I'll just start with a brief run-down of the Rheostatics (brief since
this is a Hip newsgroup). I have a few of their albums but this was the
first time I saw them live. I wasn't sure how their music would translate
to the stage and I was pleasantly surprised by the result. They rocked.
Truly a great band. The crowd was decent - most, if not all, remained
seated but there was some decent cheering and such. (no booing or chanting
for the Hip.) If anyone cares, here's the setlist as near as I can
remember (if anyone has any corrections please let me know): Fat, Alien,
All the Same Eyes, Fan Letter to Micheal Jackson, Bad Time to be Poor,
Claire, California Dreamline, Horses (absolutely great version to close
out the set - awesome drumming).

And now the Hip. What can I say? We all know how great they are and that
they never disappoint during live performances (at least they never
disappoint me). They were in great form. Johnny Fay just beats those
drums into submission, Bobby Baker just seems to groove on everything (he
walked out onto the pointed parts of the stage a few times - I wish I had
been on that side), Gord Sinclair and Paul Langlois know how to keep the
beat and rythm rocking and Gord Downie ... well what can we say about Gord?
He was in fine form as usual (although by playing guitar on some songs it
keeps him a bit more rooted and subdued). I couldn't make out alot of his
introductions, improvisations and poetic ramblings but they were all there.
I'll include what I remember with the setlist.

And here is the setlist (this comes directly form the floor in front of
Downie's mic stand and as near as I can remember they stuck to it. Oh,
did I mention that I was in the Henhouse? I was. Many thanks go out to
Tim and Meesh and Brad for their mad dash across the city. First row to the
left of the center point. Unbelievably close. The sound kinda suffered
(too much bass and fuzz, some of Bakers guitar solos and fills got lost)
but being within talking distance with Gord made up for it.) Anyways,
here's the setlist:

Gift Shop (love this song as an opener)
Everytime You Go (first time I heard it live - it rocks)
Grace, Too (memories of the Forum show...)
Springtime in Vienna (hearing it live certainly adds a kind of edge to it)
Twist My Arm (abolutely rockin'. The section of the Henhouse that I was
              in was relatively subdued, for the first few songs I felt a bit
              self-concious about dancing like a fool. When this song started
              all such trivial thoughts flew out of my mind.)
Ahead by a Century (this song has been growing on me ever since I first
                    heard it. With the live version it just experienced
                    a major growth spurt.)
Butts Wigglin' (one of my least favorite Hip songs. Not bad, but the
                lowest on a night of extreme highs)
The Luxury (I couldn't believe it when I looked around and saw my fellow
            Henhousers behind me sitting down! I thought the people in
            the Henhouse would be die hard fans but most of the ones
            around me seemed very calm. Regardless, I've always loved
            this song and it was great to finally hear it live. I think
            it was this one he introduced with "this is a song about a man
            who shook a banana until it made a sound." And yes, for those
            of you who were too far back to see, that was a banana he was
            shaking throughout the song. Just as a curious side-note: on
            both my brothers and my setlist it's spelled 'Luxory'.)
700ft Cieling (This certainly got those folks out of their seats.)
Courage (he introduced this with something about "courage and all the things
         ...." I can't remember what he said. Sorry.)
Cordelia (great song. Paraphrasing Gord "This is about a woman who gave
          all she had. But pride never entered the picture.")
Put It Off (love the intensity build up of this one. Gord did his
           conversation with Satan bit "Satan? Satan? What is the Canadian
           Identity?" "I can't answer that one.")
Stereo (new song. Sounded good. Gord said it was called something like
        "Escape is at Hand for the Travelling Man")
100th Meridain (whoo, baby. Pulled out all the stops on this one. Little
                bits about emotion, devotion, getting back to basics - a
                cup of coffee and communication, a desert, scorpions,
                putting the bones in the boiling water, imagining ourselves
                at a purple lake... he went all over the place, it was
                amazing.)
Don't Wake Daddy (love the last two verses)
Scared (it was great to look around and see the lighters out in full force)
Little Bones (awesome. Rockin'. Included one of many highlights: Gord
              turning the mic upside down and doing a tap dance solo.)
Locked in ... (great closer. "Let me out!" Intense.)
ENCORE 1
Thugs (cool drumming by Johnny)
Flamenco (nicely done. I was dissappointed a bit by the lack of lighters
          for this one considering they've called it their most beautiful
          song and have mentioned it on a few occasions in connection with
          a departed friend. I held my lighter till my finger felt like it
          was burning.)
New Orleans ... (this song always rocks. No exemption last night. Gord
                 threw in a verse from the Rheostatics Bad Time to be Poor.)
ENCORE 2
Nautical Disaster (great song, excellently performed.)
Blow at High Dough (I was waiting for this one. Fabulous finale. Did
                    anyone catch who's name he substituted for Elvis near
                    the end?)

Shit. I fear I've made this too long for anyone to bother reading. I
tried to keep it short but couldn't do it, still too excited.

So I'll just close off with repeating how great the show was and mention
that the few times I wasn't too busy having a great time I did notice
that the crowd did seem somewhat more subdued - definetly more subdued
than the Forum show, but then again that was general admission i.e. chaos.
But seeing as there was no one in front of me and I didn't really turn
around too often (except to wave to my friends in the stands when the
lights came on during 100th Meridian) I can't really say too much about
that or about the average age of the crowd.

One more time; it rocked.
d.
"I'll drive off that bridge when I get to it" - G. Downie