PunBB

I am a long time Hip fan...my first show dates back to 1989 @ the old Ontario Place Forum (the one that spun around in circles). I have seen roughly a 100 shows since and likely keep going to hear certain older "b' type tracks if you will. I get annoyed with Courage, Merridian, Music @ Work, and other "hits" that have been played to death live.
Last night's show at the Landmark was possibly the worst live performance of the Hip I have ever seen. Their setlist was absolutely terrible, and their chemistry was completely off (their might be a personal factor involved). I realize that every band is entitled to have a "bad night", but as a fan driving six hours to see a show it is easy to get one's expectations up. I just wonder what the Hip would do for a live show if they took out Blow, NOIS, Courage, Meridian, and Grace Too? I wonder if they could ever advertise a show as being strictly for the "B" tracks...I'd love to hear Fight again, Pigeon Camera, I'll be leaving you, Emperor Penguin, etc. I know that they have brought out some of their old stuff for this tour, and have tried to appease fan requests....but not last night (yes they did play daredevil mind you). I know I'll be back, but, hope it's a night where courage gets the night off.

Sorry to hear that, could you elaborate on the personal factor bit you mentioned? I would say the must be emotionally and physically drained from this tour as being one of the factors.

I could not disagree with you more.
Truth be told I am not one who can travel to see them, and I have only been a real fan of this band since Phantom Power, but I wonder what concert you were at last night, because it wasn’t the one I went to.
The chemistry on stage seemed fine to me, the set list was “hit” laden, but that’s to be expected. That’s right, I said “expected”. From time to time they dig out an obscure, dare I say “lesser plucked gem” but by and large, if you go see the boys, you can count on hearing some key songs, and they played just about all of them last night.

As for Summiteer wondering if they were emotionally or physically drained, after what has been a very long tour, I can tell you that the energy onstage was unreal. I’ve been to only 5 shows, I know, but GD was like an insane shaman last night, I was taken by the thought that even when GD is in the midst of his gyrations, and he was on FIRE last night, his movement are so well thought out, its not like he’s flailing around up there. Christ, you couldn’t get him off stage last night!

BakersBrew, I’m sorry you came so far and left so disappointed, but I think I can speak for the majority of the audience who while maybe didn’t see a show long on lesser played songs, did see a rock solid TTH show.

I took my brother, who had never seen the band, he was blown away.

Joel Plaskett was outstanding as well.

You missed a good show.

If you've seen more shows you'd get it, there's a lot of us 'frequent fliers' that have the same opinion as BakersBrew.

There's almost no point in road trips or multiple shows anymore unless they play back to back in the same city.

They have sooooo many great songs but choose to never play them or only play them once or only one in a set.

Mix it up boys your losing us.

I have been lurking for quite a while now.. I have been following along mostly with the set lists.. I haven't seen The Hip since 2004.. I haven't been able to go sooo...

But yeah! when I read the set list today.. and then this topic.. I thought which side of the fence am I sitting on..
Ok so I haven't been to any of the *World Container Shows* and when I read some of the set lists it's like
Especially the songs I think Suck! (There are a 'few' ) :wink:
Anyway when I read the set list today... I thought.. you see.. you're really not missing anything :wink: I would have been so disappointed if I would have been at that show in Syracuse.

Please go easy on each other, ok?

Cheers!

It's unfortunate that their "hits" are not the strongest songs and don't necessarily translate well live. Every "frequent flyer" has a perfect setlist stashed in their head but we all know it's not going to happen. The Hip aren't just playing to the folks who know every song - they're playing to people who haven't seen them before and are just familiar with the popular songs - the people they want to make future "frequent flyers".

However, the Syracuse setlist did seem particularly bad and I would have been disappointed. I certainly don't have to hear ABAC, Courage and NOIS ever again. And to finish with Fireworks would have been a let down.

You buy your ticket and hope something special happens - in Bala it was Gems and Thugs, and I was happy.

I'm off to Hogansburg Saturday really hoping, as the last night of the tour, they really pull something out of the hat but I'm not holding my breath. Highway Girl anyone?

Having said all that this tour has been wicked (seen 5 shows) because I love the World Container songs.

Saw my 17th show last night and it was great. I was thrilled with daredevil. Great sound in the theatre too. Great energy. Met the guys afterwards on the street which was fantastic.

