The Tragically Hip and The Weakerthans

[xcanuck]

Burning the candle at both ends but it's worth it. We saw the Hip in Detroit and Cleveland. The Hip were their usual rocking selves. Gord was in fine form, ranting and going on about all sorts of nonsense when he wasn't singing. But, to be honest, nothing out of the ordinary.
 
 Sam Roberts, however, delivered the goods. He rocked his Montreal heart out and won over all the Yanks in the audience who had never heard him before. Solid rock and roll. No frills. Just 110% effort and energy.
 
 Then I went on another roadtrip (just got back this morning) from seeing the Weakerthans in Pittsburgh and Philly. I am blown away by the following they've accumulated, inspite of not having any airplay. There were close to 1000 people last night in Philly and everyone seemed to know all the words to all the songs. I guess they're not Winnipeg's best kept secret anymore.
 
 One night off....and then it's Sam Roberts, the Hip and Weakerthans all in one day tomorrow...then off to Philly for another Hip show.
 
 yes....I'm obsessed. My wife is arranging for an intervention...

[sonickteam2]

how do you people get all this time off work?

[xcanuck]

Originally posted by sonickteam2:
  how do you people get all this time off work?

Here's the beauty of it. The Detroit and Cleveland Hip shows were on Sat and Sun so we didn't take any time off (although Mon morning was kinda brutal). I'm seeing a total of 10 Tragically Hip/Sam Roberts shows on this tour and only taking ONE day off to make it all happen!
 
 I *did* have to take a couple of days off to make the Weakerthan shows happen, but it's worth it. They're probably my favorite band from the Northland.
 
 Sonickteam2 - you going to go to the Baltimore show, too?

[Charlie Nakatestes, Japanese Golfer]

But doesn't this Sam Roberts fella suck?

[xcanuck]

Originally posted by Rhett Miller:
  But doesn't this Sam Roberts fella suck?

Oh, he DEFINITELY sucks, if you're a cooler-than-thou hipster that only like bands that Mojo, Q, and Pitchfork like.
 
 But if you like straight ahead, energetic rock and roll, then he's f**king amazing.
 
   

[Charlie Nakatestes, Japanese Golfer]

Then he's like John Cougar Mellencamp?
 
 

Originally posted by xcanuck:
   

Originally posted by Rhett Miller:
  But doesn't this Sam Roberts fella suck?

Oh, he DEFINITELY sucks, if you're a cooler-than-thou hipster that only like bands that Mojo, Q, and Pitchfork like.
 
 But if you like straight ahead, energetic rock and roll, then he's f**king amazing.
 
         [/b]

[sonickteam2]

Originally posted by xcanuck:
 
 Sonickteam2 - you going to go to the Baltimore show, too?

mayhaps.  its 10 minutes from my house...but with Clinic, Deftones, Ted Leo, Libertines and Death Cab all the week before, and then my weekend of following Muse around....it may not happen
 
  they usually play Ont. over the holidays somewhere..

[sonickteam2]

Originally posted by Rhett Miller:
  Then he's like John Cougar Mellencamp?
 

i am so sure you are NOT making fun of the Coug.  :mad:

[Bags]

Originally posted by sonickteam2:
  but with Clinic, Deftones, Ted Leo, Libertines and Death Cab all the week before, and then my weekend of following Muse around....it may not happen
 

And don't forget Interpol...  

[Charlie Nakatestes, Japanese Golfer]

The Bottle Rockets do it way better than I ever could...
 
 
 Got a tow, from a guy named Joe.
 Cost sixty dollars hope I don't run outta dough.
 Told me 'bout a sex offense put him three days in jail,
 Stuck in Indianapolis hope I live to tell the tale.
 I'm stuck in Indianapolis, with a fuel pump that's deceased.          
 Ten days on the road now I'm four hours from my hometown
   
 Is this Hell or Indianapolis, with no way to get around.
 
 Called my girl to tell her all the trouble that I had.
 First time I called her in ten days, guess that made her mad.
 Far as she's concerned I'm stuck here in this Hoosier State.
 Stuck in Indianapolis with no way to set things straight.
 
