Well, at this point, I simply cannot put words to the show I have just experienced... my first live HIP event, and man-O-man... It just blew me away !  I had an idea what to expect, but the show just surpassed all myexpectations! Every aspect of the evening was great... the crowd was wild, and the band played their hearts out for us !  Any Hip fan would be proud of tonight's performance... I know I sure am !
   HIPHIPHIP!
  - Steve

This was a new Hip experience for me: assigned seats. Far out. Until now I'd only seen them at outdoor venues, at general admission shows and, last tour, from the Henhouse. So this would be a chance to really stand back, relax, take in the stage from a distance and really concentrate on the music. And you know what? The Tragically Hip play some pretty damn fine music.
With little to distract me from the tunes (no boots to the head, no violently pushing bodies, no urge to dance, and no mesmorizing Downie) I was almost surprised at how tight and in tune with themselves these guys are. I always knew that the live show rocked, but this is perhaps the first time I came away with an appreciation for their musical ability at the forefront of my mind. Particularly Paul's back-up singing. On tunes like Ahead by A Century and Fireworks he really shines. Anyhow, Johnny beat those drums to submission as usual, GordS was bouncing around like I'd never seen, Bobby swayed as only he can, Paul
was his usual understated self (the guy is too cool for words), and GordD, well, from where I sat (which was too far to notice the subtelties) he was very subdued. But I ain't complaining. His new lyrics and mid song ramblings were mostly lost to the echoes for me and he didn't talk to the crowd much between songs. He did display some funky dance moves but the Gord of old is definitely a thing of the past (how's that for a redundant statement?). He's grown up. Perhaps we're supposed to follow. Maybe it's just cause of my seating postion, but things seem to be more about the music as a whole these days. The shows are no longer about seeing a mad man rant and rave to the back beat of blistering bar-rock. And, as long as the tunes continue to kick ass, I have no problem with that. However, the spotlight on Gord as he brought 100th Meridian back home (also during NOIS) was pretty damn cool. Speaking of which, is it just me or did Meridian seem to lose it's way during the mid-song break. It didn't seem to flow as nicely as I've heard it do. It seemed...lacking. Maybe it's just me. NOIS made up for it at any rate. So did a blistering Poets (was that a tongue in cheek nod to the Rolling Stones at the beginning? I could've sworn that those opening chords were from Start Me Up...). Grace, Too and Giftshop always give me goosebumps and I'm so glad that they played Vapour Trails (missed that at Sugarbush). The setlist did seem rather conventional though, I kept hoping for some song
that would have me saying "wow, I can't believe they played that." At the same time, I did miss Little Bones. And, sniff, sniff, no Locked in The Trunk.
That's the problem with having so many good songs: there's bound to be some left out. I like Membership and all, but when I heard it open the second encore all I could think of was the songs I wouldn't be hearing. Anyhow, all in all it was a great show - the Hip can't seem to disappoint - but it was a whole different feel for me. Relaxed. Not quite calm, but not the energetic frenzy I'm used to. A chance to appreciate the music..

Sick and ashamed and happy (and, go ahead Special K., post your review),
d.


And Just Like That, They Were Gone:  Review of The Tragically Hip in Montreal

Before tonight, I had never seen a Tragically Hip concert.  I had heard about them from friends, I'd been told about Gord's antics, I'd seen clips on television, I had heard some bootlegs, and I love Live Between Us, but I had never experienced them live.  Needless to say, I was really anticipating the concert. (So much so, in fact, that I was impervious to anything bothersome at work all day.)  I was not to be disappointed.

Gord, Gord, Bobby, Paul, and Johnny took to the stage at about 8:45.  Emotions ran over me like a rush of waves.  It's a strange comparison, but I think I can understand how teenage girls feel when they see their favourite teeny-bopper band in concert, with all their screaming and crying.  I could not control how I felt at that moment.  I was overwhelmed, but I loved it.

Everybody stood up as the guys started into 'Save the Planet'.  I was happily on my feet the rest of the time.  'Grace, Too,' ("He said I'm tragically hip...") came next, with Gord starting his freakishness (in this case, "It's just SO like you" repeated over and over as he pointed to different points in the crowd).  Unfortunately, from where I was sitting, I couldn't understand much of what he was saying throughout the whole show.  'Courage' followed, then 'Escape' (the "but you said anytime..." part affects me everytime), 'Springtime in Vienna,' and 'The Luxury,' for which the banana made an appearance.  The odd (not to mention stoned and drunk) man in front of me handed me his binoculars from time to time, and so during 'Luxury,' I was able to see Gord staring very closely at the banana, then swaying around it like it made him dizzy.  The strangest line in that song came when Gord said, at the appropriate time, "...pay someone else to remind you of your mother by the hour."  Okaaaay...well, I was warned...

