High Point of Man Machine Poem Tour?

High Point of Man Machine Poem Tour? - Printable Version

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Re: High Point of Man Machine Poem Tour? - Chris Tanz - 07-20-2018

carebread Wrote:Almost a tie between Kingston and Hamilton for me. Kingston for the significance and atmosphere, and Hamilton for the show and crowd.

You had the chance to say "sitting beside Chris Tanz at the Toronto 3 show" -- and you blew it!!?!?!?!?

ct

Re: High Point of Man Machine Poem Tour? - spottrax - 08-07-2018

That summer was magical, many high points. For me, it was the little things that put the shows over the top emotionally. From the second or third time they played Grace Too and the crowd cheering as loud as the band during the outro to the "pleasure doing business with you" line in Scared...These were unexpected and emotional releases (highs) never seen (and possibly never to be seen again) in a large concert setting. I was able to only attend the London show but I watched most of the others via streaming (thanks to the folks who did that!!!). It will forever amaze me that GD and the band were able to pull this off.....

Re: High Point of Man Machine Poem Tour? - Flamenco - 08-10-2018

Watched LTR and Kingston show the other day.

For me the whole thing seems surreal. I guess I just don't want to accept the whole situation.

It makes me sad to know we'll never experience the Tragically Hip we all got to know the last 30 years.

This band 'our' band went out like kings and they know it. God bless them always!

Re: High Point of Man Machine Poem Tour? - direwolf74 - 08-10-2018

It's weird to think that at one point during the 90s, the Hip were arguably the best rock n' roll band on the planet, both live and on record. And yet outside of Canada and select pockets of the U.S., they were basically an obscure curiosity-- an indie cult band so to speak. That aspect of their story is still so fascinating and baffling to me. By any measure these guys should have been gigantic superstars, up there in the stratosphere with U2, R.E.M., Radiohead, Pearl Jam, etc... That such a unique and powerful band couldn't catch on in the rest of the world still seems a little unfair.

And yet, the selfish part of me still kinda likes that they were always our little secret. A unique cultural explosion that only Canadians and Americans in Northeastern border towns understood.

Re: High Point of Man Machine Poem Tour? - FourPistols - 08-11-2018

Maybe it’s better they were our little secret.

I’ve been fans that have caught on with the masses and something is lost.

I think I enjoy what’s hidden away, just outside the norm.

I think Mr. Barclay makes some nice points about their relative failure at least in blowing up big in the US. Lack of label support, not touring endlessly behind a hot album (a mistake that Oasis made in 95-96 that in time served to hurt their fortunes in that market).

In the late 80s, hair metal dominated in the US. That wasn’t the Hip. Then we had a few glorious years of grunge. Mostly Seattle-focused, still not the Hip. In the mid 90s, pop started its eventual awful takeover of mainstream music. In the late 90s, you had my metal, angry rock which was even further from the Hip.

Of the sounds that caught on in the US, they were closest to the indie alternative bands that flourished on the major labels in the 90s. REM, Soundgarden, Alice In Chains, Smashing Pumpkins...all on major US labels that helped their artists get on US radio, MTV when it still mattered, the late night talk shows, etc.

Imagine if the Hip scored a slot on Lollapalooza when alternative music was breaking in the US. That might have done the trick. It did for Nine Inch Nails, Jane’s Addiction, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and so on. Plus the Hip were at the height of their live powers then. That’s a good what if. I know they would have killed.

Re: High Point of Man Machine Poem Tour? - andrew sharpe - 08-11-2018

Not sure that holds up, FourPistols. They did both SNL and Woodstock, as well as opened for the Rolling Stones a bunch of times, all followed by tumbleweeds. The Hip had more US exposure than we might care to remember...but they never did become the IT band ala Barenaked Ladies, Nickleback, etc. More and more I think it's the niche appeal of the Tragically Hip that defines the difference in Canadian culture. Either the Hip really do sound ultra-Canadian...or Canada really is the Tragically Hip.

