TORONTO - Singer Gord Downie says The Tragically Hip's surprise show at the Horseshoe this past Tuesday night -- the day their latest album, World Container, hit stores -- went about as well as could be expected.

"It was small and intense," Downie told the Sun yesterday. "If felt great. We did all the new songs, interspersed with other songs."

The Hip play a sold-out, four-night stand at the Phoenix Concert Theatre starting Sunday.

Downie says the band will return to play arenas across Canada in the new year. (NOTE: Check back on JAM! on Monday for the news). But for now working out the new material in smaller venues seems "the logical first step."

The Hip's Rob Baker and Paul Langlois will be joining us for a live chat on Oct. 23 @ 12:30 p.m. ET. Ask a question in advance here.

"It's just sort of starting out," he said. "I mean, obviously, when you go from record to performing the songs, there's a certain feeling-out process. But I think it's mostly sort of a dressing down. You have to sort of show them a little disrespect or something, put them through some kind of boot camp. But, definitely, they need to emerge as sort of living, breathing, wild and woolly, rock 'n' roll beasts -- because that's what they are."