TORONTO - They're still the same but thankfully aging rather gracefully, too.

For a large chunk of their existence, Kingston's darlings The Tragically Hip have spent years churning out arena rock shows to sold-out audiences from coast to coast.

But with their new studio album, We Are The Same, the band have primarily downsized somewhat, giving fans a more intimate experience with plenty of musical ebbs and flows on multiple nights.

And on Monday night at Toronto's sold-out Massey Hall - the first of six shows at the venue between now and the 19th - the group paced themselves quite well during the two-set, two-hours plus opener.

Led by the enigmatic wordsmith Gord Downie, who stated that old songs and new songs would be played, the quintet (with keyboardist Jim Bryson helping out) were greeted by a raucous standing crowd hoping for a huge, rollicking kick-starter.

Instead, The Hip doled out The Depression Suite, the lengthy and slightly lush nine-minute effort off the new album which appeared to puzzle many. Even Downie seemed clued into the response while singing the line, "what if this song does nothing?"

Although fans clung dearly to crowd pleasers such as Courage (For Hugh MacLennan) and the rock staple Poets from Phantom Power, the first half definitely had its share of pacing, particularly with the rather roots-y Morning Moon which Kathleen Edwards should cover at some point and the nifty Now The Struggle Has A Name. The slower, moody Pigeon Camera also was a pleasant surprise with guitarists Rob Baker and Paul Langlois playing off each other perfectly.

The one constant through all the proverbial gear changes was Downie who rarely stood still. Whether gyrating, tying himself up in his microphone cable, playing hacky-sack with one of several small white towels he used during the night or folding his arms like a pensive pop poet, Downie is still the straw which stirs this Can-rock drink.

As the first set concluded with the punchy single Love Is A First, the second set began with the almost obligatory "acoustic section" where The Tragically Hip breezed through Toronto #4 dedicated to the mothers in light of Mother's Day before nailing the old nugget Fiddler's Green from Road Apples that garnered a large and loud ovation.

The second half definitely saw the band hit its stride with the lighter, quasi-ballad The Last Recluse off the new album before the groovy, swampy, blues-rock of Twist My Arm had the audience off their backsides and dancing. Added to that were two more softer, campfire sing-a-longs in Ahead By A Century and Bobcaygeon, the latter getting huge cheers during the lyric about "that night in Toronto."

Meanwhile the newer material was a hit and miss affair as the up-tempo Speed River fared not as well as Coffee Girl.

After the heady, beefy Tiger The Lion reared its head, The Tragically Hip put the second set to bed with Blow At High Dough with Downie ending the song quipping "Same Tragically Hip thing."

Yes still the same, with thankfully pretty much the same result.