Having seen five shows this tour before the syracuse show, i was happy with what i saw the other night at the landmark. Daredevil was a delight, and not having seen the boys since the second night at the artpark, everything from world container seemed fresh, and although there seemed to be too many drunk teenagers, the crowd was awesome. however, just coming home from the rochester show and having basically seen the same show two nights in a row (save daredevil for goodlife and wheat kings for scared) i am hoping hogansburg has something special for saturday night. at this point i am disappointed to say the least and would love to see anything different, even escape, or thugs, or unplucked gems. How can we justify spending all our hard earned money on tickets when we are going to see the same thing every night? Maybe everyone is right, and not seeing the band on consecutive nights is the way to go.

Tonights (Rochester) set list seemed lamer than what I saw for Syracuse,
but their chemistry, considering how late into the tour, seems great.[list=][/list]

As an American who has been so incredibly lucky to see them in Canada, I will say that the setlists in Canada seem way more varied and creative. Whereas in the States, the lists seem like they can be a bit cookie-cutter. The covers and variation on this tour's Canadian shows were amazing.

That being said, the 2 NYC shows back in April were so atypical USA shows and also happened to kick much ass! The most recent NYC show I thought was merely good (as did my Hip partner in crime) but it was my girlfriend's first Hip show and she thought it was a fricken blast. Go fig...

Regardless of where I have seen them though, the energy was almost always very good and usually incredible!

I thought the syracuse show was great and the souind in the theatre was amazing.
The boys could be getting tired as syracuse was the 102nd show of the tour, as told by Johnny after the show

i completely agree. Syracuse was the worst show i've ever seen. But i chalked it up to the crowd pissing me off. but after seeing rochester the next night i know that they were also off a bit in cuse...they have a right to be though...they have got to be fucking wiped out after such a long tour.

Far be it from me to start an internet fight, everyone has the right to their own opinion, etc. etc. etc.... having got that out of the way... what the hell is wrong with some of you people??? I can't believe the complaining about the setlists, it's just so ridiculous. Presumably this is all our favourite band or at least one of our favourites, so in theory we should enjoy all or at least 99.9% of their material, so why complain about what they choose to play, because it all sounds outstanding when they do play it, they are the best at what they do! Sure I want to hear some old gems as much as anyone, and sure the occasional song I wish they'd switch up (as I mentioned in the Rochester show review, I was a little disappointed at first they played Courage until Gord made it an all crowd singalong, it was a great moment), but the hits they play, they are hits for a reason... they are great songs and everyone loves to hear them!!! Yes I would have loved it if they played a more eclectic setlist last night, but I love all the songs they played... for me a show wouldn't be complete without some of these hits, like Grace, Fully or 100th. I understand people wishing to hear a song or two and being disappointed in not hearing them, but comments like "don't see them on consecutive nights" and "mix it up boys you're losing us" are absolutely idiotic as far as I'm concerned... makes me wonder how much of a fan of the Hip you really are!

Now I did not see the Syracuse show, so it is possible they were off that night, but people are right in saying they are entitled, it does happen unfortunately, and they've had a super-long tour and have got to be exhausted. Hopefully people enjoyed the Syracuse show even if they weren't at their best, and don't be too hard on the boys if that was the case.

Anyway, bottom line, I'm sorry if I've offended anyone, but I feel I have to stick up for them in this case. The Hip are the best live band I've ever seen and every show I see from them is an event and a real treat. Wishing to hear certain songs and rare gems is fine, but out and out complaining about setlists is dumb and has to stop!

*end of rant*

I'd have died to hear "Daredevil" live...

I too got a little Hipped out after seeing a large portion of the Northeastern leg of the M@W tour. Variety is the spice of life...

Am I in the minority that I love "Courage" every time I hear it?

This thread is crazy! I was at the show, and while it was not the best show I have ever seen, it was a great time...I had some cherries with me, so they really knew most of the music, and had a blast. My biggest bitch, as someone else pointed out was the drunk kids down front. I was elbowed in the head twice by a kid "dancing"...The second time I said I am going to deck you if it happens again. That was no fun at all.

Look, the boys have been on tour for a year straight...cut them some slack.

Wish I could make Hogansburg...should be hot tonight. Later. 8)