I'll leave it to someone else to do a set list...we had a four hour drive home after the concert to be at work today, so I'm a bit out of it.

I first saw Gord on the Shadows tour many years ago, and have seen him several times through the years since then. His voice has changed with age and health issues, but one really didn't notice that last night. I think he and the band were in the top most form I've ever seen! Great energy, pristene audio mix from from I sat, and the playing was as clean as could be.

As he sang Minstrel of the Dawn I thought -- he was a romantic that sang of troubadors in his earlt career -- NOW he is one. A commanding presense, especially given his shy, awkward, "Aw shucks" stage banter.

Glad he did Harmony, sad he didn't do Carefree Highway. I've always loved the music to In My Fashion, but hate talking parts in songs...until he did it last night, and it just sank in.

Many of the gems seemed to have subtle nuanced musical phrasing added to to instrumental parts -- a really, really nice touch. Couldn't hear the whistling on Ghosts of Cape Horn, and Terry seemed to punch up the guitar lick in that part after the first pass.

Too tired to go on now, but it was a testament to his renewed vigor as a performer. He joked about outlasting most of the folks at Warner Bros.

Last note...after the break he had on white shoes (he normally trades boots for sneakers at the break). These looked like white leather shoes. I kept thinking "Lord, let him be in his sock feet 'cause that just looks wrong!" Oh well, chalk it up to a child of the sixties!

I'll leave it to someone else to do a set list...we had a four hour drive home after the concert to be at work today, so I'm a bit out of it.

I first saw Gord on the Shadows tour many years ago, and have seen him several times through the years since then. His voice has changed with age and health issues, but one really didn't notice that last night. I think he and the band were in the top most form I've ever seen! Great energy, pristene audio mix from from I sat, and the playing was as clean as could be.

As he sang Minstrel of the Dawn I thought -- he was a romantic that sang of troubadors in his earlt career -- NOW he is one. A commanding presense, especially given his shy, awkward, "Aw shucks" stage banter.

Glad he did Harmony, sad he didn't do Carefree Highway. I've always loved the music to In My Fashion, but hate talking parts in songs...until he did it last night, and it just sank in.

Many of the gems seemed to have subtle nuanced musical phrasing added to to instrumental parts -- a really, really nice touch. Couldn't hear the whistling on Ghosts of Cape Horn, and Terry seemed to punch up the guitar lick in that part after the first pass.

Too tired to go on now, but it was a testament to his renewed vigor as a performer. He joked about outlasting most of the folks at Warner Bros.

Last note...after the break he had on white shoes (he normally trades boots for sneakers at the break). These looked like white leather shoes. I kept thinking "Lord, let him be in his sock feet 'cause that just looks wrong!" Oh well, chalk it up to a child of the sixties!

GREAT, GREAT, GREAT SHOW !!!!!

Everything Bill said is correct, except I can't verify the shoe thing, I didn't look at his feet,LOL.

Posting from the road on the way to Glenside, more later.

One "I told you so" :

Here's to the girls of London
And the ones from Montreal
We never will forget them
We still fantasize them all
I knew one in St. Louis
On a Missouri afternoon
I met one up in Shanghai
And another in Rangoon

The verse was back where it belonged, delivered with just the right 'smile'...

The MAN is fine - come out and see him.

Later,

Bill :)

I didn't care for the talking part in "In My Fashion" either until I heard it live. He does it much better live than he did on the "Shadows" recording.

I didn't care for the talking part in "In My Fashion" either until I heard it live. He does it much better live than he did on the "Shadows" recording.

Another review-
Gordon Lightfoot is amazing. He was in great voice - really better than on the 'Reno' DVD.
Great show!

Set list: mostly complete but not in order:

Spanish Moss
Minstral of the Dawn (beautiful)
In my Fashion
Rainy Day People
Baby Step Back
Cotton Jenny
Harmony
Ghosts of Cape Horn
Sundown
Sea of Tranquility

Break

Beautiful (fantastic)
Restless
IYCRMM
Shadows
Alberta Bound
Once I Was a Country Singer
Song for a Winter's Night
CRT
Old Dan's Records

Encore

Early Morning Rain (He put everything he had left into this - tearful)
Cold On the Shoulder

Had dinner w/ Bill and Lizanne Wallace-great couple. Also met Shelia Ann and son Brian. Much more later.

