When/Where did you first see Gordon Lightfoot?

[poldo]

I know we have had topics about the first time you heard GL, but when was the first time you saw him? And is there anything special about that first time that you would like to mention? I think this would be an interesting for all of us.

The first time I saw him was in October (10th I think) of 1973. He played at John Carroll University which is an eastern suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. He peformed in their gymnasium. Band consisted of Haynes and Clements. That was the only time I ever heard him play live my favorite song, "It's Worth Believen".

He played his two sets and there was not one disappointed fan in the audience. It will be something I will always remember. We sat relatively close, and I was simply amazed at his guitar work and his vocals...Wow!

I believe he was REALLY coming in to his own then.

Wes
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[Wes Steele]

I know we have had topics about the first time you heard GL, but when was the first time you saw him? And is there anything special about that first time that you would like to mention? I think this would be an interesting for all of us.

The first time I saw him was in October (10th I think) of 1973. He played at John Carroll University which is an eastern suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. He peformed in their gymnasium. Band consisted of Haynes and Clements. That was the only time I ever heard him play live my favorite song, "It's Worth Believen".

He played his two sets and there was not one disappointed fan in the audience. It will be something I will always remember. We sat relatively close, and I was simply amazed at his guitar work and his vocals...Wow!

I believe he was REALLY coming in to his own then.

Wes

[Auburn Annie]

May 3, 1974 at Monroe Community College in Rochester NY. Also a gymnasium. I got the feeling he'd been having a rough go of it before he even got to the stage. He had a guitar string break mid-song (sorry, I don't remember which one) and stopped to restring. The crowd got a little restless (this was the Frisbee-throwing era) but he resumed and won the audience over with a rousing version of The Auctioneer. Sundown had been recently released and got a roar of approval when he launched into it. I was maybe fifteen feet from the platform they used as a stage. Great night.

[Auburn Annie]

May 3, 1974 at Monroe Community College in Rochester NY. Also a gymnasium. I got the feeling he'd been having a rough go of it before he even got to the stage. He had a guitar string break mid-song (sorry, I don't remember which one) and stopped to restring. The crowd got a little restless (this was the Frisbee-throwing era) but he resumed and won the audience over with a rousing version of The Auctioneer. Sundown had been recently released and got a roar of approval when he launched into it. I was maybe fifteen feet from the platform they used as a stage. Great night.

[fowlesjohn]

You might not believe this, I have been a fan of Gords' since the seventies and never saw him in concert until 1996 in Cleveland, Oh.. He spoke about having just left his 6 week old daughter at home and how wonderful it was that he had this young daughter...I sat there for a long time thinking I had heard him wrong, then, I realized I had not heard him wrong. I have not had the good fortune of following his tours etc., we moved back from Japan in 1994 and only after that time did I start actively pursuing every Gord concert I could find tickets to and had time to go to (well, I made time and went wherever he was), if I heard about the concert. Some great concerts and lots of fun!
The first was very special to me because i saw Gord! It was a funny revelation to see him and hear him!?!
Gwen

[gwen snyder]

You might not believe this, I have been a fan of Gords' since the seventies and never saw him in concert until 1996 in Cleveland, Oh.. He spoke about having just left his 6 week old daughter at home and how wonderful it was that he had this young daughter...I sat there for a long time thinking I had heard him wrong, then, I realized I had not heard him wrong. I have not had the good fortune of following his tours etc., we moved back from Japan in 1994 and only after that time did I start actively pursuing every Gord concert I could find tickets to and had time to go to (well, I made time and went wherever he was), if I heard about the concert. Some great concerts and lots of fun!
The first was very special to me because i saw Gord! It was a funny revelation to see him and hear him!?!
Gwen

[Tyler]

I first saw him in Casper Wyoming. He was coming to town, I had two little kids and we really couldn't afford to get a babysitter and go to the concert, so my husband and I didn't even talk about it. My husband died in his sleep about a month before GL was to play. Putting things away one day I found an envelope in Tex's drawer-two tickets to Gord's concert. What a guy, and the concert was wonderful, mid 80's and a lot of new material that I didn't know if I liked at the time but there was Gord on stage!

