TORONTO -- It's hard to believe after 15 years of making music out of Kingston, Ont., that last night was The Tragically Hip's first appearance at the Molson Amphitheatre.

This helps to explain why the veteran Can-rock outfit's two back-to-back shows at the lakeside shed this week sold out so quickly.

That and the fact that the fearlessly patriotic fivesome -- who inspire people to bring Maple Leaf flags to their concerts -- continue to be just so darn popular.

Now if they only could do something about their fans.

Let me be specific -- the obnoxious foursome of completely uninterested people that I had the misfortune of having in front of me last night.

They arrived late. They talked non-stop. They repeatedly got up from their seats. They blocked the aisle. They laughed. They smoked. They made out. They drank beer. They dry-humped each other. They hi-fived.

The one thing they didn't do was actually listen to the music that they had supposedly come to hear.

It was like they were at a party with The Hip in the background.

Even my friend's pleas to an usher to corral the behaviour of these idiotic people fell on deaf ears.

And given the men were well in their forties while their dates looked about half their ages, the excuse of reckless youth wasn't available.

Mid-life crisis maybe.

Now that I have that off my chest -- because frankly, it's the first time I've ever been at a Hip show and couldn't wait to leave -- let me tell you about the band.

Touring in support of their latest album, In Violet Light, the group -- led by charismatic frontman Gord Downie -- took about three songs to find solid footing and a good sound mix.

And when they did, with the old chesnut Fully Completely, it was like a bomb went off in the audience, who responded by jumping to their feet and engaging in a full-volume singalong.

Material-wise, several new songs like Use It Up -- which turned out to be a great up-tempo choice to kick off the hour-and-45-minute show -- along with Silver Jet, It's A Good Life If You Don't Weaken , The Dark Canuck and The Dire Wolf stood up nicely alongside older fan favourites.

Still, set standouts proved to be such older barn burners as Bobcaygeon, Courage, Poets, Putting Down , Ahead By A Century and At The 100th Meridian.

The use of a starry-night background during some songs was also a nice folksy touch.

Meanwhile, Downie, with guitarist and backing vocalist Paul Langlois on one side of him and bassist Gord Sinclair and guitarist Rob Baker on the other -- with drummer Johnny Fay keeping the beat in the background -- was his usual entertaining self.

He's definitely restricted by the ever-growing presence of an acoustic guitar but when he's free to move, few frontman can match him in the interpretive dance department.