the show tonight was great - they played Sherpa!!!  and Daredevil.   many more things to share but I am off to bed -- i'll have some pics for you all tomorrow - it's Columbus Day - have the day off - and even though he didn't even really discover America - cheers to Chris Columbus anyday I don't have to work!!   jenn
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here you go:
grace
mm@w
daddy
gift shop
puttin
long time
fireworks
completists
springtime
ABAC
chagrin
nautical
TTL
______________
wheat kings
WMH
scared
penguin
courage
lake fever
daredevil
poets
flamenco
bastard
locked
stay
save the planet
hundredth
____________
freak
sherpa
NOIS
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10/9/00--1:22AM.
Red-eyed and stomach still churning from the hope that I'd actually get to meet the men, I am back from the Erie show.  Sick enough that I couldn't eat the five chicken fingers and fries that our fellow Henhouser, Randy Everly, bought me for dinner before the show.  The Warner--it's a lot like the Agora in Cleveland, except without the big dance floor in the front.  Row W,
that's 23 rows back.  Not bad.  Too bad Gary and his friends didn't show up in the limo they said they would to claim his buddy's ticket that I had for him, but "I guess these things happen" (re: "Fight Club").  We waited 'til 20 after 7, 20 minutes more than we were supposed to.  It was freezing and freezing raining, and my friend Patrick and I decided to go inside the old
place, braving the beer monkeys and hosebeasts along the way.  I had to piss--I had drunk a Coke and a half at TGIFriday's with Randy, as we BSed about The Hip and Rush and Live and school and work.  That was around 5:30, two hours before the concert, the first time I had sat down for more than ten minutes since 1PM.  I was wearing combat boots.  The extra pair of socks helped a bit.  I got the boots in Toronto for 25 Canadian on New Year's Eve last year, a few hours before I saw the Hip at the ACC, at Frankel's men's clothing store on Church.  The old guy Frankel swore they'd last me 20 years.  In 20 years, I'll be 41, and Gord D. will be 56, and Mr. Frankel will be dead, and so will my boots, and my biography on Gord D. will be a
best-seller in Canada.  So, I went to piss, and the crew was playing something from Los Lobos.  I came back and the Hip had taken the stage with "Grace, Too".  I jogged to my section, catching glimpses through the doors to the other sections and screaming, "I COME FROM DOWNTOWN!"  We were stopped; ushers were checking people's tickets.  I saw Justin whom I met in Pittsburgh, waiting to get in.  He said he was in Row W; I said I was too. I didn't see him for the rest of the night.  I got back to my friend Patrick and proceeded to watch.  I looked at Gord D. and wondered what his problem was.  At 1PM, I had parked my car at 11th and French.  The Warner is on State, between 8th and 9th.  The Avalon, the hotel they stayed at, was on State between 10th and 11th.  I started out, knowing I was too chicken to go into restaurants around town, asking had anyone seen the band because I was working with the crew today and I had a message for them, as I had orginally told all of my friends I was going to do.  Conclusion: "I didn't have the resolve."  It didn't really matter because I happened upon what I took to be their tour bus parked at the Avalon.  I glanced and saw somebody's head inside, but walked on by.  Nobody was outside of it walking around.  I'm not one of those people who can barge into buses or hotel rooms just to spew something that someone significant to me may find insignificant at the time; I'd much rather meet with them on their own time when they don't have to adhere to schedules or deal with obsessed fans regularly.  So, I went down to Dobbins Landing at the end of State Street, and walked around, viewing the lake and museum and library.  I walked back up on French and spied the two tour buses and the tractor trailer.  I walked past, feeling like I would gag, and crossed the street, afraid to ask one of the roadies who was hopping in and out if I could talk to The Hip.  I walked around in the empty Civic Centre parking lot, staring at the buses and their damned tinted windows.  I spent the next half hour running around conspicuosly spying until I heard someone on a bullhorn out on State.  I thought it might be 102.3, the radio station, announcing something, so I went back up to State.
Turns out it was some kind of religious parade or a funeral or something, when what to my wondering eyes should appear but two short Canadians, one with a Hip jersey on, in this ghost-town, Sunday afternoon Erie, PA.  I ran over and interrogated them.  As it turns out, I met "Matt" and his brother from Hamilton.  I have no other information on their names, but they were
nice fellows.  Matt's brother said he's been to 24 Hip shows.  Almost time for the Silver Anniversary, dude.  I talked with them for a few, then ran back to my hiding spot while they were thinking, "What the fuck?"  They must not have thought me strange for too long because they came to the back of the Warner and joined me in my conspicuous loafing.  A few workers said Hi
though I did not recognize them.  It was now close to 3PM.  We saw Johnny get off the bus, about 8 feet from us and said "Hey."  He said it back.  My first conversation with a Hip member.  I was swearing, giggly, like a 12-year-old idiot, upon seeing a new picture of some Backdoor Boy in Seventeen.  My new friends were mumbling about pens and cameras and Ask him if he'll take a picture and I hope he signs my jersey.  In the end, none of us asked any of them.  Johnny got back on and came out with two body guards and headed off somewhere, back out to State.  I stayed in my safe haven with my friends rather than go pester Johnny.  Next we saw Gord S. and Paul get out of a posh Audi with some guy I've never seen.  They carried golf bags and their shoes and pants were wet and dirty.  Dude's brother asked "Who won?" when they approached.  Gord S. and Unknown Man pointed to Paul.  They smiled and we traded a few lines.  Gord S. took off his shoes and socks,
saying, "My shoes are soaked" with that all-too-Canadian "O"…"sooooked". They threw their bags in the bottom of the bus and got on.  Before that, I had talked to that guy who always tests Johnny's drum kit.  I asked him if that's who he was, and he said, "Yes, I am."  He's orginally from Toronto. He was wearing a Stones shirt and said he used to work for them.  He got The
Hip their gigs opening for The Stones in Europe and figured The Hip should give him a job.  And they did.  And it was good.  I asked him if the Hip were available.  He said nope, they're prob'ly sleepin.  They were playing golf.  Next, some people started to join our group, including some dude named Todd who was gonna buy that damn ticket, but I said, No, no, I'm saving it for this Gary dude and his friend, thanks for the offer, sorry. Shoulda, coulda, woulda, eh?  A family of four was there as well, with three big print-outs that they had retrieved from some site and turned into posters.  Gord D. comes from State with a body guard, passes through our little group, says Hi a few times, gets on the bus.  He walked right by me. I finally saw my personal hero a foot away, but it didn't mean as much as I thought it would.  Probably because there was no time to talk.  He was
