The Titanic Terrarium

Killer Whale Tank wrote:one of the greatest front-men in the history of rock and roll.

Yup, along with Freddie, who Gord has referenced numerous times over the years...

Killer Whale Tank wrote:I find the most powerful moments at concerns are often the ones you don't expect. E.g., for me, 'Scared,' with its 'pleasure doing business with you' line was powerful, but I'd already played that scenario in my mind so often that its real-world impact was not as harrowing as it would have been had it caught me unprepared. 'This is our life' had moved me deeply in the Vancouver show; so the effect this time was more muted for me. On the other hand, I teared up dramatically at the very start when 50 Mission Cap started!! A lifetime of memories relating to the Hip came flooding back in that moment. Go figure.

And what *did* catch me unprepared was the primal screaming at the end of 'Grace Too.' 'Here? Now? NOOOO!!' It was impossible to believe that Gord was NOT channeling his own horror, rage, and denial at his own situation and pouring it into those moments. It was a shocking, stripping-it-all-bare act of primal sharing with the audience. 'I can make you scared' - indeed.

On a purely musical level, the most exciting moments, to my ear, were 'Machine' - WHICH F**KING KILLED, just killed - and maybe NOIS, just for the sheer ferocity with which it was played, every bit as committed and intense as the very first time.

The band did it right, as well knew they would. 100% total commitment, leaving nothing left. Watching Gord be physically supported as he left the stage for the final time pretty much said all you need to know about the incredible force of this, one of the greatest front-men in the history of rock and roll.

Well said

That performance of Grace Too was staggering, I was left emotionally drained by it.

Lizard King wrote:That performance of Grace Too was staggering, I was left emotionally drained by it.

Yea, that was probably the most epic thing I've ever seen. The raw emotion was almost frightening in a way.

direwolf74 wrote:

Lizard King wrote:That performance of Grace Too was staggering, I was left emotionally drained by it.

Yea, that was probably the most epic thing I've ever seen. The raw emotion was almost frightening in a way.

It was, he almost had me concerned there for a moment but he snapped out of it and I could breathe again. I'm still not sure if that was just a Gord stage thing or if he really was breaking.

I'm with Sean - no words. I wouldn't be able to write anything to do it justice. So incredibly honoured to have been a part of last night. Merci beaucoup TTH.

Lizard King wrote:

direwolf74 wrote:

Lizard King wrote:That performance of Grace Too was staggering, I was left emotionally drained by it.

Yea, that was probably the most epic thing I've ever seen. The raw emotion was almost frightening in a way.

It was, he almost had me concerned there for a moment but he snapped out of it and I could breathe again. I'm still not sure if that was just a Gord stage thing or if he really was breaking.

You never really know with Gord. But from my perspective that felt pretty damn real. And if it wasn't, holy shit. What a performance either way.

I discovered something I already knew I guess, which is that seating can have a huge impact on my concert experience. I saw them in Ottawa earlier in the week, standing directly in front of them about halfway back on the floor, & it appeared that the band sorta all stood in a loose line in front of me (Johnny being the obvious exception lol). But from the side, which is where I sat last night, it becomes immediately obvious that that's not the case. The other guys in the band are in fact quite closely clustered around Gord the whole night. It's a very moving visual when it hits you, as it did several times during the night--esp for parts of Fiddlers Green which tore me up.

These are a couple of images I found that give an idea of what I'm talking about.

Compare this, which is how it appeared to me from straight on (obv from the back, just because I didn't want to search for another hour to find a decent front view):


to this, which is the visual that emerges when I saw them from the side:




Maybe it's unconscious on their part, that as soon as they fire up they are all right there in case Gord needs them. It was just really lovely to watch them, to my mind anyway, "take care" of Gord in this way.

I really noticed the emotions & chemistry among the guys last night. When they played, the way they make room for eachother almost without even thinking about it, without actually needing to look up & watch the other person move. Gord apologizing to Paul for his lyric stumbles, & Paul looking at him like... I can't even put his expression into words. The way you look at your own brother telling you he needs to bug you to drive him to the hospital because he broke his leg but you find out later from someone else he did it rescuing your dog from a fire. The comfortable physical intimacy, hugging oneanother, kissing Gord--to me, it's really extraordinary that they would share that with the audience. All of them linked arm in arm at the very end, saying thankyou/goodbye as a band.

Someone started an earlier thread about Gord S being on fire this tour--he was amazing last night. And I got the impression it was a particularly hard night for our man Gord. Things he couldn't hide, even if he might have wished to.

What a night, it was amazing being there with the boys. Best crowd I have ever seen... everyone was fully into it. Just got back into London.

Two questions..

1) Where can I stream or download the CBC broadcast of the show? I forgot to PVR it before I went down to Kingston.

2) In Market Square before the show there was what seemed to be a documentary about the Hip playing on the big screen. What is the name of this? Where can I see it?

Thank in advance.

Gibie wrote:What a night, it was amazing being there with the boys. Best crowd I have ever seen... everyone was fully into it. Just got back into London.

Two questions..

1) Where can I stream or download the CBC broadcast of the show? I forgot to PVR it before I went down to Kingston.

2) In Market Square before the show there was what seemed to be a documentary about the Hip playing on the big screen. What is the name of this? Where can I see it?

Thank in advance.

I'm on the road so I can't search that thoroughly but it was a CKWS production, think it was called An Hour of Hip.

Nothing much I can say to add to the beautiful things people have written about last night. We were first row behind the stage between Gord and Paul. It was indeed an incredible celebration from beginning to end.

Here's a video my wife took of their final bow and exit.

https://youtu.be/uNs6kprTkjI

What a tour. What a show. What a band.

I'm beautifully drained.

In terms of the setlist, we should probably add an honourary mention to 'The Dark Canuck'...which, after all, is what the JAWS T-shirt is meant to signify

EDIT: as for TO#4 and Fiddler's Green, they took on new meaning in the tour and especially last night. They're about Gord himself, now - or at least, are impossible not to hear that way.

I have 3 maybe 4 commemorative posters from last night to give to the great fans on this forum. Will try to ship them out on Friday when back form a business trip. PM me if interested.
*Edit* the posters are spoken for, it's a crazy travel week so I will PM all who contacted me when I get a chance.

thebends wrote:I have 3 maybe 4 commemorative posters from last night to give to the great fans on this forum. Will try to ship them out on Friday when back form a business trip. PM me if interested.

Sent you PM. Thank you so much for offering this group. That is amazing.

Sent you a pm. Thank you for your generosity and spirit of community.