[sean.bonner]

There's a version of Wheat Kings from this tour on YouTube.
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=RQn7GuzkIsA">http://youtube.com/watch?v=RQn7GuzkIsA</a><!-- m -->
Wheat Kings from Victoria.

[Not Cordilia]

Well just got home from work and I've been singing Fire In the Hole all day. Still have that Hip Hangover, songs still playing in my head, throat is raspy from singing each word, legs are sore from leaping to the beats...couldn't feel better.

Anywho, gotta echo the thoughts from above. Gord sounded great, and some of the best stage antics I have seen. The band was as good as ever. Poets was amazing, 5o MC...best I have heard, and tears welled in my eyes during Long Time, and WC (sniff sniff, I ain't a pussy, sniff sniff).

Anyways, I have posted two videos on You Tube from my view in row 21. My apologies but they suck to be honest..time to get a new camera, my 4 year old Kodak don't cut it.. They are of Long Time Running, and the first encore of On A Night Like This. Almost too embarrassed to post them, but
I thought it'd be better than nothin' (You have been warned)

Two other points that should be made about last night. First, great job Kamloops. I usually leave concerts here feeling embarrassed, but the crowd last night was hoping, the loudest and best reaction I have seen a Kamloops crowd....must be the Hip fans!
Also the Sadies were fantastic. I came in not knowing much if anything about them, but they have a couple new fans in myself and my bud. very cool set, and I will be sure to be supporting them in the future.

Opiated....good job, especially liked the 'greatest band in the world' line. If ya heard that YAAAA HOOOOO, that was me in row 21

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34G-t4gixfM">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34G-t4gixfM</a><!-- m --> - Long Time Running

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GR--hD5pVdQ">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GR--hD5pVdQ</a><!-- m --> - On A Night Like This

[tigerthelion]

There's a version of Wheat Kings from this tour on YouTube.
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=RQn7GuzkIsA">http://youtube.com/watch?v=RQn7GuzkIsA</a><!-- m -->
Wheat Kings from Victoria.

Yeah, it looked like Gord was confused with his guitar playing and Wheat Kings is about as basic a song as one will ever play. Surely, going from G to C shouldn't throw Gord off track that much. hock: Robbie somewhat saved it a little with his electric guitar at the end but still, it's a song that would be best left in the studio I think.

[spottrax]

I think Wheat Kings is a great live song..... IMO, I beleive Downie shouldn't play the acoustic when doing these slower/quieter songs live. Seems like he is kind of half concentrating on the guitar parts and half singing.... not giving one or the other 100%. Case and point is both Wheat Kings last night and Fiddlers both. That Calgary version of Fiddlers when he is not playing guitar is chilling!

[opiated]

Two other points that should be made about last night. First, great job Kamloops. I usually leave concerts here feeling embarrassed, but the crowd last night was hoping, the loudest and best reaction I have seen a Kamloops crowd....must be the Hip fans!

Opiated....good job, especially liked the 'greatest band in the world' line. If ya heard that YAAAA HOOOOO, that was me in row 21

Thanks for the kind words man..I appreciate it...and you're right about the crowds in Kamloops.it's usually a joke, and I was worried at first as there were little to no "hip" chants before the show, and I thought it could have been louder when they first walked on stage..but after that, the crowd did me proud!!

[commedimus]

On the last tour Rob played pedal steel but last night it was his acoustic.