brusque, but he smiled slightly.  Saw Kate and said Hey to Chris.  He was the most talkative, saying How are you? and Good.  Then chauvenistic, white, football, swearin, gray-haired, "Staff" dude who kept saying, "cool" and "dude" and how nice the Canadian girls are, and how every rock star who'd come to Erie ordered up sluts to fuck them aftershow…he was there tellin us no cameras, no standin out here when I tell ya to go away…Not my fault, it's the fuckin promoters.  Body guard for the Hip proceeds to tell him to let people use their cameras and whatever they want because The Hip say so. "Staff" guy tells us 15-20 minutes people and you'll have to leave.  They can sign your shirts, say Hi, but that's it.  Johnny comes out first.  Dad of  Hip Family of Four says, Oh Johnny, Johnny, you got a few minutes to sign this?  Johnny says Sure, signs three posters, shakes hands, Good to meet ya.  Gord D. is next.  Stopped by father saying Gordie, Gordie, do ya have a few minutes…Maybe he was annoyed by someone calling him Gordie. Maybe he had a bad morning or evening.  Maybe he's sick of people begging
him to sign shit.  Maybe he feels exploited.  But maybe these people came from Ontario to see The Hip.  Maybe father spent his whole life raising son and daughter to be avid Hip fans because he believes in what the band and the music stand for.  Maybe this time, there aren't trampling crowds of screaming fans, reaching out just for a touch of a shirt or a hand.  Maybe
this isn't Canada, and maybe it's just a small town that's dead because it's Sunday and no one's around and no one's bothering anybody and it's just a small group and it's just a few minutes.  "Well, I have to go do a soundcheck.  But I guess so," he said, more than slightly annoyed.  He signed one poster.  Girl is ecstatic because, in handing the pen back to her, Gord's hand has grazed hers: "I got to touch his hand!"  Somewhere, Gord S. slipped by father.  Rob came out next.  Father hardly had to open
his mouth.  "Yeah, yeah, sure!"  Rob was happy to sign father's poster. "Paul should be coming right out," he offered.  Paul came out and signed as well, smiling and waving.  That was it.  Gord S. hadn't signed; father was short one signature).  A few minutes later, he said, "Gord [D.] wasn't too happy, eh?"  Girl's eyes were still gleaming.  Then I saw Randy and we went
to dinner after trading some live boots.  So back to my point…I was looking at Gord and wondering what the hell was up.  I somehow feel as though I know him even though I don't.  So it somehow annoys me that he was annoyed.  And on my way back home aftershow, an all of 15 minute drive for me when people are coming from Hamilton and all points east and north and west and south, I sat silently and listened to a mix…Matthew Good Band and The Rheos, then, "As I Wind Down the Pines" came on and I wondered if I should be mad or depressed or wistful and how I should write this letter.  I thought about
how Randy said some Canadian kid jumped off the Empire State Building in a pirate costume, and someone on the Henhouse joked about, causing an uproar for three days.  And I thought about how during the concert, during "Stay", I thought about making a story out of the lyrics.  I thought about the redeeming feeling I had towards Gord, whom I don't even know, and who has done nothing to personally offend me, when they played "Sherpa" because it is one of my favourite songs.  And I thought of this girl at school that I like and how I wished she was there with Patrick and I at the show, which made me think of the Blues Traveler song "The Best Part", which has become this girl's theme song in my own head, which made me think of how The Hip
and Blues Traveler played together, and John Popper is out there talking to someone about how great The Hip are, and Gord D. drives around TO listening to my girl's theme song and sings it just like I do.  And I thought of how much my own focus when The Hip are playing has shifted to Gord S. and Rob instead of Gord D.  Those two guys just over there jamming and mixing it up. They gave big smiles as they left the stage twice.  They played a long encore.  I heard somebody say that they had a few days off and they were going home for Thanksgiving, so they would play well because they were happy about that.  They also probably wanted to leave pretty quickly.  And I thought of them sitting on the bus talking about everything under those
lights that say, "We're leaving soon, but just sit tight," like I feel on the Greyhounds to and from Erie.  And I know how they mix it up, all of them, but I can't describe it because I don't play and because I can't hear Gord's rants until the bootlegs.  And I thought of Gord's and Kate's interaction on stage.  They'd come close to yell something to each other twice, and in a Freudian sort of way, I thought maybe they were having an affair, especially when Gord somehow couldn't get his shirt cuff undone, and
asked Kate to do it for him, and she did it.  Why?  Just because she was holding a tambourine and not a guitar?  And what was Chris thinking, watching behind the keyboards?  Of course, it was just innocent whatever; you can't believe anything else.  I used to believe the Hip enjoyed themselves every time they got on stage.  I used to believe adults--teachers, parents, etc.--were superheroes; they knew more than I because they were older, and therefore wiser.  I have just recently learned
that all they have more of is experience, thus they are not more intelligent than I, thus I cannot rely on them for everything.  I have become unattached; I am a self-sufficient, single entity in the world…that is scary.  I saw The Hip up close today, and they are not the gods I used to believe they were; they never were--I was just naïve.  They are just guys like me, only with other experiences.  I cannot rely on them to be perpetually happy; they never were--I just saw it that way.  I still respect
them tremendously, for their work and for the ways in which they choose to do business.  But I've lost the magic.  And that's not their fault.  And I feel oh so corny and stupid for these lamentations, but they are real because I just wrote them, even if I or anyone dismisses them as overly-romantic and cheesey.  Do you think this comes out of every beer-binge-ing slut's mind after a Hip show ("slut" is non-gender-specific here)?  No, because I respect them.  And I hope they have good Thanksgiving
dinners with their families and I hope they have a good rest of the tour and I hope they retire when they need to and I hope they are in good spirits when they run into a pleading fan in a ghost town with 4 hours left 'til show time.  How can I say all of this shit and feel creative instead of destructive?  Because these are my true thoughts and when people make outlandish speculations about my life, I can laugh in their faces and say, You don't know me.  The same goes for everybody else, even those I once thought of as gods and superheroes.

