[eatmecompletely]

are they loosing there steam ?
I have been a huge hip fan since 1993
and after looking at the set list it appears to be the same show over and over again
please note i am not writing this to be negative i strongly believe they are the best live and will see them every chance i can get

but after seeing them in nyc last summer i was left not impressed at all

since than i have seen phish 6 times, and every show was different and exciting phish never plays the same song twice
i know the hip and phish are two different animals, but how many times can they open with depression suite nois ect...
even gord looked like all his improves were planned out and he is so expected to do crazy dances that it has gotten a little out of control

anyone else share these feelings that they are loosing their steam

[Joe]

I probably would've agreed in 2006. But now I think this is the best form they've been in since 2000

[thedarkcanuck]

can steam be loosened? its either there or its not. in regards to the hip, i think its still there

[sean.bonner]

I have been following The Hip since 2004ish... not that long in the scheme of things. Seeing setlists is just something that intrigues about any band, especially when its my favourite band. Since following The Hip there have been two tours/"eras"(?) that the setlists have absolutely just blown me away. Summer 2006, and pretty much this entire 2009 tour.
Also, just from listening to bootlegs, seeing a few shows each tour, and reading reviews, I believe that the actual performances of this epic setlists has been sensational.

Look at the stats page.
Tiger The Lion. Throwing Off Glass. Looking For A Place To Happen. The Bear... just to name a few.

I think the setlists for the We Are The Same tour are a welcome change from the greatest hits-esque setlists of the World Container tour.

[Zenith]

I have been following The Hip since 2004ish... not that long in the scheme of things. Seeing setlists is just something that intrigues about any band, especially when its my favourite band. Since following The Hip there have been two tours/"eras"(?) that the setlists have absolutely just blown me away. Summer 2006, and pretty much this entire 2009 tour.
Also, just from listening to bootlegs, seeing a few shows each tour, and reading reviews, I believe that the actual performances of this epic setlists has been sensational.

Look at the stats page.
Tiger The Lion. Throwing Off Glass. Looking For A Place To Happen. The Bear... just to name a few.

I think the setlists for the We Are The Same tour are a welcome change from the greatest hits-esque setlists of the World Container tour.

Pretty much what I was going to say. I think that they have actually been really mixing it up in 2009, in the same way they were in 2006 and it's a welcome change. I caught five shows in Europe in 2007 and although I had a great time, the setlists got pretty repetitive with the exception of the second night in Amsterdam. The WATS tour has been great in that respect and really gotten me excited about seeing The Hip again.

I haven't been a Hip fan as long as many people here, and I can see where you're coming from, but I still think they put on one hell of a show for a band that's been going for as long as they have. You think the Hip don't mix up their setlists? Have you ever been to a Rush show or (as much as I love them) a Manic Street Preachers show - One song gets changed it you're lucky.

[mookytc]

Exactly bands just play the same material over and over. The hip tries their best to keep it as fresh as possible. Remember the latest tour is always in support of the latest release. Imo...it s just a matter of how motivated the band is to hit the road and play live. If you notice on this current tour they hit the road in streaks of weeks and then take a break. Not the grind it out night after night, month after month routine. This I think would also help them stay fresh through it all.

What is the motivation at this point? The money and fame have been achieved. Every CD is different and great none the less.

Morning rambling...

[mastodonfarm]

In the past, I've whined that their set lists are too similar. When a bad is a touring band, and there are fans who will see them 3, 7, 15 times a tour "familiar" set lists are a drag.

That being said, I haven't noticed it as much this tour. Acoustic sets and rarities are for me, proof of that.

[mastodonfarm]

And also, it's got to be hard for to make each night's set list I imagine. First off, pick the songs that you and the rest of the band like. Then pick stuff yer just feeling for that night. Then mix in a fair number of new songs to support the current album. Then what? Old classics that some want to hear and others will complain are played too much. Newer classics that most want to hear but the old timers think are weak. Then there's Yer Favorites that seemingly always have to be played in order to keep the casual fans satisfied. All while trying to keep a rhythm and flow to the overall list which sets the mood for the night.

It all seems lose-lose (or win-win depending on how you view your glass!) - can't satisfy all of the people all of the time.

I bet a comparison of the IBE and WC tours' set lists and WATS' will show an increase in song variation. Just sayin'...

[eatmecompletely]

i agree and disagree with what everyone has said
i am just trying to state that people are touring with the hip and seeing more than just a couple shows a year
you would think they would step it up and try not to play a different show each night

my point i was trying to get across is that if they expect there fans to travel all over to see them, than mix it up every now and than

look at the stats there are numerous songs they play 80% of the time

while other touring bands such as phish, moe. disco and wsp would never play the same song twice in one night
granted they are jam bands and play many songs for over 20 minutes

but when i look at someone like springsteen who does have a large following that tours with him he has really mixed it up this tour , playing a full different album each show

i understand support of their album, but when was the last tour the hip did just to play?

