[Monty]

Hey all,

Just wondering if anyone could help me.... I am in a HUGE HUNT to see if anyone might know "a date" on a show that I attended that The Hip played after the release of the "Up to Here" album, and in around the year of '89 or '90....

I know for sure it was NOT the Dec.31st, 1991 show, without a doubt....maybe this show set them up to be "ok" to be able to book that New Year's eve show after not trashing the venue at the show I saw them....but I know its not the '91 show....

If anyone could help me with it so I don't have to go to the Congress Centre to ask them about a past booking by the boys, it would be GREAT!

Thanks,
Monty
<!-- e --><a href="mailto:montyfarrell@hotmail.com">montyfarrell@hotmail.com</a><!-- e -->

[screw_ball]

According to their website, they didn't play the Congress Centre before 12/31/91 and the last time they played in Ottawa before that was in 1988 at Barrymore's on September 30 and at the Grand Central in March of 1988 before that.

Just go to thehip.com and clock on SHOWS and there's an archive of every show they've ever played, with setlists where available.

[sullivand]

I found this classic story on the Jay Farrar forum. It appears to narrow your search down to spring 1989. Maybe you can PM "CanadianVolt" and see if he still has his ticket stub, though from his tale I doubt much survived that night. Do you recall his stage dive?

CanadianVolt
Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2005 5:46 pm
Post subject: Best concert you have ever seen?

Tragically Hip with the Skydiggers Spring 89' at the Congress Center in Ottawa. I was in High School, and attending a Friday Night Pub at a hole in the wall called Le Chaudiere or "The Shod" over in Le Belle Provance of Quebec where you only have to be 18 to drink and get shitty. I figured I was close enough, but ended having to gain entry through a basement window. Anyhow, the buddy that I was with got way too drunk and started barfing, you guessed it, baby duck and french fries. He was all over the place. It wasn't nice. In the ruckus I managed to swindle him out of his ticket since I convinced him he would be too hungover to want to go anyhow. He agreed.

The next day saw us getting primed for the show in the parking lot near the venue, which was a congress hall attached to a huge downtown shopping mall. The car that pulled up beside us was my barfing buddies older bro and the heavy hitters. These guys were a riot. I still have laughs to this day coming from that circle. Needless to say the afternoon got way out of control and we had a russian in our group who couldnt speak any english. Unless of course that it related to booze, dope or Iron Maiden. Funny guy, and somehow he got chicks without speaking english which was something we all thought we could learn a little from..

Needless to say The Skydiggers were great and really impressed me. I have since seen them many times and met the band on numerous occasions. SUper guys. Then the Hip came out, in support of the Up To Here album. They kicked royal ass and this was thier first taste of true success up here ( I want to get this show) . And they responded with a mind boggling crazy set. I have met them also and they are truely great people. They were just taking off back then, and they were yound and crazy as hell. Half way through various members of our circle tried to make it on stage, without any success I was the last one left, and I literally got tossed onto the stage during an encore of Suzie Q. I looked up, ripped out of my tree at 3000 people and before I can mutter the words "Now I know how Keith RIchards lives" I was deeking security and did a big ol school stage dive. Rippin. One loser that I knew jumped on stage at the end of the show (it truely was a crazy night) and tried to grab the bass. He received a well deserved shit kicking by some amped up security guards. I disliked this guy, so this was the cherry on top.

I got separated from my buddies but endied up in my friends older bros circle. I remember us driving down town over sidewalks to gain free parking, just because the vlad (russian guy) wanted a manky 2am WHopper. I was broke, but drunk, however my buddies bro bought me the whopper I am still digesting to this day.

[Tthip]

I ran across a webpage awhile ago that had some shows listed that I have never seen before, so I saved it.
It was an old webpage so I do not know if the email address is still good, but he had this Congress Centre date listed:

12/12/91 Congress Centre, Ottawa,ON
His email: <!-- e --><a href="mailto:tampabay24@hotmail.com">tampabay24@hotmail.com</a><!-- e -->

[edgoffin]

There is a Congress Centre show missing in the listing. I was there, but can't help you on the exact date. That one writer references The Skydiggers opening but I think they were likely part of the NY Eve show. I recall it being The Waltons opening (unless there are two shows missing). I distinctly remember the lead singer mistaking the Hip, Hip, Hip chant for hey, hey, hey and feeling sort of bad for him, then seeing them watching the Hip performance from the office windows that overlook the back of room. I think the Waltons were then still selling their indy release.

My random memories. Road Apples would have been released or soon to be released (likely released as it came out in Feb. 91), I remember Fight and the microphone stand dance. Gord got hit by shoe towards the end of the show. My then girlfriend/now wife pushed a biker plowing through the crowd, he had beer in his hands and kicked me...yes me...in the shins. Kicked me!

There is another show missing from the list as well -- I recall the Hip playing one of the Canada Day shows at Lansdowne. Would have been in the early 90s, before the first Roadside Attraction. For some reason, I think it was 92 and the Hip played Ottawa, Barrie and Vancouver?