[Gibie]

My buddy has never been to a concert (he a so/so hip fan) and he wants to understand why some people LOVE HIP concerts. I can't articulate what it means to attend one of these amazing concerts... could anyone take a swing at it in 200 words or less?

I'm trying to get him to come to one this summer, so we'll see.

I'd love to hear some of the explanations!

[direwolf74]

For one, they're the best live band on the freakin' planet. And two, Gord Downie is arguably the most original and entertaining frontman in rock. Not to mention the fact that they're brilliant songwriters. Those reasons alone should be enough to convince your friend to take in a Hip show.

[sean.bonner]

I go purely for the beer.
i'm sure everyone here would agree.

[jeromio]

I would equate it to Michael Jordan's stint with the Washington Wizards, if you didn't see him with the Bulls, you're kicking yourself so you have to go see him, a legend past his prime is still a legend no doubt.......... Although your not expecting him to dunk from the free throw line or do any 360 reverses, he still captivates and impresses the hell out you, you still have the feeling that you are witnessing a part of history and the flashes of shear brilliance are electrifying and piss shivering in their own rite. You end up walking away with that lucky and inspiring feeling to dig into their past and learn how such a humble group of tight buddies could captivate an entire nation with solid thought provoking rock n’ roll music. And the experience will bring you back, if not for the atmospheric sing a long, Gordisms, and interpetive dance , for the fact that your dream of them throwing “I’m a Werewolf Baby” into the middle of NOIS or playing “Day For Night” in its entirety is going to have to wait till you shell out the $50 plus bucks the next time around………………….. ya never know, its an addiction

[jeromio]

ya the beer works for me too!!!!!

[direwolf74]

I would equate it to Michael Jordan's stint with the Washington Wizards, if you didn't see him with the Bulls, you're kicking yourself so you have to go see him, a legend past his prime is still a legend no doubt.......... Although your not expecting him to dunk from the free throw line or do any 360 reverses, he still captivates and impresses the hell out you, you still have the feeling that you are witnessing a part of history and the flashes of shear brilliance are electrifying and piss shivering in their own rite. You end up walking away with that lucky and inspiring feeling to dig into their past and learn how such a humble group of tight buddies could captivate an entire nation with solid thought provoking rock n’ roll music. And the experience will bring you back, if not for the atmospheric sing a long, Gordisms, and interpetive dance , for the fact that your dream of them throwing “I’m a Werewolf Baby” into the middle of NOIS or playing “Day For Night” in its entirety is going to have to wait till you shell out the $50 plus bucks the next time around………………….. ya never know, its an addiction

Great post!

:thumb:

[hip]

Approximately 2 hours of pure ecstasy!

[NegPhil]

Rock concerts tend to be more or less the same. They start with "Hello, it's great to be here in (insert your town here!) Then the band launches into a standard set list with some scripted witty banter caped off with a half hearted "Thank you, good night!" Even the greats like U2 and The Stones fallow this formula. The Tragically Hip take that standard formula, rip it into small pieces, roll up man sized splifs and smoke the shit out of it.

[thompson girl]

For me its all about 1) the sights - the band and the crowd getting so into it; 2) the sound - definitely the band; and 3) the smells - yeah, you know what I'm talking about! Yep, its 2 hrs of pure ecstasy - you can completely lose yourself in the music.

[fingernailsonhull]

National pride.

Guys, I never understood the flag-wavers at Hip shows before. And for shows in Canada, I still don't. But after living in the US for a year and longing for things quintessentially Canadian, seeing The Hip in Indianapolis swelled my Canadian pride.

[worldpeace]

Cause it's so good.

[direwolf74]

Rock concerts tend to be more or less the same. They start with "Hello, it's great to be here in (insert your town here!) Then the band launches into a standard set list with some scripted witty banter caped off with a half hearted "Thank you, good night!" Even the greats like U2 and The Stones fallow this formula. The Tragically Hip take that standard formula, rip it into small pieces, roll up man sized splifs and smoke the shit out of it.

:lol: :thumb:

[mastodonfarm]

A true "music lover", especially of the live performance variety, gets emotionally moved by a great live show. Strong memories and feelings that last a lifetime, regardless of the quality/quantity of alcohol/drugs ingested are created.

This is especially true of a great live show band/artist. The Hip might be just almost the best at this. I feel Pearl Jam is the absolute best modern/still relevant live show band. I love the Hip and their music more than PJ and their tunes. Way more. But no band "moves" me more in a live show than Pearl Jam. Is it McCready's kick ass jamming? The 30 song sets? The fact that no two sets list are close in similarity? All of this? I don't know. I can't define what causes the intangible element of music "moving" me.

And since I think I blew the 200 word limit, I will say out of the 3 tours I've seen the Hip play (the 3 most recent) this latest one was by far the best. Gord's onstage antics, great varied setlists, great covers, and a more sophisticated appreciation of the band's talent - allowing me to know which chap to look at at different points in the show. (Do yourself a favor and don't watch Gord's antics the ENTIRE show. Just like at PJ show - if you're watching Eddie the whole time, you're ripping yourself off.)

[mookytc]

It can be a life changing experience....

[thedarkcanuck]

It can be a life changing experience....

the first time, it is a life changing experience