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paddletothesea · 09-23-2013, 05:36 PM

Been awhile since I've posted. I went and saw the road warriors this weekend in Butte at the Mother Lode Theatre. I was seated in the 2nd row-Center seat!! Have not been that close in concert, so that was a bonus.
I wish I wrote down the set list, but at the time it was not that important. It had been a couple years since I last saw Gord so it was a pleasure for sure.
Gord seemed more talkative than normal and I relate that to the fact that the audience would shout out comments or questions, which made Gord have to answer. He seemed more relaxed ,and the audience too when he was able to banter a bit with the crowd. Gord mentioned that he normally doesn't talk that much and sometimes never says anything.

He opened with The Watchman. Which to me is a great tune. Gord seemed a little tired when he first walked out but got into it more and more, and by the second half he was in great form.

He looked great in his blue vest and red jacket between sets!
I was surprised that he played a lot of songs I didn't think he would play...especially the first set which was most all of the top ones (older).
He mentioned that during that day at a radio interview in Butte, the announcer asked "Are you going to play 'Circle of Steel'?....to which Gord told the guy...." Wow we haven't done that in so long and its in a weird tuning that we normally don't play that".....Well, once Gord mentioned that.....he ended up PLAYING IT!!! I don't recall him doing that song in any of the previous shows I've seen!! It sounded great to hear. I think Carter bowed out of playing any of this....maybe thats the way Gord wanted it....but also maybe since it was an obscure song that they haven't played in years that Carter had never played it. Not that it matters....but it was great!
This was the first time I've seen Carter. He is a great player and had some great riffs. When Sundown was played and another toe tapper (might have been 'Baby Step Back"...can't recall) Carter stood up along side Gord and played away!! Gord was feeding off of him too on Sundown. Great to see him get up and move around. I don't recall Terry doing that (RIP Terry!)
A few other interesting notes....Gord mentioned Butte and it's mining history. (Google it! Was one of the largest cities west of the Mississippi in the late 1800's and bigger than San Fran!!! Largest producer of copper in the world at one time.) Well we all know Gord has wrote a few "mine" tunes. As Gord finished talking about Butte he mentioned the song "Open Pit Mine" by the late George Jones...in which GORD broke into an acappella of a verse of the Jones' song!!!! (Wish I could remember the verse he sang, but it was great to hear Gord sing it without any musical backup and from a George Jones Classique!! (RIP George!) (Can't remember what Gord actually sang after that bit.

Gord was winded a lot too in which he would occasionally bend over until his head was near his knees and gather a few breaths then get back up and continue. Gord said " He needed to do that due to riding in airplanes (his back was probably cramped) and the fact I still smoke cigs" After he said that a lot of the audience sighed about his smoking!

When he sang "Wild Stawberries". He may have gotton a few more laughs from his line "wearing polka dot underware", because Gord lost it and started laughing, in which he had to skip the next lines of the song. It was pretty funny to see Gord get cracked up about his own song!

One thing I noticed when he sang "The Wreck"...is that he changed the verse about the 'main hatchway caved in"....I could not understand what he said and would be curious if anyone else has heard it. I had seen an interview on the internet where he was talking to Ruth Hudson who's son was the one in charge of the hatch covers on the Fitz and how she was saddened to think that the song had the verse about the hatch covers. So I assume he has changed the verse....anyone know what he sings now?

A few people were yelling out "we love you Gordon"....in which he sort of ignored but nodded his head in approval and made the comments "We love THE work!"

Gord talked a little about capo tuning and asked if anyone else did that too, which many in the audience clapped in agreement. Gord mentioned his band was good at playing along to this weird and difficult tuning of using the capo. I think he made some comment about the band being the best capo band there was.

Some other notes....
A couple other songs had a few change of verses that I could not understand. Either a slip of Gord or just a new verse added.
His older songs were spot on!!! Song for a winters night, Loving Me, Ribbon of Darkness, IYCRMM, SUndown, Carefree Highway, Cotton Jenny, Beautiful and others. He closed the show with Early Morning Rain!!!!! It was fantastic. His voice was good on all those low songs and a bit of a struggle to get some of those higher-- newer songs out but no complaints there.

He talked about Georgian Bay and once having a sail boat but sold it after running it aground too many times....which led into the song 'Christian Island'. Gordon laughed a bit about his lack of seamanship.

After the show we went to his bus and waited to meet him as well as the band. Talked with Rick for awhile which is always enjoyable. He likes to talk about whatever and is very gracious!! Well, the whole band is actually. We talked a bit about John Stockfish, Red Shea, Rick's career and how he thought when he auditioned that he would maybe get 6-months of work from Gord....never knowing it would be 45 years later and still going at it! A guy out there with us asked Rick why they never play "Approaching Lavender"...Rick laughed and referring to some early 70's off-color humor said "well all the gays in San Fransisco in the early 70s would all request that song"...with which he laughed and said..."so we quit doing it in concert"... ;-)
Carter was great to talk too. Very interested in what you had to say and comment about. Same with Barry. I didn't know Barry had played on 20- of Anne Murray Albums!! And also was a session drummer on some of BTO's albums!! really cool to learn about these guys.

I'm sure there is more but that was the gist of it. I DID happen to record on video "Circle of Steel"!!!! Which tuned out fantastic! I will keep you all posted when I put it up on youtube!!! Anyway......the guy is still as great as ever and his song never fail to take me back in time. Thanks again Gordon!!!!!

