[glennagain99]

I have been a T.H. fan since the late 80,s.Due to where I live and work have just seen them 4 times.Latest being last week in Kamloops.Had been looking forward to the show for so long but part way through for some reason my excitement seemed to be getting less.Wasnt sure exactly why .
But I do now.For starters there were just far too many songs from the new CD.
( I was so worried they would do Music @ Work,Thankfully they didnt)

A CD that all in all is not that good in the first place.Lets face it,like most bands who seem to thrive on the road and are at their best,the T.H. have never been one to release subperb CD,s that you can listen to all the way through and only pull out a handful of songs that you considered great.This new CD has even less of those.

I remember looking forward to the release of the live CD.Even that disapointed me so a few years back I made my own live TH CD from downloading live material and my CD was far superior.My question to my wife was"if I could make a great TH CD why couldnt they"?
And from reading this forum I realized what else was wrtong with the show.It was them playing every song on stage identical to the recordings.If the song were 3.36 on the CD it was 3.36 on stage.Again, the TH just have far too many 3minute songs on their CD,s.Just when a song seems to get going it ends
Everytime I hear Fully Completly live it feels like the song has to go on longer.Not just stop where the recording did.
Also on this tour Gord just isnt into his story telling like he used to be.Now he is more into dancing and to be honest I thought the playing with the mike stand during Meridiam looked silly.
All in all I left the show very disapointed.
Maybe every year on the road for 20 years is slowing them down, maybe the thrill just isnt there for them anymore either?

Oh,and I too am sick of NOIS.When they did it in Kamloops they just went through the motions.
And doing a boring Bob Dylan song for an encore?
Whats with that?

Thankfully they ended the night with a great version of Blow. That song is still done very powerfully on stage

One last thing.

For someone to say...

"easy solution if you're sick of hearing songs..don't go to the shows...it's that simple..if we all know that there will be certain songs played, accept it..deal with it..move on with it.."

A person says they are sick of one song and it is suggested dont go to the show then?????

Well yes sir!

[BakersBrew]

I agree with your comments about the Hip's live show. They are completely predictable, which is something Rob Baker had suggested that he couldn't accept with other bands that he followed. I have songs by the Hip that I absolutely can't stand anymore, and it just seems like they play them out of convenience, or because it is within their comfort zone.
I do happen to really like the new album, however, once they play 9 songs from there, and usually five staples (poets, courage, springtime, etc) there isn't a great deal of room for the unexpected on the setlist. And why the flippin covers? When was the last time they played fight?
I have front row seats for the ACC, but, I'm keeping my expectations low.

[grimes]

Yeah their shows are way too predictable. Like last summer when they didn't repeat a single song over two nights at Fort York. And played 38 Years Old for the first time in a decade. I saw that coming a mile away. Or last fall when other than the new album they didn't really repeat any songs night to night. And they decided to play Fiddler's Green live for the first time EVER. And played 60+ different songs over the course of the tour.

:roll:

[Rye]

I was going to make a new topic that was somewhat related so I figured I'd just post my comments here.

The Hip were the first arena rock show I saw live. I was thirteen and it was the first show in Winnipeg for the Trouble At The Henhouse tour. I remember that tour and on the Phantom Power tour everything seemed a lot more spontaneous than their setlists from the past six years or so. The popularity of the internet may have something to do with this as it is now possible for us to check setlists nightly. The Hip however have such a large catalogue of songs now that they can draw from, I really don't understand why they don't switch it up more. I have always been a Pearl Jam for, or at least since I started listening to music around when Vitalogy came out, but since about 2000 or so they have surpassed The Hip as my favourite band. Anyone who is familiar with their music and has seen them live appreciates the "anything can happen at any moment" feel to their shows. If you look at The Hip's sets from this tour, it's 22 songs every night (or something like that). I wish that if the crowd sucked one night, they'd cut things short and if the crowd was awesome, treat us to a 25+ song set. I guess it's stupid to complain about a band when there are bigger things in life, but a lot of us have invested a lot of money into being a Hip fan and I just wish they'd go that extra mile more often which I know they are capable of.