Don't have the setlist.  But I remember…
Poets, Fireworks, ND, Tiger the Lion (rocked), NOIS (very last song), Lake Fever, Scared, Long Time Running (rocked), Daredevil!, Save the Planet, Grace, Too, Sherpa, Wild Mountain Honey, Don't Wake Daddy, ABAC, Springtime in Vienna (ending chorus rocked, as always), Flamenco (Kate kicked ass on this one; very good ending chorus for Gord D. and Kate), This is the Bastard, Freak Turbulance (one of the encore songs), My Music at Work (second song),  Putting Down, Stay, The Completists,  Emperor Penguin, Chagrin Falls, At the Hundredth Meridian, Locked in the Trunk of a Car!, Courage, Wheat Kings…that's all I can remember…another 29-song night!

Thanks to The Hip and Chris Brown and Kate Fenner for an awesome show! Thanks to Patrick and Randy and Bob and Matt and his brother and Todd and those other Hipsters I hung out with.  I'm just a little disenchanted, but maybe I'll always be this way.  Maybe it's because I couldn't sell my damn ticket and I didn't ask for any money from Patrick because he has none, so
I'm in the hole 60 bucks.  Maybe it's because I'd really rather be Gord Downie's best friend than make myself wonder about his state of mind all the time.  Maybe it's because I still haven't "met" The Hip in my definition of the word.

