THE WAY WE FEEL – 11th annual celebration of Gordon Lightfoot
@Hugh’s in Toronto on Frid.Jan.18, Sat.Jan.19 and Sun.Jan.20, 2013.
I didn’t attend on Friday night.
Sunday Jan.20, 2013 (nite 3)
Well after very little sleep and a slow start to the morning Lisa and I headed out into the very, very cold Toronto day. We did some some window shopping at the Eaton Centre, had some lunch and eventually made our way by subway back up Yonge St. and along Bloor St. to Hugh’s Room for the final night of the 11th annual 2013 Lightfoot celebration show.
We had reservations for 6 again and were taken to our table down front near the stage, just off the two stairs from the larger dining area. We’ve sat at this table several times over the years and it’s a great spot. Ron Jones had made his way back for the show and was biding his time near the lobby area so we spent some time with him waiting for the 8:30 start time after we had another lovely dinner.
Mr. Bernie Fiedler came in with Jane Harbury who was the manager at The Riverboat that was owned by Mr. Fiedler. She has continued being a major player in the roots/folk scene since those days as a publicist to many artists.
http://www.rootsmusic.ca/2011/11/24/...-jane-harbury/ I spent some time with them talking about those days back in the 60’s and of course suggested they write a book! At the link there are 2 videos of some of her recollections. She is starting a showcase at Hugh’s of new emerging talent and her “Discoveries” shows will be once a month.
http://hughsroom.com/2012/12/jane-ha...discoveries-7/ Tonight would be the debut at Hugh’s of just one such person.
The evening started off with Jory introducing David Newland and telling his story about how the shows came to be again…cuz he had so much fun telling it the previous two nights! Lol
DAVID NEWLAND – YOUARE WHAT I AM – besides being a talented singer/songwriter and emcee David is also a proficient harmonica, banjo, banjolele and ukelele player as well. These instruments bring a new and fun dimension to the Lightfoot tunes he chooses. I smile the whole time he’s onstage!
TREASA LEVASSEUR – THE WAY I FEEL and SUNDOWN
JOHN WORT HANNAM – EARLY MORNING RAIN and YOUR LOVES RETURN
ANDY MAIZE and JOSH FINLAYSON – SPIN SPIN and SUMMER SIDE OF LIFE
I think this was around the time that Lightfoot came in with Meredith and her b.f. and sat behind us with B.Fiedler and Jane.
LORI CULLEN – ANYTHING FOR LOVE and IF YOU COULD READ MY MIND
JORY NASH – MINSTREL OF THE DAWN and COTTON JENNEY. Jory sings like no one else, he embodies the tune and captures it for us to see in his body language and face as well as his voice. It’s always a ‘don’t look away’ time when he is onstage. LOVE him!
Jory proudly introduced the Minstrel himself, Gordon Lightfoot to a gasp and a standing ovation from those in the audience who had no idea he had been sitting amongst them. He eventually made his way to the stage with two guitars. He had been upstairs tuning them and had to make his way downstairs, thru the lobby/bar area and then through the tables on the main floor, down the two stairs by me and then onto the stage. He settled one guitar onto a stand and sat down with the other. The audience sat and held their collective breath.
GORDON LIGHTFOOT – sitting on a wood chair he sang WILD STRAWBERRIES with a few guitar challenges while laughing them off with a ‘should have rehearsed’ and shake of his head. He then introduced his daughter, Meredith Moon. On her way to the stage as she passed me I said, ‘yay/go Meredith’, she turned for a moment and when she recognized me gave me a nice smile. She came onstage and sat on the chair while her father left the stage to sit on the piano bench and lean on the piano with his eyes closed for the most part while she sang.
MEREDITH MOON – STEEL RAIL BLUES. Meredith was very poised and confident onstage asking for some adjustments on the sound board and mic and her dad passing instructions on to “go light on the low end, this is a very thick sounding guitar.” She asked her dad for something and he reached into his pocket and gave her a pick. Meredith said she had wanted to perform on the Hugh’s Room stage since she was 9 years old and started the song as her dad made his way to the piano bench. With one last look over to him she began a lovely version of this mid 60’s Lightfoot tune. Her voice was strong and clear and her guitar playing was fantastic. There was even some audience sing along happening! She received a rousing round of applause. Dad jumped onstage to do another tune as Meredith made her way to her table, recognizing me on her way and leaning down for a hug. Very sweet! No time to talk because dad was starting tune number 2!
