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Rhubarb Diaries
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Saturday, 28 November 2009 18:49
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 Touchdown! Field Goal! We Want The College Bowl!
At least that’s what we always used to say during football season. That was back in a bygone era in which the Canadian university football championship was, indeed, called the College Bowl. Yes, in Canada they understand the value of a football playoff system, which has been in effect for as long as I can remember. The BCS and some annoying college presidents would do well to take a visit to the north to witness how great it actually works. A fine perspective by writer Andrew Bucholtz can be found here. But I digress. Back to today’s excitement! The Vanier Cup, the trophy given to the Canadian university football national champion, is now on it’s way to Kingston. The Queen’s University Golden Gaels, my alma mater, beat the Calgary Dinos 33 – 31 this afternoon. They were down 25 – 7 at halftime, and stormed back to lead 33 – 25 late in the fourth quarter. Final: 33 – 31. It was a 17 year wait, but it was well worth it. |
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Rhubarb Diaries
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Sunday, 01 November 2009 13:02
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 It all started back in 1983 in Kingston, Canada – and after 12 albums and 26 years of playing together, it is readily apparent to me: the Hip have still got it. It’s fair to say that the Tragically Hip are relatively unknown in the US, though they are one of the greatest Canadian bands to grace the planet. In Canada, it’s an afterthought that they sell out stadiums and open air venues within hours of tickets going on sale. But the “Live Music Capital of the World”, Austin, has always had a connection with Das Hips. I’ve been fortunate to watch their growth and evolution over the years. They were students at Queen’s University when I was doing my undergrad degree there. The early days had them playing on campus at Alfie’s and off-campus at places like The Manor. In 1987 they recorded their first EP, and I distinctly remember the talk on campus that the Hip were doing a video for their first single (I think it was “Small Town Bringdown”) at the Manor, so everyone should show up. They were a good cover band, and the first inklings of their own material were solid. The Hip were the real deal in Kingston. Ahhh I remember those days well. Moving to Austin in 1990, I got to see them in some very small clubs, something that was unheard-of for them in Canada. Friends used to lament that I was able to see them in a small venue, and they couldn’t get tickets to see them anywhere in Canada. I was able to see them at classic venues like Liberty Lunch. One of the most notable was the show at the Lunch in which they were in town to do a live test of upcoming material. Austin has been one of the few US cities that really “get” the Hip. |
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