Well it seem's as though it has only been a short time since I heard the grumbling's of Robbie's guitar live, but in reality it has been since Virgin Fest & Pemberton last year and before that 4 shows at Mac Hall for World Container, which actually is more of a tin box than anything!!! Good for Punk bands with high snare's but not all that effective for the Bold and Golden full throttled music that has become the backbone of all my music interest's. What I get all the time which is what I Love about the Hip is that when a friend hears a song anywhere they are in the World, they think of me and our experiences together at a show, 28 now and growing now that I have the capacity to spend a little more money on specific interests that I enjoy as opposed to having to spend money on someone else's mortgage.

Normally you could count on the Hip to put out an Album every 2 years like clockwork,But with the second Album with Bob Rock (We are the Same) it was held a little longer and like any junkie for new Hip I had an itch that just couldn't get scratched in the way that I needed it too, I love the from the Vault but anything New is so good as only really True Hip Fans get, I am glad it is only less than a month away now

I'm often asked what my first show was and I always say what Album, Granted my first real foray into the world of Hip was for "Up to Here" back in a smokey Northern Ontario Bar in '88, am I dating myself now??? Highlites include all Roadside Attractions, From Markam Ont in '93, High River in '95, Camrose in '97

High River was particularly a fine event as a group of us rented 2 budget trucks and filled them with couches, chairs and drove over night from Kananaskis to High river, of course I just happened to Win a Keg of Beer from a raffle for $3 so you can only immagine what happened at 8 am concert Day, Blue traveller, Ziggy Marley, Spirit of the West & Then The Hip, Stellar

Now that I have a collection of shows to look back on I start seeing a trend that I am noticing, I tend now to look for the Hip at outdoor venues, they are the best still for me although guys over 200lbs should NOT crowd Surf!!! and then I look for smaller venues, like Jubilee Auditorium, Mac Hall, Whisky Bar, Northern Jubilee in Edmonton, Red Deer, Lethbridge, Victoria, Seattle, Kelowna, Saskatoon, any where in Western Canada is pretty much my Playground, If I can make it work in my schedule I will go

Then you have the big one's like Saddledome,Rexall, GM Place, ACC in Toronto (1 night only). I always was in the first 3 rows just given er then I sat back a bit higher up on the side off the floor, cause if you aren't in the first 10 on the floor then it's not worth it too me, I can be afforded that luxury now anyways. I got lost in my own train of thought about the song's at shows particular shows you see old friends at and shows you meet new friends at other shows

I now tend to wear the Same Jersey at each show so when people see me they remember the jersey and the face maybe I'll see you at this years show, I got all 3 nights at the Jub 3rd row floor center Stage too bad they are mid week shows though,Guess I can't complain!!!!! I tried to get to the Eric Harvey in Banff but I was in Vancouver when they went general sale and They were all gone by the time I actually got a call in to order some, I think I needed to be in Banff at the theater to get some, that's going to be a great show 997 seats and the sound in Great, ah well maybe I'll go up for a road trip anyways, I always seem to get lucky when it comes to getting tickets for the Hip. Anyone know of some extra let me know, I'll take 2

I think I will dig into the blog a bit more at a later date, Like the Time I drank beer with them at the Palliser Hotel for the Phantom Power tour, yeah that was good, Next time.....