[aaronck]

Thanks from me as well!
Totally looking forward to it, was going to say hello, but didn't want to look like a groupie!

[surferguy]

Am I the only one that feels this show was lack lustre when compared to the other nights here? Just seemed like the energy wasn't there? THoughts?

[aaronck]

Totally agree...Shouldn't have let the boys go home for Halloween, should've brought their families here!

[cordelia]

The setlist was the weakest of the 4 nights for sure, and I was dissapointed that of all the songs they could've repeated, it was Music at Work. 38 years old was great, Twist my arm really got me going, Dire Wolf was fantastic, and Family was pretty good as well, but Summer was pretty bad all around. I wish I had gone Monday....

Folks, lets keep this all in perspective. How many bands do you know that can sell out arenas choose to play 4 nights in one city in a club. Most big bands that play a club show up at midnight play 30 minutes and leave. The Hip are giving something very special back. I personally could hear any 3 Hip songs played over and over for 90 minutes if its in the intimate club setting. For sure there are no other bands that would play so many different songs in 4 Toronto/Calgary shows that the Hip have been doing on this tour. There is no way, in my humble opinion, that anyone should feel disappointed in hearing M@W back to back...

[Almost Hip]

I agree with Cordelia, most bands stick with the exact same setlist for a tour and change up a song or two, we all know that the new CD is getting pumped, but the variety of songs is pretty big!! at the same time most other bands don't have the discography to draw from... makes me remember why I went to multiple shows per tour years ago and why I'm going to start doing it again

[trevor]

Here here.
I agree with both Cordelia and Almost Hip.

[aaronck]

The band is allowed to do whatever they want, of course, they run the show and make the setlist. Fact is, they lacked energy the last night, and managed to get through 4 shows in Toronto without repeating any songs. I accepted the fact that they were going to play the new CD from front to back, but the big thrill was, what song are they going to play next...Wow, on the Verge is great, haven't heard it in years, rather than that was one of the weakest versions of New Orleans I've ever heard.
Just my .02, as a guy who spent $300 seeing 3 of 4 shows in Calgary

[hip]

They repeated Bobcaygeon & Blow on the last night in Toronto at the least!

[trevor]

They repeated Bobcaygeon & Blow on the last night in Toronto at the least!

Sherpa too.

[direwolf74]

The band is allowed to do whatever they want, of course, they run the show and make the setlist. Fact is, they lacked energy the last night, and managed to get through 4 shows in Toronto without repeating any songs. I accepted the fact that they were going to play the new CD from front to back, but the big thrill was, what song are they going to play next...Wow, on the Verge is great, haven't heard it in years, rather than that was one of the weakest versions of New Orleans I've ever heard.
Just my .02, as a guy who spent $300 seeing 3 of 4 shows in Calgary

I'm sorry, but you have absolutely NO reason to be complaining about anything. Some of us don't have $300 to see 3 of 4 shows (I was only able to go to one). So just be happy that you got to see your favorite band three times in a row in a small venue. So they repeated a couple of songs. Big deal. One of my co-workers went on Wednesday night and she said it was the one of the greatest shows she's ever seen.

[Billy]

The band is allowed to do whatever they want, of course, they run the show and make the setlist. Fact is, they lacked energy the last night, and managed to get through 4 shows in Toronto without repeating any songs. I accepted the fact that they were going to play the new CD from front to back, but the big thrill was, what song are they going to play next...Wow, on the Verge is great, haven't heard it in years, rather than that was one of the weakest versions of New Orleans I've ever heard.
Just my .02, as a guy who spent $300 seeing 3 of 4 shows in Calgary

I'm sorry, but you have absolutely NO reason to be complaining about anything. Some of us don't have $300 to see 3 of 4 shows (I was only able to go to one). So just be happy that you got to see your favorite band three times in a row in a small venue. So they repeated a couple of songs. Big deal. One of my co-workers went on Wednesday night and she said it was the one of the greatest shows she's ever seen.

One persons complaint is another persons opinion, and as such he's definately entitled to his opinion.