Here is the set list, posted by Ken Wilson on the Google board. My impressions follow.

SETIST:

Spanish Moss
Don Quixote
Minstral of the Dawn
[ ..that one's ethereal... definitely not rock and roll
Now for some toe-tappers..]
In My Fashion ( he did do the 'rap' interlude tonight)
[Scarry...now a new one....about an erstwhile friend]
Harmony
Never Too Close (one of my favorites but Terry's guitar was too soft
in the mix)
[ This next one I wrote for an educational film that's all it
was...]
Ghosts of Cape Horn - (no whistling - except faintly from a few in
the audience- just guitar...)
Rainy Day People
(Gord grabbed a swig of water during the applause and switched to
the 12 string)
[ ...It's great to be here ...referred, as he has in the past, to
fond memories of playing at a local club, the
Cellar Door...]
Sea of Tranquility
Cotton Jenny
[ ...this is a song by a friend of my nephew...]
I Used to be A Country Singer
[..a significant song...from up in the great lakes...(instant
applause of recognition)]
Edmund Fitzgerald - (he really nailed this one and the audience loved
it! Thumbs up from the front row and from Gord)
Alberta Bound
Sundown

BREAK at about 9:17

Restless
Beautiful (Not one of my all time favorites but he really nailed it!)
[...not many songs way down in a C chord, but here's one...]
Shadows
(another quick drink of water for Gord and Terry)
IYCRMM
Let It Ride
Clouds of Loneliness
14ct Gold
Baby Step Back
(Gord switches from the 12 string to the 6 string and apparently
notices a bug on it - ah the joys of an outdoor concert! - because
he said [...got a passenger.... Tuning is hard but these really stay
in tune well but this is an exact twin of the one I used in the first
half....]

(Gord quuickly introduced the band - it almost seemed like an
afterthought..)
[...Say hello to the band...Terri, Barry, Rick, and Mike...(said very
fast)]
Song for a Winter's Night
Old Dan's Records

ENCORES

Early Morning Rain
Cold on the Shoulder

Concert ended at 10)14.


Mary Ellen's 2 cents:

A *beautiful* night for a concert outdoors. Like much of the country, the DC area has been plagued by pizza-oven weather this summer, but the temp/humidity was perfect.

Gord was greeted with a standing ovation when he followed the band out onstage. I think the crowd's enthusiasm was what he referred to as "Scary!" Wolf Trap was full (4,000 under the roof; a few thousand more on the lawn).

He ruefully referred to an erstwhile "friend," and not lady, when introducing "Harmony"--which was immediately recognized and got as big a hand as the chestnuts, before and after the song. He also expressed special fondness ("nice little ballad") for "Clouds of Loneliness" later on, and did a splendid version of that.

His exact words after the "ethereal" opening tunes were, "You couldn't call it rock & roll!"

Gord seemed to be in a very mellow, jocular frame of mind throughout--with doses of his ingrained humility. Before "Ghosts..." he said, "...and that's all it was!" about the educational film, as if to point out the song's humble beginnings. Like--Oh, well, that's all that came of that! (But we, at least, are the richer for it!)

Gord really seems to like talking about the nuts and bolts of songcraft, especially as it pertains to guitar playing--though he knows very well that he has to keep it simple! When introducing "Shadows," he talked about the fact that most songs written in "C" are written "up top" (gesturing at the high neck of the guitar, where his capo is), but this one was written "down here" (playing a few notes on the low strings near where the neck meets the box). Then, after a lovely perfomance, he continued to play with the chord--saying something like, fiddling around with this stuff [chords] is fun, "...even when the song's over!"

This, to me, was especially interesting as an insight into the artist's relation to his work. "Shadows" is such a profound, affecting, soulful piece--but, to it's creator, it's an exercise in "C"! Probably Bach thought the same about the "Well-Tempered Clavier"--like, "Well, that's a pretty good workbook"!

When he switched guitars and discovered the dragonfly (I think--or maybe a moth--LARGE insect) perched just above the soundhole, he brought it to our attention ("I seem to have a passenger"), and then ignored it. Didn't bat it off. Mr. Bug got bored or annoyed after a few bars and either flew or fell off.

"Alberta Bound" was done in tribute to a Canadian politician who apparently just died. I'm sorry, I don't remember the name Gord mentioned, but fellow Canadians probably know and could post it.