GORDON LIGHTFOOT – RESTLESS. This is such a moving song with evocative images, and the ‘ethereal’ quality that is found in so many of the Lightfoot tunes we love. It really suits just a singer and guitar on a chair in a ‘hear a pin drop’ room of 200 spellbound fans. Especially when that singer is Gordon Lightfoot. Another standing ovation and The Man left the stage with a guitar in each hand. He would come back to see a few other performers before leaving with Meredith and her b.f.
BREAK – I sat with Meredith and her b.f. for a bit and talked about her performance and I made my way to the lobby area to get some fresh air and chat with folks by the bar and check out the merch table. As I was finishing speaking with David Newland, Gordon came down the stairs to head back to his seat as the lights dimmed twice to let us know the show was going to start again. As he got closer he said, “Hi there!” and reached his hand out as he passed to make his way to the stairs and back to his table. I figured I’d better get back too before David had to make his way to start introducing the next act but when I got to the stairs Gordon was still standing there looking into the darkness. I asked him if he wanted to go to his table or stay there. He said he was heading to his table so I said, “follow me!” It’s very crowded and tables and chairs are all turned around every which way so it’s a bit tricky to get through the crowd. He stayed right behind me and when I got to his table I pulled out his chair and he sat down saying, ‘thanks!”… I then sat on the step in front of his table, beside my dear favourite emcee and new daddy, David Newland after he opened the second set.
DAVID NEWLAND – TALKING IN YOUR SLEEP. – a totally charming rendition.
SCARLETT JANE – PROTOCOL and OLD DAN’S RECORDS
MATTHEW BARBER – DID SHE MENTION MY NAME and FOR LOVIN’ ME
JADEA KELLY – CAREFREE HIGHWAY and I’M NOT SUPPOSED TO CARE
AENGUS FINNAN – a surprise appearance by the talented co-founder always makes me smile! He performed PUSSYWILLOWS-CATTAILS and his own tune LIGHTFOOT that is the only song on the tribute CD not written by Lightfoot himself. You know I enjoyed these two tunes!
I think this may have been when Lightfoot and party left the building.
KEVIN FOX – CIRCLE IS SMALL and FINE AS FINE CAN BE. Kevin said he was glad to have got through his tunes without any interruptions and was really pleased with his performance - he really nailed them tonight. B.Fiedler was quite impressed as was the whole audience who erupted in a deafening ovation.
DAVID MATHESON once again did an impressive “OH LINDA and RACE AMONG THE RUINS. He is a perfomer who really enjoys himself onstage and loves audience interaction. Lots of fun!
RUSSELL deCARLE sang THE LAST TIME I SAW HER FACE and HOME FROM THE FOREST. What a great voice.
GROUP FINALE – RICH MAN’S SPIRITUAL
WOW. What a fabulous two nights of LIVE music! I am SO glad I got a lot of tonight’s performances on video. Jory has set the bar very high again and it will be interesting and exciting to see what he comes up with next year for the 12th anniversary shows.
We headed up to the lobby area to get the annual pictures with the boys who are so gracious and generous with their time after such a long and busy weekend. I can’t believe 10 years have passed since the first time I met them and found so much wonderful music and some lovely new friends. They are such thoughtful and kind souls, talented beyond measure and all are adorable beyond description.
I also told Kevin Fox how outstanding his performance of The Circle Is Small was and that it was Bernie Fiedler who yelled out when he was finished. He said Bernie had come upstairs to tell him how wonderful he thought it was. He was very humble and thanked me for the kind words. He really accomplished something remarkable sitting there with only a cello and performing a Lightfoot tune.
The community of artists that I’ve met through these shows is a wonderful family that make music, record CD’s, and tour their butts off all because they have incredible talent and a drive to perform that is partially influenced by one man who lived that same life as a young man. They pay homage to him in the most perfect way they can – writing, singing, playing their instruments and sharing their talent with us.
And once in a while they stop and sing from a different songbook to remind us that we need to, have to, should remember the remarkable Canadian troubadour named Gordon Meredith Lightfoot.
Because as Valdy said to Jory back in 2002, “it’s the right thing to do.”
Re: Lightfoot Celebration @ Hugh's Room-January 2013