[brink]

I first saw him in Casper Wyoming. He was coming to town, I had two little kids and we really couldn't afford to get a babysitter and go to the concert, so my husband and I didn't even talk about it. My husband died in his sleep about a month before GL was to play. Putting things away one day I found an envelope in Tex's drawer-two tickets to Gord's concert. What a guy, and the concert was wonderful, mid 80's and a lot of new material that I didn't know if I liked at the time but there was Gord on stage!

[Wes Steele]

Brink, that must have been a VERY emotional concert.

Thanks for sharing the story.

Wes

[TheWatchman]

Brink, very touching. Thanks for sharing.

[gwen sue snyder]

My First Time
I guess I am luckier than most here as well as being among the oldest<no grin>.
My first Gord experience was way back in 1966. the new fangled FM/VHF radio stations must have started in Montreal that year
allowing high quality broadcasts of good music. But my diet of Herb Alpert, The Fifth Dimension and even Andy Williams was shook up that year when the FM version of the Montreal station CJAD-FM (i.e.CJFM now I understand called Mix96 ) played a pair of fantastic records by Gord the single Spin Spin and then a track from his new album The First Time Ever I saw Your Face. I was hooked!!!It so happenned that at that time each week I played badminton with another ex-pat from England one David Moxey David ran a Folk-singing group which included Peter Wright newly in Montreal from Toronto where he had seen Gord perform live at the Riverboat. I acquired Lightfoot! early in 1967.Then One Sunday May 21 1967 an excited Peter phoned David and I to tell us that he had just heard that Gordon would be appearing at a small Coffee bar (The New Penelope) that evening after an afternoon concert at the Expo67 Worlds Fair site (just possibly the concert depicted on page 22 of the excellent Songbook box set accompanying book. We all three went and sat enraptured on seats I recall made from scaffolding poles and planks. Peter had said that he was hoping that Gord he would sing a great railway/railroad song he had heard in Toronto
And that evening as in every concert I have seen since I was not disappointed. I was fortunate to see gord in Canada 4 more times before returning to England in 1970 then although I did hear of and get to the Royal Albert Hall London concerts in June 1972 and May 1981 there was a long deprived period until the wonders of the internet enabled me to attend the fabulous 1999 Massey Hall Convention.And he rest as they say is history
I have attempted to display below a poster
for that coffee bar
http://www.johnfowles.org.uk/lightfoot/newpenelopeposter.jpg
I have talked to Gord about that place and he recalled being there after such luminaries as Tim Hardin and Judy Collins

[This message has been edited by fowlesjohn (edited June 07, 2004) to correct the picture link]

[This message has been edited by fowlesjohn (edited June 07, 2004).]

[fowlesjohn]

My First Time
I guess I am luckier than most here as well as being among the oldest<no grin>.
My first Gord experience was way back in 1966. the new fangled FM/VHF radio stations must have started in Montreal that year
allowing high quality broadcasts of good music. But my diet of Herb Alpert, The Fifth Dimension and even Andy Williams was shook up that year when the FM version of the Montreal station CJAD-FM (i.e.CJFM now I understand called Mix96 ) played a pair of fantastic records by Gord the single Spin Spin and then a track from his new album The First Time Ever I saw Your Face. I was hooked!!!It so happenned that at that time each week I played badminton with another ex-pat from England one David Moxey David ran a Folk-singing group which included Peter Wright newly in Montreal from Toronto where he had seen Gord perform live at the Riverboat. I acquired Lightfoot! early in 1967.Then One Sunday May 21 1967 an excited Peter phoned David and I to tell us that he had just heard that Gordon would be appearing at a small Coffee bar (The New Penelope) that evening after an afternoon concert at the Expo67 Worlds Fair site (just possibly the concert depicted on page 22 of the excellent Songbook box set accompanying book. We all three went and sat enraptured on seats I recall made from scaffolding poles and planks. Peter had said that he was hoping that Gord he would sing a great railway/railroad song he had heard in Toronto
And that evening as in every concert I have seen since I was not disappointed. I was fortunate to see gord in Canada 4 more times before returning to England in 1970 then although I did hear of and get to the Royal Albert Hall London concerts in June 1972 and May 1981 there was a long deprived period until the wonders of the internet enabled me to attend the fabulous 1999 Massey Hall Convention.And he rest as they say is history
I have attempted to display below a poster
for that coffee bar
http://www.johnfowles.org.uk/lightfoot/newpenelopeposter.jpg
I have talked to Gord about that place and he recalled being there after such luminaries as Tim Hardin and Judy Collins

[This message has been edited by fowlesjohn (edited June 07, 2004) to correct the picture link]

[This message has been edited by fowlesjohn (edited June 07, 2004).]

