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Gordon Lightfoot
Thursday
Casino Regina Show Lounge
REGINA -- There is absolutely no doubt that Gordon Lightfoot is a Canadian treasure.
The 73-year-old Lightfoot mesmerized a sold-out crowd at the Casino Regina Show Lounge on Thursday evening with a 24-song, 90-minute set that was simple yet stunning.
Although his voice isn’t what it once was — it’s now just a little louder than a whisper with a touch of raspiness — it was obvious that no one came to the show expecting the circa 1976 version of Lightfoot. The fans came for the memories and Lightfoot delivered in spades.
He took to the stage quickly and with little fanfare, stepping right up to the mic and opening with Did She Mention My Name and Carefree Highway. Dressed in grey slacks, a white shirt and a wine-coloured jacket, Lightfoot went about his business in an efficient yet emotional style.
The fans appreciated his efforts but were strangely quiet between songs, not wanting to miss a word should Lightfoot decide to share a thought or anecdote. The reserved audience missed a queue from Lightfoot, who was ready to allow it to finish the final chorus of Ribbon of Darkness. When the chance slipped by without a reply from the fans, Lightfoot asked them, “No?”
He didn’t take the unintentional snub personally — he just softly shook his head and jumped right into the next song.
Lightfoot earned a laugh from the audience while introducing the title track from Don Quixote: “God, when did I write this one? 1972?”
He could be forgiven for forgetting the odd date or fact, given that he’s written a treasure trove of material over the last 50 years. And Lightfoot found his way easily through his impressive discography, including hits like If You Could Read My Mind, The Way I Feel, If I Could, Alberta Bound, Rainy Day People and The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.
Lightfoot’s baritone voice no longer has the power it once had but that small flaw doesn’t matter. Even in his heyday, it was never about Lightfoot’s voice, it was about the message and what he had to say and the wonderful way he said it.
Lightfoot’s voice did shine during If You Could Read My Mind. It was his best effort of the night vocally as the haunting ballad about Lightfoot experiencing marital problems came through strong and clear.
Lightfoot did remember that the last time he played in Regina, some five years ago, he didn’t play Canadian Railroad Trilogy. He played it on this night, making sure to right a definite wrong.
Playing with a four-piece band — Rick Haynes (bass), Mike Heffernan (keyboards), Barry Keane (drums) and Carter Lancaster (guitar) — Lightfoot had total command of the evening. It shouldn’t be surprising that he and the band interacted so wonderfully given that Haynes, Heffernan and Keane have played with Lightfoot for the majority of his career.
Finishing the night with a one-song encore (Rainy Day People), Lightfoot left the stage to a well-earned ovation. It was only then that the fans packed up their cherished memories and left the venue.
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