Well we didn't have seats as good as we hoped but was great anyway. The crowd was rather quiet and not as enthusiastic as I have seen at other shows. In fact everyone sitting near us didn't seem to know the words to any of the songs or act excited at all. Some sat down the whole time. Anyway I didn't manage to write the set list down like I wanted. I think it would
easier to list the what they didn'y do instead of what they did. The show started at 8:30 and with one 20 minute intermission they continued on until 11:00PM with one encore. Here's most of what they did last night (not in order)

Tiger the Lion
Courage
Completist
Fireworks
Lake Fever---Gord's voice cracked on the high notes of this one
Nautical Dissster
Greasy Jungle
Fire in the Hole
Boots or Hearts
M@W
Train Overnight
Wheat Kings----awesome with Kate singing, Gord changed the verse melodies some and Johnny added a quiet drum beat
Flamenco---incredible duet with Kate
New Orleans
Grace Too
Blow at High Dough
Little Bones
Escape is at Hand.....
Don't Wake Daddy
Poets
Fully Completely
Wherewithall
100th Meridian---they went real real fast on this one

I may have missed some but thats most of it.
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The Chicago show was a lot of fun.  I'm grateful that the Hip chose to return to the Windy City, although what we talked about beforehand came to fruition. The UIC Pavillion couldn't have been 1/2 full.
I don't know if this falls on the WXRT staff for overestimating the fan base or on the Hip promotional staff for the same error in judgement.  After two free shows and a third appearance in Rockfest, only the major fans came out of the woodwork for this one.
The music was great.  The band is really on fire and Chris and Kate have added a tremendous amount to the music.  Kate's solo on "Flamenco" was fabulous.
Favorite song title: This one's called "Don't Wake Daddy Because He's A Fucking Bastard."
What was that instrumental that they played?  New material?  Johnny banging away with his fists on a drum machine.  Great sound!
The crowd was very subdued.  "Fire In The Hole" barely got a rouse out of anyone.
So, very enjoyable night.  Band sounds great.  Terrible venue for this particular show.  Chairs on the floor shouldn't be allowed at a Hip show.

-Greg
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Agreements and ramblings,

I along with my wife attended the Dec. 1st Chicago show.  We had exceptional seats, center stage, main floor, 50 feet from Gordon Downie's oversized belt buckle.  Unfortunately, we surrounded by

1. Those annoying people who must sneak into the aisles to get closer ; thus, causing the security people to rush in with their
maglites beaming to inspect their tickets and in loud voices tell the interlopers to go back to their proper seats ;thus, causing those very same interlopers to proclaim in even louder voices about the mood police killing their "rock-n-roll buzz"

2. A small cadre of clever folks who deftly snuck in a few loose joints and proceded to toke it up.  Now I'm a smoker and I never NEVER smoke in anyone's presence other than other smokers. This is just common decency.  Plus, they did not share.

3. A fellow, who did not follow the advice of his dealer, when said dealer advised " now listen!!  BREAK these Ecstasy Tabs in HALF!" And as a result flailed around like a psychotic human windmill caught between a cyclone and tsunami.

My wife and I endured all of this through the 1st set.  Now,sadly, it is a fact that the Hip are not likely to be able to sell out any of the mid-sized venues ( UIC Pavillion in the case of Dec. 1st show ) but their loss is my gain.  During the return from the intermission my wife and I found an embullient looking couple who were sitting in the back off the main floor and I gave them our tickets and we proceded to the upper side where there it was empty for 8 seats in every direction.  I  sat down kicked up my legs had a decent view of the whole stage and enjoyed...ENJOYED the second set whole heartedly. I raptly soaked up every note of every song and every word of every utterance.  Besides and you can trust me on this, my dancing is such that it is best suited to the privacy of my home. Nobody should be subjected to it.

Vryrdsamt,
Mitchell