Davenport Iowa Concert Review This one works
 

Gordon’s Concert in Davenport 03/11/2009

We got to the concert site about 90 minutes before the show. I came prepared with the packet I was hoping to give Gordon after the concert.
While we were waiting for the doors to open, I went up to the box office and asked for a venue poster. While the girl at the desk was thinking about it, I showed her the “Ode to Gordon” poem I wrote. I think it helped because she came back with the poster for me. This would be my second venue poster now. Waiting in line we met some new friends and fans discussing how many times we’ve all seen Gordon in concert and his great music.

Gordon came out in a blue dress jacket and he looked good and sounded good. He mentioned his was happy to be here and thanked everyone for coming out on a cold Wednesday night. He opened with his first song “Cotton Jenny” followed by “Carefree Highway”. Gordon’s voice was strong and the sound mix was very well balanced. He closed the first set stating that here’s a song about an event that you probably know from this song. He continued his introduction to the Fitz stating that it was nominated for a Grammy, but lost to Barry Manilow, which was ok because he knew Barry.

Second Set started out with “Triangle” followed by Hangdog Hotel Room which was dedicated to an image he has of Jerry Jeff Walker. Of course the highlight song for me was “If you could read my mind” and it got the normal standing ovation. Gordon threw in his normal hare joke. He mentioned his ears were popping because of the flight in before he went into his closing song “Canadian Railroad Trilogy”. Gordon and the band were great!
Terry got applause throughout the night for his excellent lead guitar.

After the show, we went back to the tour bus to wait for Gordon to come out. It was so cold we were all out there for over an hour waiting. The band finally came out and signed autographs for us, but no Gordon yet. So later we were able to go inside the stage door entrance to wait. We went to a room where we finally got to meet Gordon. There were at least 15 of us waiting. He signed some tickets, albums, a dollar bill, posed for pictures with us.

While we were standing there amongst the crowd, I came up to him and shook his hand and handed him my portfolio with my poem “Ode To Gordon”. I explained to him that I put this together for him to express the strong feelings we have as fans for him and his music. The expression on his face was overwhelming and said “Wow, that was so wonderful and thoughtful”. When I read the poem to him he absolutely loved it and thanked me. He turned around and gave it to one of the crew and put this in my special place in my drawer. The guy said that no one has ever given him anything like this. So you can imagine how deeply moved he was. We got a hug and pictures taken. It was truly a memorable night for all of us.

My girlfriend has become a much bigger fan now that she has met him and realized how nice he is.

I hope to hear from him after giving him my poems.

Take Care,

Kevin & Erin

P.S. Char thanks for the help. By the way, Leslie didn’t make the trip with them.


Set List
Set 1
Cotton Jenny
Carefree Highway
Sea of Tranquility
14 Karat Gold
Minstrel of the Dawn
Never Too Close
Let it Ride
Painter Passing Through
Spanish Moss
Shadows
Beautiful
The Watchman’s Gone
Ribbon Of Darkness
Sundown
The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald


Set 2
Triangle
Hangdog Hotel Room
Restless
Clouds of Loneliness
Me and Bobby McGee
Waiting for You
Make way for the Lady
Pony Man
Don Quixote
If You Could Read My Mind
Baby Step Back
Canadian Railroad Trilogy
Encore
Old Dan’s Records

Kevin

Re: Davenport Iowa Concert Review This is works
 

Way to go Kevin!
I'm so glad you got to give him your poems! I hope you've got some pics to share!
Sounds like he's still having problems with his sinuses, either from a cold or flight/air pressure.

Re: Davenport Iowa Concert Review This is works
 

Hey Kevin. Glad to hear you had such a good time at the Davenport concert. Thanks for posting the details and set list.

Brian

Re: Davenport Iowa Concert Review This is works
 

Kevin, it sounds like your poems really touched Gordon's heart. :) That is so great! Not many famous people make themselves so available to their fans...he must really appreciate his.
I am happy for you :) It means so much to have a special moment like that with someone that you admire.

Re: Davenport Iowa Concert Review This is works
 

Nice review. Thanks for sharing !