You just look at them and siiiiiigggghhhh…and know they love you…

Happy Thanksgiving, kids,
Daks
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I left Mississauga around 11am and hit the QEW crossed at Queenston Lewiston Bridge...border guard asks where am I going ...I tell him....while nodding with a knowing smirk and a little chuckle he slowly repeats... "The Tragically Hip"....how many times has he heard that...its lunch time so I stop at a place called Honeys in Niagara Falls NY...I want NY state wings...the sign says "no refund on suicide wings!"...I figure alot places say HOT but then they are mild..I order 10 hot....after the 2nd wing.... it was like someone dragged a wire brush across my scalp and blew red pepper up my nose....f@#k they were HOT ... as I waited for the wings I checked out the CD juke box sitting over in the corner....these discs haven't been changed for a while....Journeys Greatest Hits..Zepplin #4.....and the only Hip is the EP.....just before I leave I put enough money in the box to play the whole CD and leave.....back to the I90......if you have ever crossed the Grand Island bridge you know the view...looking toward the Falls you can see the river drop into the gorge and the huge plume of mist looks amazing from that angle....this bridge has a toll....I stop and give the bearded lady....yes the bearded lady...my 50 cents.....I can't stop thinking about the facial hair this woman had...there was more on her face hen GD has on his head on his best day.....I cruise into a very quiet Erie....who needs directions for these old theatres...just drive to to the oldest part of the downtown core and there she sits grand and old...The Warner....I get to park right in front and walk to the nearest place with any activity...The Avalon Hotel....stroll in and low and behold there is the security dude I've met ...30+ plus times and who lives in Mississauga...we talk for a bit.. mostly about what isn't happening in Erie and the recent NYC show....the fact I had 2nd row tickets to NYC and sold them to mutual friend....and driving back tonight so everyone gets home for Thanksgiving...as it turns out he was just
waiting for GD to come down and head over to the venue for soundcheck.....I head over just ahead of them...go around back and run into 2 brothers I know from the I&I much line up...Matt and Dave very Hip friendly cool guys....we hang do the usual Hi everybody and wait for the check to begin....The Hip are a very punctual band ....like clock work the Hip machine runs....the 2 brothers and I get a nice spot at the back which is obviously behind the stage and listen away....we catch a nice glimpse of what is in store for us tonight...after a song or 2 the venue security tells us we have to move....did this guy do us a favour..we hussle around to another set of doors and these are amazing...were in front and to close to the side of the stage...I mean the bass drum was rattling these doors huge....these were the gems that were to be played tonight...and all were except We'll Go Too....which was done nicely during the check....all and all 6 complete songs were done during this door rattling soundcheck which started at 4:30 and concluded at 5:30...Dave,Matt and I head out for some coffee or food ...I showed them the Avalon restrooms I had used earlier and went to check out the hotel bar for some reason we lost site of each other and don't meet up again until showtime...which is 7:30.....out front I try and dump the extra tix to no avail...head in at 7:15 and buckle up.....opens with Grace 2 really great crowd response.....mostly Clevelanders and Buffaloanians...you know this by the response to " I remember...." you know the rest.......some huge highlights....the extended version of Daredevil....so cool.....Sherpa..wicked sound...excellent purple lighting... overall a very mood altering sensations.....Penquin with the Chris keyboard thing sounds so great live....the very electric finish of Scared......the Bobby Baker show all the way....the new long intro into Poets and the groove that GS and BB get into is so f#$ken tight...the first half is finished with Tiger which very very powerful live...you got to believe...because GD makes you beleive....The Bastard...so good....GD came right out and said this is for Michel Trudeau...The Completists......Wild Mountain Honey live was great...so many of these M@W songs take on a life of their own live....We got Locked in the Truck with Gordie for about 10 minutes...in was very clostrophobic.....by the time that tune is done you really want it too...the let me outs and the tension is too much...an all out acoustic version of Wheat..so nice Iike this ...but I personally like the BB electric noodling sound..." I thought I would be home by now...stuck in this prison cell....Long Time stood out as always....100th and NOIS played straight up is a nice change...GD showed some affects of is recent cold during Freak Turbulence....could of lived without that one....not too much rambling during this how...Flamenco...got
to love kate..she adds huge to this one live...I only miss the part where GD used to give the finger when he sang..."no one drags me anywhere ..."   all and all a very nice 2 sets....how could anyone not groove on a show 2.5 hours long full of amazing tune after tune....as it turned out Matt and Dave were sitting 2 rows in front of me...so we went out for a drink after rambled about the highlights...they left Erie around 11...and I left around 12....as a nice finish to the whole day I ran into the bands buses at the toll booth in Buffalo....you gotta beleive....in bed at 4am.... Happy Thanksgiving...I looked up to Lord above ..and said hey man thanks.....Todd
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Here's the link to 6 photos from last night - If you take the time to look - notice in a few the light show that we were treated to.   It was very dramatic and appropriate for each song - and really added to the experience.    We got to talk with john, gord d. and paul last night - I gave Paul some of my recent pics of them (one's you have not seen yet) and asked him if I could come along for a while - he smiled, complimented my work - and said that we'd have to clear it with a few more people first :)   enjoy!   jenn
http://photos.yahoo.com/bc/jenngraley?d&.flabel=fld5&.intl=us&.src=bc&start=1
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Rory , wasn't sure how to post reviews , so just throwing it at you.
Thought about it some after reading Daks posting...since I'm the dad of the family of four.