Re: High Point of Man Machine Poem Tour? - direwolf74 - 08-12-2018

Speaking of trying to break through in America, I just came across this 1991 U.S. press kit from MCA. Some pretty funny moments in this video (Johnny doing an interview in a bubble bath, lol). Obviously it didn't work as far as trying to win over the American press. And is that an early version of the Road Apples album cover at 4:29? Looks weird without the red background.

<a class="postlink" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYYFzKcC0k0">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYYFzKcC0k0</a>

Re: High Point of Man Machine Poem Tour? - mark - 08-13-2018

andrew sharpe Wrote:Not sure that holds up, FourPistols. They did both SNL and Woodstock, as well as opened for the Rolling Stones a bunch of times, all followed by tumbleweeds. The Hip had more US exposure than we might care to remember...but they never did become the IT band ala Barenaked Ladies, Nickleback, etc. More and more I think it's the niche appeal of the Tragically Hip that defines the difference in Canadian culture. Either the Hip really do sound ultra-Canadian...or Canada really is the Tragically Hip.

they also opened for Page and Plant.

Re: High Point of Man Machine Poem Tour? - NWOntario - 08-13-2018

Kingston. It's gotta be Kingston.

I saw five shows on the tour: Calgary #1, Toronto x3 and Kingston. In terms of "best" show? It's a push between Toronto #2 and Calgary (Calgary was a piledriver - it was my first show of the tour, and once the weirdness got set aside it was one of the great nights in my life as a Hip fan). But...I mean, Kingston. Y'know?

I enjoy my Kingston story. I went to Queen's, and one of my former roommates was the only other person I knew who got tickets. He spent the night after the show in Morris, which wasn't our residence, but whatever - so before the show we met up in residence with beer and a pizza order. It turned out two of our other former roommates were in town - we'd lost touch with one of them - and they came down two, along with one of their spouses, and we hung out in residence and reminisced. Then we walked downtown via King Street on a beautiful summer day; we left two of them at Market Square, then saw the show. Afterwards we walked up Princess and ended up (as we so often did) at the Brass. How can anything compare to that??

Re: High Point of Man Machine Poem Tour? - senrab - 08-21-2018

direwolf74 Wrote:Speaking of trying to break through in America, I just came across this 1991 U.S. press kit from MCA. Some pretty funny moments in this video (Johnny doing an interview in a bubble bath, lol). Obviously it didn't work as far as trying to win over the American press. And is that an early version of the Road Apples album cover at 4:29? Looks weird without the red background.

<a class="postlink" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYYFzKcC0k0">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYYFzKcC0k0</a>

What a find. LOL this made my day. Thanks.

Re: High Point of Man Machine Poem Tour? - potsie - 08-21-2018

senrab Wrote:
direwolf74 Wrote:Speaking of trying to break through in America, I just came across this 1991 U.S. press kit from MCA. Some pretty funny moments in this video (Johnny doing an interview in a bubble bath, lol). Obviously it didn't work as far as trying to win over the American press. And is that an early version of the Road Apples album cover at 4:29? Looks weird without the red background.

<a class="postlink" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYYFzKcC0k0">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYYFzKcC0k0</a>

What a find. LOL this made my day. Thanks.

"Gordan"... likely a sad reflection of the attention the band was given by MCA in the US.

Re: High Point of Man Machine Poem Tour? - daylight - 08-21-2018

senrab Wrote:What a find. LOL this made my day. Thanks.

NOBODY EVEN SPELLS IT THAT WAY!

I'm a Jordan and I regularly get "Jordon" which again, is at best a very rare variant of my name.

Re: High Point of Man Machine Poem Tour? - robbroncs - 08-22-2018

still the best goddamn hip record. man, those two performances ... holy shit. don't get me wrong. the albums to follow were MASSIVE. but the straight up rock of RA reminds me of endless nights driving around blasting that sucker. flawless

Re: High Point of Man Machine Poem Tour? - kieffer - 08-22-2018

I was able to catch 3 shows on the tour - London, Toronto # 1 and Hamilton. Of the three, Hamilton had to have been my favourite, the atmosphere was electric, the band was firing on all cylinders and Gord looked almost invincible.