[As with several other songs that have a bit of beat, the crowd began clapping on time, but petered out by the second chorus. Enthusiastic, but only up to a point!]

When he mentioned his fond memories of the area, specifically of the old "Cellar Door" club in DC, I was reminded of a fine, long article from the late '60s I read online (perhaps somebody else remembers where and can add a link) that profiled the artist when he was introducing himself to the big time, and the US. Much of it is an interview that took place between shows at the Cellar Door. The "Trilogy" was new to his perfomance list, and it was Gord, Red, and a bass player in those days.

The article portrayed a very serious, intent, dedicated, ambitious young musician. I think that if that fella could see the mellow, accomplished performer he has become, he would be pleased. I'm sure there have been a lot of sacrifices, tradeoffs, and effort that we can only guess at, but what you see onstage now is a master musician who (albeit quite modest personally) knows what he's done, knows what he can still do, and is extremely skillful at pleasing an audience (especially if they're as eager to be pleased as the Wolf Trap crowd).

[ September 13, 2005, 16:14: Message edited by: Mary Ellen ]

Here is the set list, posted by Ken Wilson on the Google board. My impressions follow.

SETIST:

Spanish Moss
Don Quixote
Minstral of the Dawn
[ ..that one's ethereal... definitely not rock and roll
Now for some toe-tappers..]
In My Fashion ( he did do the 'rap' interlude tonight)
[Scarry...now a new one....about an erstwhile friend]
Harmony
Never Too Close (one of my favorites but Terry's guitar was too soft
in the mix)
[ This next one I wrote for an educational film that's all it
was...]
Ghosts of Cape Horn - (no whistling - except faintly from a few in
the audience- just guitar...)
Rainy Day People
(Gord grabbed a swig of water during the applause and switched to
the 12 string)
[ ...It's great to be here ...referred, as he has in the past, to
fond memories of playing at a local club, the
Cellar Door...]
Sea of Tranquility
Cotton Jenny
[ ...this is a song by a friend of my nephew...]
I Used to be A Country Singer
[..a significant song...from up in the great lakes...(instant
applause of recognition)]
Edmund Fitzgerald - (he really nailed this one and the audience loved
it! Thumbs up from the front row and from Gord)
Alberta Bound
Sundown

BREAK at about 9:17

Restless
Beautiful (Not one of my all time favorites but he really nailed it!)
[...not many songs way down in a C chord, but here's one...]
Shadows
(another quick drink of water for Gord and Terry)
IYCRMM
Let It Ride
Clouds of Loneliness
14ct Gold
Baby Step Back
(Gord switches from the 12 string to the 6 string and apparently
notices a bug on it - ah the joys of an outdoor concert! - because
he said [...got a passenger.... Tuning is hard but these really stay
in tune well but this is an exact twin of the one I used in the first
half....]

(Gord quuickly introduced the band - it almost seemed like an
afterthought..)
[...Say hello to the band...Terri, Barry, Rick, and Mike...(said very
fast)]
Song for a Winter's Night
Old Dan's Records

ENCORES

Early Morning Rain
Cold on the Shoulder

Concert ended at 10)14.


Mary Ellen's 2 cents:

A *beautiful* night for a concert outdoors. Like much of the country, the DC area has been plagued by pizza-oven weather this summer, but the temp/humidity was perfect.

Gord was greeted with a standing ovation when he followed the band out onstage. I think the crowd's enthusiasm was what he referred to as "Scary!" Wolf Trap was full (4,000 under the roof; a few thousand more on the lawn).

He ruefully referred to an erstwhile "friend," and not lady, when introducing "Harmony"--which was immediately recognized and got as big a hand as the chestnuts, before and after the song. He also expressed special fondness ("nice little ballad") for "Clouds of Loneliness" later on, and did a splendid version of that.

His exact words after the "ethereal" opening tunes were, "You couldn't call it rock & roll!"

Gord seemed to be in a very mellow, jocular frame of mind throughout--with doses of his ingrained humility. Before "Ghosts..." he said, "...and that's all it was!" about the educational film, as if to point out the song's humble beginnings. Like--Oh, well, that's all that came of that! (But we, at least, are the richer for it!)