OK.... This may not make me popular but the show last night for me was ok but a bit average. I have been thinking about why I didn't find it to be the event I would have wished and I can only put my finger on a few things. The biggest one for me is that the Kamloops audience are often the living dead. This may sound cruel but Kamloops has always had a reputation for being a bit of a black hole to play in (i.e. energy sucking). People don't show up to shows as well as in other cities and they don't seem to get into the shows as much in other cities. I have seen most of my Hip shows in Kamloops as I have lived here most of my life but I have also seen them in Vancouver and Calgary. Kamloops always seems to be a bit conservative compared to other places. I would say the audience gave reasonably loud responses to the older tracks, and some of the newer, but to look at them, you would think it was cardboard cutouts of people. There certainly were pockets of people standing up and getting into it but it was small pockets. Even in the front row during the most popular songs, probably two thirds of the front row were simply staring.
It was startling for me because I just moved back from spending 2 years living in Calgary and I suppose I have been ruined by Calgary audiences. You go to a show at the Skydome and with few exceptions, the majority of the audience is up on it's feet for the whole show. They also get very vocal. The Hip show in '04 there was incredible, you could feel this huge energy between the band and audience. Maybe it was the cold snap that hit a few hours before the show, or perhaps many people were under the weather, but I felt an energy drain in that arena last night. I thought the band was alright. It felt like they moved around about as much as in Calgary. Gord probably wasn't quite as vocal in his song setups as Calgary but it didn't feel far off. Anyway... I know these things are subjective but that was what I was left feeling after the show.
I was a bit surprised to have a couple people I spoke to today that felt similarly. Two people from my work went as well and also found the experience underwhelming. The one person hasn't purchased an album for a while and wasn't crazy about the latest album so that was the main reason she didn't enjoy it more. I like the new album so I had no issues with that, though, I think 5 songs from the new album would have been better than 7 for those unfamiliar with it. The other person had a similar view to mine. He felt the band itself was lacking energy and seemed like they could hardly wait to get out of there.
It is always possible that the setlist being so heavily filled with new songs could have been a turn off for al ot of people if they haven't purchased the latest album, though, it is hard to say. I got to hear a few songs live that I haven't heard for a while which is nice. I would agree that the stage set was better than the last tour. There was one song where things appeared to start falling apartl somewhat. Some loud noice occured in the PA and it seemed to throw a couple band members off for a little bit. I must say that one positive of most of the audience staying firmly rooted in their seats was that I was able to film the show without much in the way of heads and hands. I like it when the audience is energetic but that can be problematic when trying to film a show. I will check the tape later tonight to see if I can verify that part where they seemed to get thrown off for a bit.

I first posted this after the end of reading page 2 of reviews so I missed the posts immediately above mine. I would say that the response from the crowd was pretty good for a Kamloops audience because I wouldn't say last night it was embarrassing, I just didn't think it would come off to the band as well as many other places they will play. People were certainly chanting "Hip" at times. I think my view reflects coming back from a city that often reacts live they live in the Arctic only get one show a year. Kamloops audiences sometimes seem to act like they are being told they have VD or something.

[NegPhil]

Cool pictures, looks like you were close.

[smg333]

awesome pics man!
and what an incredible show!
totally killer version of fire in the hole(big drum intro), world container with rob using his guitar to play the piano part,overall they played 7 off the new album including,you're not the ocean, lonely end of the rink,in view,kids don't get it,drop off,family band,world container.i also remember,new orleans(2nd song got everyone super-pumped) boots,long time running,fully completely, fifty mission cap, wheat kings,fire in the hole,100th meridian,springtime in vienna, ahead by a century,poets,it's a good life(my fav.),summer's killing us
and a dylan cover that i am not familar with.
the whole place was just electric. best show i've seen of theirs yet. at the end of the show, gord seemed moved by the incredible response from the crowd and lingered on stage a moment longer than the rest of the band.

[smg333]

What kinda merchandise were they selling at the show??? How many types of shirts were there?


i bought a t shirt
black with the machine on front/tour dates on back
and a pack of tragically hip rolling papers!
they had 2 different hockey jersies ($150)
2-3 t shirts $35

girls fit t-shirt
log sleeve$45

hoodie$55
toque$35
hat
pins, cds


and beer...

[prairieman]

So they had the green WC hat similar to the black one GD wears? I fookin hope so because I told my wife not to bother buying one at Mac Hall in October because they would be selling them on the arena tour.

I will get beaten if they don't have those

[Zenith]

So they had the green WC hat similar to the black one GD wears? I fookin hope so because I told my wife not to bother buying one at Mac Hall in October because they would be selling them on the arena tour.

I will get beaten if they don't have those

Cool. I'd love one of those hats.

[restlesssoul]

Being front row center and having wheat kings played was an incredible feeling. I had an amazing time at this show, obviously. Made the bus trip from vancouver in the middle of winter with three friends, all front row....it was out of this world....

I watched Robby A LOT. Gord was his usual self, going nuts....goose stepping at times.

I would love to see some pics, corby?!!?