The high point for me was a bit random. I was able to get two tickets last minute but they were not together. My friend and I ended up being seated in different sections. I was behind the stage about 5 rows up.
Prior to the show the person sitting next to me sat in their seat and we exchanged pleasantries and quickly moved in to exchanging our 'histories' with the band. My seatmate explained he said he had seen the band 10 or 15 times, but this was going to be his first time seeing them since 1993 or so. I asked him if there was one song he was hoping to hear more than others. He thought for a minute, smiled and said "Eldorado". I returned the smile and said I'd be happy to hear it as well and hope they play it for him while thinking this was to be a bit of a long shot.

I don't think he was familiar with the album format being used in the setlists, so when the band came out and started with 100th I knew if it was going to be played it would have to be one of the next three. 100th was followed by Courage and when it ended, the first notes of Eldorado began. I should also note that this fellow was a smaller, softer spoken potentially more introverted type. I quickly looked over to him to catch him raise both fists to the sky and let out this scream/yelp/woo sound that I can only describe as pure bliss. It truly made my night and is something I will never forget! We made eye contact and he had this massive ear to ear smile.

When the show was all said and done we were both a bit teary eyed, shook hands and went our separate ways. While this was just a silly little moment I felt like it fully encapsulated my fandom - long time fans who sometimes have life get in the way, but are always pulled back to this band. Happy with no matter what songs are played, but always having your fingers crossed that they will break out a gem or two, and being totally amazed once it happens.

I'm still not certain if I will ever be able to re-listen to those 2016 shows, but what a ride it was.

Re: High Point of Man Machine Poem Tour? - emperor penguin - 08-22-2018

kieffer Wrote:I was able to catch 3 shows on the tour - London, Toronto # 1 and Hamilton. Of the three, Hamilton had to have been my favourite, the atmosphere was electric, the band was firing on all cylinders and Gord looked almost invincible.

The high point for me was a bit random. I was able to get two tickets last minute but they were not together. My friend and I ended up being seated in different sections. I was behind the stage about 5 rows up.
Prior to the show the person sitting next to me sat in their seat and we exchanged pleasantries and quickly moved in to exchanging our 'histories' with the band. My seatmate explained he said he had seen the band 10 or 15 times, but this was going to be his first time seeing them since 1993 or so. I asked him if there was one song he was hoping to hear more than others. He thought for a minute, smiled and said "Eldorado". I returned the smile and said I'd be happy to hear it as well and hope they play it for him while thinking this was to be a bit of a long shot.

I don't think he was familiar with the album format being used in the setlists, so when the band came out and started with 100th I knew if it was going to be played it would have to be one of the next three. 100th was followed by Courage and when it ended, the first notes of Eldorado began. I should also note that this fellow was a smaller, softer spoken potentially more introverted type. I quickly looked over to him to catch him raise both fists to the sky and let out this scream/yelp/woo sound that I can only describe as pure bliss. It truly made my night and is something I will never forget! We made eye contact and he had this massive ear to ear smile.

When the show was all said and done we were both a bit teary eyed, shook hands and went our separate ways. While this was just a silly little moment I felt like it fully encapsulated my fandom - long time fans who sometimes have life get in the way, but are always pulled back to this band. Happy with no matter what songs are played, but always having your fingers crossed that they will break out a gem or two, and being totally amazed once it happens.

I'm still not certain if I will ever be able to re-listen to those 2016 shows, but what a ride it was.

Wow, that story was great. Gave me chills reading it because I had almost the exact same experience at that show. Was standing beside a guy who had flown in from Halifax to see the show with his sister. I asked him before the show what his favourite album was and he said World Container. I knew they weren't playing that album a lot, but when they busted in with Lonely End of the Rink I looked over at him and he was filled with pure joy. We high fived, and I had chills the rest of that mini-set.

There was an energy in that Hamilton show that was like nothing I had ever experienced before at a Hip concert. I can only assume it was similar to what an early 90's show must have felt like. Out of the 23 times I saw them that was the second best one (Fort York night 2 in 2006 was the best). I had the worst seats I've ever had at a concert, way up at the very top near the back of the arena, and in a weird way I think it enhanced the show. Getting the full effect of the crowds energy from the very top, seeing almost the entire crowd go absolutely nuts was incredible.