[lighthead2toe]

Wow!
What a great package of videos Char put together here for us. Together with daughter, Lisa they both worked very had to help make the pub jam a special event. Lots of dedication here.
Many thanks guys.

Still in the midst of a heat wave that arrived Canada Day Weekend we ran the traditional pub jam event at McVeigh's so we'll try best to give a recap of the afternoon's events as they unfolded.
To help with running things a tad smoother on stage without too much distraction we recruited Jason LaPrade, a friend and popular Toronto music producer to take care of the stage work.

Turned out to be a good decision as Jason handled everything remotely so there was no time wasted juggling things around up there on the stage during the show. Everything ran real smooth and it reflected in the performances of the entertainers.

It was all there from Spin Spin to Ballad of the Yarmouth Castle to Baby Step Back, A Tree Too Weak To Stand, and all in between.

Folks were arriving and greeting one another with hugs as many of us hadn't seen each other since the previous event.

So it begins:

All the way up from Prince Edward Island, on the east coast of Canada and opening the show was Wayne Francis.

Wayne is a Lightfoot enthusiast and a walking encyclopedia of anything remotely connected to Gordon Lightfoot and his music. He has a very accomplished website and just about every sheet of paper on a music stand with Gordon Lightfoot lyrics that I've ever seen came from Wayne's site.

His selection of tunes included a big favourite of mine, "Ode to Big Blue" which is a rare piece of work that unfolds well with the Travis style of fingerpicking that Wayne skillfully delivered. He also included "Baby Step Back" with the hilarious line Gord uses when introducing this song: "meet me by the rock pile baby and I'll get a little bolder" (boulder).
Great job there Wayne and it was good seeing and hanging out with you.

Following Wayne and no stranger to our event was Brady Corcoran. Brady performed a most worthy version of "Early Morning Rain" and "Oh Linda," a tune I was hoping for and he delivered it in his own unique style that could be mesmerizing. This is one talented artist believe me. Our familiar bass player, Myk Hewitt arrived in time to add a few licks toward the end on "Oh Linda."
Things are picking up real good now and the room is alive.

With Brady's accompaniment, onto the stage comes our hugely popular and most versatile Gordon Lightfoot entertainer, Andy Mauck. Andy is no stranger to the pub jam and when he enters the room we know that we are in for some cool entertainment. Andy can sing the song and act the act.
True gentleman is Andy and he honoured a request (I'm Not Supposed To Care) for me which I sent in an email to him prior to the show. To his lovely wife, Dorothy he dedicated "Shadows" and to Char, "I'll Tag Along." Now that's professionalism at it's finest.

To compliment this gathering we plug in for the very first time cellist Crispin Campbell.

A first for the McVeigh stage and a first also for our sound man, Jason who told me he really enjoyed the experience of working with a cello.
Crispin is a highly accomplished versatile musician and his presence and contribution is revealed when his bow crosses the strings of his treasured instrument.

We are now moved to a most joyous level of elevation much higher than the one on which we normally would reside when it comes to the "pot lock pub jam event." This is a whole new calibre and we're on a roll here. The band is in sync and a class act is now in gear.
The tunes are selective ones, most that tend to hang out in the "obscure" category of Lightfoot material, the place I like to visit often.
Char tells me they are now available for viewing on You Tube.

To blend in a bit of a different twist and maybe jog a memory for some folks who may remember my Grandson, Seamus when he graced the stage at a pub jam when he was five years old with his soulful version of Sit Down Young Stranger." this time now at eleven he joined us with his vocal percussion skills in "The Magnificent Toy," a song we would normally hear at Christmas time.
Seamus wooded the crowed but he's a tad shy these days so we could only manage the one tune from him. Big thanks there Shay.

Another interesting aspect of of the weekend celebrations was the fact that a documentary film titled "Lightheaded" was in the midst of production and the film crew were in the pub. Some filming was done there as well so it will be interesting to see the final product when it's released.

John Corcoran, a most dedicated Lightfoot fan and friend of Gord is the overseer of this monumental undertaking which from what I understand is 90% complete. (I refer to him as "Generous John") because he provided us with food and drinks after the concerts in the hotel lounge and was always there to greet you with a smile. A lovely family man, like Gord.

Still riding on an emotional high from the experience and saddened in a way with the closing down of Massey Hall for two years, we will try our best to maintain a positive mindset and prepare for that eventful 2020 opening.

Best to all. "Just Let It Ride."