Episode Details

The Tragically Hip Top Forty Countdown: Song Thirty-Nine — Darrin from Toronto

Hey, it’s jD — and this week I’m joined by longtime fan, spreadsheet mastermind, and live bootleg legend Darrin from Toronto, who’s got Hip stories so rich and ridiculous you’ll wish we had a five-hour runtime.

From seeing his first show in ’91 to catching the band in obscure U.S. venues and damn near trading war stories with Gord himself, Darrin’s Hipstory is an absolute treasure chest. His dad even bought Up to Here on cassette — and sang along to the wrong lyrics like a true legend.

Darrin walks us through his years on the road, from a sweaty night at the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom (signed banana shaker and all) to that one time he watched Gord trip and duct-tape his guitar back together. His archive runs deep — both mentally and digitally — and his new site, thehiparchive.com, is quickly becoming the ultimate place for collectors, concert chasers, and audio junkies to relive the band’s live magic.

We also dive into the complexities of World Container, the experimental flair of Man Machine Poem, and the little lyric links that connect “You’re Not the Ocean” to “New Orleans Is Sinking.” If you’ve ever been haunted by a line or floored by a setlist… this episode is your jam.

🎙️ Next week: We head to Maine to catch up with Lynn, who’s got stories that’ll remind you exactly why The Hip matter — especially when life gets loud.

💬 Pull Quote

“I turned around and Gord was standing next to me at a Rheostatics show. He looked at me and said, ‘Hey, Darrin.’ That was four years after we met. Wild.”

👤 About Our Guest

Darrin from Toronto has been chasing Hip shows since 1991 and collecting setlists, bootlegs, and deep cuts like it’s a full-time gig. He’s the creator of TheHipArchive.com, a new fan-powered site hosting hundreds of shows and rare recordings — all curated with love and reverence. He’s also the guy who once watched The Hip in Martha’s Vineyard with maybe 100 people… because a tropical storm scared everyone else off.

📬 Get Involved

🎙️ Drop your hot take: castfeedback.com/tthtop40

📧 Send your Hipstory: tthtop40@gmail.com

💸 Join the membersHIP by donating at buymeacoffee.com/tthtop40 — one time gets you in forever.

📡 Follow + Stream

Spotify | Apple | YouTube | dewvre.com/tthtop40

Instagram: @tthtop40

Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/tthtop40

💖 Support the ALS Society of Canada

We’re aiming to raise $25K in honour of Matt Rona and the broader Hip community. Help us get there at buymeacoffee.com/tthtop40.

📜 Transcript follows below.

TTHTop40 - 601

2025-05-23, 6:09 PM

TTHTop40 - 601

Artist: jD

Year: 2025

Transcript

[0:00] A member of the DATC Media family. Previously on the Tragically Hip Top 40 Countdown.

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