[Zenith]

my point i was trying to get across is that if they expect there fans to travel all over to see them, than mix it up every now and than

Yeah, but what percentage of any given crowd is made up by the "hardcores" compared to more casual fans who will see the band when they roll into their town, go along, have a few beers and want to sing along to NOIS, Courage, Music @ Work etc. I think you'd find that the touring fans make up a fairly small minority.

[thompson girl]

For me its not about the set list at all. I could care less that I'm guaranteed to hear Meridian every single show. Every single show that version of Meridian is different.

I've seen 12 Hip shows in 2009, and am about to see two more. Every show has been different for me regardless if the set list has been the same. I go for the entertainment factor and for the performance they put on. If I wanted to hear certain songs, I would just stay home and listen to the studio albums.

[HandsInTheRiver41]

I have been following The Hip since 2004ish... not that long in the scheme of things. Seeing setlists is just something that intrigues about any band, especially when its my favourite band. Since following The Hip there have been two tours/"eras"(?) that the setlists have absolutely just blown me away. Summer 2006, and pretty much this entire 2009 tour.

I find this strange since I have also been following the Hip since 2004 but of this decade the only year's setlists that I find exciting are 07's, 02's an 00's. 2009 to an extant but they seem to be ignoring everything but the singles from albums between 2000 and 2006 (and of course, we're still getting the same singles from their earlier albums).

Also, just from listening to bootlegs, seeing a few shows each tour, and reading reviews, I believe that the actual performances of this epic setlists has been sensational.

I have never heard a Hip performance where I've thought the band has sounded tired so although I agree the energy levels are strong, I don't think that is unique property of the 2009 tour.

Look at the stats page.
Tiger The Lion. Throwing Off Glass. Looking For A Place To Happen. The Bear... just to name a few.

I think the setlists for the We Are The Same tour are a welcome change from the greatest hits-esque setlists of the World Container tour.

Those would be great songs to hear but just because they played the Bear once doesn't make the tour amazing. I would love to have heard any of those songs but the truth is the 2009 tour started off strong but the setlists began to lack variety very quickly in June. I saw 4 shows between June and October and I only saw two pre-WAtS songs I hadn't heard before (which for having only seen the band THREE times before 2009, is pretty sad).

Whether we care to admit it or not, Tragically Hip shows still are (and probably always will be) greatest hit shows where we're lucky to hear one different song from their vast catalog.

[HandsInTheRiver41]

And in response to my own post, I want to make a point that I do not want to sound as if I don't still enjoy going to Hip shows. Of course I will still see them any chance I get.

But I go now into a Hip show realizing it will the same amazing show I saw the year before and not an exciting and unique event. Complaining about Hip shows and complaining about Hip setlists are two different things.

since than i have seen phish 6 times, and every show was different and exciting phish never plays the same song twice
i know the hip and phish are two different animals, but how many times can they open with depression suite nois ect...
even gord looked like all his improves were planned out and he is so expected to do crazy dances that it has gotten a little out of control

anyone else share these feelings that they are loosing their steam

Were you at Fest 8?

I had an amazing weekend seeing 2 nights in a row of the Hip and 3 nights in a row of Phish that weekend in SoCal.

[NegPhil]

This is a job for Captian Asshole!

Phish phsuck. :mrgreen:

That beat old junkie can't sing his way out of a wet paper bag. They have never written a great song and they never will because they don't write songs they musically masterbate. Phish are all about drugs because without them nobody could stand such an overrated cover band. Jerry is dead. Move on.

Viva la Hip!!

[eatmecompletely]

This is a job for Captian Asshole!

Phish phsuck. :mrgreen:

That beat old junkie can't sing his way out of a wet paper bag. They have never written a great song and they never will because they don't write songs they musically masterbate. Phish are all about drugs because without them nobody could stand such an overrated cover band. Jerry is dead. Move on.

Viva la Hip!!

wow that was a very short sighted view on music
you obviously have never seen phish nor understand them with a comment like that
what do you mean by drugs, no one does drugs at a hip show?
what a dumb short sighted quote

i was just saying after seeing phish a bunch of times this year and seeing the hip a few times this year, i have lost the excitement with the hip, i no longer check for hip set lists anymore because i know what they will play. Phish is like an adventure you never know what they will do, and they are much more fan oriented from songs like wilson to stash where the fans are encourage to join in naturally ,

where the hip does frozen in my tracks but it does not compare

i am not saying that the hip suck! by any means, i think the hip are amazing! and nothing beats gord live, but after seeing over 30 shows i just feel like its the same thing over and over and over again

how many times can gord pretend to be a race car driver

now if the hip where doing what they did from 93 - 98 i would say rock on !