[Corby]

For starters there were just far too many songs from the new CD.

They are touring to promote their new album, I was actually a bit surprised they weren't playing a couple more from WC.

I think I can understand where you are coming from, and I'd agree the show they're putting on is a little different. But for me(being at the Kamloops show myself) the show was incredible as ever. Every song, NOIS included, pounded. And from my vantage, I didn't see anyone in the crowd not having a great time.

A person says they are sick of one song and it is suggested dont go to the show then?

You're paying to go to The Hip's show. If you don't want to hear a song live, the only way you can guarantee that is not going. The Hip will play what they want, and (almost) everyone watching will have a great time.

the T.H. have never been one to release subperb CD,s that you can listen to all the way through and only pull out a handful of songs that you considered great.

I'm not touching that.

[bug_superstar79]

"Doing a boring Bob Dylan song for an encore"?? Wow, what a statement. That would make the show for me.

[skippy the wonder dog]

I can't stand boring Bob Dylan songs.

Which is why I'm thankful that there aren't any.

For those who complain about covers, some people like covers. Covers used to be a staple of live performances. One of the attractions of covers is that you don't know what they might pull out and play, so for someone complaining about monotonous setlists to complain that a band surprised you with a cover would be, well, ironic.

I don't know about this "same as the record" knock. With some songs, perhaps, but with most they play them differently. NOIS, yes, and I find that they tend to play new songs like the record, which is playing it safe. But Meridian, for example, is not at all like the record anymore. ABAC is not like the record, to its detriment. Lake Fever is not like the record. Daredevil is not like the record.

The Hip have been fairly conservative with setlists recently, with the exception of small venues. No, folks, I don't consider pulling out a couple of unplayed songs (Fiddlers and 38 yrs old) to be playing the same show night after night. But you pays your money and you takes your chances. A big part pf your enjoyment of any show lies with you, with the expectations you carry in and your attitude towards the music.

It's up to you to enjoy the show. All the band can do is play the music.

[cferneyh]

You don't like the new CD.

You didn't like Music @ Work.

You were disappointed with Live Between Us.

You feel they have too many "3 minute songs".

You don't like Gord's stage antics.

Are you sure you actually like the band?

[Hard Canadian]

1: The Lonely End Of The Rink
2: New Orleans Is Sinking
3: Summer's Killing Us
4: It's A Good Life If You Don't Weaken
5: The Drop-Off
6: Boots Or Hearts
7: In View
8: Poets
9: Long Time Running
10: World Container
11: Springtime In Vienna
12: At The Hundredth Meridian
13: Ahead By A Century
14: The Kids Don't Get It
15: Fully Completely
16: Wheat Kings
17: Family Band
18: Fifty-Mission Cap
19: Fire In The Hole
20: On A Night Like This
21: Yer Not The Ocean
22: Blow At High Dough


....and your complaining? i can only wish they play a similar set in hamilton. you were able to catch wheat kings, fifty mission cap and world container in the same night. i envy you. in my opinion the kamloops show held one of the better set lists of the current tour. it's too bad you don't appreciate the hip for what they are worth.

[prairieman]

I'm not gonna touch anything but this, since the rest of the base is doing a good job on it

maybe the thrill just isnt there for them anymore either

I'm 37, I have been going to hip shows since 89, and I have never, I repeat never seen the boyz so pumped to be performing, especially Gord. His performance on night 2 at Mac Hall, and the recent performance at Rexall were fooking amazing.

edited for horrible spe;;ing, must still be recovering from Sunday :mrgreen:

[glennagain99]

I can't stand boring Bob Dylan songs.

Which is why I'm thankful that there aren't any.

(Well yea there are.Not many but there are a few and if someone was doing some sort of tribute to Dylan doing On A Night Like This is a very poor choice.)

Well just the kind of comments I expected.If you dont like everything teh TH do you are not a fan.If you were disapointed in the show you are not a fan.If you dont like seeing a band do songs note for note, second for second as on the CD you are not a fan.

