Like all the other Hip shows I’ve seen before, the last Eindhoven gig was also fantastic.
“De Effenaar” is a small, nice venue, and it was the second time I saw them there.
The hall was well filled, but not sold out.
And although Eindhoven is in The Netherlands, it seemed to me, that there were more Belgian fans 8)
… which is a little bit normal, because they’re playing only one show in Belgium,
and FOUR in Holland!
(Yes, I’m from Belgium).
Anyway, we’re not complaining… compared with distances in Canada, we are very lucky in Europe…
Eindhoven is only 60 miles from where we live.
And like our Dutch friend said… Hip fans over the world: “We are the same”
Strange enough there are always lot’s of Canadians at Hip concerts in Europe
cratch:
The same last Monday… when a Canadian hockey player and his entourage, joined us at first row.
Very friendly, enthusiastic, and beautiful people… :welcome
But they ruined the sound of my recordings (<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/user/Johannumber14">http://www.youtube.com/user/Johannumber14</a><!-- m -->),
by yelling throughout the entire show “Kingston Baby!” :nospam
… yes HE DID fingernailsonhull!
But the concert was ONE BIG party (especially at the first rows).
It was the first time that I saw them playing a double set without supporting program.. and I LOVED IT!
They opened with Love Is A First, and there we had immediately our first highlight of the evening…
in the middle of the song Gord suddenly pushed the micro under our noses…
“Love is a fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiirst” -> Ron, A. and I with Gord Live between us…
Okay, I admit … luckily for you, I didn’t record that one…
It was the start of a memorable evening…
we heard great versions of Fireworks, Poets and the beautiful Morning Moon.
Gord gave his first handkerchief of the evening to my daughter, at her first Hip show ever (yes, I’m jealous),
but the absolutely best song of the first part was The Depression Suite… what a rich and impressive song is that!
Part 2 started with 3 acoustic ones (I recorded Coffee Girl)…
which was an ideal start for a very long and spectacular final…
with my favorite The Last Of The Unplugged Gems, a very rocking In View, an amazing At The Hundredth Meridian,
… “a guitar pick from an outstanding Rob Baker for my brother” (yes I’m jealous)…
… and an exploding At The Lonely End Of The Rink, which is one of the best live songs to me…
24 (!) great songs and yet again, the show was done too quickly.
To make our collection of special memories complete (handkerchief, guitar pick) our dear friend Ron got the original set list of this wonderful evening (yes, I’m jealous)…
… and I “bought” myself a new Hip shirt.
Satisfied we drove back to Belgium, direction “next Sunday”,
when we’ll meet again in Brussels Ancienne Belgique!
And where I hope they play COUNTRY DAY!