Here goes...first of all, did feel a little slighted by Gord D. at the time, but who knows what he's going through personally
at the time.Not a big deal.Certainly was worth the two hour wait to finally get Gord S.'s autograph on our print.
He was more than obliging, as well as conversational..a true gentleman.The rest of the boys were friendly as well.

We had been anticipating our trip for quite a while, and our brief encounter with the guys was an added bonus.
Daks was right when he said, my kids have been raised on a steady diet of Hip music..I guess that comes easily
since it's always on in the house.But myself , I think it's more than that...it's kinda like a zone..stemming from the
music...it seems true, but more than that it's passionate!..at least I think so.As far as Mr. Downey seeming put out
yesterday..I think as fans, we want to let these icons know how we feel, how much we enjoy what they are doing,
and mostly we would like to have been acknowledged and appreciated (exactly as Gord S. was).
As for the show..it was everything I had hoped for. As an older fan, it's been a treat to see them grow over the years.
All in all, a great day for myself and my family..one we won't forget.Our print is going in tomorrow to be framed and will
be hung next to the portrait of Paul that graces our wreckroom wall already.

Lastly, I don't have the luxury of getting to a lot of shows, but the ones I've been to are treasured memories.
As always I'll attend them all through technology and communication..the web page,hip.org, newsgroups and
henhouse..so for all you youngsters out there following the boys around...have a blast, and post your stories.....
I'll be watching
 

It's you, and you, and you, and you.........

Dave Hill
Niagara Falls , On.
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Well, just got back from Erie.  What a show!  The band was awesome (as usual) and the crowd was enthusiastic and well behaved.  My only complaint is that it was hard to hear Gord's rants from the far right side of the theatre where I was sitting, but the show was great nonetheless.  The security guys were very layed back.  They had no problem with a few of us running straight up the middle aisle to the front to snap pictures, as long as we returned to our seats after we got some shots.
I don't remember the exact set-list, but they played about 28 songs with a few cool surprises thrown in like Long Time Running, Sherpa, Emperor Penguin, and Locked.  Johnny went bezerk on Daredevil!  I think I saw him break two sticks towards the end of the song.  And Gord Sinclair must have had a few blisters after Save the Planet.  I don't think I've ever seen him attack his bass like that before, striking the strings with his hand like it was a guitar.  It was awesome to watch.  Kate drew some enthusiastic applause during her verses on Scared and Flamenco. Man, she's got a beautiful voice.  Anyway, great show all around!  Aside from the music, my favorite part of the night was right after the show- As we were filing out of the theatre some guy yelled "Anyone here from Erie!" and when nobody answered, he yelled "Anyone here from Ontario!" and the place went nuts.

Cheers,
Casey
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From everybody else's thoughts, we already know about the drive from Kitchener down to Erie, PA, since it's not that different from the drive from Mississauga, or the drive from Buffalo.
Other than the fact, that no one mentioned the snow. that fell shortly after our arrival in Erie.
Beautiful theatre.  Great show.  But especially great from 3rd row centre.  (except for the 4th row centre idiots who spilled a pint of beer all over my leather jacket). Highlights?  hearing Long Time Running for the first time ever, the Bastard (one of my faves off M@W) for the first time since Boston.  As todlyn already mentioned, the keyboards on Emporer Penguin were fantastic.
And not to rehash old arguments, but to all the Kate detractors out there, I'd urge you to go into these shows with an open mind.  Although I was already in favour, I thought she did an absolutely bang-up job on both Scared & Flamenco (both of which she solo-ed in).  It's obvious she's more comfortable with the songs & her role.  She's actually adding to the songs (singing between Gord's lines rather than straight backup) and not trying to sing on EVERY song, just for the sake of singing.
Of course... if you're fundamentally opposed to Chris & Kate, I don't have any good news for you.

Ian
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A HIP concert

                       By Dave Richards
                       Staff writer, Erie Times-News

                       So Gordon Downie, lead singer of The Tragically Hip, saunters onto the Warner
                       Theatre stage with the rest of his band and he's dressed for the office -- suit coat
                       , white shirt, nice slacks. Early on he loses the coat, but much later -- for the
                       second set -- he sports a flashy tie.

                       What's more, the Hip not only come out on time -- rare for a rock show -- but a
                       tad early, starting at about 7:26 p.m.

