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Old 09-16-2007, 12:46 AM   #1
buzzard
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Default Meadowbrook Sep 15/07

Just got back from a REALLY chilly show at Meadowbrook Theater in Rochester Hills, Michigan. Meadowbrook is an outdoor venue with a pavilion and hill seating. Near the start of the concert, Gord commented that they were one of the last shows of the year – good thing it was low single digits Celsius (that’s almost freezing for our American friends).

The band sounded good. No natty duds for Gord tonight – jeans and shirt with sweater. About 45 minutes into the show, he did the Wreck (usually the closer, or close to it for the first set). When he followed it with a couple more tunes and commented “It’s a cool night, we’re going to keep plugging on”, it was obvious that this was going to be a one set night.

I went with a friend and his son. We were in the fourth row on the extreme right as you look at the stage (Terry’s side). We were directly in front of the speakers on that side of the stage. My guests were concerned that being in front of the speakers could be a problem. I told them that being right in front of the speakers at a Lightfoot concert could actually be a good thing, and I was right.

From about the fourth song on, you could see his breath on most songs and several times Terry and Gord blew on their hands and rubbed their hands between songs. Gord commented that the last time (2006) they were at Meadowbrook it was “kinda wet” (it poured rain, with thunder and lightening) and that it “was always something with the weather”.

Other than that, the night was fairly usual, except for one goof a few rows back, near the centre, who kept yelling “Raspberry Wine”, “Raspberry Wine”, until somebody apparently corrected him after which he’d yell “Blackberry Wine”. He was also fond of yelling “Hey Gord, I want your autograph” at the conclusion of several songs. Ya, good luck with that.

Anyway, without further ado, here is the set list and a few other observations:

COTTON JENNEY
CAREFREE HIGHWAY
SEA OF TRANQUILITY
14 KARAT GOLD
NEVER TOO CLOSE
Through the first few songs there were a few introductory words to the songs. At this point Gord commented that it was pretty chilly and pulled up his sleeves to the elbow and played the rest of the night that way
A PAINTER PASSING THROUGH
IN MY FASHION
RAINY DAY PEOPLE
SHADOWS
The previously mentioned fellow actually clapped along to Shadows until about 2/3 of the way through; who claps along to Shadows ?!?

BEAUTIFUL
TRIANGLE
THE WATCHMAN’S GONE
RIBBON OF DARKNESS
SUNDOWN
THE WRECK OF THE EDMOND FITZGERALD
Introduction of band members
HANGDOG HOTEL ROOM
RESTLESS
“I wrote this one on a red eye - over Nebraska”
WAITING FOR YOU
At about this time, Mr Raspberry Wine left, never to be seen again – how tragic!
IF YOU COULD READ MY MIND
DON QUIXOTE
BABY STEP BACK
“The next song was covered by Elvis Presley – a man I never met. I almost met him. We were at a show in Buffalo at the Memorial Auditorium – he had a crowd of 18,000, and said he liked this song. After the show, they said, ‘Yah, send Lightfoot back’. So we were back there waiting, and this voice comes over the PA: ‘Ladies & gentlemen, Elvis has left the building!’ I thought – we had an appointment, we had an appointment.”
EARLY MORNING RAIN
BLACKBERRY WINE
What incredible irony.
OLD DAN’S RECORD’S (Encore)

I don’t know if it was the long set with no break or the really chilly night, but by Blackberry Wine, Gord’s voice was almost out of gas. He was shaking his head a lot by then, and making some strange faces. Still he put on full show, and most fans probably appreciated skipping the intermission to get home a little earlier to spark up the furnace.

Brian
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Old 09-16-2007, 06:08 AM   #2
Tim
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Default Re: Meadowbrook Sep 15/07

Thanks Brian for sharing your impressions as well as the set list. Interesting story about the cool temps. I am preparing to drive myself and the family almost 5 hours to the north to see Gord at the Paramount Theater in Aurora, Illinois (suburb of Chicago). Fortunately, its an indoor venue. I am really looking forward to this bonus concert -- we didn't expect to be going to this show until after the June concert in Kansas City, when we decided that we wanted more!

I'm hoping the voice doesn't have any lingering effects from the commendable effort put forth the night before. I'll post the report here as soon as I am able.
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Old 09-16-2007, 08:00 AM   #3
RM
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Default Re: Meadowbrook Sep 15/07

Nice review, Brian.
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Old 09-16-2007, 08:46 AM   #4
charlene
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Default Re: Meadowbrook Sep 15/07

Thanks Brian! After Mariposa it's quite clear that Gord is one stubborn guy when it comes to battling Mother Nature..he's got a job to do and he's gonna do it!

It was about 45 degrees overnight here around Toronto and around 52 during the evening and I was cold IN the house! I can't imagine how cold all of you must have been sitting outside!

