort of each other, with video screen in black and white above them.

Johnny Fay used two different drum kits, both on the stage at the same time

Paul Langois has maybe the worst beard I’ve ever seen.

Sinclair’s bass cut through loud – like where it gives you that good kick in the sternum.

Gord did the microphone with cord as fishing reel and paintbrush amongst other things. Less of the “whirling dervish” and yes, more subtle antics.

Statistic of the night: number of shiny lamé suits Gord wore… 3. Purple, Silver, Gold

There were four songs if I recall correctly from the new album – all played in the series in the second half of first set. There was sort of a short break but not a true intermission, Gord changed his suit and some lightning storm video played.

The 4 players -As usual I suppose-barely cracked a smile. Game face all the way. Black, gray, white clothes contrasting with Gord’s shininess and resplendent hat with enormous feathers.

And for sure Gord looks skinny but not drastically unwell. And his voice was in top form.

Honestly it wasn’t sad until the end when there were some teary-eyes, including mine, during wheat kings and ahead by a century.

I will note, on some of the slow tempo songs, the band was sort of fighting about the speed, but that’s first show of the tour and lots of adrenaline.