[skippy the wonder dog]

Why can't they keep making amazing music AND do a little more for their fans????? I don't think this is too much to ask.

'kay, see your point. No arguments there from me.

[sonofdad]

Dare I say it but this requirement of community, this board even, has raised the expectations of both the casual fan as well as us FANS.

I started seeing the Hip in '93, well before the internet and these distributed communities became popular. Back then, the excitement of "what are they gonna play next" was true excitement. Now, we get instant gratification--the damn setlist is posted for the world within hours. And if Poets goes into NOIS like last night, I'll be pissed.

Next time you're at a show, check out what they are doing. Just pause briefly to look at the boys, doing their jobs, rocking like you wish you could at their ages.

I know that when I left the venue a couple weeks ago thinking that the set list was similar to the one the night before, I was a little let down. But then I realized that hey...I love these songs, I love watching these guys play these songs and when they come back to Chicago (or Milwaukee or Indy 'cause they are close), I'll be up front again.

peace....

sonofdad

[apollon16]

I don't why everyone is complaining about the live show. Like a lot of fans I only get to see the band once or twice a tour Winnipeg/Brandon. These guys have been doing this for a while. Just look at the stats they played NOIS 74 times in 2002 according to this site. That is one year alone! They do that for us not themselves. As for playing back to back nights, they have been to all of these cities once or twice a year for the past ten years. As fans we always want to see more, but when bands start doing solo projects and other things it is a sign that they are tired of living in the past. I think that IBE is a great album, but everywhere you go you hear someone say they haven't done anything good in the last ten years. These are the same people who go to the shows with us, and the Hip know this.

The website is another story but 99% of the time the bands pay someone else to take care of that. I believe they are working on revamping it, and they are most likely watching the sales of the live album very closely in order to decide to release more.

[Killer Whale Tank]

Hear hear. IBE is their best album in years and possibly their best, ever. That keeps me happy, thanks.

Then again, I'm old enough to remember the pre-Web era of fandom, which probably makes a difference.

[bigA]

I met Gord D. after the Spokane show, he looked tired. I commented on how my wife and I were going home after following the band for 3 days, and he mentioned he wished he could do the same to get a rest. We only followed them for 3 days, and we were tired, I can just image how they feel after 6 weeks.

[tigerthelion]

I met Gord D. after the Spokane show, he looked tired. I commented on how my wife and I were going home after following the band for 3 days, and he mentioned he wished he could do the same to get a rest. We only followed them for 3 days, and we were tired, I can just image how they feel after 6 weeks.

I applaud them for getting out there and rocking their asses off! But you gotta remember that they are professionals and should be held to a higher standard than some high school band who plays gigs for beer! They realize this too and even though they are tired, they know that there are a lot of bands who tour longer than they do and they fight past the exhaustion for the love of the music and the fans (at least I hope that's the reason). The Hip have set a standard for rock and roll and I don't think it's wrong for us fans to expect them to reach that level of greatness or even elevate it higher! Maybe they will, maybe they won't but I don't think fans are neccessarily bad people for having high expectations for this band.

DVD DVD DVD DVD DVD DVD DVD DVD DVD DVD DVD DVD

[grooveless touque]

I can't really comment on this theme (because I don't follow them on tour) except to say...

1) I only get to see them 1 time in three tours. As I have said many times before, we were shortchanged on the past two tours, and I harbour a grudge because of it. So when I see them ONE time on this tour, I want to hear Nautical again. I want to hear Long Time Running again. I want to hear Grace again. I would take a rarity if it came, but I would be perfectly happy with 22 songs I know and love.

2) If you don't want to see the same songs on consecutive nights STOP WASTING YOUR TIME AND MONEY FOLLOWING THEM!! Seriously, it's one thing to think it, but entirely another to follow them and then bitch. That's arrogant. They're a great band no doubt, but they're not going to tailor their shows to meet your standards. You know what you're getting so STAY HOME.

[thedarkcanuck]

i agree with that...i`m getting 2 shows here pretty quick and i`ll love whatever they play...for me,all they need to do is play