                       What's it all mean? Well, ascribing meaning to any Tragically Hip gesture can be
                       a dicey prospect; they revel in mystery and abstraction. But here's a guess. The
                       CD they're touring for is entitled "Music@Work," so Downie and band were all
                       "business" at the Warner. And they not only did a terrific job -- which wasn't
                       unexpected -- but put in some major overtime, too, stretching the show well past
                       the 21/2 mark.

                       The near sellout crowd loved every minute on the time clock. Some Canadian
                       fans showed up wearing hockey masks, some wore hockey jerseys. Downstairs
                       on the main floor, nearly everyone stood the entire show; sitting was not an
                       option. During a Hip show, their crackling electricity -- their live-wire intensity --
                       soars through fans in waves.

                       The Hip excel at pacing; they know when to rev it up, when to slow it down. It's
                       called dynamics and, well, they're dynamite at keeping the fans enthralled.

                       Downie is also one of rock's more compelling front men. He doesn't move around
                       much; he's not a dance, and he really doesn't jabber much. But he's got a little
                       David Byrne in him. He goes a bit over the top with the hand movements, and he
                       loves the "Chorus Line" kind of leg snaps, kicking outward in ecstasy when the
                       Hip reach crescendos like rockets lifting off.

                       During the set-opening "Grace, Too" -- no surprise, there -- Downie engaged in
                       some playful back spasms, jerking himself sideways and backward while the Hip
                       laid down the powerful, snaking riff that builds like a forest fire. It's the Hip at its
                       most mesmerizing.

                       Next came "My Music at Work," the infectious lead single from "Music@Work,"
                       with lead guitarist Rob Baker reigning down cascading hooks. Baker has a grand
                       style; he can get epic and spacey like Pink Floyd's David Gilmour or chunky and
                       lean-and-mean, as on "Poets," which exploded with thunderous power. That tune
                       owes a bit to the Rolling Stones, a debt Downie seemed to acknowledge with a
                       little Mick Jagger-like, thrust-and-parry dance move.

                       This night was for the fans, with the Hip doing "An Evening With" that spanned
                       (nearly) their entire career. Sure, they featured lots from "Music@Work" -- the
                       stark, pulverizing "Tiger the Lion" (which closed the first set), the roaring rocker
                       "Putting Down," and a steamy "Lake Fever," among others. And they reached
                       back for some surprises, like "Wheat Kings" from "Fully Completely," and a
                       blistering "At the 100th Meridian" (from the same CD) that capped the regular
                       set.

                       Effortlessly they traveled from fragile, acoustic-driven gems like "Scared" to --
                       just a few songs later -- the rousing, impassioned "Courage." Straight-ahead
                       rockers like "Save the Planet" simply sizzled with straight-ahead energy, while
                       old favorites like "Ahead By a Century" sounded as sublime as ever, as if the Hip
                       themselves never tire of them, either.

                       The Hip can be moody; they feed off a crowd's energy. If the folks up front are
                       rude or nasty; they'll cut a show short. This Warner crowd was both respectful
                       and adoring, and the Hip seemed to eat it up -- fully, completely.

                       The only problem: After a full-throttle show like this, it'll be hard for fans to go
                       back to work today, meeting Monday morning head on.
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so. now that i've decided to go back to school again(after this week, i'm gonna have to be sweet talkin all my profs), i have homework to put off... so i guess i'll do an erie review/summary of my week.
here goes:
erie: the show in erie seemed a little subdued to me. but the more i think about this, the more i realize that this was most likely only because i wasn't up front like i was for rochester, syracuse and new york.  aside from that- awesome show. kate sounded great on flamenco and scared, and ian's right, getting a little more creative, rather than straight backups. long time was wonderful again, daredevil was incredible and locked...wow. chagrin falls...sounded fucked up. the last 2 times i've seen it, something's off. can't put my finger on it , but last night, i found myself thinking, "why are they wasting their energy on this?" maybe it's just me. anyway. i called fireworks right before they played it, though i could sure do without it. this was the only night i was sure they would do a second encore. well, i wasn't sure, but i thought...they're coming back out to do fully,
inevitablity, and fire in the hole-in that order. but of course they didn't. ahh, well. daks, sorry i missed you. ya know i could see you from where i was sitting, but every time i looked, you weren't looking at me. and then when i meant to go over at the end, i forgot. so, sorry about that. just wanted to say hi.
some random thoughts about the week in general:
i find it hilarious when gord yells out "dinner" after the first verse of ahead by a century. has everyone else noticed this? funny how one word can add to an interpretation of the song as a whole. i think it just helps paint the picture-these two kids are up in tree, in love or whatever, and then one of their mothers kills the moment with "dinner!" i dig it.
i'm really enjoying kate's vocals. sorry to all you naysayers out there, but ya know...on most songs, it sounds really good. there are times, when she fucks up, but eh...gord fucked up wheat kings a couple days ago, no biggie.
hmmm...that whole conversation about johnny getting fat? he's not. i saw him from about 2 feet away, and his waist is tiny. i could have put my hands around it. i would have. i mean...ahem. it's all about restaint. painted restraint.
springtime is quickly becoming my designated bathroom break song.
everyone looks like they're having a blast. there's been all kinds of smiling and laughing on stage for all of these dates that i've caught. and both paul and gord s. said theyre really pleasantly surprised with how well it's going. good.
i think i caught gord downie's cold.

