[elliot g]

I'm going to disagree.

NOIS is a great song, and let's face it, that's the tune that pays the bills (seriously, they wouldn't have gotten big until Fully Completely without that song). at the first Calgary club show, I thought it was great, they put a really special punch to it live.

I don't read the Rolling Stones forum, but seriously, this would be silly in other cases. Just imagine some guy going "Jesus Christ, how long have they been playing satisfation?"

Plus, when they put big hits early in the set, that's pandering to the hardcore types like you and I rather than casual fans.

[skippy the wonder dog]

you can't say that the hip "pander" to the crowds..if they did, we'd hear the same songs every friggin night

I didn't say they pandered to the crowds. I said that some bands take risks and others play it safe by pandering to the crowd.

The Hip play the middle with that. They do some things that are risky (like Music @ Work....) and they seem to do other things to play it safe. Playing NOIS and Courage all the time are in the latter category.

[jgardz]

yup, i've been sick of NOIS for a LONGGGG time now, ever since they stopped jamming out the middle... it seems that's the trend lately with the hip though, with the exception of meridian, they play pretty much everything straight through nowadays, rarely hitting you with the unexpected/new stuff....that being said, they've pulled out some great older stuff in the past year, and hopefully they've got more in store, though recent setlists of the 07 tour don't seem to suggest, other than the cover tunes, which don't excite me anyways... bring back the old days!!!! lol
I just listen to the bootleg of my first show in 95, then my most recent shows in 06, and while the shows this summer were all smokin, I still miss that whole jam in the middle, gordie going nuts time... so ya, if NOIS has grown stale, put it on the shelf....play 3 or 4 Yer Favourites tunes each night, 5 WC tunes, and pull out the rarer stuff a little more often....

[Joe]

ya I'm gonna have to agree- sort of. NOIS is a pimped song but I would rather The Hip play a set of their more rare songs, than say their more frequently played songs. Replace NOIS, Meridian (or maybe not, still gives me kicks when i hear it live) Nautical and Courage, with dusty classics like An Inch An Hour, Beautiful Thing, We'll Go Too, Let's Stay Engaged and Sharks. For me it would make a more memorable show. Thats just my opinion though

Edit: What the fuck ever happened to "Looking For A Place To Happen" if they played this in Winnipeg I would seriously shit my pants and black out

[Zenith]

I can't believe that people are sick of hearing 'Courage' live - I love that song! Especially live. Granted, I haven't been into The Hip aslong as a lot of you, but I still find Courage (and NOIS for that matter) exciting live!

I agree though that it would be nice to have a few rarer songs to really spice things up - but then I guess you can't please everyone.

[GBV]

they have SO many "hits" that they don't have to rely on NOIS.
but the thing is, they don't. there are nights they play it, nights they don't.
i'm all for that kind of mentality.

[tigerthelion]

I'm also amazed at the hate for "Courage". I know it's been played a zillion times but it isn't THAT BAD IS IT? :lol:

it is that bad..it really is

Ok.

[tigerthelion]

If you believe in democracy, I guess if there were more casual fans at a show, then NOIS should be played. I'm pretty sure The Hip play NOIS because they love as much crowd noise as possible, and they feed of the energy of the crowd.

I believe in democracy.

Art is not democratic. They get to play what they want to play.

Some artists take risks and refuse to play what people want to hear. Others pander to the "greatest hits" crowd.

Yes, good point about art and democracy.

I'm kind of on the fence about NOIS. I could do without hearing it but I actually do enjoy hearing it live. There's also a side of me now that yearns in anticipation of hearing what they'll play. They played FITH, Lionized, Sherpa, Daredevil in Charlottetown and I loved it. I'm all for whatever the band wants to play....(as long as they play at least one song from DFN other than GRACE,TOO and NAUTICAL.. ). Seriously, when I go to a show I am always satisfied. I'd love to hear THUGS, IOD, SO HARD DONE BY, PIGEON CAMERA, THE RULES, WILD MOUNTAIN HONEY, STAY, THE HEART OF THE MELT, BRING IT ALL BACK, 700 FOOT CEILING but nonetheless I am still entertained even if The Hip play the hits. One thing though, they need to keep POETS and MERIDIAN on the setlist because they are always among the best songs no matter what concert I go to.

Like you said skippy, The Hip are in the middle as far as setlists. Neil is notorious for playing what he wanted to play and he had plenty of angry fans to deal with; he didn't care. The "Tonight's the Night" tour is famous for the venomous crowds. hehehe. That's probably the same with Dylan too. The Hip do mix up the setlist but they'd never do a show where they left out every hit single.

