[Gortron]

Since the charlottetown show is coming up in one week the excitement is building inside of me.

I guess what I want to know is at what point does it hit you and how hard does it hit you?

Does it increase gradually? Are you as excited the day the show is announced as you are walking into the venue?

Interested to hear from people who have been to many shows as well and how it may have fluctuated from first show to 50th show. if at all.

Just talking about the pre-show feelings people have. Speaking for myself, I gotta say I'm pumped. Up until the show was announced for PEI i was actually becoming paranoid. Thinking maybe they will never come back to the maritimes Maybe tragedy will strike someone in the band, or strike me before i see the hip again. Stupid thinking i know but i was especially worried cause i'd missed the last show in halifax and grieving hard. so when i heard the news it was a tremendous relief feeling and now that that is out of the way, strong anticipation is setting in.

I'm taking a first-timer who is familiar with all of their songs but doesn't really know how awesome the live show is yet so she isn't really psyched like me or you would be. i wonder how that will change after this show for her.

[Ry222]

I'm going to the Saturday show at Fort York, and have been so excited since I got my tickets but it actually hit me when I was listening to Live Between Us in my car the other day during Don't Wake Daddy. I actually got chills and now I am starting to get really impatient.....One of my favourite parts of Hip concerts is when you are waiting for the Hip to take the stage and there is a hum in the crowd and the stage lights dim and the crowd erupts...I can't wait till tomorrow. Your friend is going to have an amazing first time!!!

[thompson girl]

I'm gonna tell you about the feelings I get before a concert, but let me tell you why I feel this way. You've probably heard this story before from some people who have been on here longer than me. But, let me tell you about the day of the Silver Jet video shoot. I was one of the lucky people who got picked to be in what they had planned to be the main part of the video (they ended up changing their plans they day of the shoot). Anyway, there were only about 20 of us who had to be there first thing in the a.m. (around 8 am). The group of us sat around reading, playing cards and talking. The radio was on in the background. Around 11 a.m, while we were still waiting to go on set, Ahead by A Century happened to come on the radio. We all looked at each and I think it all hit us (I know it hit me) at the same time: We're actually going to be "up close and personal" with the Hip. That was the coolest feeling ever. I got really excited then and couldn't wait to get on set.

In the meantime, the organizer kept promising us that she'd get Gord D. to come out and say hi to us. But I think all of us were thinking "yeah, right". By this time it was like 1 p.m., and the second larger group of extras had arrived. We were all sitting around chatting, then all of a sudden the door to the set opens (every time that door opened all day everybody looked to see who it was and to see if we could see anything beyond the door) and out walks Gord! Holy cr*p! I think everyone's mouth dropped for 1 second, then all of a sudden everyone rushed him. I think we were all like, "Holy Sh*t, that's Gord Downie!". What an amazing feeling! So anyway, he came out to chat, take pictures and sign autographs, as did Rob and Johnny.

Finally by around 2 pm I think (heck, it was probably much later), we got on set. Since I was one of the people who were there since 8 a.m., I got to get in first and head right to the front of the set (right at the stage). Okay, so here's where the feelings change again. I was standing there and it hit me as to what exactly I was doing. It was a lot of standing around, listening to Silver Jet over and over and over again, and it was hot as he^l in there, but it was so worth it. The feelings were just amazing. I felt so special to be a part of all that. I got to chat with the guys while at the front of the stage, and also listen to an impromptu jam session as they waited for the cameras to be adjusted. Nothing better than listening to the best base players ever, Gord S. and Rob B. jamming out some tunes.

As I finally left the warehouse with my camera full of pictures and my autographed poster (for having been there for 12+ hours) it hit me as to what just happened! And ever since that day I've totally had a completely different respect for those guys. So, as for the feelings I get before a concert....I always think back to 2002. While seeing them on stage is sort of anti-climatic after the more personal interaction I got at the video shoot, I just get chills hearing them launch into the next song. I am so happy for the fact that they are still playing. There are always rumours that "this is the last tour ever", so I savour every concert like its my last one.

These are the feelings I get, I just feel really special that I'm able to experience their music.

[diehardhipfan]

i havent been to a Hip concert, but im goin to the one in Stratford and the feeling is overwelming and it keeps increasing everyday. I deffently dont know what im in for but im ready, when i watch or listen to the live concerts i get nots in my stomach..its like "soon im gonna experience something totally awesome and amazing.... lol sorry for the rambling...