[Moof_Milker]

What really could have put this album over the top for me would have been a full version of Montreal. If they had no intention of ever releasing it (at least at that time), what a great opportunity to get a version recorded for posterity. I would have doubled my listening time with LBU if that was on it.

100% agreed

did you hear that, man? did you fucking here that?! look out! Jesus Christ, it's a big fucking bear!

Lol...I would add this to the list of Hip lines that find their way into my everyday life. I've confused many people over the years by blurting this out at random times.

I also love how Gord sings a few lines of one my all-time favourite songs, The Beach Boys' "Don't Worry Baby" during NOIS.

[hipnhitch]

Are any of the missing tracks available from this show? I remember when they came out with the Fireworks cd single they added "b-side" tracks from this live album, but unfortunately they were not any of the unused tracks.

[Killer Whale Tank]

Was "Montreal" played at that show? If so, then leaving it off really did amount to a failure to seize an opportunity to "add value." (Presumably they have a principled reason for not releasing that splendid song - not wanting to profit off tragedy, etc. - but if so, I disagree with their thinking; it's a haunting tune and its chorus - "make her look good" - is devastating, echoing the objectification of women while also referencing the mortician's arts). If it wasn't played that night, then cramming it on would have been pointless and contrary to the spirit of the exercise.

On the other hand, I did always think it a bit chintzy not release the entire show. That also seems contrary to the spirit of the exercise.

I don't collect bootlegs and so can't comment on whether this set was worse than some other specific set, but I like the album, and find it a solid document of the Hip's live show as a mature band toward the tail end of their commercial heyday. (I can barely listen to the studio version of "Grace Too" with this version in my collection, and whenever I sing ABAC to myself I always add that 'a-ee-hee' Gord tosses in in the first chorus). I also enjoy the "I'm in love with the old world" bit, because of the play on words - "old world" as Europe (Vienna), "old world" as the world he used to have (before she left him, or whatever). It's a good record.

[Chris Tanz]

Montreal is teased during Courage in LBU ("The snow is so merciless for poor old Montreal. In spite of everything that's happened, yeah, in spite of it all. Don't you worry, her mama's gonna make her look good."). I believe that was the reference to how great it would have been if there was a "full version" on LBU. I don't know what all the unplayed tracks from That Night in De-troy-it are, but don't recall seeing Montreal on any setlists of that era, until the Montreal show in 2000.

ct

[Tthip]

I don't know what all the unplayed tracks from That Night in De-troy-it are,
ct

Grace, Too
Fully Completely
Springtime in Vienna
Twist My Arm
Gift Shop
Ahead by a Century
The Luxury
700 ft. Ceiling
Courage
Daredevil
Flamenco
Escape Is at Hand for the Travellin' Man
New Orleans Is Sinking
Don't Wake Daddy
Scared
Blow at High Dough
Nautical Disaster
The Wherewithal
Thugs
Everytime You Go
Fire in the Hole
Locked in the Trunk of a Car
Little Bones

[Chris Tanz]

Real Escape or Stereo Escape?

[spottrax]

I absolutely LOVE LBU. Even though I'd seen the Hip in 93 and had a few albums on cassette, I wasn't sold on them as a live band....yet. LBU changed all of that. I was supposed to go to that show (living in the Detroit suburbs) but my son's 6th birthday was that night and I just couldn't do it. After jamming and dissecting this album/cd, I finally "got it"...to the extent that I played that darn cd over and over and over. I'm on my second copy and it's still nearly worn out! I seen them in 98 and then 25 more times and never looked back. Gord riffing over song instrumental parts was something that nobody was doing at the time (at least to that extent)...it was really cool. It added so much color to an already magnificent band. My only complaint about LBU (and I've documented this on Hipbase many times) is I don't understand why the band wouldn't put out a "deluxe" version of the album. They could repackage, re-master and include all the songs played that night (hell of an encore!). Even a download only would be cool....my money is ready....always has been

[spottrax]

I also agree with the above comment that The Hip chose a show that was from the US intentionally. Nothing wrong with that strategy. Breaking into the US market at the time was very crucial at the time and that would make all the sense in the world...

[potsie]

Was "Montreal" played at that show? If it wasn't played that night, then cramming it on would have been pointless and contrary to the spirit of the exercise.

I can't honestly imagine listening to any show where Montreal is played and having the the word "pointless" coming to mind. I would happily pay $150 to see a show with a setlist comprised of 20 "Montreal's", followed by an encore of three more "Montreal's".

[Killer Whale Tank]

I was at the show in Montreal when they played it in 2000. Never having heard it before, I was stunned and knew I'd heard a major song aptly chosen for the moment.

But I don't see how you release a live album documenting a single show, and then arbitrarily toss on a completely unrelated 'lost' studio track. cratch: That makes no sense. The place for Montreal is on a 'B Sides and Rarities' compilation, on which it would have a starring role.

[potsie]

I was at the show in Montreal when they played it in 2000. Never having heard it before, I was stunned and knew I'd heard a major song aptly chosen for the moment.

But I don't see how you release a live album documenting a single show, and then arbitrarily toss on a completely unrelated 'lost' studio track. cratch: That makes no sense. The place for Montreal is on a 'B Sides and Rarities' compilation, on which it would have a starring role.

I agree that Montreal would be the centerpiece of a rarities album, and that would be a great home for it. However, we don't know if a proper studio version of Montreal exists. If it does, we don't know if the Hip ever plan on releasing it. Given that Gord was teasing lyrics from it that night, it wouldn't have been a stretch to have the band play the whole song. This is not the same as Gord singing snippets of songs that he's working on. Montreal was a fully formed song in 1996 and it was on Gord's mind at that time. Why not just play it? It would have made for a very exciting addition to a live album and is something that I don't view as being completely arbitrary. How great would it have been to pick up LBU 20 years ago and find "Montreal" on it? F**king amazing! It would have also kept me listening to this album for many years longer, in part so I could hear that one song.

[Joe]

So many great little moments on this album. I always catch myself singing Gord's "yeah-eah yeah" during the intro of Don't Wake Daddy to the studio version whenever I listen to it

[sean.bonner]

So many great little moments on this album. I always catch myself singing Gord's "yeah-eah yeah" during the intro of Don't Wake Daddy to the studio version whenever I listen to it

Because you've mentioned how you catch yourself singing 'live' lyrics instead of the studio while listening to the studio version, I have to mention that I do the same thing. Especially with That Night In Toronto. To me, that was a bigger (and maybe better) "live album" for me.

I often catch myself during the introduction to Fully Completely singning "You want half? ..." "...and this is as bad as or worse!" "Where do you think you're going?" and a bunch more from that concert/album/DVD

[Moof_Milker]

However, we don't know if a proper studio version of Montreal exists. If it does, we don't know if the Hip ever plan on releasing it.

What is the best quality version of this song that's out there? The version I have is quite "hissy" and I can't seem to find anything better.

[schaggs]

2000 live in Montreal is the best version I've heard (it's on the archive in the folder mp3 I think). I also have the one you're talking about and it's really jarring at first + super awful sounding.