Gord really seems to like talking about the nuts and bolts of songcraft, especially as it pertains to guitar playing--though he knows very well that he has to keep it simple! When introducing "Shadows," he talked about the fact that most songs written in "C" are written "up top" (gesturing at the high neck of the guitar, where his capo is), but this one was written "down here" (playing a few notes on the low strings near where the neck meets the box). Then, after a lovely perfomance, he continued to play with the chord--saying something like, fiddling around with this stuff [chords] is fun, "...even when the song's over!"

This, to me, was especially interesting as an insight into the artist's relation to his work. "Shadows" is such a profound, affecting, soulful piece--but, to it's creator, it's an exercise in "C"! Probably Bach thought the same about the "Well-Tempered Clavier"--like, "Well, that's a pretty good workbook"!

When he switched guitars and discovered the dragonfly (I think--or maybe a moth--LARGE insect) perched just above the soundhole, he brought it to our attention ("I seem to have a passenger"), and then ignored it. Didn't bat it off. Mr. Bug got bored or annoyed after a few bars and either flew or fell off.

"Alberta Bound" was done in tribute to a Canadian politician who apparently just died. I'm sorry, I don't remember the name Gord mentioned, but fellow Canadians probably know and could post it.

[As with several other songs that have a bit of beat, the crowd began clapping on time, but petered out by the second chorus. Enthusiastic, but only up to a point!]

When he mentioned his fond memories of the area, specifically of the old "Cellar Door" club in DC, I was reminded of a fine, long article from the late '60s I read online (perhaps somebody else remembers where and can add a link) that profiled the artist when he was introducing himself to the big time, and the US. Much of it is an interview that took place between shows at the Cellar Door. The "Trilogy" was new to his perfomance list, and it was Gord, Red, and a bass player in those days.

The article portrayed a very serious, intent, dedicated, ambitious young musician. I think that if that fella could see the mellow, accomplished performer he has become, he would be pleased. I'm sure there have been a lot of sacrifices, tradeoffs, and effort that we can only guess at, but what you see onstage now is a master musician who (albeit quite modest personally) knows what he's done, knows what he can still do, and is extremely skillful at pleasing an audience (especially if they're as eager to be pleased as the Wolf Trap crowd).

[ September 13, 2005, 16:14: Message edited by: Mary Ellen ]

Has anyone seen a newpaper review of the show? Was there one? Saw an offical photographer. We didn't risk having our camera confiscated, so opted not to bring it. Would love a pick from the show.

If you want pics... wait til near the end of the concert... they aren't gonna toss you out with 15 minutes to go :)

That's what I did here in Brantford and at Hamilton Place :D

Hey Gord...can you share? I didn't take my camera either (to Interlochen) because I usually follow the rules. People were taking pics all over the place and I was ticked that I didn't bring my camera! :mad:

Hey Gord...can you share? I didn't take my camera either (to Interlochen) because I usually follow the rules. People were taking pics all over the place and I was ticked that I didn't bring my camera! :mad:

I'm glad to see these reviews--there was nothing in the local media. I first saw GL at the Cellar Door in DC in the late '60's--the last time I saw him live was at Constitution Hall in Washington in 1971. Since then I've followed his career through recordings.

I agree that he was in better voice than usual (better than the Reno concert DVD). The band was flawless. I was struck by the intricacy of the guitar work--quite often Gordon and Terry Clements were playing something akin to classical guitar style rather than the usual folk techniques.

It was great to see a large and enthusiastic crowd. I think one of the reasons the clapping died out after the first verse or so is the sound delay between the stage and the lawn area. It's hard to keep up with the band when you're hearing a different rhythm. Gordon at the Constitution Hall concert in '71 explained to the audience that the clapping on "The Auctioneer" ran counter to the band's rhythm.

Great concert and great posts on this site!

I'm glad to see these reviews--there was nothing in the local media. I first saw GL at the Cellar Door in DC in the late '60's--the last time I saw him live was at Constitution Hall in Washington in 1971. Since then I've followed his career through recordings.

I agree that he was in better voice than usual (better than the Reno concert DVD). The band was flawless. I was struck by the intricacy of the guitar work--quite often Gordon and Terry Clements were playing something akin to classical guitar style rather than the usual folk techniques.

It was great to see a large and enthusiastic crowd. I think one of the reasons the clapping died out after the first verse or so is the sound delay between the stage and the lawn area. It's hard to keep up with the band when you're hearing a different rhythm. Gordon at the Constitution Hall concert in '71 explained to the audience that the clapping on "The Auctioneer" ran counter to the band's rhythm.

