Finally got to see The Constantines last night! They opened for The Tragically Hip at GM Centre. Caught only half of their set though - still can't believe they went on at 7:30! Who starts a show at 7:30? Left work early and still didn't get to Oshawa by 7:30! Ah well, I want to see them again but in a smaller venue anyway.


The Hip's massive projections! - Oooer, that sounds obscene.


Gord, playing with mic stand and handkerchief.



Aww, feel the love. It is a family band after all.


Highlight: Hundreth Meridan - shot by Jeffro. And that night's setlist... 22 songs! Thanks to Eric - his setlist.

Where the fuck did December go?

Company Christmas - correction, Company Holiday - correction, Company Nothing-To-Do-With-Anything-Whatsoever Party. GAH! Funny how being politically correct feels so incorrect.



My birthday lunch with my listers: Kari, Jackie and MOI. Odd why I can't find any of my birthday dinner parties... oh well, all the better for my squeaky clean reputation.


Holiday Bash with Kathleen Edwards, Sarah Harmer, Sam Roberts, The Hip and so many more... good times!





Went to Marianne & Charlie's for Christmas Eve's Eve. Then hosted my first Family Christmas Eve Party! Christmas was at Lucie & Jean-Jacques, and Boxing Day was at Caroline & Simon's - voilà Simon Hefner, haha!

Looks like both Roxy and I got piggy stuff for Christmas.

Just got back from visiting Cathy & Angus in Ottawa for New Years. Oh yeah... HAPPY NEW YEARS! xxx.

The Tragically Hip are legends in Canada.

It's been, oh-about 16 years (yikes!) since I last saw them; they've all aged a bit, but then arguably, so have I. One thing that The Hip has been blessed with is longevity. Even after all these years, with 10 albums under their collective belt, plus their individual side and solo projects, the five members have remained the same: Gord Downie, Rob Baker, Paul Langlois, Gord Sinclair and Johnny Fay.

Downie is still the ever engaging frontman... only this time he's more lucid and not three-sheets-to-the-wind as he was back in 1990.
Perhaps after all these years he's finally settled into his own skin, accepted his fate as a Canadian icon...
( ^ hell, he did pose for a photo, mid-song)

That night, Gord battled against his evil nemesis, The Mic Stand. There were a couple close calls when the mic almost slammed into his mouth - he lost his footing on the base stand and the mic swung fast and hard into his upper chest with a thud. We at the front all cringed in unison. But as luck would have it, Gord's fancy footwork gave way to a 3 to 2 finish, advantage Downie.

And did I mention stage antics?

He's on the floor, behind the monitor, legs splayed upwards, singing his little heart out.

What a guy!


Here are the highlights:

Left: Gord Downie gets comfy with us slums down front.

Right: Rob Baker, aka: Willie Nelson.

Left: Paul & Gord.








Right: Gord S. & Rob.

Sadly no photos of the drummer.





... and the setlist: