Massey Hall-Nov.16-2006

[Hirsh]

Wow, I just managed to snare a front row centre seat for tonight's Massey show. Looks like a few front-row seats have come open at the last-minute. If anyone's interested, try to act now ...

[Moosedog]

Wow, good for you! Have fun!

Vickie

[BILLW]

Have fun, after all this is the reason we're all here. No Lightfoot - No Corfid. So party like it's 1999, LOL. Take and post pictures - power to the people. If someone goes for your camera act unbalanced and maybe they'll leave you alone.

Bill

[phishfearme]

TG - how did you find these seats? i'm trying to squirm some front seats for the tucson concert in january (there're not on sale yet) and about how much did you have to shell out. enjoy the concert!!!

thanks,
phish

[Janice]

There could be two scenarios, Phish. First, there are many venues that hold on to prime seats for guests of the performers, sponsors, etc., and put any unused tickets on the open market at the last minute. The second possibility is that I know of a few of us who had to change our travel plans at the last minute and not go to Toronto and "friends" who are there have them to sell for us if they can.

Based on TG's invitation, I would bank on the former to explain his good fortune.

[Gitchigumee]

Well.......how was it????

[T.G.]

Just got in from the show ... pretty amazing stuff. I was sitting right in front of Gordon; fortunately, he was positioned right at the lip of the stage so I could almost reach out and shake his hand from my seat. He played and sang with a lot of passion tonight, although his chording hand did look a bit weak. But the setlist was very strong, including some challenging tunes like the Railroad Trilogy, which drew a big ovation.

There was a good scattering of all the classics, coupled with a few from the Harmony album. I didn't write down the entire setlist, but there were for me some pleasant suprises, including Hangdog Hotel Room, All the Lovely Ladies, Alberta Bound, Baby Step Back, Beautiful, Carefree Highway, Cotton Jenny, Old Dan's Records, Early Morning Rain (the encore), 14-Karat Gold, If You Could Read My Mind, Ribbon of Darkness, A Painter Passing Through, Rainy Day People, Shadows, Sundown, Triangle and of course, the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.

Even though the big day is Friday, the crowd at one point broke into a spontaneous rendition of Happy Birthday. The show was two 45-minute sets with an intermission.

Afterwards, I camped out at the stage door and after about an hour and 15 minutes - there apparently was an official meet and greet going on for the chosen few - Gordon emerged, preceded by his manager who loudly intoned that he would be signing NO autographs on account of the weak hand condition. He did pose for a photograph with some Canadian navy personnel who made a long trip from out east just to see him. He then said he had to go to sleep before hopping into his Monte Carlo and speeding off into the night.

Terry Clements then emerged and had a few words with the few of us who were still left (fortunately, the rain that had been pouring down all day had abated and the temperature was mild, making it possible for us to stay outdoors so long). I asked Terry whether there might be a new album forthcoming at some point and he indicated that Gordon had a stack of songs - he called them "maybes" - in progress that may become grist for a new album. He was very friendly and gracious in posing for several requests for photographs.

Unfortunately, because of the last-minute nature of my attendance at the show, I don't have any pics to post, but hope this account gives some flavor of what went on tonight. It was personally a magical evening, being so close to this legend as he performed. In the past, I haven't been closer than about the 15th row for one of his concerts.

[RM]

T.G.,

Excellent! A very nice flavor indeed.

[BILLW]

T.G.,

Great review. Thank you for taking the time to post it.

Bill

[Gord H]

Thanks for the review... I hope the rain is gone by Sunday night!

I guess with the weather we will all be " Rainy Day People" :D

[Betty]

T.G.

Thanks for the report. Isn't it amazing being that close to him while he is on stage? I loved the feeling. I'm so glad you got such great seats and very envious I couldn't be there. There were tickets available for concerts as late as yesterday I saw.

What a great night for you!

[Peter Bro10]

T.G.,
Thanks for reporting in!!! Glad to hear you managed to get such a great seat! I think you'll have a GL buzz for a couple of weeks at least!!!

[Janice]

Thanks for posting your thoughts on the show, T.G. Sounds like it was good night.

[T.G.]

One other thing that just came to mind is that there were several people who drove up from the States to catch the show(s), from West Virginia and Pennsylvania. One fellow actually had a mint copy of the Two Tones album. This stunned Lightfoot's manager, who said in 25 years of managing Gordon, he'd never seen such a pristine copy of that album. The fellow was hoping to get it signed, but on account of Gordon's weak hand, it didn't happen, unfortunately.