I thought they did an awesome job with 'Something On', followed by 'GiftShop' and 'Vapour Trails' ("This is a song about Chuck Yeager").  My favourite song off LBU is 'Scared', and I thought my knees were going to give out when, after Gord said, "This song is called 'Daddy's Obsolete'," I heard the first chords of it.  I'm glad my friend's shoulder was there for support!  I was so moved by it, that I was teary-eyed through the whole song.  Pure emotion.  A great way to continue was with 'Poets', then an impressive version of 'Lionized.'  "This song is sure to be on the end of the millenium...uh...uh...uh...greatest hits" introduced 'Ahead By A Century.'  It seemed like Gord either really had no clue what he wanted to say, or he lost track of what he wanted to say.  The "love song that takes a torpedo hit...(I didn't catch the rest)", i.e. 'Bobcaygeon,' was next, then a ramble-filled 'Nautical Disaster,' and 'Fireworks.'  "Me debunk a Canadian myth" opened '100th Meridian,' which had something about the Lofty Pines Motel in the middle of it (I'm sure more experienced Hip fans know what I'm talking about).  Though filled with rambles and lyrics, I only managed to catch "He's washing up and on his way," then Gord used the mike stand like a towel (i.e. moved it back and forth across his back).  That was the end of their main set.

It seemed to take awhile before they came out for the first encore, but maybe it just seemed that way.  They opened with 'On the Verge,' then 'Chagrin Falls,' called 'Like a Milestone, Part Two' ("It didn't seem like nothing at first").  They ended with 'NOIS' - I only caught two phrases: "..lay back in the dewy grass of our youth" and "perchance I could dream..."  Their second encore was, unfortunately (though expected), only two songs:  'Membership' ("This song is about a river") and 'Blow.'  I really would've liked at least one other song in the last encore (not to mention a few more in the entire concert), but I guess it's best to leave the audience wanting more.  It seemed to be all over so quickly.

I screamed, I sang, I danced, I laughed (and laughed) at Gord.  Jeez that guy does some weird things.  He played the guitar a lot, compared to what I've been told.  I would've liked to have seen more rantings and craziness from him, just because I have an idea of what he's capable of doing, but I'm certainly not complaining.  After all, I finally got to see the Hip in concert!  I have the t-shirt and the memory, and I'll be running songs over and over in my head for at least a few days.  What a blast!  I can't wait 'til next time...

Thanks for listenin',

K.


Hey Folks.

Hope all is well... I've finally found sometime to write on how the weekend was seeing the hip over 4 days in Montreal, Quebec City (Power Reporter), and the Ottawa shows...

Montreal 02-05-99
Unfortunately I didn't manage to win Phantom Zone tickets... (though a few bastards or daddys that I told how to win got them)... I had 23rd row seats off to the left of the stage... they were pretty great seats, and the concert was unbelievable.. the crowd was really into it from the beginning to the end...  they played some classics like Lionized, On the Verge, and Luxury.... Escape is at Hand was really good as was 100th...which included Never-Ending/Lofty Pines... New Orleans was classic, with
This Flight Tonight and Insomniacs tied in there...  Gord seemed fairly lively moving around a little, and the band as a whole was great.... I didn't think it could get much better... maybe a few different songs but either way a GREAT show overall.. the recording of the show came out really nice, and will be treed fairly soon DO NOT ASK ME FOR IT BEFORE HAND unless it's for something really rare that could be treed or a NICE copy of a 99 show. at least another copy of it out there..

