Well, I arrived early last night.  About 7:00.  Decided taht I didn't  want to miss BDR both nights.  Turns out I'm sorry I missed them the  first time, while I don't know if I'd buy the CD, I do kjnow that they  played an extremely powerful set, rocking the few that actually showed up.  Amid many empty seats in the Metro Centre, they came out seemed really pumped to be playing there.  After a number of good songs (one which sounded a great deal like Matthew Good Band) they finished.  It was
now about 45 mins to the Hip. I'm impressed by my seats, side stage, row G, eye level with the band. The lights dim and out come the Hip.  They immediately start into Planet which was good, and then Grace, too.  The energy of the band was
incredible and every song seemed better than the last.  When they started into Cordellia, the crowd went nuts.  I love this song on CD but nothing compares to this live.  Wow, what a song.  Near the end of Nautical, gord appears to look at some idiot in the crowd (pushing and shoving and generally being an ass) and says "Shut the f*ck up"  At the beginning of one song (Penguin I think) gord picked up the bannana, gave it a shake, didn't appear to like the sound so he put it down and picked up something else (the thing he was playing with at the london show) throwing it up and following it with the mike.  Finally gord thinks the bannana is sounding good so it comes out for a song (so hard done by, if i remember correctly).  And of course, it was then time for something on.  50MC rocked the crowd, followed by fireworks (nothing but hockey songs) and then NOIS!  With "Insomniacs of the world unite" in the midst.  Finally, the crowd roars as they hear gord slowly saying Pale as a lightbulb and
then the boys head off.  The first encore was excellent, ending with on the verge.  Then its time for the final encore, BobC and finished with Little Bones.  Wow what a show.  Wish I had known they were going to the Marquee Club.  I waited in the cold forever, but no sign of them.  Eventually I just went home.  Frozen, but very happy.

On the heels of a great term in Ottawa (I couldn't have asked for much more than seeing Hank and PJ), I started things in Halifax by taking Kimmy to see The Tragically Hip, as a birthday present. This concert came two years after I saw The Hip as my first rock concert, also in the Metro Centre.

I have to rank my second dose of The Hip slightly lower than my first. For one thing, our seats weren't as good as what I had for the '96 concert; and it's always a let-down to have to stay seated through a concert. Also, I prefer the Trouble at the Henhouse CD to Phantom Power, so I liked the setlist better the first time.

On the other hand, the company was certainly nice. The show was Kimmy's first real concert; and her enthusiasm rubbed off on me. The band gave a very good performance and we both had a fun time. Overall, I'd rate my second Hip concert a solid show.

Yo everybody!  I went to the show in Halifax Tuesday night and it was impressive as always.
Set List:
1. Save the Planet
2. Grace, Too
3. Fully Completely
4. Escape is at Hand For the Travellin Man
5. Gift Shop
6. Vapour Trails
7. Cordelia (You're reading correctly! The show took off from here!)
8. Poets
9. Nautical Disaster
10. Emperor Penguin
11. Ahead by a Century
12. So Hard Done By
13. Something On
14. Thompson Girl
15. 50 Mission Cap
16. Fireworks
17. New Orleans Is Sinking
Encore #1
18. Springtime in Vienna
19. The Rules
20. On the Verge
Encore #2
21. Bobcaygeon
22. Little Bones