that's it. retiring until detroit. my car and my credit card need a rest.
meghan
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i want to review it but i havent before so i hope this is the right place:

We got to Erie on Saturday and stayed at Justin's girlfriends Sorority House (bonus). Sigma Sigma Sigma!! Went out to the Gannon University bars and they were fun, $1.50 Rolling Rocks (bonus).  Bars close at 2 which blows being a person from WNY and our 4 am last calls.  We didn't fall asleep until about 6 am after countless games of Asshole where I was the Asshole for about 90% of them.  Woke up around 11 and the girls made us breakfast while I called bars to see who was playing the Bills game, and after the third one that was, I realized it was going to be on at the house.  After the first half it was only the 3 of us (Justin Jeff and myself) because the girls couldn't quite understand our enthusiasm.  Now the outcome will remain unmentioned, lets put it this way, the girls were no longer initiating conversations with us.  The game ended at around 4:30 after we witnessed the Flutie show...hey Canadians, I am the only Buffalonian who thinks he should start...by now we wanted to
depart.  We talked to Shane (you may know him as the happy go lucky blonde kid with the tan fitted Sabre's hat who seems to be at every show...the PIC from Dewey Beach Delaware on thehip.com is his) and he was boozin' behind the theater near the busses.  We questioned the girls on Sunday alcohol sales in Ohio and got an unwanted answer.  We could have walked but decided to drive considering we had to find an open bar to get a 12 pack (I still can't understand this concept).  When we pulled in the McD's lot I spotted an Irish bar with a neon sign devoted to selling Sunday 12's.  While Justin and Jeff ordered my food I sprinted to the bar and once again selected Rolling Rock, hey "When in Rome" right.  When I got back to McD's they hadn't even cracked the line.  I think those 2 brothers from Hamilton that everyone seems to talk about were there.  We witnessed the dirtiest McDonald's with hands down the slowest cashier in the History of the world.  I put the Rocks in my bag and we headed to the lot.  We found Shane easily and began boozin' too.  He informed us he had spotted Gord D. with his large body guard and spoke to Chris Brown just randomly walking the street.  We drank and chatted hockey and the movement of the Bills to T. O.  with a couple GTA residents (5 years tops).  7 rolled around and we went in just as hail came rushing down.  The other 2 went to piss while I spotted the seats...row double C but it doesnt really matter.  I went to talk to the dude with the taping equipment at left center middle and I found out he was from Lockport which is 3 towns away and
got his number so I can get a bunch of shows I've been to.  I lost the opening song bet...I said Tiger when my reliable horse Grace 2 was the correct answer.  Show started off great except the stupid usher making me get out of the aisle...I just wanted to shake my ass!  Dont wake daddy was great. I can't talk enough about the lighting especially during Tiger the Lion. Then the intermission, which should be called the beer break, I was in line with a kid from North Tonawanda which is a town over and he told me how he was front row in Cleveland and got the setlist and stuffed it in his pocket, and I started lauging and asked him if he remembered the kid who asked if he could see it and he said "no, look on the website", and ran away thinking I was going to steal it, which I probably was, and we started laughing.  He also told me that the Buffalo cover band Strictly Hip who plays the Crocodile Bar on Chippewa every Sunday night was playing with ex-posion guitarist C. C. Deville.  I guess C C saw them there asked what they played and they filled him in about the Hip so he went out and bought all of there CD's and plays
now.  Either this kid is blowing smoke up my ass or C C sure is desperate. We both purchased beer which was unfortunately Railsplitter (some Erie beer) which to my surprise wasn't so bad.  On my way back to my seat I saw a high school friend and shot the shit, then I sat on the couch with Justin's girlfriend and 2 sorority sisters.  And when those dudes with the hockey
helmets came by I wished them a happy thanksgiving and the girls gave me the weirdest look, obviously unaware of the differing Canadian holiday.  Second set was better...Screamed for NY during flamenco (Kate is a very nice complement when used the right way).  Stay is my new favorite song and I reminded Jeff this by yanking his arm.  I also reminded the group to exert the most energy when Gord said BUFFALO, but I still wished he would have let us sing "If I die of vanity..."  I must say I wasn't impressed with the encore.  On the way out Jeff found a twenty dollar bill so if anyone can claim it...sucks to be you.  In the lot we saw Shane and he and Lisa hit the jack pot...she got 2 setlists and a drumstick and he got a setlist...that's awesome.  We stood outside the bus and slowly but surely it dwindled down to about 20 heads.  Then Bobby came out and gave the 1 second pointer finger and went in the bus.  When he came out he had a smile from ear to ear and started signing.  Being a person who has been to numerous hip shows in obscure places where he drank with the band, Shane had the kindness in his heart to shove me up front with Lisa so I could get a sign.  When Bobby got to us I asked why the Toronto shows were so far apart and he said something about the ice-capades and then the skydome, then I asked why they haven't played skydome.  He chuckled and said it wouldn't fill and I obviously flattered him by disagreeing with him, then he said he saw a few shows there and it didn't sound so good.  He signed my ticket then I turned to Justin and Jeff and jokingly shrieked like an NSYNC fan. He then left and we stood around for a little more while Chris Brown walked on the bus and no one seemed to care. Jeff and Justin decided to leave but I wasn't moving.  Finally the pinnacle. Gordy came out with the aforementioned bodyguard and began to sign.  He got to me and he was reclusive, and under the circumstances tired and hoarse.  He signed and I was a third speechless, a third understanding that at this point in time he really didn't want to hear my dumbass questions anyway, and a
third afraid that I would blurt some question like "Why do you shave your head" and all 20 people would sneer at me.  I watched him sign for a couple minutes and then shook his hand and I realized Paul was signing too but I had no chance although I was more than satisfied.  The best thing about Gord was he asked everyone what their name was before he signed.  I then walked back to the house which was 3 BLOCKS AWAY!!!  I guarantee I had the shortest destination home beside the people staying in the Avalon Hotel.  Jeff and Justin were waiting with a case of Blue purchased from the help of the discovered twenty.  I showed the girls the autograph's and they were jealous due to the fact this was their first hip show and were obviously impressed by Gord in a way that all girls are to lead singers...hey I'm sure Meatloaf and John Popper have their share of Groupies too, not to take anything away from Gord...he is a true showman!  We were chatting in the kitchen and Justin
began mocking me in an NSYNC fan mode shrieking "I'm never going to wash this hand."  I replied "I shook Gordy's hand so now his hand is on mine, so you guys should want to shake my hand."  Then Jeff said "Go play with yourself and then you can tell people Gordy that Gordy did it for you."  I thought he took that a little too far.  In closing great weekend, and the boys attitude and friendliness made me an even bigger fan (if that is even possible).

