the show has been great so far, and only promises to get better :)

lotsa bands, lotsa people, and lotsa great fun.

later,
ali

This was and will continue to be for some time the foremost musical
experience of my lifetime.Ý My friends and I arrived late Thursday
night, pitched our tents, and did _NOTHING_ for the next three days
but listen to band after band after band.Ý (Well, we did a few other
things, but those stories are best left for alt.drugs.pot... <G>)

The point of my story is to account to you Saturday's concerts.Ý The
music started somewhere around noon.Ý Nice sunny day.Ý Around the main
concert stage, there was no shade and it was hot.Ý It wasn't so hot as
to be uncomfortable, but just hot enough that we had to adjourn to the
tents every once in awhile to recuperate (and 'reload'... nudge nudge,
wink wink... say no more, say no more).Ý Our tents were about 200m
from the main stage, on a little hill.Ý Pine trees above us provided a
nice cool rain the entire weekend...Ý Who needs showers?

Moving along...Ý Saturday evening arives.Ý I believe Porno for Pyros
is leaving the stage (I could be wrong on that), so I work my way in
to the pit for Live.Ý As expected, it's an excellent show and I spent
it in the pit entirely.Ý Body surfed for the first time (I'm not a
small guy, I didn't think the crowd could support me).Ý Lightning
Crashes was superb; with full crowd participation and more lighters
lit then I've _EVER_ seen before.Ý All in all, worth it just for Live.

Then they leave and THE WAIT begins.Ý Everyone in the crowd knows who
is next.Ý Ordinarily the pit thins out between sets, but not this
time.Ý I know for damn sure that I didn't move... Except forwards...

At least 30 to 40 minutes pass (no watch on, for safety's sake).
People are still surfing around... No music is playing, but such is
the excitement of the crowd.Ý I've managed to work my way up to about
3rd from the front, placing what will be the band about 20 feed away!

More excitement.

I've probably forgotten to mention the BONE CRUSHING pressure from the
crowd.Ý We are packed in so tight now that there is no room to move.
At one point, I stuck my arms up to pass a surfer along, and couldn't
bring them down for about 2 minutes cause there was no room.Ý My elbow
was stuck in this guys face the whole time.Ý I apologized of course,
but he didn't care.Ý REALLY mellow crowd...

Roadies clear the stage...Ý People but their cigarettes...Ý Maybe a
few shoes are tied tighter in preparation for

THE HIP arrival.

I can't remember for sure what song was played first.Ý I can remember
that it was the most enthrawling tune I've ever heard.Ý Nearing the
end, I had to leave the pit, or I was going to collapse, so I get
someone to boost me up... Now, surfing during the first song of their
set...

Spun around, all I see are ~50000 crazy HIP fans jumping around,
wigging out.

Thown in the air, laughing and almost giddy from the experience.Ý If
only I had remembered my 7' Canada flag!

Passed over the railings, out the front just as the song is ending...
Go the the gate, suck down some water.Ý Run to the tent.Ý Re-supply.
Run back.Ý Miss only moments of the second song.

Hang back in the crowd..Ý Relax a bit..Ý Recuperate..Ý More water...
I thought I was never going to have the energy to get back in the pit.
I had spent over 2 hours in there already...

Third song:Ý feeling better...Ý Yeah, this is awesome...

Now, memory never serves me correctly, but I'm going to say:

Little Bones!Ý Throw my water down, lace up the boots again and start
the agonizingly slow trot back into the pit.

Stay there for the rest of the show.Ý Song after song of high-energy
entertainment...Ý Whether their up front moshing around, or hanging
back just grooving to the music, everyone is happy.

Concert ends.Ý Go back to the tree on the hill and await the arrival
of my friends...Ý They arrive and un-surprisingly, their experiences
of the show are just as mind-blowing as my own.

To me, THAT is what The Hip are about.Ý I attended both Ottawa shows
in November, but even the sum of those two shows cannot compare to the
power of Edenfest.Ý (Oooooo... Power of Edenfest... sounds ominous
doesn't it?)Ý Of course, Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald _WAS_ pretty
cool.Ý The explosion of music at the end of Mr. Fay's interlude was
exceptional.

Cheers and see you at the next concert...
Kevin.