That thread about 'which songs you've heard live' got me thinking of another question: which MOMENT at a Hip concert meant the most to you?
For instance, I was at a gig in Montreal on the anniversary of the Montreal Massacre, and they of course played 'Montreal.' That was a chilling, riveting moment.
But it could be anything...some quip Gord made, whatever.
Not a meaningful one like you stated, but a cool story.
This is from Canada Day in NYC in 2000 I believe:
Check this out, we were fifteen feet left of the stage right up front and about three songs in, my buddies girlfriend gets three out of the eleven of us wrist bands for backstage access. WOW.
I am actually back stage with the Hip!!!!!
What a cool perspective.
Then I see some people up on the stage just out of the audiences view and decide to go up.
Just as my foot hits the stage POW Tiger The Lion starts. Damn it was great being right up there and feeling the energy.
I taped the show but I was walking around so much backstage that the sound may be bad.
Anyway - the show ends and we are still backstage.
We wait around for a little while as all the members are right there drinking Heinekin?sp?
I have met everyone a couple of times before -- but this time is the first I got to meet Johnny - and he is such a nice person (for lack of a better term) I got everyone to sign the tour posters they were selling and the setlist.
(The setlist thanx to Chris Brown - but that's a different story)
Gord Downie asked my name and then crossed out New York on the setlist and put Dana's Town. Then when he signed the poster and since it had a picture of the tree from the new album he put "Dana's tree -- just add water"
All of the sudden my cell phone rings and it is my wife back at the hotel -- so what do I do? Of course - I hand Gordie the phone and I tell him it is my wife Melanie.
He then talks to her and says something like "Hi Melanie. It's Gord. Dana and I are here in New York City and we are fine. We will be having a good time tonight, tonight, tonight. We will be alright, alright, alright." He almost made it sound like a poem.
Damn what a great time.
As I've only been to 2 live shows, I don't have to travel back far to recall my favourite moment...it was only 3 weeks ago... After watching the show up in Sudbury I was able to get backstage where I had the priviledge of meeting 3 members of the band Rob, Paul and Gord.
It was one of those profound moments that will only yield it's true meaning in the years to come as its impact unfolds. But that 10 minutes I had chatting with Gord, sharing his Jack Daniels and splitting a fruit and nut Cadbury chocolate bar will be indelibly etched in my mind forever. We chatted like long lost buddies, the Maple Leafs, camping and of course a little about music. He said "love your guitar Travis, and it will be your best friend, it probably already is" He then signed the back of my tshirt, shook my hand and gave me the rest of his bottle of Jack.
For a man who some might brand crazy, upon first glance up at the stage, I was struck by his quiet demeanour and calmness. He is the quintessential "cool" guy. And I am that much richer for having met him.
GOULET!!!!
Tthip Wrote:Not a meaningful one like you stated, but a cool story.
This is from Canada Day in NYC in 2000 I believe:
Check this out, we were fifteen feet left of the stage right up front and about three songs in, my buddies girlfriend gets three out of the eleven of us wrist bands for backstage access. WOW.
I am actually back stage with the Hip!!!!!
What a cool perspective.
Then I see some people up on the stage just out of the audiences view and decide to go up.
Just as my foot hits the stage POW Tiger The Lion starts. Damn it was great being right up there and feeling the energy.
I taped the show but I was walking around so much backstage that the sound may be bad.
Anyway - the show ends and we are still backstage.
We wait around for a little while as all the members are right there drinking Heinekin?sp?
I have met everyone a couple of times before -- but this time is the first I got to meet Johnny - and he is such a nice person (for lack of a better term) I got everyone to sign the tour posters they were selling and the setlist.
(The setlist thanx to Chris Brown - but that's a different story)
Gord Downie asked my name and then crossed out New York on the setlist and put Dana's Town. Then when he signed the poster and since it had a picture of the tree from the new album he put "Dana's tree -- just add water"
All of the sudden my cell phone rings and it is my wife back at the hotel -- so what do I do? Of course - I hand Gordie the phone and I tell him it is my wife Melanie.
He then talks to her and says something like "Hi Melanie. It's Gord. Dana and I are here in New York City and we are fine. We will be having a good time tonight, tonight, tonight. We will be alright, alright, alright." He almost made it sound like a poem.
Damn what a great time.
That's one of the coolest Hip stories I've ever heard. Thanks for sharing!
:thumb:
My most meaningful concert moment happened the first time I saw the Hip up close and personal in a small setting. It was at the High Sierra Festival in October of '98, just north of San Francisco outside of a town called Novato. The concert site was beautiful. It was set up right beside a small lake surrounded by the rolling northern California hills. Everything fell into place perfectly: the weather, the surroundings, and most importantly, the music. The festival was the smallest I've ever been to. It was being put on by a local community college and featured 4 or 5 up & coming bands from San Francisco with the Hip serving as the headliners. If I was to guess I'd say there were maybe about 1000 people there, no more, no less. It was unreal. I've mentioned this before, but it was very much like seeing the Hip at a small backyard barbecue. You know, one of those Molson Blind Date kinda things.
Over the course of the day, all the members of the Hip were spotted wandering around the festival grounds, checking out the different merch booths and tents. My buddy and I chatted with Paul and Gord Sinclair for a few minutes while standing in line for the beer tasting. My buddy told Gord that he hadn't heard them play Fully Completely in a while and asked if they could play it. Gord said he hadn't written up the setlist yet, but he'd try to work it in. Sure enough, the Hip stepped onto the stage and the first thing we heard was Sinclair's opening bass riff to Fully Completely. That was a great moment. We were totally floored. That particular version of Fully was so intense, the guy next to us said "holy crap, they could leave the stage after that song and I'd be completely satisfied", and it was only the first song of the night!
