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This was about show #39, and definitely in the top 5.
Setlist, venue (outdoor, general admission, beer), and the incredible wall of sound, so loud, yet crystal clear. Simply amazing...still in awe.
Have to laugh at the $8 burger...we did $165 in dim sum and beer (for 4) before, and afterward paid $10 for 4 suasages and pops. What a town.
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This was my first Hip show since 2002, but about my 10th or 11th show in total. All I have to say (that hasn't already been said) is that this show made realize what I have been missing the last couple of years!
I obviously haven't been making enough of an effort to get tickets to shows.
I spotted a couple of t-shirt wearing HipBase people in the crowd (just outside the VIP) section. Maybe next time I will get up the courage to introduce myself.
As a long time fan of the Hip I have to say other than seeing myfirst Hip concert at Ontario Place Forum back in 1989 or 1990 (When Gord had hair!), this has to be the BEST show I have ever seen.
BTW first time post (in case you hadn't figured that much out)
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It was great meeting some of the fellow Basers at the Wheat Sheaf before the show. Good food and drink at that bar.
I gotta hand it to the Sadies, first off. I had never heard this band before...but really was digging their mix of country/surf rock. I definately would see this band again.
The Weakerthans had good sound, but werent really doing it for me.
But ohh The Hip. I dont have very much to say about them, just because they completely blew me away...and I am speechless. This was my 6th show...and I didnt know what to expect in terms of the setlist, because I knew they had been mixing it up a lot lately, but it was just phenomenal. At my last hip show (new years 2004), they played a lot of the "standard radio songs" which was great...but it was a treat to here some of the rarities. Great show, great atmosphere, great people...and no complains. I couldnt ask for anything more.
Hope to see the boys again soon!
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Hey, at least the beer cups were biodgradable.
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It seems as if The Tragically Hip realized that many hardcore fans would be attending this particular show. I'm sure this was obvious to them when the show sold out quickly through thehip.com pre-sale. The set list was full of suprises both old and new. The mixture of songs surely pleased everyone there. Our concert experience began with a large group of Hipbasers meeting together for a few beers prior to the show. It is always fun to meet the people behind the screen names. It was a festive atmosphere as we all anticipated the show.
The Fort York venue was filled with fans screaming for The Hip as they began with the powerful Don't Wake Daddy. This was followed by Courage in which Gord stood up on the monitor and pretended to urinate on the fans as he sang the line,"Piss on all of your background....". Next I was thrilled to hear the new song Ocean. I would describe it as an upbeat rocker that I really enjoyed.
The Hip played many of their best songs from nearly every album. It would be difficult to pick the best song of the night with such a wonderfully varied set list. The Hip demonstrated to me the exact reason why I have become such a big fan of theirs. There ability to play almost anything in their large catalogue of songs continues. I loved hearing No Threat live (my first time). I think it's safe to say that everyone was blown away by 38 Years Old. There were so many highlights it would be hard to put them in order. I had to laugh when Gord told the Canadian audience that "We must stop following Prime Minister Bush". Near the end of Something On Gord was crawling on the stage between his monitor and Paul's. Gord extended himself out past the end of the stage and reached into the crowd. He was lovingly mauled by the fans around him. As The Drop Off was playing Gord stumbled around the stage like a blind man in an unfamiliar room. During this Robbie was playing some wicked riffs. Robbie was the epitome of coolness and style wearing a dark blazer with a cowboy hat and aviator glasses.
The show ended with We'll Go Too. The entire place was going crazy as the song began to wind down. Gordie casually streched out across the two center stage monitors like he was watching T.V. on the couch at home. As he got up to leave the stage he said, "There's a lot of power in this house". I think he was refering to the former military might that was onced housed in this historic fort and the power that was produced between The Tragically Hip and their fans last night. I would have to rank this as a "top 3" show out of the 28 I have seen. The set list was phenomenol and I enjoyed hearing the crowd sing along to the songs. We watched the show from in front of Robbie about half way back. Everyone in our area was singing and dancing with no rough stuff. I had a great time meeting with all the Hipbasers at the show. I especially enjoyed hanging with my Hipbase pals from Brantford these past two weekends as we experienced The Hip together.
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This was show lucky number 13 for me. I have seen the Hip in various venues over the years, but do not recall hearing them sound as powerful (and tight) as they did over the past 2 nights. The bass was incredible. I was absolutely blown away. Gordie was hilarious last night. At one point when their long time roadie (someone help me here...I can't recall his name) came out to change his mike and Gord starts to pat him down. Gord did this a couple of times. I was laughing my head off. There was another point in the show when Gord was running towards Paul. It looked like he was going to run into him. Paul actually flinched and laughed. Truly an amazing 2 nights. Can't wait to plan the road trips this fall.
"They're your blues, we just play 'em"
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Looking back, Billy Ray was one of Lindsey (my girlfriend's) highlights. Most of the pictures she took during the set change were of our oil-skin hated friend.
"Is Billy Ray his real name" she asks.
"No, I think it's Dave. I think everybody's real name is Dave, so they need a clever nick name to distinguish."
"So, as in Billy Ray Cyrus."
"Probably, but in a very tongue and cheek way"
GD patting him down was hillarious, even more funny given the 21+ and two pieces of ID rule for beer last night. I guess there were problems from night one that needed to be rectified. That said, being next to the VIP for the main set, I'm fairly certain there were some people who may or may not met the requirements in there (they also may or may not have been part of the immediate family, if I'm to believe the discriptions given by my friends still in the mighty K-Town). Furthermore, I really need to figure out how to get VIP for the next show. While the free Amsterdam might have made it difficult to get home, I'm sure it would have been worth the trouble.
Cheers,
Pat