Great concert and great posts on this site!

[QUOTE, originally posted by Mary Ellen]
"Gord really seems to like talking about the nuts and bolts of songcraft, especially as it pertains to guitar playing--though he knows very well that he has to keep it simple! When introducing "Shadows," he talked about the fact that most songs written in "C" are written "up top" (gesturing at the high neck of the guitar, where his capo is), but this one was written "down here" (playing a few notes on the low strings near where the neck meets the box). Then, after a lovely perfomance, he continued to play with the chord--saying something like, fiddling around with this stuff [chords] is fun, "...even when the song's over!"

This, to me, was especially interesting as an insight into the artist's relation to his work. "Shadows" is such a profound, affecting, soulful piece--but, to it's creator, it's an exercise in "C"! Probably Bach thought the same about the "Well-Tempered Clavier"--like, "Well, that's a pretty good workbook"!

When he switched guitars and discovered the dragonfly (I think--or maybe a moth--LARGE insect) perched just above the soundhole, he brought it to our attention ("I seem to have a passenger"), and then ignored it. Didn't bat it off. Mr. Bug got bored or annoyed after a few bars and either flew or fell off." [QUOTE]

Mary Ellen, your comments about his "C" tutorial and "the passenger" were right on the money. These were two of the three things that I talked about with my son on our ride home. The bug incident was totally spontaneous and I suspect the "lesson in C" was, too. He was absolutely non-plussed by his "passenger" and seemed kind of tickled to 'introduce' it to the audience....then just ignore it and move into his next song. My son seemed to think that there had been a bat flying back and forth across the front of the stage during Don Quixote, too. I don't always see so well in the dark and for this I am grateful! The "lesson in C" seemed to be intentional but the sort-of-reprise was what I felt was spontaneous. This made me feel that he was relaxed and just sharing...as if we were in his living room.

The third thing that my son and I discussed was how he started out a little tentative but seemed to get stronger and stronger and stronger with each song. By the second half he was doing voice things that I didn't remember from concerts I've attended in the last five years...and he pulled them off very well. All in all I had the impression that he was pleased with his performance last night...so much so that I still wonder how close we came to a third encore!

I did make myself go meet BillW, Bill's wife and Elizabeth. I almost chickened out. I'm glad I 'braved up' because now I feel more like part of this group of Lightheads!! They are no longer names on the board but real people.

All in all I had a great night at Wolf Trap and am anxious to go to another concert...NOW!!!

There should be a review in The Washington Times on Friday, August 19th:

www.washingtontimes.com

Great reviews, all, THANKS!! :)

And here it is:

Recovered Lightfoot captures Filene fans
By Jay Votel
August 19, 2005


Gordon Lightfoot showed Wednesday that he can still command the stage. Over a little more than two hours at Wolf Trap's Filene Center, Mr. Lightfoot kept the full house rapt as he quietly wove through the decades, performing his songs from the 1960s through his latest recording, "Harmony," released last year.
The 66-year-old Canadian folk artist is touring for the first time since he was stricken with an abdominal aneurysm during a September 2002 concert in his hometown of Orillia, Ontario. Comatose for six weeks, Mr. Lightfoot spent more than 19 months recovering in the hospital. He returned to the concert stage last November, and is now on the second leg of a 36-date tour that will end Dec. 3 in Orillia.
With his four-piece band -- all of whom have played for Mr. Lightfoot for 18 years or more -- the gaunt singer-songwriter acknowledged a standing ovation when he strode to center stage, saying, "All right."
He sang "Spanish Moss," from his 1976 "Summertime Dream" album and segued immediately to "Don Quixote," the title track of his 1972 LP.
After performing "Minstrel of the Dawn," he waited for the applause to die down and then addressed the audience.
"There's some ethereal stuff for you. What else can you call it? It ain't rock 'n' roll. But we've got some toe tappers," Mr. Lightfoot said.
What followed was a mix of songs, old and new. He followed 1982's "In My Fashion" with the title song of the "Harmony" CD. Then he dipped back to "Summertime Dream" for "Never Too Close," and followed that with "Ghosts of Cape Horn" from 1980's "Dream Street Rose."
In front of a decidedly bubbly lighting effect of pink and green polka dots, Mr. Lightfoot sang "Rainy Day People," one of his more popular songs from 1975's "Cold on the Shoulder" album.
Then after a half-hour of finger-picking his six-string guitar, he traded that instrument for his signature Gibson 12-string for six songs, including his hits, "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" from 1976 and "Sundown" from 1974, to close the first set.
Audience members tried to clap along, but the rhythm never really got established. The band was playing so quietly that the clapping was almost as loud as the drums. Mr. Lightfoot's vocals at times sounded a bit weak in the mix.
In his second set, Mr. Lightfoot -- who has performed eight times at Wolf Trap, most recently in 2000 before Wednesday's concert -- again juxtaposed old songs with new ones. He opened with "Restless," from 1993, and followed it with "Beautiful" from the 1972 "Don Quixote" album. His "Shadows," the title tune from his 1982 album, was followed by "If You Could Read My Mind," his 1970 hit.
"I've outlasted just about everybody at Warner Brothers," Mr. Lightfoot quipped as his program was winding down. He begged the audience to let him play "one more off the new record."
"I like this ballad a lot," he said, when introducing "Clouds of Loneliness."
Mr. Lightfoot played his "Canadian Railroad Trilogy," a fan favorite, followed by "Song for a Winter's Night" from the same 1967 album, "The Way I Feel." He closed with "Old Dan's Records," from 1972, unquestionably the liveliest song of the evening.
The crowd brought him back for two encores: "Early Morning Rain," his first hit song from 1965, and "Cold on the Shoulder," the title track from his 1975 album.