Bill :)

Re: Davenport Iowa Concert Review This is works
 

way to persevere, great stuff, Kevin...glad everything about the night was memorable...I don't recall reading any prior fan poem posted here...there are few songs by various performers that have been recorded and performed for Gord on special nights...I don't have Aengus Finnan's 'Lightfoot' recording handy but I though there was a link to a live performance

you might like this one by JP Cormier, which he played for Gord one night where everyone was moved..it speaks to how he has inspired not just fans but many, many songwriters...aint "And I wonder if he knows the seed his wisdom left behind" a great line that sums it up pretty well

___________________________________________
>The Poet (JP Cormier)

I remember the lonely poet that slipped in through my door.
His shadow lean and hungry lying on my parlor floor.
The world lay in shades of gray upon his pencil tip
And I rushed to catch the truth that was falling from his lips.

Well I don't know how he got there, when he came, he came alone.
Stealing through the dusty cracks of my brother's gramophone.
Sailing through the bitter green on rails made of steel.
He made a young boy's dreams of flying seem that they were real.

And he spoke to me in pictures I clearly understood.
I'd have to face my story, be it bad or good.
And though I never wore his clothes, I've tried to fill his shoes,
'Cause he made me want to be a poet too.

Well he spoke of love and soldiers and the reasons why we lose.
The things that bring us happiness are things that we must choose.
He left the answers lying in the early morning rain,
And the likes of that young stranger will not be seen again.

Now I'm a lonely poet just like he was before.
My shadow's lean and hungry lying on the parlor floor.
And I wonder if he knows the seed his wisdom left behind,
Growing like a flower in the shadows of my mind.
_____________________________________________


"Lightfoot" (Lyrics & Music: Aengus Finnan)

On the road that lies before us, from sea to shining sea
There’s a voice in the distance that beckons “follow me”

And it’s there within the forest, and beneath the silver moon
And it whistles in the wires with the memory of a tune

Well you tread this country Lightfoot, and you took a mighty stand
When you saw in her a beauty and you held her rugged hand

From her shield and her shoreline, you gathered in rhyme
Tender words that told her story, they linger yet in time

Ever will this land remember
Ever will your name be strong
Ever will the true north ring
With the glory of your song

Through the wide and rolling prairies, to the lights of Massey Hall
You sang about a people, dreamers one and all

And you climbed the highest mountains, felt the early morning rain
You traveled to the southland, but came back home again

Ever will this land remember
Ever will your name be strong
Ever will the true north ring
With the glory of your song

Long gone, the Riverboat and Yorkville Days
Long gone, the lines the navies laid
Long gone, lovers and the carefree highway
Still here are the tracks you made

Ever will this land remember
Ever will your name be strong
Ever will the true north ring
With the glory of your song
Ever will Canada
Sing the glory of your song


....we should have a special link to these songs (add Lightfoot tribute poems/songs by Wayne Francis, Ed Mullen, Cathy Cowette and atleast one other tune by a fan who was at our 2006 night jam) and now your wonderful fan poem:clap:

Re: Davenport Iowa Concert Review This is works
 

the anecdotes before & after these concert reviews are often my favourite things to read...nice score, thanks for sharing

Re: Davenport Iowa Concert Review This is works
 

JJ
Thanks for posting that and the kind words.
God has given us all certain abilities. With Gordon it's all in the lyrics, except maybe carnary yellow canoe. He can touch our hearts in a special way..
I knew I was going to the concert, and I wondered, yet I knew if Gordon knew what his fans thought of him.
If You could Read my Mind is my favorite. it has such meaning. Of all a sudden The first verse kept running thru my mind except instead of If you could read my mind l what a tale my thoughts could tell. It became what a tale your fans could tell. and it went from there in minutes.

Anyways here's the "Ode to Gordon" again for those who are wondering about it



Ode To Gordon

If you could read our minds
What a tale your fans could tell
All about your music
And why we choose it.
We’d listen in a castle dark or a fortress strong
But usually at home or in the car it’s your music we take along From our second cup of coffee
Driving through the early morning rain
Or in a ship, train or plane
As the evening shadows signal the approaching sundown
We know that we’re homeward and not Alberta bound
Looking forward with delight
To putting on a CD and listening to you on a cold winter’s night

And what did we get for loving you?
Music that brought a tear to our eyes and a smile to our lips
Music that touched our hearts and stirred our souls
Music that has brought us so much pleasure
as we listen measure by measure,
It has given us a lifetime of memories to treasure

Kevin D. Hester

Re: Davenport Iowa Concert Review This is works
 

Thanks for posting your review/setlist, KHester. I'm glad you got to give Gord your poems and that you had such a great time.

Re: Davenport Iowa Concert Review This is works
 

wow aw thanks for the review and sharing the poem...very great :biggrin: