Discovering Downie: 

Live at Six

 (Gord Downie + The Sadies + The Conquering Sun) — Track-by-Track on Release Day

On launch day, jD reunites with Craig Rogers, Kirk Lane, and Justin St. Louis to break down Live at Six, a newly released live record featuring Gord Downie, The Sadies, and The Conquering Sun. It’s an eight-track collection drawn from four shows (Sarnia, Fredericton, Cambridge, MA, and Dundas) spanning 2012 and 2014.

This episode is a full-on fan-and-musician conversation: play it loud, follow the rabbit holes, and enjoy a record that feels like you’re right up against the stage, even when it was recorded outdoors.

MVP picks, deep cover-song origins, live-record sequencing debates, and a whole lot of gratitude—plus a reminder that sometimes the point isn’t to decode everything. Sometimes it’s just rock and roll.

Episode Highlights

• The crew gets back together to cover Live at Six on release day
• Why this record feels like a sweaty club even when it isn’t
• The meaning behind the title Live at Six (and where “six” actually comes from)
• Major rabbit holes (including the story behind “If You Have Ghosts”)
• Covers that still sound unmistakably like Gord Downie + The Sadies
• Live energy: loose-but-tight, tempo shifts, extended outros, and why that’s part of the magic
• MVP picks from each host—plus what track people “need to hear” first

Tracklist Breakdown (as discussed)

1) “If You Have Ghosts” — recorded in Dundas, Ontario (Sept 1, 2012)

• Huge reactions to Dallas Good’s performance
• Deep dive into Rocky Erickson and the song’s backstory
• Why the lyric “If you have ghosts, you have everything” hits so hard

2) “So Sad About Us” — Sarnia (Aug 30, 2014) — a The Who cover

• Noted for harmonies and a vibe that recalls early rock/pop influence
• Discussion of how naturally it sits in Gord’s wheelhouse

3) “It Didn’t Start to Break My Heart” — (live version discussed as an all-time banger)

• Faster than the studio version; jam section praised heavily
• Described as completely over-delivering as a live performance

4) “Grey Riders” — Fredericton, New Brunswick (Sept 12, 2014) — Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival — a Neil Young song

• Strong praise for backing vocals and arrangement
• Conversation about preferring this version vs. the one they heard from Neil

5) “Generation” — Fredericton (Sept 12, 2014) — a Fucked Up cover

• Album title reference comes from Gord speaking right before/around this track (“at six o’clock”)
• Note: the group didn’t have as much time with this track due to a file miss

6) Cambridge, Massachusetts set (May 3, 2014) — a track originally by The Gun Club (from Fire of Love, 1981)

• Described as the most “Sadies-sounding” song on the record
• Talk of punk lineage and guitar swagger

7) “Demand Destruction” — revisited live (from the Sarnia show)

• jD’s MVP: the live performance hits harder than the studio version
• Favorite lyric noted: “Breakdown in the verse part / Dead spot in the lyrics…” (song