[Steve DeRosa]

Brink, A true love story...I can't get enough of "real" love stories! Thanks for sharing.

My first time to see GL would have been last October. I had the tickets, but it wasn't to be. http://www.corfid.com/ubb/frown.gif

[Oma]

Brink, A true love story...I can't get enough of "real" love stories! Thanks for sharing.

My first time to see GL would have been last October. I had the tickets, but it wasn't to be. http://www.corfid.com/ubb/frown.gif

[TheWatchman]

My first time attending a GL concert was when he was touring for "Waiting For You". I had no idea that he was even touring, much less still writing.

It was during college and I was working at West Branch State Park in Ravenna, Ohio. Everybody that I worked with knew that I was a big fan because I always talked about his music and played it. One day as I was eating my lunch, a co-worker asked me if I was going to see him the following week in NY. He couldn't remember where at but the next day he brought me the paper with the ad for the concert. Needless to say, I got on the phone right away and bought 2 tickets for my brother and I.

Once there, we soon learned that he was promoting a new album which made a great day all that much better. He was playing at The Chautauqua Institute in Chautauqua NY. It was an amphitheatre and was in July, I think it was July. I still have the stub tucked away somewhere. We were both in awe as we couldn't believe that we were sitting in front of this man that we have listened to for so long. The concert was great but I guess that goes without saying.

I left work at 3:00 pm the day of the concert and drove to my brother's apartment. The plan was that I would shower at his place and then we would drive up to NY which was only about 1.5 hours away. The thing that sticks in my mind the most is that my brother hadn't a single clean wash rag or towel. I had to use paper towels to clean and dry myself. Not a very easy thing to do.

Since then I have seen him about a dozen times. I had tickets to his Palace Theatre show last October and had front row, center seats. I bought the tickets before they were offered on the internet to ensure that I would get good seats. My wife and I were so looking forward to that concert but as we all know it was cancelled.

[Wes Steele]

Great Story Watchman...

Isn't it surprising how you remember certain details of those special days?

I will also remember to bring my own towels if your brother ever has me over for the weekend?

My question to you is how many paper towels did it take to get you dry????????

Wes

[fowlesjohn]

Brink
What a bittersweet concert that must have been for you. How wonderful that you were able to go, thanks for sharing that with us.
Like each of us can attest, it was Gord on the stage and incredibly awesome. I was so glad to go to that first concert.
I have heard a lot of people talk about the Front Row concerts, they sound awesome, also.
We, who have had the good fortune can all identify with the Gord on stage awe inspiring event...wow!
Gwen

[gwen snyder]

Brink
What a bittersweet concert that must have been for you. How wonderful that you were able to go, thanks for sharing that with us.
Like each of us can attest, it was Gord on the stage and incredibly awesome. I was so glad to go to that first concert.
I have heard a lot of people talk about the Front Row concerts, they sound awesome, also.
We, who have had the good fortune can all identify with the Gord on stage awe inspiring event...wow!
Gwen

[Borderstone]

07/13/2016 Edit / 6:55pm.

Was reading some older posts and found
the message here matched Soutern Gl fan's below, somehow.

I did't actually 'see' Gordon' until 2002 at my first concert here in Phoenix 8/6/2002. Saw the show, then met him in person after. Great moment.