Anyway, the biggest "meaningful moment" happened about halfway through the set when they started into Bobcaygeon just as the sun was setting. Gord substituted the "night in Toronto" part with "That night in Novato" and it just seemed so freakin' perfect. The beautiful California weather, the surrounding hills, the lake, the beer, barbecued burgers, and the Hip. It just doesn't get much better than that.
Some great stories all around.
I'll keep mine short, I've got 3:
Mississauga. Camp Trillium Show. Two friends and the "girlfriend" (She wasn't at that point) and I are third row centre. The boys kick into Bobcageon. The four of us had been to Bobcageon in the summer of '98 on a Hip trip, and the night before the show, myself and the soon to be better half had danced outside, under the stars, with BobC playing on my beat up car stereo. I know... sappy, but I was 18. The four of us put our hands together, smiled, then did the linked sway deal, before she and I finally kissed. Still get chills when that song hits the radio.
Boston. 2002. Gord was nice enough to stare into my lens and sing the better part of Music@Work to me. Got some fantastic shots.
New Years 02/03. Hamilton. Kissing strangers and wishing everybody a Happy New Year! While Gord belted out his "Well Worth The Wait!" as the balloons fell.
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i've only seen two hip shows down here in carolina --both were at ziggys in winston-salem--one on 5-21?96---tathh tour--no one was there(!)--maybe 300 people in a 650 person -2x4 construction of a barn/stage/roadhouse.---(this equals,-- room to jam!!) --the second time like 2 years later the place was packed..hot as hell and sticky like all nc nights tend to be.--great show and everyones groovin--they play------ bobcaygeon and 1/16th go for a beer.--im standing 3 or 4 shoulders back in the middle of a slightly swaying crowd, with all hands down w/ beer or smokes, or whatever.--anyway i'm feelin it, and right at the crest of the song--"that night in taaronoooh.....and their voices raaaang, with that aryan twaaaaaaang." i slowly raise my hand,,as if ready to answer all the questions at once ---totally lost in the groove and oblivious to the crowd.. after the lyric Gord says:"hey you, I see you..." the guy in front of me, turns around and looks at me.-I look at Gord and he's lookin right at me.---he says " yeah,.....you get it don't you?"------------------It wuz dead cool!---we both held the gaze for a moment and then mellowed jammed for the rest of the song.---------------------------------it was like" hey gene.......,,Lets lay down that cowbell track,, right now......TOGETHER!."
Well mine cant compare to any of you guys, but I loved it when I saw them at the 9:30 club in the summer of 1999. The Phantom Menace had just come out and there were about 20 guys in the crowd wearing Buffalo jerseys, doing their usual "let's go Sabres" chant. Gord stepped up to the mic for the first encore and yelled "let's light those sabres" and then proceeded to burst into an explosive version of 50MC. It was awesome. btw, GO LEAFS GO!
All I have to say is December 3, 2000 at the ACC, Anyone who was there can testify to this, I've never heard the crowd cheer as loud and as long as they did after Courage....this wasn't even like it was the last song of the night, it was in the middle of the setlist.....if you get a chance try and pick up this boot......During the end of the ovation gord says "to a great bunch of Canadians and good singers to"..... in the middle of courage the crowd took over the song and gordie let the crowd do a few versus, sends goose bumps up my arms everytime i here it.
I was there Dec 3. My 16th birthday and it was one hell of a show.
My best moment was at Music Without Borders when all the artists came out after the show and sang "Keep on Rockin in the Free World"
Half way through they cut out all of the instruments and mics and just let the crowd sing it. The loudest and most perfect song I have heard any crowd do. If you can get the boot on that one do get it. The song itself sounds crappy because all the different acts are singing in their own ways. But once the audience hit it was amazing.
I walked away from that just feeling asthough I had experienced somthing amazing. Was anyone else there for that???
i was at that show too and it was a rocking concert especially like you said the last song was amazing, just nice to see them do something different, i like when other artists come out and play with other bands.
LoftyPines Wrote:I was there Dec 3. My 16th birthday and it was one hell of a show.
My best moment was at Music Without Borders when all the artists came out after the show and sang "Keep on Rockin in the Free World"
Half way through they cut out all of the instruments and mics and just let the crowd sing it. The loudest and most perfect song I have heard any crowd do. If you can get the boot on that one do get it. The song itself sounds crappy because all the different acts are singing in their own ways. But once the audience hit it was amazing.
I walked away from that just feeling asthough I had experienced somthing amazing. Was anyone else there for that???
The weird thing is, I almost called that song: when all the musicians were assembling on stage and the guitarists were throwing out a few teasing chords I actually turned to my friend and said, "I bet we'll hear 'Rockin' in the Free World'." Great moment, despite Raine and Alanis' best attempts at ruining the song...and yeah, the crowd was absolutely amped. Definitely the highlight of MWBL.
Steve
I have that bootleg and all I can say is I WISH I'd been there for it. Just amazing to have a great Hip show in great quality sound, and to have RITFW as an awesome bonus at the end. I envy you for being there!
hey neil maybe you can hook me up with that show, i was there but don't have that boot.... not sure if you want to do a trade. let me know.
I taped that show from television. It was a pretty ragged version but that's what's to be expected when everyone jumps on stage together with guitars plugged everywhere. Kudos to Cockburn for his guitar though. Gord messed up the first part of the song too but it's all good.
"go into mommy's purse, pull out her wallet"
"it's a new war what are you waiting for?"
"i'm not very good at this, i'm a pacifist"
"got my pen in my left hand, i'm gonna write me an honorarium (SP) tonight"