By the way, it was somewhat poetic justice that I was able to get the best seat in the house. A couple of weeks ago, I missed out on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet the man for a couple of hours in a very intimate setting. I was still crying over that one when this happened LOL.

[T.G.]

BTW, I have a scan of the page from the Massey Hall program on Lightfoot, but have to figure out how to load it on here.

[Janice]

Oh goodness, T.G. don't let John hear you say that :D

Did you have a chance to meet up with any of the other Lightheads from Corfid and the News Group who were there last night?

[T.G.]

Janice, I couldn't identify any Lightheads there ... perhaps the folks from PA and WV are part of the group, I'm not sure. Is there any gathering of Lightheads taking place this weekend? Unfortunately, I'm performing at a music festival all three nights from hereon, but could be available for something during the day. Maybe a jam session of GL tunes?

[RM]

Originally posted by Janice:
Oh goodness, T.G. don't let John hear you say that :D

Janice,

That's hilarious....I always feels like I'm being scolded for something I didn't do.

[SilverHeels]

RMD.
thanks for the articles. Great! Oh how I wish I had been there!

[charlene]

T.G. what seat number were you in ROW A? A large number of us were in rows A and B/centre aisle every night on the left side as you walk into Massey and were milling around at the stage before the show and at intermission...there must have been about 25 of us - many who have pics posted here...
I think Janice is right about your ticket...you didn't mention how you scored it tho...from a friendly person out front on Shuter perhaps??
lol

I was wearing a red coat amongst the pro scalpers.....
It seemed that Elizabeth Lightfoot and Miles and Meredith, more friends and family were seated in the front row A/centre aisle every night in seats 30 and over...we were along in seats 20 to 29 on the opposite side and seats behind those in Row B.

I have now experienced life as a ticket 'seller'...me and the pros on Shuter...too funny!

[T.G.]

Hey Char, sorry for the delay in responding ... I was in seat 30, right in front of Gord in the front row. I didn't know anyone from Adam, so regrets for not saying hello.

As for how the ticket was scored, it was as someone described above ... apparently, front-row seats reserved for some VIPs and whatnot came free just a few hours before showtime. I lucked into logging in at just the right moment. I saw also that at least four more front row seats were available. As I mentioned earlier, it was a bit of poetic justice, as I missed an opportunity to meet Gord in an intimate setting a couple of weeks earlier!

[Lightfootin']

Originally posted by T.G.:
Janice, I couldn't identify any Lightheads there ... perhaps the folks from PA and WV are part of the group, I'm not sure. Is there any gathering of Lightheads taking place this weekend? Unfortunately, I'm performing at a music festival all three nights from hereon, but could be available for something during the day. Maybe a jam session of GL tunes?

[Lightfootin']

My bass player, Robert Depelteau and I met up with the Lightheads for the jam after the Massey Show at the Delta Hotel here in Toronto. It was a real treat for Rob & I as it was our first time meeting up with these Lightfoot folks.
We started out playing in suite 1080 around 11pm, but we ended up jammin' on the main floor of the hotel as a result of noise complaints that we were keeping others from sleep with our music. The Garden Bistro was gracious enough to allow us to continue our jam at their restaurant.
We carried on until 1:30 in the early morn' playing and singin' mostly Gord tunes. There was only 5 or 6 of us playing the music, but there was quite an audience who stayed with us till the end, joining in on the songs.

I can't recall the names of any that I was introduced to with the exception of Char. Perhaps someone could help me out on who was there.
There was so many Americans who flew' in for the show. Gord was truly humbled at the large attendance of fans from all over the U.S.
Many of his family members were aboard as well as Rompin' Ronnie Hawkins and Randy Bachman, former Prime Minister of Canada, John Turner and other noteables I can't recall.
I managed to introduce my tribute song of Gord to the Lightheads called Lightfootin'
All in all it was a great evening of new friends and great music.

Ray in T.O.

[Station Master]

sounds awesome Ray...kickin' myself for more or less just passin through the occasion
"next time" can't come soon enough
please keep healthy for us all, Gordon

[BILLW]

Originally posted by jj:
sounds awesome Ray...kickin' myself for more or less just passin through the occasion
"next time" can't come soon enough
please keep healthy for us all, Gordon

Me too jimmy, hopefully next time. Welcome back man !

Bill