[cochise]

Just as stated above, The Hip not playing NOIS is like the Stones not playing Satisfaction, or Eric Clapton not playing Layla, or Tom Petty not playing Breakdown, or Rush not playing Closer to the Heart, etc..........

I honestly don't think it should be removed from setlists. The song is a warhorse and deservedly so, it's a classic song, it is a staple and a major milestone in The Hips career. Plus, like it or not 50% of people who go to concerts are casual fans expecting the warhorses.

Have I heard NOIS 20 times live, yes. Have I heard Satisfaction 10 imes live, yes. And I expect to hear them both live again (well hope to hear satisfaction again..........LOL). And every time I hear it I will be up there bouncing and singing along right beside the "casual fan"!

All that being said, it would be interesting if they mixed up a little bit, maybe try a stripped down slower acoustic version or something..........alla Everlong or Layla............

[hipgirl from stratford]

I cant get enough of New Orleans is sinking. That song really pumps me up , and makes me want to dance. Every year a band plays at the campground I camp at in the summer and they always play it for me and I just love it. But you still cant beat the real thing. Its a great canadian party song and reminds me of all the good times growing up.
Some people may be sick of it and I understand why.

[The Horrible Esthete]

Songs I'd rather have chopped out of setlists before NOIS:

1. Ahead by a Century
2. At the Hundredth Meridian
3. Courage
4. Poets
5. Fireworks
6. Springtime in Vienna
7. Fully, Completely
8. Blow at High Dough
9. Music @ Work
10. Fire in the Hole
11. Little Bones

Yes, some, if not all of those are incredible songs. Yes, some of them are especially good 'live'. But I've heard 'em. I've heard 'em, heard 'em again, and heard 'em some more. I'm getting weary of Hip shows in general because I know those tired numbers will comprise a huge chunk of any given show.

At least NOIS is their 'signature' song. I like "tradition"; if that one song is a fixture in every show, a sort of "tradition", then I'm down. It's nowhere close to my favorite, but I will say that it's one of their very best, and it is a very important song for this band's legacy.

I'd much, MUCH rather they cement that legendary song in setlists for posterity than churn out 10 songs from the above list every show, filling prescious slots that could be filled with dozens of equally-good, lesser played numbers that I have rarely heard, if ever, even though I've been regualarly attending TTH gigs since 1993.

Now, I go into a show knowing I'll hear about half the album they're promoting, which is great (except they used to play 80-85% in the 'new' albums in early years); I know I'll hear most of those on the above list (and several other regulars which I'll probably never get tired of hearing, like Gift Shop), and that leaves room for just a few songs that aren't completely anticipated.

It kinda makes me want to stop going, y'know?

And that's a little sad.

[tragicallysteve]

Songs I'd rather have chopped out of setlists before NOIS:

1. Ahead by a Century
2. At the Hundredth Meridian
3. Courage
4. Poets
5. Fireworks
6. Springtime in Vienna
7. Fully, Completely
8. Blow at High Dough
9. Music @ Work
10. Fire in the Hole
11. Little Bones

Blasphemy

[The Horrible Esthete]

Far less blasphemous than suggesting that NOIS no longer be played....

But....to each his own!

[tragicallysteve]

Far less blasphemous than suggesting that NOIS no longer be played....

But....to each his own!

Each their own, indeed.

I don't know... I get sick of a song if it's over-played, just like most people. There's nothing worse than a great song being tainted by the fact that the radio plays it every half hour. I used to feel the same way about NOIS. I wish I knew the number of times I've heard that songs since 1989.

Anyways, one day the song came up on my Hip/Gordie/Stripper's Union MP3 CD. I dug it. I don't know what it was. I just dug it.

Sit down and listen to that song again. The studio version... not the live version (I realize this thread is about them playing it live but I'm on a tangent here). Listen to that song again and try to forget about the 5-diget-number amount of times you've heard it before. Listen to it like it's your first time ever listening to the song. All I have to say is it's a phenominal song and it's a classic/staple for a VERY good reason.

The Hip should NEVER retire that song because it's one of the best songs ever written. Period.

[cheney50mc]

1. Ahead by a Century
2. At the Hundredth Meridian
3. Courage
4. Poets
5. Fireworks
6. Springtime in Vienna
7. Fully, Completely
8. Blow at High Dough
9. Music @ Work
10. Fire in the Hole
11. Little Bones

I could do without all of these also pretty much.

I also agree with the above post. I watched the DVD today and forced myself to watch the songs I usally skip. If they end up playing Springtime at the Toronto show then I might as well enjoy.

It definitely has been awhile since I heard some of the original album tracks.
I should stop listening to any Live Hip until the concert.