Yea right.
A real fan will say when something is not good.Not be like a groupie and say everything is great.Like a husband will tell his wife if she doesnt look good.

I simply feel being on the road for part of every year over the last 20 has brought there performance down a few notches.
And no I dont like a steady supply of 3 minute songs.Especially on stage when the band in the past have been known for their extended songs

[daylight]

Well just the kind of comments I expected.If you dont like everything teh TH do you are not a fan.If you were disapointed in the show you are not a fan.If you dont like seeing a band do songs note for note, second for second as on the CD you are not a fan.

Yea right.
A real fan will say when something is not good.Not be like a groupie and say everything is great.Like a husband will tell his wife if she doesnt look good.

Show me where somebody accused you of not being a fan. Please.

The constant debates over setlists/songs/whatever on this site indicate that many of the users are willing to look at the Hip critically and not just deliver mindless praise. I hate Pretend and I wish they'd stop playing it. I could do without hearing NOIS now and then. However, I can still go to a show and thoroughly enjoy myself, in spite of a few complaints. I think what you'd need in order to have fun at a Hip show is a time machine.

[skippy the wonder dog]

I can't stand boring Bob Dylan songs.

Which is why I'm thankful that there aren't any.

(Well yea there are.Not many but there are a few and if someone was doing some sort of tribute to Dylan doing On A Night Like This is a very poor choice.)

Los Lobos, Buckwheat Zydeco, and Gord Downie would all disagree with you. I think what you have there is a matter of personal taste.

As for being a fan, or not, artists change and move on. If you don't like what they're doing now, maybe you're, um, not a fan of what they're doing now.

There's actually nothing wrong with that. It's one of them matters of personal taste.

No need to start arguing over who's the bigger fan. Remember, the function of a fan is to move hot air. It really isn't good for anything else.

[opiated]

the kamloops was a great setlist....wow..what a shock..new songs from a new album they're touring to promote..how dare they...and knowing full well how shitty kamloops crowds can be, they were rockin hard that night, but i guess they didn't realize what a shitty band they've become, and how un-animated gord has become, or how johnny just can't pound on the drums like he used to, or that fire in the hole isn't a fucking great way to finish the main set...
they've never sounded this tight, this good..gords voice which was the topic of discussion on the last tour of how "bad" it was getting, has never sounded as great as he does now....they are from a boring band, the setlists offer a ton of surprises, especially compared to MOST bands out there..they're having a blast on stage, robbie couldn't wipe the smile off his face in Kamloops....

i'll get off my soapbox now

[spottrax]

Everyone is entitled to their opinion (when the tool police aren't watching) here. Fans come in all sizes and shapes. None of us would ever agree on what the perfect show from the Hip would be. Just look at the set list threads and the reviews from shows and it's easy to see that we all like different albums, songs and aspects of the band.

That said, I think there should be more of an appreciation for the certain things regarding the Hip. #1) 99% of the bands who even still tour from the late 80's don't have but one or two original members- the Hip are the same five guys they were in 1988. #2) most bands from that era either play the same predictable set list night after night and maybe mix in one or two new songs (that probably suck) to an ever shrinking audience-the Hip might not sell what they once did but they produce continued quality albums and continue to tour away from their families for the love of playing for us fans....Im sure they could retire and be just fine if they wanted. #3)I believe the Hip care not only about us fans but about the longevity and strength of the band, thus maybe they don't play the set lists we all would like but they play what they enjoy and feel comfortable with (as well as playing singnature songs they believe over 50% of the audience wants to hear). I'm sure the number of songs played by the end of the tour will top 60-70....not bad.

I must say this too..... only my opinion but I LOVE THE THE FACT THESE GUYS ARE DOING ONE COVER SONG PER NIGHT..... it keeps things fresh for the band and keeps us on our toes!!!

I do agree with wanting to play NOIS less.....Springtime, Pretend and Bob C too....... but hell maybe these songs have some deeper meaning for Gord......hats off to him....play em every night and I'd still go when they come to my town......CANT WAIT FOR DETROIT!!!!!