I guess Mr. Raspberry wine ran out of fuel - literally and figuratively possibly!

note to self - no clapping thru Shadows..


Char
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Old 09-16-2007, 10:45 AM   #5
RJ
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Default Re: Meadowbrook Sep 15/07

re: clapping through Shadows..

If it weren't so incredibly moronic and rude, it would be quite hilarious..
Like some sort of Octoberfest polka number or something..
I can hear Gord approaching the last chorus yelling, "C'mon EVERYbody!"..
and the crowd sways with great smiles and mugs of ale hoisted high,
and everyone sings with great gusto..
"Let it GO! Let it HAPPened like it HAPPened once beFORE!"..
etc..

Last edited by RJ; 09-16-2007 at 10:48 AM.
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Old 09-16-2007, 11:05 AM   #6
Paul Farnham
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Default Re: Meadowbrook Sep 15/07

Thanks Brian! My sister was there and she has promised to call me today with her "review". The gal pal with whom she attended the show and who procured the tickets is a huge Gord fan but not (yet) a corfidian. I intend to invite her to the party!
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Old 09-16-2007, 05:06 PM   #7
buzzard
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Default Re: Meadowbrook Sep 15/07

You've got it exactly right. It's not so much that I resent the clapping along, it's the choice of songs. I know Gord used to hate it, but clap along to the toe-tappers - like Alberta Bound. With Shadows, you could almost go to the concessions between claps!

Brian

Quote:
Originally Posted by RJ View Post
re: clapping through Shadows..

If it weren't so incredibly moronic and rude, it would be quite hilarious..
Like some sort of Octoberfest polka number or something..
I can hear Gord approaching the last chorus yelling, "C'mon EVERYbody!"..
and the crowd sways with great smiles and mugs of ale hoisted high,
and everyone sings with great gusto..
"Let it GO! Let it HAPPened like it HAPPened once beFORE!"..
etc..
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Old 09-16-2007, 08:59 PM   #8
Paul Farnham
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Default Re: Meadowbrook Sep 15/07

My sister called with her "review" of the Rochester Hills, MI show. It was an outdoor venue, and the evening temperature was in the 40's Fahrenheit. She did say that his voice wasn't "the Gordon Lightfoot we grew up with". Keep in mind, she's a casual, not a rabid, Lightfoot fan. Here's the good news: the attendance was "packed" and she thoroughly enjoyed the evening despite the cool temperature and the rough vocals. That's the effect Gord continues to have despite the ravages of age and health crises.
He keeps touring because the people who made him wealthy want him to keep touring. He feels a sense of duty toward us. And we keep showing up. When we no longer show up, he'll stop showing up. We have no intention of failing to show up, so he'd best eat his Wheaties eh?
At this point, I believe that he would be entirely justified in saying "you're welcome" rather than "thank you" when we applaud.
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Old 09-16-2007, 10:38 PM   #9
RM
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Default Re: Meadowbrook Sep 15/07

Quote:
Originally Posted by Paul Farnham View Post
At this point, I believe that he would be entirely justified in saying "you're welcome" rather than "thank you" when we applaud.
I like that point of view.
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Old 09-18-2007, 03:55 PM   #10
AnneOK
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Default Re: Meadowbrook Sep 15/07

Quote:
Originally Posted by buzzard View Post

I went with a friend and his son. We were in the fourth row on the extreme right as you look at the stage (Terry’s side). We were directly in front of the speakers on that side of the stage. My guests were concerned that being in front of the speakers could be a problem. I told them that being right in front of the speakers at a Lightfoot concert could actually be a good thing, and I was right.
Brian! So that was you sitting up there! I wasn't quite sure if it was you, and having crawled into my seat in the middle of a group of people, I didn't feel so bold as to call out your name to see if it was you. (Plus, I never assume people will remember me from show to show, especially across several rows of people.) Glad you made it to the show!

Quote:
Originally Posted by buzzard View Post
Other than that, the night was fairly usual, except for one goof a few rows back, near the centre, who kept yelling “Raspberry Wine”, “Raspberry Wine”, until somebody apparently corrected him after which he’d yell “Blackberry Wine”. He was also fond of yelling “Hey Gord, I want your autograph” at the conclusion of several songs. Ya, good luck with that.
I think you're talking about the two guys I labeled "the two creepy drunk guys", or with a bit more charity, "the two over-enthused guys". They actually started out right behind me (I was in row 9 or so), and had moved themselves up. They kept standing up to wave to their two other buddies (who were still behind me), but they never quite seemed to wave in the right place. I was actually relieved they hadn't stayed right behind me.


Quote:
Originally Posted by buzzard View Post
The previously mentioned fellow actually clapped along to Shadows until about 2/3 of the way through; who claps along to Shadows ?!?.
That was my thought, exactly. Shadows??? It wasn't cute, like the fired-up Live 8 crowd trying to clap along to Restless. To me, it sounded quite obnoxious because it was so loud and deliberate.