Quebec City 02-06-99
As some of you already know, I had won the Power Reporter contest for this one... I had to be there at about 3:30 in the afternoon.. le Colisee is a pretty small place, and it's sort of falling apart, the outside looks really nice but the inside is sort of a dump (I'm not trying to put anyone down or anything, but it's no wonder they lost the Nords, they needed a new arena and just couldn't afford it).. backstage was really small and old looking... I got to meet the band for a little bit, but I sort of expected to see them for a bit longer.. I guess since it was Gord D. bday it was hard to get a hold of anyone.. they seemed all really busy.. while I was being told what I had to do for the power reporter contest, I heard music coming from the room next to me.. I
thought it was just the radio, but as I listened more closely I could here them playing a bit of thugs and stuff like that.. it was the hip rehearsing! it was great... the rehearsed for about an hour or so, and then went out for the soundcheck... it last for about 45 minutes and they played 4 songs... Inevitability of Death, Greasy Jungle, Thompson Girl, and another one I forget (check the power reporter page for quebec if you really have to know)... after the soundcheck I had to write a small review and how everything was going.. nothing to spectacular, whatever came to mind went... when we finished we ate some great food that was catered.. nice great selection and really good.. the band ate there as well... pretty weird eating with them actually... by this time it was around 7:15, so I had to get ready with the digital camera so I went out in the phantom zone (if only everyones seats were this good, you could practically touch them)... the hip went back to rehearsing by this time, and I could hear a few new things which sounded really nice.. By Divine Right is great, though they didn't really change their setlist over the 4 shows which was sort of shitty, but either way they're pretty good to see, if you get the chance don't skip them out, atleast for the first time or so you see them.. afterwards it could get a little annoying to know what's coming next every time... in between BDR and the hip (8:05) we had to go in the back and check the pics of BDR out and choose which were going on the web.. at around 8:40 the hip came on, and the crowd just went nuts, there was probably only about 4000 people there.. the top level was totally empty, but of the 4 concerts they were definitely the wildest and loudest... they started singing the song they sing at european soccer games, the oooooooh waaaaaaaay oooooh way oh way ooooohh whatever... either way it was a riot... something i'll definitely never forget... after the concert I had to write my review, which by this time I really didn't feel like doing cause I was so tired from the past few days (unfortunately I had exams the week before all this so I had like zero hours of sleep all week)... after the review we got to meet the band a little more.. Gord D. was totally blasted out of his mind... he was pretty funny, like a little kid, someone asked him what was written on his shirt, and he said pointing at it Nordiclict (a bar in netherlands they play).. he started spelling it out, "Noooordiclict, nnoooooorthhherrrn star.. iiiitt meaaans norrrrrthern star, nnoooooordiclict, nordiclict" it's sort of hard to explain but it was REALLY funny.. Johnny was after the girls as usual, and everyone else sort of was just sitting around talking... unfortunately we couldn't stay too too long afterwards since we had to drive back to Montreal that night...when I was first introduced to Gord d., I was wearing my Croatian soccer jersey and he actually knew what it was and some of the players on the team.. evidentally Gord D. is a big Dutch soccer fan.. I was pretty impressed by that.. the set itself was REALLY nice... 100th meridian was TERRIFIC, they played Blond solid/Never-Ending/(I'll try)/Every Irrelevance.. truly amazing.. Grace and Poets went off really well as well.. the original setlist had IOD and Rules but they were cancelled out for 100th.. Little Bones ended it off nicely..Unfortunately I didn't get to really talk to the band as much as I had wished for.. it was basically a hi-bye type thing with maybe a few words exchanged... nothign too drastic, but either way they're super nice, they came up to me to say hi and stuff, and they gave me a poster with their signatures etc.... truly an AMAZING night... the travel back was
pretty shitty, I only got in at like 4:30am.. my girlfriend and I were dying on our way home the recording of the show was a little messed up at the beginning but after a few songs it sounds REALLY nice.. again, it'll be treed soonI will put all the pics from the digital camera up soon on my site, I was lucky enough to keep the shots I took..

Ottawa #1 02-07-99
I woke up at like 8:30 to play a hockey game (yes crazy) and afterwards my friend & I was picked up by Rob who already had Matt and another friend with him... this was at about 2pm... we got into ottawa, ate some, and then went to the show.. my seats were pretty shitty, 48th row floors (LAST ROW FLOORS)... the view was so so, and of the 4 concerts it was the worst, yet really good in itself. the setlist was very dull though, nothing spectacular, they played Flamenco which was nice, Yawning or Snarling & Let's Stay Engaged were the rare highlights or older songs, they also played Daredevil... it was a good night, but definitely a bit of a downer since I was in the front the night before, the recording is probably the best of the 4... really nice.. there was atleast 1 other good recording of the show..

Ottawa #2 02-08-99
I was picked up at around 5:00 by Rob once again (thanks for the driving Rob!) with Trevor and Dan.. we got there while BDR was playing... the seats WERE AWESOME.. 9th row centre.. really great seats... the concert may have been the best of the bunch.. they seemed to play EVERYTHING.. Cordelia, 50 MISSION CAP!, Rules, Emperor was nice (sorry sili it's a
great song especially live), 700 ft, Little Bones, Locked and a few others... it was really great.. Gord D. was going nuts the entire show walking all over the place and bobby baker was doing some great work... the crowd was a lot smaller than the night before.. the top level was curtained off so I'd say there was maybe about 4-5000 less people than the night before... it was also a lot older crowd, the crowd for the first show was REALLY young, I must have seen atleast 10 people under 10, and I didn't even really look around... this was a great show, and will make for a great tree.. the recording came out fairly nice, and will be a nice one to add to anyone's collection... there was atleast 2 people recording at the show, and both copies seemed pretty good..

hopefully I didn't forget anything
take care
Peter