[ewallman]

It is really hard to pick highlights - the whole set had a great flow to it and the audience never really sat back through any song. The crowd was jacked (we always are for the Hip) and the band was ON. Jonny Fay's fist pumps at the end were a surprise, you usually just get the hand raise. Gordie was..well..Gordie and he was ON....one thing I noticed that I have not really seem since Day for Night - their was a lot of recognition of the new material and it was all well received.

Rink - this is a great opener, gets the band and the fans in it right away.

NOIS - this got the fans in a frenzy, one of the forums had a discussion about how this one is wearing thin live - No Way, it rocked.

Fully - again, fand were singing along and Gordie was screaming FC at the end..

BobCg - first slower tune but at the right time, again, lots of sing along

Drop off - VERY powerful song live, Johnny Fay was killing the drums.

ABAC - more sing alongs from the crowd

View - the response from the crowd was very close to being 'anthum' like. I was very surprised with the crowd singing along and the 'phone rings once, twice, three times" part generally had the fans putting up, one 2 then three fingers....pretty cool. And again, great tune live.

Poets - huge reaction to this song...

Fiddlers - wow...wow...wow...to hear this live, the fans were singing along but as a rule the fans seemed to understand that this was a very emotioanl song for Gordie. Gordie gave a half hug to Robbie(may have been GordS) after the song...

WC - again, well recieved, not as well known as View to some but this sounds great live and was a good follow up to Fiddlers.

Springtime - one of my favorites live..sounded great..

100th - wicked..the interlude was a Peter Frampton tune i think, two others in my group picked up on that. I think this was were Gordie ended up laying down at the front of the stage..funny stuff. Again, fans were frenzied.

Long Time - lots of sing along and it is great how the song is just basically Gordie and Robbie, only the 2nd time I have heard this live in 10 shows.

Kids - wicked live, Gordie bouncing around to the beat..

Courage - fan favorite, personnally I NEVER tire of this one, Gordie had the fans singing a lot of the chorus.

Wheat Kings - we all know the words and Wpg has always LOVED this tune. Huge sing along.

Ocean - again I was surprised that there was a high level of recognition. Wicked live

Pistols - classic stuff, one of the people in my group's favorite so he lost it..lol

Blow - the best version I have ever seen...classic closer to a set

Encore:

Family - great live, another fav for me off WC, and I was waiting for the stop at the 3/4 mark 'cus I knew a lot of the fans would think the song ended there..lol...and when the song kicks back in, that point was perfectly timed.

2000 - song sounded familiar but I could not put my finger on it. Sounded good and I think a lot of fans probably thought it was either another new tune or an obscure old one.

Bones - what a finish...

Sound was great, the stage set is simple but effective. At one point, Gordie was sitting on the bottom of the mic stand and leaning back (back on the stand) and twirling around in a circle, waving...hilarious.

When Gordie did the spy thing with the gun hiding behind the other guys, when he got behind the drum kit he started saying "when you get in trouble, find a drummer" he may have said "find a drummer to hide behind".

Overall, the best show I have seen. Just amazing.