 CHORUS
 Sittin' in this bar is gettin' more than I can stand,
 If I could catch a ride, would they think I ditched this band.
 Who knows what this repair'll cost, scared to spend a dime.
 I'll puke if that jukebox plays John Cougar one more time!
 But if  I ever leave here I hope never to return,
 If I get that van back, man the road I'm gonna burn.
 Right now my future's in the hands of the boys down at Firestone.
 Stuck in Indianapolis, feelin' all alone.
 CHORUS
 
 
 

Originally posted by sonickteam2:
   

Originally posted by Rhett Miller:
  Then he's like John Cougar Mellencamp?
 

i am so sure you are NOT making fun of the Coug.   :mad:  [/b]

[xcanuck]

QUOTE]they usually play Ont. over the holidays somewhere.. [/QB][/QUOTE]
 
 Canadian tour dates have already been announced. Ontario shows are:
 
 11/26 - Toronto, ON / ACC on sale now
 11/27 - London, ON / John Labatt Center on sale 11/28 - Ottawa, ON / Civic Centre on sale now

[sonickteam2]

Originally posted by xcanuck:
  Canadian tour dates have already been announced. Ontario shows are:
 
 11/26 - Toronto, ON / ACC on sale now
 11/27 - London, ON / John Labatt Center on sale 11/28 - Ottawa, ON / Civic Centre on sale now

and hot damn if i dont have a flight to Toronto already booked for 11/26.  

[ggw]

The Hip were hot last night.
 
 No. Really.
 
 It was like a hundred degrees in the Club.  The walls were sweating.
 
 Temperature notwithstanding, it was a great, great show.  In a selfish way, it's a good thing the band is not as revered here as they are in the Great White North.  Much nicer to see a band this good in a 1,000-person club than a 15,000-seat arena.  I'll probably make the trek to Recher next month.  
 
 Saturday, September 25, 2004
 Setlist - 9:30 Club, Washington, DC, Sept. 25, 2004
 
 As Makeshift As We Are
 Grace, Too
 Summer's Killing Us
 Poets
 It's A Good Life If You Don't Weaken
 Heaven Is A Better Place Today
 Inevitability Of Death
 In Bobcaygeon
 Nautical Disaster
 It Can't Be Nashville Every Night
 Vaccination Scar
 Fighter Figter
 100th Meridian
 Something On
 New Orleans Is Sinking
 Gus The Polar Bear From Central Park
 My Music @ Work
 
 Encore:
 Ahead By A Century
 Blow At High Dough

[sonickteam2]

Wonderful show on Saturday night. I agree with ggw, its hard to get tickets for thier small shows in Canada. and so its nice to see them from 8 ft away every once off.  The energy was great too, Gord hasn't slowed down a bit.  
 
   There was a full fledged mob of Canadians up front, jumping around.  And i forgot how its ok to just push people out of your way and jump around and spill beer and smoke cigarettes when you really dont have enough room...when you're in Canada.  haha.

[xcanuck]

Originally posted by sonickteam2:
  Wonderful show on Saturday night. I agree with ggw, its hard to get tickets for thier small shows in Canada. and so its nice to see them from 8 ft away every once off.  The energy was great too, Gord hasn't slowed down a bit.  
 

Definitely a great show. We were right up against the rail and Gord was a dripping wet machine. I've never seen anyone sweat the way he does.
 
 We went to Philly last night to see them play there and I have to admit that last night's show was possibly the most energetic I've seen from the band in a the last few years. Gord completely lost it towards the end of the show. He was riding his mic stand like it was a horse and bent the stand to a 90 degree angle. Then he lost his balance and fell down. He stayed on the floor but kept screaming about how his horse had fallen on him, broken his leg, crushed his pelvis, and the tide was coming in. It was pretty damn funny.
 
 *sigh* Three weeks off before we go to Burlington, Albany, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Grand Rapids, Toledo, and finally a show in Ottawa. Nothing like a Hip tour.