Quote:
Originally Posted by buzzard View Post
HANGDOG HOTEL ROOM
RESTLESS
“I wrote this one on a red eye - over Nebraska”
WAITING FOR YOU
At about this time, Mr Raspberry Wine left, never to be seen again – how tragic!
If we're talking about the same guy(s), they crawled out of the row sometime in the middle of Hangdog -- because I was not sad to see them go, until they crawled back into their original seats behind me in the middle of RESTLESS! And, I might add, they were NOT quiet about it. Restless is probably the song in Gord's current concert rotation that leaves me the most spellbound, and I was sad that the "two over-enthused guys" broke the mood for the folks around us. They talked quite a bit throughout the next couple of songs, and finally told their buddies during Don Quixote that they were heading to the car. After a few rounds of "We're going to car." "Okay, do you know where the car is?" "No, where is the car?" and so on, I finally told them to can it. They left after that . . . and I thought it was quite fitting that they missed Blackberry Wine after all.

Nice review, Brian. Despite my ranting about the "two over-enthused" guys, I thought the show went well and the guys played very well given the chilly conditions. I thought Gordon sounded good as his voice warmed up, and I keep going to concerts because there are always a few moments where I get a chill and think, "wow, he's good".

Anne (no, I don't post very often!)
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Old 09-18-2007, 03:57 PM   #11
AnneOK
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Default Re: Meadowbrook Sep 15/07

Quote:
Originally Posted by RJ View Post
re: clapping through Shadows..

If it weren't so incredibly moronic and rude, it would be quite hilarious..
Like some sort of Octoberfest polka number or something..
I can hear Gord approaching the last chorus yelling, "C'mon EVERYbody!"..
and the crowd sways with great smiles and mugs of ale hoisted high,
and everyone sings with great gusto..
"Let it GO! Let it HAPPened like it HAPPened once beFORE!"..
etc..
Wow, that image had me laughing heartily. I recall something very similar to that during one of the Delta Chelsea gatherings when everybody was singing "The House You Live In", some with glasses held high . . . good times . . .

Anne
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Old 09-18-2007, 10:03 PM   #12
buzzard
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Default Re: Meadowbrook Sep 15/07

[QUOTE=AnneOK;129488]Brian! So that was you sitting up there! I wasn't quite sure if it was you, and having crawled into my seat in the middle of a group of people, I didn't feel so bold as to call out your name to see if it was you. (Plus, I never assume people will remember me from show to show, especially across several rows of people.) Glad you made it to the show!

Hey Anne - great to hear from you. I'm sorry we didn't get a chance to catch up - too bad there wasn't an intermission after all. I should have posted that I was going before the fact.
For future reference, if there's a show in the greater Detroit area, there's a good chance I'll be there, and you can always assume that I'll remember you - for goodness sake we were part of that Bittergreen powerhouse that won the big Lightfoot trivia contest years ago.
Hope all is going well out in OK.

Brian
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Old 09-19-2007, 01:06 PM   #13
imported_Next_Saturday
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Default Re: Meadowbrook Sep 15/07

Quote:
Originally Posted by RJ View Post
re: clapping through Shadows..

If it weren't so incredibly moronic and rude, it would be quite hilarious..
Like some sort of Octoberfest polka number or something..
I can hear Gord approaching the last chorus yelling, "C'mon EVERYbody!"..
and the crowd sways with great smiles and mugs of ale hoisted high,
and everyone sings with great gusto..
"Let it GO! Let it HAPPened like it HAPPened once beFORE!"..
etc..
That is perhaps, one of the funniest things I've ever read...way to go RJ. If IYCRMM could be done as a disco song, (which in all seriousness, Viola Wills did a great job) the discussion board almost begs for a new topic--"Which Lightfoot Song Would Make A Good Polka?"...actually I don't think "Shadows" could be topped...
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Old 09-19-2007, 02:09 PM   #14
RJ
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Default Re: Meadowbrook Sep 15/07

re: the discussion board almost begs for a new topic--"Which Lightfoot Song Would Make A Good Polka?"...

That's funny..
When I began playing the accordion several years ago, I naturally gravitated to playing waltzes of course, to learn how to play the thing (someone once said that learning how to play a 120 button accordion is akin to "wrestling a Boa constrictor".. and although I eventually became competent on the squeezebox, I found this analogy to be quite painfully true..
Anyway I naturally gravitated to playing waltzes, and from the Gordbook I chose 'Romance' (last song on Salute)..
If worked beautifully..
Great triplets, great melody, passing notes, great changes..
a wonderful composition, which, hey, incidentally, makes a great polka!
let me tell ya..
So ya..
'Romance'..
That's my pick..

Last edited by RJ; 09-20-2007 at 07:54 AM.
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