I just wanted to commend the Hip on their Fabulous performances each night in Toronto. As always I feel the second show was better, There just seems to be more energy from the band and the audience. Of course for myself, having sixth row centre the first night was great, but I took my beautiful girl to the second show and we had row "BB" left on the aisle which is the front row so of course I would find that better. Best seats I've ever had and I was front row center against the barrier at the Hershey centre. Gord's voice was bang on, whole band was, Johnny is actually looking happy these days along with everyone else. Couple smiles and laughs between band members I noticed last night! One funny point, I laughed at was that Gordie actually came over to Paul and starting staring at him while he was singing, Paul just gave him a nod and carried on, thought it was hilarious, forget which song, but might have been the Dark Canuck! Pictures are being developed right now,and will send over a couple when I have time, hope and feel they will turn out great. Went right against the stage for a couple of snaps, and boy that speaker was loud sitting right in front of us. For the first time ever,my ears are still distorted right now at 10:45 am the next day! You get so many reviews especially for Toronto, so I will finish up with the highlight of the night for me. As we got to the concert, I told my girlfriend, we needed to work hard after the show to get a set list, never really had the opportunity before. So the show is over,and we stand right at the stage, of course many others wander up, some small chick with glasses is beside me, I just look at her and say "NO", knowing why she is there. EveryoneÝ is yelling for the set list, so they rip up the first one for Paul and just chuck towards the crowd, girlfriend jumps on stage but loses it to another chick, my girl is heated, crew dude, finishes the others along the stage. I yell out what about Johnny's which I could see all night and even read the last 10 songs before they happened with my zoom lens on the camera when the place lit up. So the Guitar tuner and I guess roadie manager, you know the guy with the "outback" hat, rips it off the sidewall, crumples it up and throws towards us, I jump up on stage just as security starts pushing people from my right and my girl is to my left. So he pushes that small girl with the glasses just as i am going up, she hits me, I fall back a little and elbow her in the face, she yells or something, and says she was pregnant, arrogant fuck shouldn't have pushed a small girl for being against the stage, she said it wasn't your fault to me, I said I know, hope you are ok, and apologized as well. A little pissed off,IÝ say a couple of words to my girl, explained what happened quickly and bingo, she dove up and grabbed the set list which didn't even make it past Paul's monitor, so she had to reach far to get it, she's 5'3". So not a huge deal, but definitely cool to grab that for our sweet front row show, with some awesome photos to boot I'm sure. I've attached the set list, and it is missing the first two songs which were Silver Jet and NOIS, and alot of people might not know this but the last song was scratched for Poets, I was disappointed, for as mentioned I could read the list and was happy to see Verge as the closer, Oh well, Poets was great as usual!

Mike Dorricott

i'm missing a few, and i'm sure its not in order, but i was a kick ass show,

Steve Nelson

In Meridian, Gord kept telling us that he remembers Toronto.... in addition to remembering everything, apparently.

Great show... but for those of you who were hoping... no Another Midnight.... guess we'll have to wait 'till the next tour (or the spring??).... I did notice that the Jerseys they were selling did say 02/03.... one can always hope....

Ian

Here's the setlist, and some bits of the rants. There were many tapers present tonight. I saw two cameras, front row center in the balcony. I hope these shows become available.

Setlist In Order (quotes by Gord)
1. Silver Jet - Gord made noises that sounded like Morse code.
2. NOIS - a mention of the dorsel fin, and SWIM! Not to me, But to him, SWIM!
3. Fully Completely - "With the loyalty of a fruitfly, it turned and left." The band started out a little slower than usual but picked it up after the first verse.
4. Chagrin Falls - An amazing extended musical outro.
5. All Tore Up - The "tonight, tonight, tonight" section was repeated many times, and Gord was really giv'n it!
6. Bobcaygeon - "I'm in love with a cop, and I ain't gonna stop!" Gord also sang/said something about the way that dust clings to the air after a stranger has been there.
7. Nautical - The crowd noise was overwhelming, and the guys in the band seemed to take note. A little rant at the end about being in the water, and the damage that a fifteen foot propeller could do.
8. Darkest One - "I know you're here. By the end of the show, I will know!"
9. Fireworks
10. Good Life - "This one's called The Luminus Vale, or It's A Good Life..."
11. Meridian - "Guess what? We're at the 100th Meridian!" "I remember Toronto, how could I forget. It's your set." Also the life is forgetting song again, but this time the band totally switched out of 100th, and played a different song while Gord worked on the lyrics. I also think that Gord mocked the Queen. He did a Queen-like wave, and said, "everybody" with a funny accent.
12. Greasy Jungle - "By now you all know, this takes place in a hair salon. Salon in the basement, family upstairs. It's a Greasy Jungle in there!"
13. Giftshop
14. Springtime in Vienna
15. Dark Canuck - "This is a dedication. A dedication to you Toronto, because it goes on and on."
16. 50 Mission Cap - "They're calling off the search. It's as simple as that."
17. Blow - Gord did his best Elvis impressions throughout this song.

