Just returned from my long trek to Minneapolis from here in Winnipeg!
And boy, I'm tellin' ya, it was WELL worth the "long haul", as Robby put
it when I was chatting with him after the show. The State Theatre is
absolutely majestic, and the acoustics were amazing. Maybe about 800
people there for the show. It was nice sharing the band with less than
15000 people finally!
Guys and gals, if you have even the slightest opportunity to see the
guys on this tour, you MUST take advantage of it! They are better than
ever! Gord D. was at his rambling and convulsing best! Paul and Robby
were flawless, and Gord S. did an amazing job on Escape.. Johnny is the
best drummer ever, as far as I'm concerned. The setlist was phenomenal.
They played 19 songs, the most since Hampton Beach, I believe. They
threw in some rare set appearances, such as Eldorado and The Luxury.
I've never heard Eldo. live, other than on my bootlegs, but to actually
be there for it was sweet. Probably my favorite song of the night.
Here's the full setlist, in order:

Grace
Poets
Gift
Vapour
Bob
Nautical
ABAC
Luxury
Something
Courage
Fireworks
Spring
NOIS
Escape
E1:
Membership
Eldo
100th
E2:
Thompson
Bones

I asked Gord D. after the show if we'd be seeing them on a Canadian tour
in February, and he said, "Yeah". So there ya go. Boy, did he look tired
after the show, outside. He's taller than I thought he'd be, and Gord S.
was certainly shorter. The only guy I didn't meet was Johnny. I think he
was at the bar next door having a couple beer. I got them all to sign my
LBU poster. Gord asked my name, and I told him, and he wrote "The Rory
Factor" above his signature. Very cool!

Anyhow, there's my short review. I did get the show taped, but I have to
make some level adjustments to it before I trade it out, so stay tuned!

Later all!

Rory


Just back from the 9/22 show in Minneapolis!!!
First let me tell you it was my first Hip Live experience... and now,
definitely not the last.

From the time the lights went down 'til the end of the second encore
WOW.

The music, the magic all blend into one... as with their albums...
except I have several thousand people surrounding me signing with every
word, reaffirming my faith that I'm not the only one in the upper
midwest to have this giddy attraction to a music group.

Next mission - See the Hip live in Winnipeg.

Attached is the set list which I was gracious enough to collect.

Biggest moment for me... hearing the opening notes of Gift Shop and
welling over with tears of joy... being it was the third song into the
night, you may be able to imagine the rapture I felt the through the
remaindr of the show...

not listed on the set list is the second encore (was it not planned?)
Thompson Girl and Little Bones.

Membership was termed "Down By The River" by Gord... ???

Rory in Winnipeg - I tried looking up to see you in the front row of the
balcony... *shrug*... no idea if I saw you, but, hey, I tried... ;)

Gord had some great rants during the show... and NOIS - What a groove..
*SWWOON*

After Poets Gord quipped...  "I feel tittilated and sexy..."

That's all for now... I'm still running mental pictures from the show.
 

Won over by albums,
now throughly confirmed in my faith
after seeing the show.

T.