I'd go into detail but my description of this is on many threads. :)

[southern_gl_fan]

Although I'd been a Lightfoot fan since 1970, my first concert was at the Orpheum in Memphis in 1991. What a thrill to hear that voice I'd been listening to all those years in person. My wife was 7 months pregnant with our second child and gamely sat through the performance without too much discomfort. I had missed GL a few times before and kicked myself for that. I've since seen him in Salt Lake City in 2000 & 2001 and I had 4th row tickets for the St Louis concert last October. My prayers are foremost for his recovery and hopefully for another chance to take my family to see him.

[SomewhereupinMichigan]

I've been to so many GL concerts over the years that I, honestly, don't remember the very first one. (Guess it could be the Alzheimer's.) As best I can recall it must have been in Detroit in about 70 or 71. I'm guessing at the old "Olympia" ice arena (where the Red Wings used to play), or it could have been at the Masonic Auditorium. He played both places back in those early days. Seems I went with my older brother and one or two others. I remember very little of the actual details. But now that I get thinking about it, here's another question for everyone to ponder...How many times have you seen Gord in concert and at how many different venues? I'm guessing it is about 8 and 6 for me.

[fowlesjohn]

Somewhere,
4 and 4 for me
gwen

[gwen snyder]

Somewhere,
4 and 4 for me
gwen

[Auburn Annie]

Once and one-on-hold (tickets for Massey)

[Auburn Annie]

Once and one-on-hold (tickets for Massey)

[BrightSide]

Saw Gord at Merriweather (SP?) Post Pavillion in Columbia, MD, in the early 70s. I had a friend who was a big fan, and I'm ashamed to say that I was so young and ignorant I didn't pay much attention and spent the evening socializing! I remember being impressed, as I had expected to be, with the sheer beauty of his voice. (Back then, it was quite common for "Don Q" to be playing in the background of a not-too-raucus party.) I thought he was like Tom Rush or Linda Ronstadt, though--a voice; an interpreter--I didn't even know he wrote almost all of his songs! (To paraphrase one of his titles, Forgive Me, Gord!)

It was the latter-day re-release of his older stuff that opened my eyes and ears. Thank you, Rhino Records and Thane Tierney!

[MaryEllen]

Saw Gord at Merriweather (SP?) Post Pavillion in Columbia, MD, in the early 70s. I had a friend who was a big fan, and I'm ashamed to say that I was so young and ignorant I didn't pay much attention and spent the evening socializing! I remember being impressed, as I had expected to be, with the sheer beauty of his voice. (Back then, it was quite common for "Don Q" to be playing in the background of a not-too-raucus party.) I thought he was like Tom Rush or Linda Ronstadt, though--a voice; an interpreter--I didn't even know he wrote almost all of his songs! (To paraphrase one of his titles, Forgive Me, Gord!)

It was the latter-day re-release of his older stuff that opened my eyes and ears. Thank you, Rhino Records and Thane Tierney!

[char]

I saw Gord for the first time at Massey Hall in May 1973 when he got up on stage with Kris Kristofferson. It was a Kristofferson/Rita Coolidge concert that was awesome. I had shot of all the rolls of my film and had sat back to enjoy the show. Gord had a bit of a time getting up on stage (he seemed to have imbibed a few prior to the concert) and sang Bobby Magee with Kris. I always wondered if I had dreamt it or not becaue I never saw a picture of them until SONGBOOK came out and there they were together!! I WASN"T crazxy!
lol
Char
i did get some WONDERFUL pics of Kris tho!!

[macjames]

I have been a big fan since back in my toddler days when my dad used to play Gordon on the record player.

My first concert was in April of 2001 at the Fox theater in Detroit. I had front row center stage with my husband. He bought them for me for my 26th birthday a week later. It was absolutely great. After that I seen him in October of 2002 at Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor and I had tickets for his concert at the Wharton Center at Michigan State in October of last year but it was cancelled beacuse of Gord's illness. But I am so glad he is getting better. http://www.corfid.com/ubb/smile.gif http://www.corfid.com/ubb/smile.gif

[christinefrommichigan]

I have been a big fan since back in my toddler days when my dad used to play Gordon on the record player.

