"Hello Sugarbush...I've always wanted to say that."
And so began the Hip's foray into ski country.
A concert starring my favourite band being opened by one of my top 10 favourite musicians at the bottom of a ski slope. Things looked promising indeed.
We gathered in Montreal and, after a slight detour to recover forgotten tickets, we found ourselves heading east over the Champlain bridge at 12:30. First stop was the campsite I had booked the night before and with me in the navigators seat...well, things were bound to be interesting. I'm happy too report that we only made one wrong turn (which wasn't really my fault but that's a long (boring) story) and it was only within a few miles of the campground where directions tend to get a bit more precise and precarious. I'm sure I can be forgiven. Vermont is a beautiful state in the haze. The distance is cut off and among the rolling green hills and black-spotted cows, I could almost imagine I was back in Switzerland. Blue skyed sunny days are great most of the time, but sometimes some low cloud cover and whisps of fog snaking through the trees can reveal a beauty that the sun takes for
granted.
But anyhow. That's not the issue.
The Hip. That's what we're here for.
With the tents professionally set up (more stories that I'll spare you) and left behind we continued on to the mountain. Pulled into the already almost full parking lot at about quarter to five and immediately made our way to the line - section of the lot seemed to have at least one car blaring some Hip tunes. Getting there early proved to be a wise choise. So - after snagging a few free stickers - we lay our coats on the wet grass about 50 meters from the stage and sat our asses down. Hayden hit the stage at 6:00 and played for about 40 minutes. I didn't see much of him (just a few glimpses of his big hair) as I chose to remain seated (I've got a gimpy knee and was saving the stress for the Hip). I enjoyed his set but I get the feeling that I was in the minority. Question: when a musician says that he's about to play the last song and the audience cheers, is that a good thing? I don't think he took it that way. Anyhow, he talked a little bit in that monotone voice of his and played the entire set with his band. I guess that's been the routine, but when I saw him perform his own show here a few months ago, my favourite parts were when it was just him, his harmonica and his acoustic guitar. I missed that.
The setlist: The Hazards of Sitting Beneath Palm Trees, Instrumental With Mellotron, Better Off Inside, Choking, Stride, Trees Lounge, Waiting For a Chance, a new song with he introduced with something like "I guess you don't know most of these songs - or any of them. Well, this is a new one. I figured I'd tell you anyway.", In September (my personal fave of the set). Hayden left the stage to a decent amount of applause which I was glad to hear. I hope some people are pursuaded to check out his albums. Everything I Long For would be my suggestion. People started getting antsy, as they always do while waiting for the Hip and I started wondering if I'd be alright in my current position. I
didn't want any part of pushing or shoving as I was sporting a less than healthy knee. Fortunately things turned out alright and the crowd seemed pretty good from my point of view (which wasn't the greatest to judge from). I was able to enjoy the show without the worries of being booted in the head. Nice. The Hip hit the stage at 7:15 (what's with these early start times?) and got the crowd into it right away with Save the Planet. I hadn't seen them in close to two years and with my luke warm feelings about the new record I had kind of started to wonder (just a little bit) what it was
that kept them at the top of my band list. The answer came quickly. The live shows rock. I've seen them indoors, outdoors, in smallish venues, in large arenas, from a distance, from the mosh pit, from the henhouse and now from a close but safe distance, and they have yet to let me down. Sure there are always songs that I would have liked to hear but when you're treated to the version of At the 100th Meridian that we had at Sugarbush, well, I can overlook the exclusion of a few of my faves.
And when the monologue of NOIS includes a bit about skiing (my first and foremost passion), well it's easy to go home happy. For the record, he started explaining a little bit about how to ski but the only words I can quote are "keep your weight on the downhill ski, let the skis do the work, keep the football on the astroturf." A late message for Mr. Kennedy I suppose.
Here's the list I could decipher from my shaky handwriting:
Save the Planet, Twist My Arm, Poets, Bobcaygeon, Nautical Disaster, Ahead By a Century, Scared, Something On, Courage, Fireworks, Gift Shop, Springtime in Vienna, NOIS, Emperor Penguin. Encore: Chagrin Falls, Fire in the Hole (with a funky, drum-based intro which sounded like a whole different song)
2nd Encore: Escape is at Hand..., At the 100th Meridian. Gord was in top form for that last song (and the whole show for that matter). Long ramblings which included bits about Bobby Hull and his
recent statements - it seems Gord doesn't quite buy the "I was misquoted" story. Also had a story about digging a tunnel to escape prison (I think), getting into a car and telling the driver to "take me
to Vermont". Here he'd point his fingers like a gun at the imaginery driver. He did that alot and too much applause. "The first thing I said was 'Take me to Vermont! I've got a show to do there.'" He also seemed to enjoy saying Sugarbush eg. "'Sugarbush.' 'Don't call me that. ''Sugarbush,Sugarbush,Sugarbush.'"  He also called out the names of a few dances and then demonstrated them for us (the funky chicken, stirring the pot). Great stuff.
Other highlights included Fire in the Hole with it's new heavy drum feel and Emperor Penguin which opened my eyes to the greatness of this tune. Actually I have a whole new appreciation for the new album after seeing this show.
The lowlights (yes there actually were some): the time. Everything seemed too early and the fact that the entire set (including encores) was only about 1h 35min came as a bit of a surprise. I don't think I've ever seen them play for less than two hours. Perhaps I've been spoiled, but ending a show at ten to nine seems wrong. And if what I heard about the parking and the shuttles causing people to
miss most (or all) of the show, well, that just ain't right. Something should be done about that and I'd be happy to send out any mail or include my name for any petetion to make this shitty situation known. Okay. If anyone is still reading, I'll just end by saying that I'm looking forward to seeing them on the Canadian tour (of course). The Hip and winter. There's something almost poetic about that.

Sick and ashamed and happy (and sure that I forgot to mention something that seemed crucial last night),
d.
============================================================
Sugarbush Mountain, Warren, Vermont August 29th, 1998 review by Jason via Henhouse mailing
list

Just got back from the Sugarbush show.  Gord opened the concert by saying, "Hello Sugarbush!  I've always wanted to say that".  Here's what I remember of the setlist

Save the planet
Twist my arm
Poets
Bobcaygeon
Nautical Disaster
Courage
Gift shop
ABAC
Scared
Fireworks
Something On
Springtime
NOIS
Emperor Penguin

Encore #1
Chagrin Falls
Fire in the hole

Encore #2
Escape
100'th Meridian

Overall I'd say it was a pretty good show.  The monologue in the middle of 100'th was very long and good.  At one pt. Gord was talking about driving to Vermont: "I'm going to sleep, you drive.  O.K. Sugarbush?  Don't call me that! Sugarbush!  I don't like it when you call me that!  Sugarbush,
sugarbush, sugarbush!".  At one pt. he also said he was Bobby Hull.  "I scored a lot of goals for the Chicago Blackhawks".

The setup at the mountain really sucked though.  There wasn't nearly enough parking for the number of tickets they sold so they had to bus the majority of the crowd from a lot about 5 miles away.  This meant long waits in line and halfway through the set there were people just arriving because of lack of buses.  Fortunately for myself I wasn't one of them.

Did anyone get a good tape?

Jason