[surferguy]

The band is allowed to do whatever they want, of course, they run the show and make the setlist. Fact is, they lacked energy the last night, and managed to get through 4 shows in Toronto without repeating any songs. I accepted the fact that they were going to play the new CD from front to back, but the big thrill was, what song are they going to play next...Wow, on the Verge is great, haven't heard it in years, rather than that was one of the weakest versions of New Orleans I've ever heard.
Just my .02, as a guy who spent $300 seeing 3 of 4 shows in Calgary

I'm sorry, but you have absolutely NO reason to be complaining about anything. Some of us don't have $300 to see 3 of 4 shows (I was only able to go to one). So just be happy that you got to see your favorite band three times in a row in a small venue. So they repeated a couple of songs. Big deal. One of my co-workers went on Wednesday night and she said it was the one of the greatest shows she's ever seen.

Why would you say that he hasNO right? You weren't there so you can't go off the opinion of some girl from your office. What is her credability? I could care less what they played. Like several have said before if he read the phone book it would still be an awesome concert!

But here is my point of view:

The show was good not great. Great tunes made an apperance, some doubles from the other shows in town, big deal it is bound to happen, in fact I am bit disappointed that Last Night wasn't played everynight! 38 years was great, and unexpected finally I got to see it. But the band lacked the same energy they pumped out on sunday and monday night. I cannot speak for Sat night show as I was not there. Unfortunatley The night was filled with Tech problems and Gord's voice was struggling by the end (summer is killing us). The show ended 15 minutes early because of a lack of drift off rants and stage dancing that filled the rest of the small club venues in C-Town. Gord in fact was pissed off at the crew due to the tech problems. You could see the discontent in him, especially when he introduced Family band as FAMILY FUCKIN BAND! then when he finished the song he stated good night threw down his pick and left the stage. He was not having fun on wed night. Which is fine, it was an off night for the band. JOhnny was a bit off on the drumming and a couple of times I heard the band miss ques. And for people still to say that is was a phenomeal show speaks volumes for what this band can do for people.
The show simply did not have the same energy that the others did that's all.

[direwolf74]

Why would you say that he hasNO right? You weren't there so you can't go off the opinion of some girl from your office. What is her credability? I could care less what they played. Like several have said before if he read the phone book it would still be an awesome concert!

Fair enough. I just didn't think he had any reason to be complaining after seeing arguably the greatest rock band on the planet 3 nights in a row in a small venue. When you see a band that many times in a row, you have to expect that they might repeat 1 or 2 songs, and maybe even play a half-assed version of an old classic (in this case, NOIS. I still think they should just retire that song and put it out of it's misery)

Oh, and the girl at my work who went to the show has seen the Hip at least 20 times, so I'd say she's got enough credibility for me to believe her assesment of the show.

[aaronck]

I see everyone's point, and if I didn't get to see them, I'd be bitching at me for bitching too, but the show didn't hold a candle to the others, end of story. There were sound problems, the Gord antics I had told everyone to anticipate never materialized, a friend of mine who only made it to this show commented it was one of the worst shows he's seen, out of at least 10 or so, and he didn't even have the previous nights to compare it to.

I am splitting hairs, but in Toronto the shows seemed to get better as they went, not worse.

Your comments are right on Surferguy, I didn't realize it was a little shorter than the others, less Gordism's explains that

[dr tongue]

I've just registered here, and have a few observations. I got to see Sun, Mon and Wed, and thought every show was amazing. Sun was my warmup, and a good one, because I have to say Mon was the killer show to me. Wed was great, but the energy of Mon and the fact that they played Locked made it tops. Of course, the last 2 shows I was closer (right in front of Paul), so that will count for something, but I couldn't believe how great the setlist and performance on Mon were. I was high all over again after that one.

I consider myself very fortunate to have seen any, nevermind three, of these small-venue shows. Even getting front row on the upcoming tour couldn't compare to standing at the rail in a room like Mac Hall, nor the standing-room crowd (who I found, all three nights, to be very well-behaved except for the drunk annoying chick Wed). I would rarely consider standing in a spot like I had for Mon & Wed at a lot of other shows - you'd get crushed, and there's no way I would've got decent shots:

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://flickr.com/photos/dr_t/sets/72157594356963739/">http://flickr.com/photos/dr_t/sets/72157594356963739/</a><!-- m -->

Having given Mon its due as a performance, I have to add that Wed night was the highlight for me because I got to go backstage and meet the band and get all of them to sign my shirt, and chat with Gord for a few minutes. He signed my backstage pass "I'm yer guy", and with anyone else, that would sound weird, but coming from Gord, it's 31 flavours of fantastic.

Now to listen to WC for the 63rd time (no, I'm not kidding - iTunes' play counter).