My first concert was in April of 2001 at the Fox theater in Detroit. I had front row center stage with my husband. He bought them for me for my 26th birthday a week later. It was absolutely great. After that I seen him in October of 2002 at Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor and I had tickets for his concert at the Wharton Center at Michigan State in October of last year but it was cancelled beacuse of Gord's illness. But I am so glad he is getting better. http://www.corfid.com/ubb/smile.gif http://www.corfid.com/ubb/smile.gif

[TheWatchman]

Wes, you better bring more than paper towels my friend.lol Read on.

You will need Draino as the water in the shower was hovering my knee caps. Bring some TP as all he had was coffee filters for toilet paper. This was about 10 years ago and he is now married and cares more about the little things. http://www.corfid.com/ubb/eek.gif

[Shelby]

Hello this this my first post ever here so hello. I am a HUGE fan of GL. The first time I saw GL was in Suite St Maire MI in (?)1997/1998 it was dinner with gl and than concert since than i have seen him 6 times in differet places but what struck me was christine from michigans post below i was at all the same concerts and i thought how ironic. anyway great site and ill be back...

[maggiemae]

Hello this this my first post ever here so hello. I am a HUGE fan of GL. The first time I saw GL was in Suite St Maire MI in (?)1997/1998 it was dinner with gl and than concert since than i have seen him 6 times in differet places but what struck me was christine from michigans post below i was at all the same concerts and i thought how ironic. anyway great site and ill be back...

[Paul J B]

Great Topic Wes!

My first show was the Salute tour and was in Highland Hts, Ohio at the now torn down Front Row Theatre..In the round..When Gord plugged in you could hear a collective gasp from the crowd, Gordon assured everyone it would be alright!

Chuck

------------------
Ever Onward...

[Chuck Darling]

Great Topic Wes!

My first show was the Salute tour and was in Highland Hts, Ohio at the now torn down Front Row Theatre..In the round..When Gord plugged in you could hear a collective gasp from the crowd, Gordon assured everyone it would be alright!

Chuck

------------------
Ever Onward...

[ChristopherPennington]

I saw GL in concert once at Carnegie Hall, 2 or 3 times at Philharmonic Hall (both in NYC), and once at Princeton (NJ), during the early to mid 70s. At Princeton GL had a great warm-up act with him - except that now I can't remember if it was Stu Nunnery or David Pomeranz. I have what I believe to be the one and only albums by both of these guys! Anyone ever hear of either of them? Anyway, in the late 80's I was lucky enough to see GL one more time at the Westbury Music Fair on Long Island.

[70sFan]

I saw GL in concert once at Carnegie Hall, 2 or 3 times at Philharmonic Hall (both in NYC), and once at Princeton (NJ), during the early to mid 70s. At Princeton GL had a great warm-up act with him - except that now I can't remember if it was Stu Nunnery or David Pomeranz. I have what I believe to be the one and only albums by both of these guys! Anyone ever hear of either of them? Anyway, in the late 80's I was lucky enough to see GL one more time at the Westbury Music Fair on Long Island.

[ChristopherPennington]

Shows what I know...an internet search reveals that David Pomeranz is a very accomplished songwriter/musician that I imagine many of you have heard of. He certainly has more than one album and has written quite a few songs for other people! http://www.davidpomeranz.com/biography.html.
Stu Nunnery, on the other hand, seems to be as obscure as I thought - it was probably Stu Nunnery who I saw. Was anyone else at that Lightfoot concert in Princeton?

[70sFan]

Shows what I know...an internet search reveals that David Pomeranz is a very accomplished songwriter/musician that I imagine many of you have heard of. He certainly has more than one album and has written quite a few songs for other people! http://www.davidpomeranz.com/biography.html.
Stu Nunnery, on the other hand, seems to be as obscure as I thought - it was probably Stu Nunnery who I saw. Was anyone else at that Lightfoot concert in Princeton?

[SomewhereupinMichigan]

Maggie: You must mean Sault Sainte Marie...just call us "Soo"! http://www.corfid.com/ubb/wink.gif

[Mist O' The Morn']

I was doing coffee houses and folk clubs in the early 70's, and while I was working through Michigan in 1970 I attended my first Lightfoot performance. I was mesmerized, and although I had performed a fair number of his songs throughout my sets, I really didn't appreciate his talent until I heard him that night. After that, I just built a greater song list around his music. To this day, I have never been disappointed with anything he's created.

