Minneapolis- April 29, 2013 Set List

[seafarer62]

Hi everyone-

Gordon Lightfoot returned to Minneapolis in one of his most crisp and polished performances that I can ever remember. Just the right mix of humor, story and songs. I have to work tomorrow- so I will just post the set list for now.

1) Triangle
2) The Watchman's Gone ("a song about a slow freight to Glory")
3) All the Lovely Ladies
4) I'd Rather Press On
5) Wild Strawberries
6) Waiting for You ("a song with some ooomph")
7) Christian Island
8) Rainy Day People
9) Shadows
10) Beautiful
11) Let It Ride
12) Carefree Highway
13) Cotton Jenny
14) Ribbon of Darkness
15) Sundown
Intermission
16) Drink Yer Glasses Empty (with Michael, some nifty lyric changes)
17) Race Among the Ruins
18) Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
19) Never Too Close
20) Don Quixote
21) Clouds of Loneliness
22) Ring Them Bells ( no mention of Dylan's home state of Minnesota)
23) If You Could Read My Mind
24) A Painter Passing Through
25) Baby Step Back
26) Early Morning Rain
27) Song for a Winter's Night
Encore:
28) Cold on the Shoulder


Wonderfully enjoyable concert with Gord in really good voice right from the start. Several standing ovations. More later-

John- Minnesota

[Sydney Steve]

Jealousy.

[charlene]

http://www.startribune.com/entertain...205351171.html
Despite his soft sound at the State, Gordon Lightfoot's still gold
Posted by: Jon Bream under Music, Minnesota musiciansUpdated: April 30, 2013 - 2:58 AM

A few thoughts about Gordon Lightfoot’s concert Monday at the State Theatre:

• Considering that he’s been through an abdominal aneurysm, a minor stroke and other health issues in recent years, his voice sounded remarkably true.

• Unfortunately, his voice was loud enough for a coffeehouse, not a nearly full theater. Sound adjustments were made for the second set, during which the drummer was quieter, favoring brushes instead of sticks.

• Lightfoot seemed in good spirits, reminiscing about his first Twin Cities gig at the old Guthrie Theater and his first U.S. tour when he had some green-card difficulties In Syracuse. He even told a joke: How long is the hair on a rabbit? About three seconds.

• There was a reassuring gentleness and gentlemanliness to Lightfoot’s style.

• At 74, Lightfoot is hunch-backed and rail-thin, with should-length hair. Emaciated, he looked a bit like latter-years Abe Lincoln without a beard.

• Backed by a bassist, guitarist, drummer, keyboardist (who loved the synth-strings on pop hits) and his own acoustic guitar, the veteran Canadian troubadour played two 50-minute sets and a one-song encore.

• He offered a song by his old buddy Bob Dylan, “Ring Them Bells,” but didn’t mention that it’s a Dylan tune.

• Highlights included “Carefree Highway,” “Cotton Jenny” and “Beautiful” in the first set, and “If You Could Read My Mind,” “Early Morning Rain” and “Don Quixote” in the second set.

[KHester]

Thanks John,
Sounds like you had a great evening
We'll see how the set list matches up tonight in Davenport. Erin and I are counting the hours. Have to check on the camera batteries. Will get our report in as soon as possible.

[seafarer62]

For all you ladies, he wore a blue velvet jacket and dark trousers during the first set. In the second set, he came out with just the dark blue vest and white or light colored dress shirt.

Here some of my other notes:

Before "I'd Rather Press On", he said that he has been recycling songs, and this one came up. First time I had ever heard this one in concert, so that doesn't happen often after about 50+ concerts now.

During Carefree Highway instrumentals, he went over to Carter and they dueled on the licks.

With Sundown, he sang all four verses. Normally verse 3 is missing. Been a long time since he's done the entire song.

He referred to his first performance in Minneapolis at the Old Guthrie Theatre back in 1967 (which has now been replaced by a new building right on the Mississippi River. ) And he thanked Fred Krohn, the long-time Minneapolis promoter.

I think one of the highlights for me was the first song of the second set, "Drink Yer Glasses Empty." I had heard it when he was in Minneapolis in April 1993. This time, only Michael came back to stage with him on the keyboards. Gord's vocals were clear and strong and a couple of lines were strange.