See y'all @ the bank on December 20th (HSBC arena) go to Chippewa after!

www.brizand.homepage.com

Mike BrAND from GrAND IslAND
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Erie was great, but I couldn't believe how quickly the show seemed to go by!  The boys must have gotten home for Thanksgiving dinner Monday, since we saw the tour buses driving up State Street sometime before midnight as we were walking back to the hotel from the bar.  We waved, don't know if they saw :)  Speaking of Thanksgiving, did anyone else
catch the little turkey dance Gord was doing during a song in the first set (can't remember which), where he sort of splayed his fingers out behind his butt like a turkey's tailfeathers?  It made me laugh!

I wasn't crazy about the Chris and Kate thing before - I didn't dislike them, but it seemed to be too much to have them in every single song. I can definitely say that after Erie my opinion has changed.  Kate has found her place within the band, and her vocals were a very nice addition, when she did sing. I think that's the big difference, as Ian pointed out in his post.  She's not trying to sing in every single song anymore.  And she was perfect in Scared and Flamenco. The crowd certainly thought so too, judging from the crowd's cheers. Anyway,  I have been converted.  One thing I'm wondering is why they haven't played Pines yet - that song would be perfect with Kate there.

s
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NO throwing tomatoes......pleeze !

Last week I sat in my livingroom looking at the hundreds of HIP tapes & cds, they dont belong to me, they belong to my boyfriend. I wasn't a Hip fan, never really heard of them, never listened to them and couldn't even tell you what songs they sang...
ALL THIS CHANGED.......my boyfriend dragged me to the Erie show....and WOW!! They knocked me off my feet ...they were incredible...they sounded great....!!
I've read all the comments about Kate, and how Gord wasn't his usual wild self etc etc...
Seeing the show through my eyes.....it was amazing !! We met the boys out back before the sound check, they were great,
another fan lent me a blanket while waiting to meet them.....you fans are great !!

What an experience.....I'm still humming their tunes...

We've also got ticket for Hamilton and both in Toronto...now I can't wait !  WOOHOO!

Still smiling,
Michelle  :o)