------------------
restless shadows

[walls]

I was doing coffee houses and folk clubs in the early 70's, and while I was working through Michigan in 1970 I attended my first Lightfoot performance. I was mesmerized, and although I had performed a fair number of his songs throughout my sets, I really didn't appreciate his talent until I heard him that night. After that, I just built a greater song list around his music. To this day, I have never been disappointed with anything he's created.

------------------
restless shadows

[Shelby]

quote:Originally posted by SomewhereupinMichigan:
Maggie: You must mean Sault Sainte Marie...just call us "Soo"! http://www.corfid.com/ubb/wink.gif

yeah thats what i meant. where in michigan are you from?

[maggiemae]

quote:Originally posted by SomewhereupinMichigan:
Maggie: You must mean Sault Sainte Marie...just call us "Soo"! http://www.corfid.com/ubb/wink.gif

yeah thats what i meant. where in michigan are you from?

[Borderstone]

Gee whiz wess! You lucky guy! You got to see him in concert in his hey-days! I was only 5 then,darn it. Then again,I hadn't heard of him yet. I have told this a few times and I said I wouldn't again but the 1st time was August 6th,2002 at the Dodge Theater here in PHX,AZ. What a cool,relaxed concert that was. I had 10th row seats,which were pretty good. Just before the end of the first 1/2 though,I noticed no one had occupied the 2nd row! (Apparently,the Ticketmaster cashier fibbed about those being taken.) So,I moved up there and in the 2nd 1/2 I was virtually face to face! I sang right along and sometimes blended in with his voice,at least that's the way it sounded. After the show about 30 audience members and I stuck around for autographs and surer enough he and ther band gave 'em. I shook hands with him and patted him on the back saing good show! Not bad for a f 1st concert from him! Borderstone,outta time and A.b.! http://www.corfid.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

[Borderstone]

I'm on a different computer now. The last one had sticky buttons. eeeewww. http://www.corfid.com/ubb/tongue.gif

[SomewhereupinMichigan]

MaggieM: at the moment I'm in Owosso...west of Flint about 20 miles. The Soo is a sometimes location though. You?

[Brenda]

October, 1972 at San Jose Civic Auditorium. I was fortunate in that I knew most of his tunes as the acoustics were lousy. During the week they played high school and some college basketball games there as well as "professional" wrestling matches. "Old Dan's Records" had just been released so the bulk of his material was from that album and "Don Quixote" which had been released in the spring of that same year. Was not terribly talkative that night and performed only three or four tunes from his UA days. I kind of wanted to see Red Shea, but I got over it in a hurry. Rick Haynes played bass. He played "Canadian Railroad Trilogy" about midway through the second set, which I would find later to be a departure from the norm. The audience was appreciative and well mannered. (Aren't we all?)

[Westernstar9]

October, 1972 at San Jose Civic Auditorium. I was fortunate in that I knew most of his tunes as the acoustics were lousy. During the week they played high school and some college basketball games there as well as "professional" wrestling matches. "Old Dan's Records" had just been released so the bulk of his material was from that album and "Don Quixote" which had been released in the spring of that same year. Was not terribly talkative that night and performed only three or four tunes from his UA days. I kind of wanted to see Red Shea, but I got over it in a hurry. Rick Haynes played bass. He played "Canadian Railroad Trilogy" about midway through the second set, which I would find later to be a departure from the norm. The audience was appreciative and well mannered. (Aren't we all?)

[IYCRMM]

Dec. 15, 1973 at the University of Iowa Fieldhouse. It was a triple bill with Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, and Gordon Lightfoot. Billy Swan was also onstage and sang his then hit, "I Can Help". The biggest memory I have of the concert is all three of the headliners on stage singing 'Goodnight Irene" as an encore. It was one of those concerts you wish you could relive! (And I think the tickets for unreserved seats were $5.95!)

[dglatta]

Dec. 15, 1973 at the University of Iowa Fieldhouse. It was a triple bill with Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, and Gordon Lightfoot. Billy Swan was also onstage and sang his then hit, "I Can Help". The biggest memory I have of the concert is all three of the headliners on stage singing 'Goodnight Irene" as an encore. It was one of those concerts you wish you could relive! (And I think the tickets for unreserved seats were $5.95!)

