TORONTO -- His courage could not have come at a better time.

Gordon Downie stepped out of the limelight of his band The Tragically Hip and right into the scrutiny of an eclectic arts community. A Saturday night performance during the Do What?! Festival at Toronto's Steam Whistle Brewery was an opportunity for Downie to introduce pieces from his forthcoming CD and poetry book, packaged together under the title "Coke Machine Glow" (out next month).

Casual fans expecting renditions of "New Orleans Is Sinking" or other oft requested Hip songs must have felt a hint of disappointment on the evening. For those in the know, however, the night was filled with references to lyrics and themes the singer and lyricist has explored through many years of live shows with his Kingston brethren.

Downie took the patrons on a trip to the "Cookie Factory" and navigated the "Insomniacs" through the night. And a piece alluding to "Secrets" was well received by the crowd, as Downie displayed a youthful exuberance through a playful game with dancer Andrea Nann.

Much of his performance consisted of previously played works that The Hip simply have not developed as a band. The group's live shows have traditionally offered extended jams of material such as "At The Hundredth Meridian" from which future songs such as "Nautical Disaster" and "Ahead By A Century" have been shaped into full studio tracks.

At the Steam Whistle, Downie was accompanied by The Woodchopper's Association, a collective of "sound sculptors", who play everything from the traditional drums and clarinets to bike wheels and pipes. The brainchild of Dave Clark (Rheostatics), the group views anything and everything as a musical opportunity. Band line-ups vary from show to show, with Saturday's including Much Music V.J. Sook Yin Lee.

Ultimately, the undertaking was a daring and heartfelt performance by one of Canada's most respected artists.

For Downie to step into the unknown alone leaves himself wide open to criticism. But judging from the overwhelmingly positive response Saturday night from his fans, many more will be wanting to know what this poet is doing.