And here it is:

Recovered Lightfoot captures Filene fans
By Jay Votel
August 19, 2005


Gordon Lightfoot showed Wednesday that he can still command the stage. Over a little more than two hours at Wolf Trap's Filene Center, Mr. Lightfoot kept the full house rapt as he quietly wove through the decades, performing his songs from the 1960s through his latest recording, "Harmony," released last year.
The 66-year-old Canadian folk artist is touring for the first time since he was stricken with an abdominal aneurysm during a September 2002 concert in his hometown of Orillia, Ontario. Comatose for six weeks, Mr. Lightfoot spent more than 19 months recovering in the hospital. He returned to the concert stage last November, and is now on the second leg of a 36-date tour that will end Dec. 3 in Orillia.
With his four-piece band -- all of whom have played for Mr. Lightfoot for 18 years or more -- the gaunt singer-songwriter acknowledged a standing ovation when he strode to center stage, saying, "All right."
He sang "Spanish Moss," from his 1976 "Summertime Dream" album and segued immediately to "Don Quixote," the title track of his 1972 LP.
After performing "Minstrel of the Dawn," he waited for the applause to die down and then addressed the audience.
"There's some ethereal stuff for you. What else can you call it? It ain't rock 'n' roll. But we've got some toe tappers," Mr. Lightfoot said.
What followed was a mix of songs, old and new. He followed 1982's "In My Fashion" with the title song of the "Harmony" CD. Then he dipped back to "Summertime Dream" for "Never Too Close," and followed that with "Ghosts of Cape Horn" from 1980's "Dream Street Rose."
In front of a decidedly bubbly lighting effect of pink and green polka dots, Mr. Lightfoot sang "Rainy Day People," one of his more popular songs from 1975's "Cold on the Shoulder" album.
Then after a half-hour of finger-picking his six-string guitar, he traded that instrument for his signature Gibson 12-string for six songs, including his hits, "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" from 1976 and "Sundown" from 1974, to close the first set.
Audience members tried to clap along, but the rhythm never really got established. The band was playing so quietly that the clapping was almost as loud as the drums. Mr. Lightfoot's vocals at times sounded a bit weak in the mix.
In his second set, Mr. Lightfoot -- who has performed eight times at Wolf Trap, most recently in 2000 before Wednesday's concert -- again juxtaposed old songs with new ones. He opened with "Restless," from 1993, and followed it with "Beautiful" from the 1972 "Don Quixote" album. His "Shadows," the title tune from his 1982 album, was followed by "If You Could Read My Mind," his 1970 hit.
"I've outlasted just about everybody at Warner Brothers," Mr. Lightfoot quipped as his program was winding down. He begged the audience to let him play "one more off the new record."
"I like this ballad a lot," he said, when introducing "Clouds of Loneliness."
Mr. Lightfoot played his "Canadian Railroad Trilogy," a fan favorite, followed by "Song for a Winter's Night" from the same 1967 album, "The Way I Feel." He closed with "Old Dan's Records," from 1972, unquestionably the liveliest song of the evening.
The crowd brought him back for two encores: "Early Morning Rain," his first hit song from 1965, and "Cold on the Shoulder," the title track from his 1975 album.