[Borderstone]

Appreciative & well mannered? That's for sure. At the concert I saw,they applauded in a simple way for the lesser known songs but applauded loudly for the "Best Of's. (Something I find to be a bit hypocritical,if you applaud make it as big for all songs.) What really got me though was when he started,"Cotton Jenny",some people started to clap along but not enough did so they stopped! I wanted to clap along and I felt like getting up on that stage and saing,"What the heck is the matter with you?" "This is a fun concert,not a chamber music recital!" I still enjoyed myself but more audience participation would've certainly helped. Maybe I have to see him in Toronto for that. Borderstone,outta here and Alberta Bound!

------------------
Borderstone

[Shelby]

quote:Originally posted by SomewhereupinMichigan:
MaggieM: at the moment I'm in Owosso...west of Flint about 20 miles. The Soo is a sometimes location though. You?

I ALSO LIVE IN OWOSSO HOW WEIRD IS THAT?

[maggiemae]

quote:Originally posted by SomewhereupinMichigan:
MaggieM: at the moment I'm in Owosso...west of Flint about 20 miles. The Soo is a sometimes location though. You?

I ALSO LIVE IN OWOSSO HOW WEIRD IS THAT?

[closetcanadian]

Thanks to Westernstar9 for jogging my memory! I couldn't remember the month back in 1972 at the old Aud in San Jose. Not a great venue for a concert but very special for me - my first Lightfoot concert and I had seats in the third row, center. It was a real treat to be that close and be able to watch three great musicians play so brilliantly. And Gordon was in fine voice that night. I've seen GL probably a dozen times since but the most recent was in 1987. Sure hope I get another chance to see him grace a stage again...

[SomewhereupinMichigan]

quote:Originally posted by maggiemae:
I ALSO LIVE IN OWOSSO HOW WEIRD IS THAT?

And there've been times when I thought I was the ONLY person in Owosso with good musical taste! http://www.corfid.com/ubb/wink.gif

[Auburn Annie]

quote:Originally posted by char:
I saw Gord for the first time at Massey Hall in May 1973 when he got up on stage with Kris Kristofferson. It was a Kristofferson/Rita Coolidge concert that was awesome. I had shot of all the rolls of my film and had sat back to enjoy the show. Gord had a bit of a time getting up on stage (he seemed to have imbibed a few prior to the concert) and sang Bobby Magee with Kris. I always wondered if I had dreamt it or not becaue I never saw a picture of them until SONGBOOK came out and there they were together!! I WASN"T crazxy!
lol
Char
i did get some WONDERFUL pics of Kris tho!!



I just caught the Bravo Profiles program on Kris K. In a lot of ways he and Gord led parallel lives. So many similarities: strong mothers (Kris's not so positively), very early songwriting, shyness, failed marriages, key mentors (Johnny Cash / Ian & Sylvia) the booze and smokes, films (Gord's dabbling, Kris' mostly successful career), sobriety and happy later marriage with young children. If you get a chance to catch it on rerun, it's only an hour but very interesting.

[Auburn Annie]

quote:Originally posted by char:
I saw Gord for the first time at Massey Hall in May 1973 when he got up on stage with Kris Kristofferson. It was a Kristofferson/Rita Coolidge concert that was awesome. I had shot of all the rolls of my film and had sat back to enjoy the show. Gord had a bit of a time getting up on stage (he seemed to have imbibed a few prior to the concert) and sang Bobby Magee with Kris. I always wondered if I had dreamt it or not becaue I never saw a picture of them until SONGBOOK came out and there they were together!! I WASN"T crazxy!
lol
Char
i did get some WONDERFUL pics of Kris tho!!



I just caught the Bravo Profiles program on Kris K. In a lot of ways he and Gord led parallel lives. So many similarities: strong mothers (Kris's not so positively), very early songwriting, shyness, failed marriages, key mentors (Johnny Cash / Ian & Sylvia) the booze and smokes, films (Gord's dabbling, Kris' mostly successful career), sobriety and happy later marriage with young children. If you get a chance to catch it on rerun, it's only an hour but very interesting.