In place of the line: "Beg, steal or borrow, you have another hill to climb" with

"Even with the dangers, there's another hill to climb"

In the last verse, the line: "We'd like to take life over again, when time of war will pass away into the rain." has been replaced with:

"I'd like to take life over again, when olden days won't pass away into the rain. "

When grabbing the new 12-string for "Early Morning Rain", he chided the guitar and told it that it better behave!

As I have stated, Minneapolis 2013 was very enjoyable. Who would have ever thought that he would have done 5 songs from the "Waiting for You" album, and Restless would not be one of them?

I didn't get my favorites "In My Fashion" or "Old Dan's Records", but hey, we did get some more variety and deeper album cuts.

I am about to leave for Des Moines, Iowa. I am sitting in the 6th row tonight, practically in front of Carter Lancaster. Anyone there? - stop up and say hello.

Minnesota and Iowa are expecting 3 to 6 inches of snow today- so not a pretty drive, even a little dicey. Spring is very slow to arrive here this year. I'll post the Des Moines set list when I return home Thursday evening.

John- Minnesota (Seafarer62)
(Nearly 40 years on the Carefree Highway with Gord) First concert- Minneapolis, April 1977

[charlene]

SNOW!! Safe travels John!
Thanks for the report and details. You're going to have fun watching Carter closeup!
I wish I was going but I'll see them in Niagara Falls next week..

[charlene]

Minneapolis-Apr.29-2013 review - http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/arts/20...-state-theatre

Gordon Lightfoot hits a figurative high note at the State Theatre
By Dwight Hobbes, Sounding Off On Sound
June 19, 2013

Gordon Lightfoot's voice is not in the greatest of shapes anymore. The rich depth for he's well known over the past five decades is gone. And he can't quite hit all the high notes. April 29th at the State Theater, nobody really gave a damn. It was less just another concert than it was an invaluable visit from the lifelong icon whose personal warmth and engaging gift of song made the 2,100-seat auditorium feel intimate as, say, a great big living room you just happened to be sharing with your date and a whole lot of strangers.
In great voice or no, Lightfoot can still handle a melody with the best of them. He has an understated way of getting to the truth of a song, subtly sustaining that most important part of a performance, feeling. That being a very good thing, since his songs all have a special feel to them.

Without doubt there were audience favorites that had to be left off the set list (including, ironically, "Carefree Highway"—the road trip is billed as the "50 Years on the Carefree Highway Tour"), otherwise he'd be on-stage until the wee hours. Lightfoot made it clear from the outset that his priority was not making this a night of his greatest hits. He started with a good handful of songs most folk wouldn't know, though they clearly had the feel of traditional folk music. Hardly surprising. Long before the guy hit it big, he built a following in troubador mode. After all, this is the fella who penned the original roustabout, travelin' man anthem, "That's What You Get For Lovin' Me." Lightfoot did get around to that which put the most butter on his bread over a long, long career. There was, for instance, "Rainy Day People," "Early Morning Rain," "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," "Beautiful" and "If You Could Read My Mind," accompanied by an efficient little four-piece backup band.
Lightfoot isn't known for a whole lot of jawing between songs. When he does have something to say, it's not a wizened quip or fascinating anecdote. He says what comes to mind, might get a chuckle here and there, might not. Then gets back to doing what he came there to do. Make wonderful music. That he did, from the moment he walked on-stage all the way up until he leisurely strolled off. When he did, after the obligatory encore, wave to everybody and take his leave, the standing ovation was far from the Twin Cities standard, perfunctory send-off. Nearly in unison, the whole house sprang to their feet in a cataract of heartfelt applause. Tribute indeed well deserved.
Sooner or later, Gordon Lightfoot is going to have to throw in the towel, go sit somewhere and rest on his considerable laurels. At which point an evening like this, faded voice and all, is going to well be a treasured memory for all who were on hand.

[Dave, Melbourne,Australia]

Originally Posted by charlene

Without doubt there were audience favorites that had to be left off the set list (including, ironically, "Carefree Highway")

The writer must have been out in the bar during the 12th song.

[charlene]

RICK pic: