I’m not sure there’s anything more Canadian than seeing Blue Rodeo at Massey Hall in Toronto. For a million reasons. They are masters of their craft but their creative leads — Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor — are very yin and yang, although in a subtle way. A way that produces superior iconic music without, I think, the fanfare they would have in any other country in the world.

The band — a storied Canadian band — was almost apologetic about playing music off their new album. The audience was supportive, demure. Sometimes during this amazing concert, there was no one at centre stage. The two singers shared the stage as much with each other as with their 5-piece band.

This too fast, too loud, too bright working-class girl wanted to dance in the aisles and sing too loudly. But, being Canadian, I just couldn’t be so impolite as to block someone’s view. After returning from the washroom in the middle of the show, I found a lineup of people waiting for the song to end before returning to their seats. I was surprised — is this the opera or a rock concert? — and said so to a man at the end of this line. He said “I don’t get it. So fucking Canadian. Are you with me?” I nodded. He grabbed my hand and we weaved through 20 people to return to our seats. Before going our separate ways, my personal bulldozer said “This American thanks you.”

Polite, demure, ridiculous. Very Canadian.