[SomewhereupinMichigan]

Has Bravo ever profiled Gord?

[Auburn Annie]

quote:Originally posted by SomewhereupinMichigan:
Has Bravo ever profiled Gord?

Not that I'm aware of, no. I've written them, suggesting it for their show that focuses on Musicians but never heard back.

[Auburn Annie]

quote:Originally posted by SomewhereupinMichigan:
Has Bravo ever profiled Gord?

Not that I'm aware of, no. I've written them, suggesting it for their show that focuses on Musicians but never heard back.

[Janice]

My first Lightfoot concert was August 31, 2000 at Humphrey's By The Bay in San Diego, CA. It was memorable for many reasons.

First, of course, it was Gordon Lightfoot - you'd think that would be enough http://www.corfid.com/ubb/smile.gif but I came from NH to see this show and fell so in love with San Diego that I moved out here ten months later. Plus I met a few folks who I first came to know right here on this message board - Betty, Judy, and Leslie. It also gave me the chance to meet someone else I had come to know through a Yahoo list for another artist. He has since become someone very special to me. To top it all, I went backstage and actually met and spoke with Gord and the other band members.

All of that combined with the fact that Humphrey's is just an exquisit place to see a concert, it's not surprising that even though I've seen Gord twice since then (including Massey Hall), that concert will probably always have a special little spot all it's own in my heart.

Janice

[edmullen]

Brink, I was so moved by your story. What a bittersweet memory. Your husband must have been a wonderful and loving person. Thank you for sharing that story with us.

[steelestavern]

Brink, I was so moved by your story. What a bittersweet memory. Your husband must have been a wonderful and loving person. Thank you for sharing that story with us.

[Tyler]

Thank you, this topic brought back so many wonderful memories. I wish the I had the set list from that concert so I could remember what songs he sang that I didn't think were that good and probably top the list of my favorites now!
Hey Wes, thanks for the great topic suggestion!
Brink

[brink]

Thank you, this topic brought back so many wonderful memories. I wish the I had the set list from that concert so I could remember what songs he sang that I didn't think were that good and probably top the list of my favorites now!
Hey Wes, thanks for the great topic suggestion!
Brink

[clawcrawler]

quote:Originally posted by Wes Steele:
I know we have had topics about the first time you heard GL, but when was the first time you saw him? And is there anything special about that first time that you would like to mention? I think this would be an interesting for all of us.

The first time I saw him was in October (10th I think) of 1973. He played at John Carroll University which is an eastern suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. He peformed in their gymnasium. Band consisted of Haynes and Clements. That was the only time I ever heard him play live my favorite song, "It's Worth Believen".

He played his two sets and there was not one disappointed fan in the audience. It will be something I will always remember. We sat relatively close, and I was simply amazed at his guitar work and his vocals...Wow!

I believe he was REALLY coming in to his own then.

Wes

I first saw Gord at Northrup Auditorium @ the U of M in Minneapolis in the early 1970's. He was still a three piece group with Rich and Terry backing him up. I believe he had his own PA system on the stage, and he controled it. Does anyone else recall those days? I have seen him many times since.

[GL Fan for 30+years]

quote:Originally posted by Wes Steele:
I know we have had topics about the first time you heard GL, but when was the first time you saw him? And is there anything special about that first time that you would like to mention? I think this would be an interesting for all of us.

The first time I saw him was in October (10th I think) of 1973. He played at John Carroll University which is an eastern suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. He peformed in their gymnasium. Band consisted of Haynes and Clements. That was the only time I ever heard him play live my favorite song, "It's Worth Believen".

He played his two sets and there was not one disappointed fan in the audience. It will be something I will always remember. We sat relatively close, and I was simply amazed at his guitar work and his vocals...Wow!

I believe he was REALLY coming in to his own then.

Wes

I first saw Gord at Northrup Auditorium @ the U of M in Minneapolis in the early 1970's. He was still a three piece group with Rich and Terry backing him up. I believe he had his own PA system on the stage, and he controled it. Does anyone else recall those days? I have seen him many times since.