09-23-2013, 05:36 PM	#2
paddletothesea Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: yellowstone, montana Posts: 62	Butte Montana Sept 21 review of concert. Been awhile since I've posted. I went and saw the road warriors this weekend in Butte at the Mother Lode Theatre. I was seated in the 2nd row-Center seat!! Have not been that close in concert, so that was a bonus. I wish I wrote down the set list, but at the time it was not that important. It had been a couple years since I last saw Gord so it was a pleasure for sure. Gord seemed more talkative than normal and I relate that to the fact that the audience would shout out comments or questions, which made Gord have to answer. He seemed more relaxed ,and the audience too when he was able to banter a bit with the crowd. Gord mentioned that he normally doesn't talk that much and sometimes never says anything. He opened with The Watchman. Which to me is a great tune. Gord seemed a little tired when he first walked out but got into it more and more, and by the second half he was in great form. He looked great in his blue vest and red jacket between sets! I was surprised that he played a lot of songs I didn't think he would play...especially the first set which was most all of the top ones (older). He mentioned that during that day at a radio interview in Butte, the announcer asked "Are you going to play 'Circle of Steel'?....to which Gord told the guy...." Wow we haven't done that in so long and its in a weird tuning that we normally don't play that".....Well, once Gord mentioned that.....he ended up PLAYING IT!!! I don't recall him doing that song in any of the previous shows I've seen!! It sounded great to hear. I think Carter bowed out of playing any of this....maybe thats the way Gord wanted it....but also maybe since it was an obscure song that they haven't played in years that Carter had never played it. Not that it matters....but it was great! This was the first time I've seen Carter. He is a great player and had some great riffs. When Sundown was played and another toe tapper (might have been 'Baby Step Back"...can't recall) Carter stood up along side Gord and played away!! Gord was feeding off of him too on Sundown. Great to see him get up and move around. I don't recall Terry doing that (RIP Terry!) A few other interesting notes....Gord mentioned Butte and it's mining history. (Google it! Was one of the largest cities west of the Mississippi in the late 1800's and bigger than San Fran!!! Largest producer of copper in the world at one time.) Well we all know Gord has wrote a few "mine" tunes. As Gord finished talking about Butte he mentioned the song "Open Pit Mine" by the late George Jones...in which GORD broke into an acappella of a verse of the Jones' song!!!! (Wish I could remember the verse he sang, but it was great to hear Gord sing it without any musical backup and from a George Jones Classique!! (RIP George!) (Can't remember what Gord actually sang after that bit. Gord was winded a lot too in which he would occasionally bend over until his head was near his knees and gather a few breaths then get back up and continue. Gord said " He needed to do that due to riding in airplanes (his back was probably cramped) and the fact I still smoke cigs" After he said that a lot of the audience sighed about his smoking! When he sang "Wild Stawberries". He may have gotton a few more laughs from his line "wearing polka dot underware", because Gord lost it and started laughing, in which he had to skip the next lines of the song. It was pretty funny to see Gord get cracked up about his own song! One thing I noticed when he sang "The Wreck"...is that he changed the verse about the 'main hatchway caved in"....I could not understand what he said and would be curious if anyone else has heard it. I had seen an interview on the internet where he was talking to Ruth Hudson who's son was the one in charge of the hatch covers on the Fitz and how she was saddened to think that the song had the verse about the hatch covers. So I assume he has changed the verse....anyone know what he sings now? A few people were yelling out "we love you Gordon"....in which he sort of ignored but nodded his head in approval and made the comments "We love THE work!" Gord talked a little about capo tuning and asked if anyone else did that too, which many in the audience clapped in agreement. Gord mentioned his band was good at playing along to this weird and difficult tuning of using the capo. I think he made some comment about the band being the best capo band there was. Some other notes.... A couple other songs had a few change of verses that I could not understand. Either a slip of Gord or just a new verse added. His older songs were spot on!!! Song for a winters night, Loving Me, Ribbon of Darkness, IYCRMM, SUndown, Carefree Highway, Cotton Jenny, Beautiful and others. He closed the show with Early Morning Rain!!!!! It was fantastic. His voice was good on all those low songs and a bit of a struggle to get some of those higher-- newer songs out but no complaints there. He talked about Georgian Bay and once having a sail boat but sold it after running it aground too many times....which led into the song 'Christian Island'. Gordon laughed a bit about his lack of seamanship. After the show we went to his bus and waited to meet him as well as the band. Talked with Rick for awhile which is always enjoyable. He likes to talk about whatever and is very gracious!! Well, the whole band is actually. We talked a bit about John Stockfish, Red Shea, Rick's career and how he thought when he auditioned that he would maybe get 6-months of work from Gord....never knowing it would be 45 years later and still going at it! A guy out there with us asked Rick why they never play "Approaching Lavender"...Rick laughed and referring to some early 70's off-color humor said "well all the gays in San Fransisco in the early 70s would all request that song"...with which he laughed and said..."so we quit doing it in concert"... ;-) Carter was great to talk too. Very interested in what you had to say and comment about. Same with Barry. I didn't know Barry had played on 20- of Anne Murray Albums!! And also was a session drummer on some of BTO's albums!! really cool to learn about these guys. I'm sure there is more but that was the gist of it. I DID happen to record on video "Circle of Steel"!!!! Which tuned out fantastic! I will keep you all posted when I put it up on youtube!!! Anyway......the guy is still as great as ever and his song never fail to take me back in time. Thanks again Gordon!!!!! Last edited by paddletothesea; 09-23-2013 at 05:56 PM.