vPrince County performers have ‘Hip’ experience

Prince County performers have ‘Hip’ experience/ Nothing Tragic about local band’s ‘Hip’ experience

By Ryan Quigley

Journal Pioneer

SUMMERSIDE- Walking into Hunter’s Ale House in Charlottetown on Wednesday night, Daniel Albert and Mike Hannah also known as the band Brother from Another Mother already knew they had a crowd to please.

Hannah, 22 years old from Kensington and Albert, 29 years old from Summerside, are only in their second summer of performing.

Inside the pub they noticed Dion Phaneuf and Elisha Cuthbert awaiting the performance from the acoustic duo. After beginning their set, they happened to notice a man in the audience with a large hat and with him a man with long hair and a goatee.

The men they noticed were Gordon Downie and Rob Baker of one of the bands they idolized, the Tragically Hip. The Hip, who plays Thursday night in Charlottetown stopped into Hunter’s to check out some local music.

After their first set, Albert and Hannah spoke to the Hip, who complimented their set.

“Hey, you guys got some good rhythm,” said Downie.

Soon after, Downie and Baker left with the band’s bodyguard, but rhythm guitar player Paul Lanlois and drummer Johnny Fay stuck around to watch the rest of the set.

During the middle of their second set, Lanlois and Fay approached the band.

“Hey, you guys are good. Do you mind if we play a song?” asked Langlois.

The guys were thrilled and after a few songs, Langlois and Fay decided came on stage to play with Albert and Hannah.

The band played with the members of the Hip, all the while seeing eager audience members’ fingers flying away on cell phones until the pub was eventually filled.

After Langlois and Fay played with the members of Brother from Another Mother for a while, even playing the Tragically Hip’s song “New Orleans is Sinking”.

After a night they agree they will never forget, the two prince county men were visibly excited about their unexpected help.

“I was nervous. That’s an idol band for both of us, it’s the Tragically Hip,” said Hannah. “Probably the best experience I’ve ever had.”

“It’s the Hip right? Canadian legends. I mean how many people are going to watch them (Thursday) and we shared the stage with those legends last night,” said Albert.

Hannah and Albert said the show was the biggest they’ve ever played.

“Once in a while, like every second show, you’ll get a good crew that is up dancing. There was a lot of people up last night,” said Hannah.

“My shirt was soaked. We were dancing the whole time, foot stomping,” said Albert.

Hannah, who just bought a brand new guitar, was hoping there was some memorabilia left on his guitar from Langlois playing it.

“Hopefully there’s some scratches on the back of my guitar,” he said.

“Now we can say my drum and his guitar had some legends rock it,” said Albert.