An absolutely amazing show by the Hip!  It started a bit slow (slow for the Hip but kick ass for anyone else!).  Cordelia got it all going. Gordie was rocking and right after Cordelia the Metro Centre went nuts when they went into Poets.  Then Gord started screaming, "Just f--- right off!" during Nautical.  He was at his best last night! They slowed in down a bit with ABAC which Gord called "Before the Millenium", after that for a few and then cranked in up again for Something On.  Johnny looked like a man possessed going at the drums and I doubt if his hand injury is hindering him much. He lead into So Hard Done By with, "This next song is about February not being so f---ing bad. It's just misunderstood."  Gord said, "You don't have to be from Manitoba to understand this one but it helps," before Thompson Girl.  Then they set the place on fire with two of
my favourites, the hockey ones baby, 50 Mission Cap and Fireworks.  I thought to myself, "I'd put money on them opening or
closing the first show at the ACC with 50 Mission." Then they dug it with NOIS and Gord screamed, "Baby, I just plain hit the celing!" The boys cam back on for the first encore with Gord shrugging his shoulders at the crowd.  The highlite of encore one was no doubt On the Verge.  I've never heard that live and it's one of my favourites.  Excellent is all I have to say. Then we got the "Bon soir" again but of course there was encore 2. The acoustic riff from Boycaygeon sounded great but was nothing compared to the last number, Little Bones.  I was absolutely floored by that point.  Gord went into a bit of Nazareth's This Flight Tonight during the closing riff.  The crowd went crazy after Bones but Gord said, " Thanks a lot.  We really gotta go though." People were still going nuts so he said, "Look guys, it's alright, we'll be back soon."

The boys sounded very tight and if you have tickets for any of the remaining shows you're in for a treat! By the way, if anyone knows somebody that taped that show I'd love to get it.

"This song is just bass and drums baby" (before opening the show with Planet)

Matthew Howatt

We got to the venue around 7:15 all pumped and ready for The Hip.  The security was pretty strict as they were searching everyone coming in at the doors.  Made our way to our floor seats and around 7:34-ish By Divine Right comes out.  Not a bad band at all I must say..they have lots of talent.  They played until around 5 after 8 or so.  The Hip did not come out till around 9:08.  This kinda took you outta your mood to see them but we were still pumped.

They come out, the first song was Save the Planet.  What a great song that is.  It is definitely in my favorite 10 Hip songs.  Grace Too was up next..the crowd went crazy when Gord said, "He said I'm Tragically Hip."  Cordelia really surprised me, I'm sure that wasn't done in a long time.  As with 50MC.

I couldn't really notice anything on the stage going on.  During Little Bones Gord seemed to be having a great time.  I also saw An Inch an Hour on the setlist but don't remember them doing it.  Doesn't make a big diff to me.  I think Gord had the banana out during one song, I forget which one and because of a girl on her boyfriends back there wasn't much I could see.

All in all, it was a great show.  Alot of the Phantom Power stuff sounds great live.  The only song the crowd wasn't really into was The Rules which I find to be kind of bland anyway.  I wish Gord would put the guitar down.  He's so stationary with it and it makes no big difference to the music.  Anyway, I'd love to see the hip again and probably will if they hit this area on ARA this summer.

Highlights : Little Bones, Cordelia, 50MC.
Lowlights  : Gord with guitar, The Rules, girl on boyfriends back, No 100th Meridian or Locked.

I gained a new respect for Johnny Fay, you really haven't experienced his talent until you see him live.  Earlier discussions on this newsgroup debating his talent were laid to rest in my mind.  In Moncton he lost a couple sticks while drumming, but grabbed another one without missing a beat.  It's funny to see them fly out of his hand and yet he keeps going like nothing happened.

Bobby Baker was wearing pink pants in Moncton...enough said.

The Bananna made an appearance during the Luxury (Moncton), which I was very happy to see.  In Halifax they seemed to play a lot of Road Apples, adding On the Verge and Cordelia, a personal favourite of mine.

Gord Sinclair had the tightest pants in the band.  In Halifax, during NOIS, he rocked out like I have never seen him before, jumping around and loving it.  Bobby was more reserved in this show compared to Moncton.  Gord D was still pretty whacked.  Paul played it cool as usual.

The best song of the two concerts was At the Hundredth Meridian (Moncton).  Honourable mention goes to Little Bones (Halifax), Poets (Moncton), Escape is At Hand (both), and Cordelia (Halifax).  I was also pleasantly surprised to hear both Emperor Penguin and The Rules in Halifax.

All in all, it was an experience of a lifetime.  I never thought they could top the Day For Night tour (last time I saw them), but they did.

Enjoy the rest of the tour,

Andrew

PS At the end of the Halifax show, Gord D said "See you in March."  I assume he was kidding, but can anyone elaborate on this?