Encore #1
1. Use It Up
2. Grace, Too - "You're a microphone. Without a stand. What makes you think you could make it on dry land. You're a microphone, and I'm a man. Now I've got you in my right hand."
3. The Wherewithal - " 'course he got out. He had the wherewithal!"

Encore #2
1. Wheat Kings
2. Poets

Chris

We talked after the show and came to our own conclusion that although the 2nd encore was nice it wasn't the reason we loved this TO#2....it was the "order" of the songs..TO#1 just didn't seem to flow...like last nights wooden-roller-coaster. TTH warmed us up, got us going, took it higher, then slowed down a little, then back to a climb, a bit higher now and then down again....this repeated every 4-5 songs....These are only personal thoughts as clearly some of the Hip fans have stated that TO#1 was one of their better live experiences....we'll see as more reviews pop-up.

For me, it was Toronto#2... what about you?

Jeffro

Pretty much everything I had wanted to say has been said already, but
I'll do what I can.

First off, the outro on Chagrin, leading into All Tore Up was
incredible.Ý As well, the placement of All Tore Up took all bets off for
last night.Ý Before that I had called the first four (I actually called
6 of the first 7 songs).

Here's what I've pieced together about Life Is Forgeting (from last
night at least)

I remember Toronto
I remember Toronto
How could I forget
It's your scent Toronto
How could you forget?
Such a simple thing
Is life just forgeting (x4)
I remember everything (really really fast)
About you Toronto
How could you forget ?
Where you learned to taunt me
How could you forget?
Such a simple thing?
Is life just forgetting (x4)
I remember everything (really really fast)

Afterwards, before the classic Hair Salon rant before Greasy (I haven't
heard a song explaination that good since the "so you're paint a room
with your favourity gal or your favourite guy" intro to Thugs on an old
DFN bootleg") Gord starts belting out "Tell me dear, are you lonesome
tonight?"Ý -- BTW, Greasy was awesome :)

When Blow at High Dough was closing out. Gord was mumbling something
(his rants weren't always audiable last night), and towards the end we
heard "it's like a win-win situation"... I REALLY hope 100 Years Old is
brought back, or they may be toying with it (I've heard it twice in the
last two shows)

Which brings me to the past week I've had.Ý Montreal on Friday.Ý Toronto
yesterday.Ý I've never seen two better Hip concerts.Ý While the
complaints that there has been a lack in variety in the sets may be
justified, it's not a big deal; I don't think the band has ever been
this tight, or has been this good.

If you have seen them on this little theatre tour, you got your money's
worth every night.Ý Classes and groceries were thrown out the window to
support this band, for this and part of last week.Ý And I have
absolutely no regrets about that.

They'll be back... I have no fear that this tour is far from over.

Cheers, and enjoy the bootlegs when the surfice

PB

Hey there! Love what you do....

Last night I took my 4.5 year old son Calem to the show - his very first (my 30th Hip show). I've had a good Hip summer - Walkerton, Silver Jet video shoot....Poor little dude was sick last week, and it was a last minute decision on his part to attend last night. The little man fell asleep on my lap during Sam's show, so I let him doze until Das Hips hit the stage...his eyes lit up when they tore into Silver Jet - his fave Hip song....he was dancing on the seatback in front of us just loving it, as was I. I had earplugs in his ears but I can see that after 7 or 8 tunes it was getting to be too much for him. After Meridian I made the decision to go (man that was painful as our seats were really good) - but I had to look out for the wee big man. They were really grooving last night, no doubt about that - Chagrin and Bobcaygeon were definite highlights. We stood just outside the theatre for a tune or two and then decided to go. When we were leaving, one of the vendors asked why we were going and I said it was a bit much for Calem - she was so nice - she wanted him to have a memento so she gave him her Local Crew backstage pass!! Totally cool. I was just wondering if you ever come across a copy of the show if you'd be willing to trade it for something - I have tons of Hip stuff signed and things - I'd be willing to part with something for a copy of my son's very first Hip show.

Looking forward to more shows, as always.....
JRS