For those of you who are interested, GL wore his wedding ring.

Sheila Ann,

It was very nice to meet you in person, thanks for coming to see us. All around it was a great night.

Bill :)

Hey, I found that "Cellar Door" article I remembered--and no wonder, because I posted a copy of it here on Corfid *myself* a couple of years ago--here's the URL; hope it links:

http://www.corfid.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/001459.html

Scroll down to Auburn Annie's posting of part 1 of this long profile from MacLean's magazine in 1968. My posting of part 2 (which has to do with Gord's week at the Cellar Door) follows.

[I just "re-upped" my Corfid membership to post the Wolf Trap review, and didn't realize that the other "MaryEllen" whose name I was not allowed to use was me! Sorry, administrators--you might want to delete that old membership.]

Dear Misty:

Thanks for the kind words about my review! The reason I mentioned the "friend" vs. "lady friend" was that I understand from other postings that Gord has introduced this song before using the word "erstwhile" -- I think the phrase he used was "erstwhile lady," or something like that. Just thought folks might like to know the variation he chose this particular night.

Interesting about the wedding ring--Thanks, Elizabeth! I couldn't see it, but I was way in the back, just underneath the roof. Watching through binoculars. Agree that the sound mix was a little muddy at times--but, then, that's outdoor concerts. I didn't mention in my reveiw Gord's intro to "The Wreck" or the few words he said about his illness, because I couldn't quite catch them.

BTW, forgot to mention that Gord gave a little extra emphasis to the word "might" when singing "Early Morning Rain," a la the Elvis version: "..cold and drunk as I *might* be." He once mentioned in an interview that he liked the King's southern-flavored take on this line, and has adopted it himself.

Hey, I found that "Cellar Door" article I remembered--and no wonder, because I posted a copy of it here on Corfid *myself* a couple of years ago--here's the URL; hope it links:

http://www.corfid.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/001459.html

Scroll down to Auburn Annie's posting of part 1 of this long profile from MacLean's magazine in 1968. My posting of part 2 (which has to do with Gord's week at the Cellar Door) follows.

[I just "re-upped" my Corfid membership to post the Wolf Trap review, and didn't realize that the other "MaryEllen" whose name I was not allowed to use was me! Sorry, administrators--you might want to delete that old membership.]

Dear Misty:

Thanks for the kind words about my review! The reason I mentioned the "friend" vs. "lady friend" was that I understand from other postings that Gord has introduced this song before using the word "erstwhile" -- I think the phrase he used was "erstwhile lady," or something like that. Just thought folks might like to know the variation he chose this particular night.

Interesting about the wedding ring--Thanks, Elizabeth! I couldn't see it, but I was way in the back, just underneath the roof. Watching through binoculars. Agree that the sound mix was a little muddy at times--but, then, that's outdoor concerts. I didn't mention in my reveiw Gord's intro to "The Wreck" or the few words he said about his illness, because I couldn't quite catch them.

BTW, forgot to mention that Gord gave a little extra emphasis to the word "might" when singing "Early Morning Rain," a la the Elvis version: "..cold and drunk as I *might* be." He once mentioned in an interview that he liked the King's southern-flavored take on this line, and has adopted it himself.

But on the right hand.

Great concert as everyone has said. My most lasting impression though was how tickled he seemed to be just to be there. Not surprising with what he's been through.

Lydia

But on the right hand.

Great concert as everyone has said. My most lasting impression though was how tickled he seemed to be just to be there. Not surprising with what he's been through.

Lydia

Gord had those boots on at Massey - they were a soft buttery/light caramel colour, not white. I'm sure the stage lights made them look lighter than they were.
He hasn't gone "Wayne Newton" on us!
lol
Char

Gord had those boots on at Massey - they were a soft buttery/light caramel colour, not white. I'm sure the stage lights made them look lighter than they were.
He hasn't gone "Wayne Newton" on us!
lol
Char

You mean Pat Boone!!

Why does Gord never seem to perform the song Summer Side of Life. It's one of my favourites of his but it never seems to make his playlist?

Why does Gord never seem to perform the song Summer Side of Life. It's one of my favourites of his but it never seems to make his playlist?