You all know the feeling:  morning of the show an awakening that has you up
at 5:30 a.m. and you can't go back to sleep.. "It's true... It's you.. and
You!  It's true, it's you.."  Gord rambled at the end of Something On, the
set opener. The Paramount was full to the brim with Hip fans and were treated
with special guest appearances by the bannana and Steve Berlin.  So Hard Done
By was a show standout due to the added sax of Berlin.  He also played on
NOIS to close the show.  But the highlight of the show was the new song,
Insomniacs during 100th Meridian.  Gord has the vocals almost worked out and
the guitar part is amazing.. It  has evolved into a much faster/funky song
than it started out a few years ago.  This song will appear on the next
album... you can count on it!  The sound was extremely loud, too loud.. It
may have been the venue but the worst sounding Hip show I've been to. Usually
the ears ring and the next morning fine, no problem.  But my ears rang the
next day.  The stage was a good 15-20 feet from the front row, so it seemed
farther back than the eleven-deep row (L )I danced in..

Portland:  The best show I've ever seen in my life, easy, no question about
it.  The sound was perfect, the setlist was perfect, the venue was perfect, I
met Paul before the show at a phone booth (in the dewy grass of our youth).
Very nice guy and genuinely surprised that my girlfriend and I were American
fanatics following them show-to-show.  I said " we're your biggest fans from
the States", and my girlfriend added (thinking it was a stupid comment), "you
probably hear that all the time", Paul replied "Actually no.. I don't hear
that at all". Blow at High Dough, Twist my Arm, Lionized, Little Bones all
had the wood platform floor bouncing several inches.  I'm not kidding, the
1000 people had the floor moving up and down.. It was just awesome.  Now that
is the sign of a good show.. My buddy from Portland was really in awe of the
atmosphere of the" whole Canada element"..  He went on to say: everybody in
the place was talking to eachother and it seemed to revolve around three
subjects.  What part of Canada you from?  How many Hip shows you been to?
Why aren't they big in the States yet?  Now It's all over and I'll have to
wait until the next Hip adventure... Insomniacs, good night....