Vicky Walker has loved The Tragically Hip since she first heard the band play at London’s Western University during Frosh Week 25 years ago.
But it wasn’t until she learned singer Gord Downie had been diagnosed with the same incurable brain cancer that killed her mother when Walker was 14 years old that she resolved to bring her love for the Hip’s music into her classroom.
“That truly captured my attention and heart,” says Walker, a Superior Collegiate and Vocational Institute teacher in Thunder Bay. “Reading about the band’s final concert also made me reflect upon what it meant to our nation culturally and as a reflection upon our national identity.”
Using the band’s iconic Canadiana-infused lyrics and songs to teach her Grade 10 Canadian History classes this semester, Walker says the material makes a rich base upon which to teach the subject. “Understanding Canadian identity and being able to internalize what it means to live in Canada and be Canadian is fundamental to what we history teachers attempt to instil in our students,” she explains. “If we can make those connections, we help create adults that are passionate about our nation and the events of history.
Hey ho!
Good morning!
Got a ticket for The Wooden Sky, Saturday.
There are more than the usual number of good shows this week. Perhaps having to do, some of them anyway,, with a Folk Business Get-together* that’s happening here from Thursday to Sunday.
*I’m sure it’s got a name and everything. Can’t come up with it, even with Google.
Folk Music Ontario Conference?
http://www.folkmusicontario.ca/folk-music-ontario-conference/
That’s the one.
(Show-off!)
Google did all the work
Word up peeps! How is everyone today?
I can’t speak for everyone but I’m good, how are you?
Good morning! Great article, Garfield! I have a friend who teaches English and did a poetry unit on Tragically Hip lyrics.
@Janet, I have to be honest and tell you I didn’t write this, I borrowed it from the front page of the Teach Ontario site (hence the link back to the site for the rest of it) but I didn’t think many people here would visit that site so it was worth doing.
it’s a great story about the impact of music, and I agree definitely worth doing
classic wooden sky
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uSaBcN-w4s
one of the comments on that video (from 3 years ago, but still): “why are you in saskatoon the same night as the chili peppers? Foolish!”
I would venture to guess they’re not in direct competition.
If it was a choice between The Chili Peppers and The Wooden Sky I would rather see the latter
diverse tastes, to be into both the Chili Peppers and the Wooden Sky
I’m just kind of surprised the Chili Peppers played Saskatoon at all. I thought most big bands “Canadian tours” just skipped from Toronto to Vancouver, or at least from Winnipeg to Calgary.
I was actually at that chili peppers concert in saskatoon 3 years ago… had never seen them before and figured I may as well! I’ve seen the Wooden Sky in Peterborough, back around when OMG It Still Means a Lot To Me came out.
I still remember the first time I saw the Wooden Sky. Everyone on before them thanked us for coming out to see them in the bad weather, but the Wooden Sky that it was nothing compared yo what they saw back home.
Loozrboy,
it depends. We get some biggish names here and I’m pretty sure they sell out.
Garth Brooks basically took up residence here this summer. He did 6 nights, all sold out
you couldn’t pay me enough to drive up to that hell zone that is the concert venue/rink for a big concert.
TTFN Beauty out:16, gotten to be sunny, going up and drying the rain. CYCLE!
So I checked, just for fun, and 6 capacity crowds at SaskTel Centre is roughly 40% of the total population of Saskatoon.
Y’all some big Garth Brooks fans out there!
They like both kinds, country AND restroom…
@garfielduk I will be passing the teach Ontario to morgana jr’s gr 10 social studies teacher for sure. thanks!
yup, diverse taste is me; i have seen RHCP. I listen too and hope to see the wooden sky soon.
Garth brooks on the other hand … not so much.
Don’t get me wrong, I would like to see RHCP live but if I had to choose I would rather see TWS
Hello Everyone.
I’ve seen RHCP, but would like to see the Wooden Sky. I wouldn’t mind seeing Garth Brooks too, I think the concert would be entertaining, even if he’s not my style of music.
Hi tiff. How are things?
Things are great thanks! Having a very productive day.
Howdy
Listening to Muppets Radio on Google music. Some real jems.
Junk Food Junkie just played:
https://play.google.com/music/m/Tzeumpgbndzwmopmkbvann5fylq?t=Junk_Food_Junkie_-_Larry_Groce
@janet, 10:22, I just went to the Kanye West concert this past week and it was super entertaining, if not entirely “my style” (read: I only know a couple songs). Honestly though, one of the best concerts I’ve seen, entertainment wise.
@eff’n tee, 11:17, I have heard that about him, but never actually seen Yeezy in person.
Don’t think I’d go to a Garth Brooks show (but maybe I would, who knows!) but sometimes the best shows are ones that aren’t what is normally our style.
I wanted to be at that RHCP show. It wasn’t just people from Saskatoon at those Garth Brook shows. People from the whole province were going. I had zero interest in going.
that’s what happens in SK. Both cities seldom get big names. They either come to the rink here, or go to the football stadium in the city that rhymes with fun (in summer, obviously)
Hey @Tiff!
I am going out to the post office shortly. I have a special TShirt to mail to Mexico city!
No shipment for the UK yet but has not been forgotten!!
Huh. I don’t go to concerts much these days, but Spotify doesn’t know that, so it helpfully shows me upcoming concert dates. Apparently Wintersleep and Hannah Georgas are playing a show in, of all places, a church in Hamilton (presumably not on a Sunday morning).
That sounds like a fantastic show to go to Loozrboy. I am looking forward to Wintersleep here in Regina.
Can’t seem to find any pictures of the interior… seems like it might be an interesting concert venue, assuming it’s not in a flourescent-lit basement “multi-purpose room”. Sold-out show, in any case.
the parcel for mexico city is now in the hands of canada post and my kids socials 10 teacher is excited about the link i sent him from this page; that part of the day has gone well!