04/14/07: Cleveland: House of Blues

Been to a show and would like to give a review?

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hashman
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Post by hashman »

thehip11 wrote:Just back to Oakville now. Great show. I still can't believe they played Emperor Penguin and Edmond Fitzgerald. Great to see Hugh, Carolyn and the drunk guys that I see everywhere.

We almost ran out of gas driving to the show but we just made it to the hotel. It was great to see a Penguins victory tonight followed by a penguin song being played.

My ears are still ringing.
well us drunks were happy to see you as well...
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Locked6
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Post by Locked6 »

Wow Penguin, I wish i was there I have been hoping they bring it back, now that they played it I hope they keep playing it for the summer shows I am going to. My favorite song along with Locked.
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hashman
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Post by hashman »

set list with a few autographs...
Image

and all i can say is WOW!!!! and THANKS!....

a special thanks to Robbie, for taking a picture of me and Caroline. :lol:

I was so happy to be able to provide the guys some well earned beers, when the bar in the concert hall closed up shop.

None of this would have been possible without Aarons ( barny0055) extra pass, I cant thank you enough man! :thumb:

Also…. sorry I was unable to make it back to the bus after...fate was working against me once I left the HOB….next time for sure.

Amazing show!, and the after show was definitely the highlight of my "HIP" journey….so far.
Last edited by hashman on Mon Apr 16, 2007 12:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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The Horrible Esthete
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Post by The Horrible Esthete »

All I can say is that The Hip ROCK Cleveland.

This particular show was perhaps the best I've seen in well over five years. The setlist was awesome, and the band played wonderfully.

Hugh touched on this, but I have to emphasize the point that TTH did something very special with the setlist Saturday night. They didn't just play a show in Cleveland -- they played a show for Cleveland. Beyond playing the two songs in their catalog which contain direct references to the Cleveland area, they two huge steps further and covered two other songs which focus specifically on two "nautical disasters" in Cleveland history.

The first was Randy Newman's "Burn on Big River", in remberance of the Cuyahoga River catching fire in 1969. Given that TTH has joined in leading a charge for preserving waterways from pollution, it is no surprise that the band would commemorate this event. In 1969, there were enough industrial pollutants being dumped into the Cuyahoga that the water itself could burn -- and it did:

...There's an oil barge winding
Down the Cuyahoga River
Rolling into Cleveland to the lake

Cleveland city of light city of magic
Cleveland city of light you're calling me
Cleveland, even now I can remember
'Cause the Cuyahoga River
Goes smokin' through my dreams

Burn on, big river, burn on
Burn on, big river, burn on
Now the Lord can make you tumble
And the Lord can make you turn
And the Lord can make you overflow
But the Lord can't make you burn


The performance of this song was nothing short of arresting; dark and brooding, it was a fantastic selection for an early point in the show....especially with its segue into the not oft-played "Daredevil."

In the middle of the setlist, the always-impressive "Chagrin Falls" was played, a song which is becoming a fixture in Cleveland sets. It proved to be an auspicious precursor to "World Container", the newest TTH number to contain a Cleveland reference. After these songs were performed back-to-back, I already was feeling touched by The Hip's attempt to connect with the history and lore of this Great Lakes City.

But there was more to come.

After getting wickedly dramatic performances of "Last of the Unplucked Gems" and "Giftshop", the boys rounded out the set with "Bobcaygeon" (a song whose performance seems to become more and more beautiful as years go by) and brain-busting, blistering renditions of "Lonely End of the Rink" and the classic "Blow at High Dough", which sufficiently whipped the small venue into a frenzy.

With great anticipation, I wondered what would be played in the encore. As the boys took the took the stage, and Bobby's delicate riff and Johnny's rimshots meted out the intro to "Emperor Penguin", the Deal had been Sealed; this was to be a show for the ages, and we were ecstatic. It had been years since I had heard them play Penguin, one of my most loved Hip tunes. By the time it wound to a close, I was emotionally spent, and thought I could not be more impressed and completely satisfied.

I was wrong.

As the eerie, whining opening lead to Gordon Lightfoot's "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald pierced the lull, I stood in shock. Chills, tingles, goosebumps, and even tears followed as The Hip wailed out the ballad of the tragic shipwreck that kept 29 men from completing their journey from Wisconsin to Cleveland, Ohio. Beyond the heartwrenching emotion of the song itself, I felt this magnificent sense of pride and joy as my favorite rock band in existence played the most personally-significant song written by a figure whom I had idolized since boyhood.

It was as if The Hip was bridging Lake Erie itself, using this legendary song to link their own heritage with mine.

I tear up again just thinking about it.

Thank you Gord, Gordie, Bobby, Paul, & Johnny. Of the 40+ occasions I've been able to witness you work your magic together, this show will undoubtedly stand out in my memories for the rest of my days!!
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chris
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Post by chris »

I'll post this show tonight when I get home from work.
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Post by fny1996 »

Some pictures from the show...

I would of had a lot more but I was told by security to put my camera away about 1 minute into the first song. His reasoning...because my "lens comes off". Apparently using a camera like that is a big no-no. I tried to point out all of the cameras and a/v recording going on, but no luck. So I pretended I was just holding the camera and shot away. Didn't get many keepers though.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/54117785@N ... 082647111/
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Post by BIGVDOGG »

Those Pics are Amazing! Damn House of Blues Policies.Next time though,I would recommend taking the pinch and avoid putting it on my fellow photographers\tapers :P
fny1996
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Post by fny1996 »

BIGVDOGG wrote:,I would recommend taking the pinch and avoid putting it on my fellow photographers\tapers :P
:thumb: I know. For a moment I thought I could reason with the guy and convince him that it's a silly policy...for a Hip show anyway. I was just frustrated.
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tigerthelion
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Post by tigerthelion »

BIGVDOGG wrote:Those Pics are Amazing! Damn House of Blues Policies.Next time though,I would recommend taking the pinch and avoid putting it on my fellow photographers\tapers :P
Yeah, those pictures are truly phenomenal. :shock: Tremendous quality.
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gratts99
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Post by gratts99 »

Wow.

I salute the return on Emperor!
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mookytc
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Post by mookytc »

Awesome show...saw an old college mate and made some new friends too (you know who you are)!

On top of that brought home the microphone!!!

http://s89.photobucket.com/albums/k206/DC42/

Like kids in a candy store!!!

:D :D :D

Thinking about making the drive to Lancaster, PA this Sunday.

DC
Last edited by mookytc on Tue Apr 17, 2007 12:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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mookytc
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Post by mookytc »

yep..going to Lancaster Sunday night! Couldn't resist.... 8)

We have only seen the hip in places where they have a huge fan base. Curious how it will be down in PA?

DC
fny1996
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Post by fny1996 »

Thanks for the download Chris, it sounds great! That was one of the most memorable shows I've been to. I can't get enough of the 2 covers...Gord really poured some emotion into them.
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