Canadian rockers Tragically Hip to play Palace

Canada not only breeds some very talented hockey players, but this great neighbor to our north also kicks out some mighty fine bands.

Kingston, Ontario's own, Tragically Hip will make a long awaited performance at the Palace of Auburn Hills tonight, in support of its 1998 release, "Phantom Power."

In a recent interview with Johnny Fay, The Hip's drummer, he discussed everything from the band's grass roots road to success, to its brushes with hockey greatness.

So far The Hip has been in the business of making rough around the edges (but smooth inside) rock 'n' roll. In its 14 years of existence, the band has relied on local radio and word of mouth to reach new audiences.

But for The Hip, word didn't travel very fast.

Courtesy of Sire Records The Hip, exuding coolness, will play for more than 20,000 eager fans tonight.

"We haven't had a ton of support from radio and definitely no TV," Fay said. "We've always prided ourselves on doing it our way, doing it slowly and turning people on to our band through our live show."

The Hip's lack of MTV appearances has made the band somewhat illusive in the United States. It has always been a band fans seek out, rather than one handed out on the platter known as American music television.

Fay insisted that too much television exposure can be detrimental to bands. "The TV can make you much bigger than you really need to be," he said.

The band furthers that obscure anonymity in the United States on "Phantom Power." Although it displays some optimistic themes on the album, the band doesn't shake its darker tones, aptly featured on its first single, "Poets," though some melodic and somber guitar work.

On that grim-sounding foundation, The Hip has built a solid fan structure on both sides of the border, mainly using word of mouth publicity tactics.

The band is currently on the second leg of the "Phantom Power" tour. The first leg, which started in July, took The Hip as far south as Texas. There, the band filled theaters of about 2,000. But tonight, The Hip is scheduled to play the 22,000 seat Palace, which is of comparable size to arenas the band plays in Canada.

Fay attributes a portion of the band's success in Michigan to radio stations such as 88.7 CIMX (89X), that are located in Canada, but broadcast on both sides of the river. "Border America radio has been very very kind to Canadian bands," Fay said.

Now that the band has gained fans on both sides of the border The Hip is getting the chance to do a little more with its slowly garnered fame.

The Hip has donated money to Camp Trillium, a summer camp located in Southern Ontario, that sends children with terminal diseases to camp for a week. "We were able to send a couple hundred kids to camp last summer for free," Fay said.

The Hip also donates memorabilia, including CD libraries, t-shirts and autographed photos to charities in Canada and the United States.

"When you play these kinds of charity shows, you play better because you know you are not lining your own pocket," Fay said.

In addition to helping out these causes, The Hip indulged in its celebrity status during the tour's previous leg.

At its show in Philadelphia, Fay said, the entire Philadelphia Flyers hockey team, after an afternoon game, went to see The Hip play.

The Hip also met up with a few members of the New York Islanders at the band's show at Madison Square Garden in late December.

Although roughing and illegal checks were kept to a minimum that night, the band still rocked ... and The Hip plans to do the same tonight with or without those hip hockey players.

Tickets for tonight's show are still available for $24.50 at all

Ticketmaster outlets.

02-12-99