Richmond setlist etc

[stargazer]

Just back from the Richmond VA concert. First the set list then some comments:

Triangle
Cotton Jenney
14 kt Gold
Never Too Close
In My Fashion
Painter Passing Through
Spanish Moss
Shadows
Beautiful
Carefree Highway
Hangdog Hotel Room
Ribbon of Darkness
Sundown
Watchman's Gone
BREAK
Wreck of the Edmund Fitz.
Alberta Bound
Don Quixote
If Children Had Wings
Clouds of Loneliness
Waiting For You
Minstral of the Dawn
If You Could Read My Mind
Baby Step Back
Restlesss
Early Morning Rain
ENCORES
Blackberry Wine
Old Dan's Records

Gord seemed to be in a great mood - no doubt to the two weeks of rest he's had since the last concert. He talked a lot. Although he looked more gaunt than when I last saw him two years ago, his voice was fine. He seemed to require less of a warm up than the last couple of times I've seen him. The vast Richmond landmark theater was about 3/5 full, which didn't surprise me since the concert was added rather late to his schedule (THANKS VAL FOR THE HEADSUP!) and the local promoters did a very poor job of promoting the concert until almost the last week. Also it was a Wednesday night - Gord remarked that he was greatful that so many turned out on a rainy Wednesday night. Gord also remarked on how much he liked the venue - an old ornate Masonic auditorium from the 30's that's been restored. The sound mix (we were in the center orchestra section, row C) was about the best I've heard. As usual (for me) Terry was a bit low in the mix, but everybody was crystal clear and well balanced. The audience, though smaller than I would have liked to have seen, was very enthusiastic, but well behaved. I could tell that at least some of them were long time fans because one guy shouted out a request for the Yarmouth Castle!
Well, as you can see by the set list, Gord did not do YC, but he did do a few surprises, including If Children Had Wings and Ribbon of Darkness. Unfortunately he did not do Trilogy.
For the first time that I can remember, after the encore, he came back out alone to the microphone to give a sincere thank you to the audience, many of whom had given him many standing ovations throughout the concert. Among Gord's comments: He said that Clouds of Loneliness was his favorite song off that albumn; He mention that they were starting a SE tour so he did Spanish Moss because it was inspired by a lady he met in Charleston - He wondered outloud what she would look like now, 35 years later. After the guy shouted out the request for Yarmouth Castle, God said that that was where he learned about writing ship wreck songs. He mentioned that he wrote If Children Had Wings for his "first Ex-Old Lady" and Waiting For You for his "second Ex Old Lady." Both Terry and Mike got applause for solos during the concert.

So, the SE leg of the tour is off to a great start! Those of you at the nest concerts are in for a treat!

Ken Wilson

[charlene]

thanks for the list and review!
it seems as gord said in alberta that if he does CRT he won't do The Wreck but EMR instead and vice versa.

good to hear the sound was not an issue.
love that he's singing Spanish Moss...!!

[TheWatchman]

Looking forward to seeing him tonight in Charlotte. Like the above setlist!!

[jj]

thanks for the review...nothing like a fine Gord concert on a rainy eve, eh

is he now playing the complete version of Spanish Moss w/instrumental? in 2006 and 2007 tours he played it regularly but but it was the minute waltz version...it's a fave

...tre-enjoy this evening, watchman!

[Bill]

Thanks! Seeing him Friday in Roanoke. I'm not good at set lists during a show, so in my notes I'll probably just mention new/different things.

[New 12 String Mike]

Well I got beat to the punch on the set list from Richmond. That's OK. Although I was set to work in a great joke about My Inspiration Lady writing down "Roberta Bound" in the darkness. But I had an hour plus drive home.

Ken has said it well, but I'll add a couple of things.

We were 4 rows back just off to Gord's left. The early sound mix, to my ear, had the guitars weak and Barry way too heavy. The drums drowned out the vocal on, "hand me my grip..." in Triangle. I'm not sure what acoustic guitar Terry's playing now, but the amplified tone wasn't very "woody." Which may have nothing to do with the guitar itself. Someone closer to the stage said something to the guitar tech at the break and things did sound better, to my guitarist ear, in the second half.

Gord's D18 sounded fine. And I was able to get a good look at the apparent buckle rash patching on the back. (Note to the Toronto guitar folks that got the great answers from the shop on the pickguards, ask about the back of that D18 if you can.) Gord seemed to play the standard 12 a little softly. It appeared to me, as a guitar player, that he was taking it very easy with his right hand, although his finger style on the Martin was strong. By the second half though and on the "D" tuned 12, for "Rain", which he called, "His special guitar," he was digging in wonderfully.

The guitars were excellent on "Painter", "Spanish Moss", "Shadow" and "Beautiful."

"Minstrel of the Dawn" "Never too Close" and SM were nice surprises to me. I guess I just didn't expect them.

My wife and I had some very nice seat neighbors, (that may soon be joining us here on the site.) One was from Toronto and now breeds horses in Virginia. He was a long time fan. His wife played the guitar and we both remarked about the "D" tuned 12 on "Rain." The lady to my right, who if I caught it correctly, was from near Carefree Arizona, really enjoyed herself. Spanish Moss and several others moved her to tears.
I've never experienced that at a Gord show. I guess I need more enlightenment from lady fans on their feelings for the man and his music.

Mostly the crowd was a bunch of 50+ folks that had a very good time.

Watchman and Bill enjoy yourselves.

[Kelly Davis]

As far as the guitar volume levels go:

I asked Terry Clements about a year ago if he could be turned up a little / talk to the soundman.

He told me "Gord sets the levels."

That was the last I ever mentioned of it. I'm guessing that Gordon doesn't want his voice covered by the guitars.

[LightfootNC]

Looking forward to my first ever Gordon Lightfoot concert tonight in Charlotte. I haven't been this excited about anything in years! Thanks for the setlist from the Richmond concert.

[RM]

Originally Posted by LightfootNC

Looking forward to my first ever Gordon Lightfoot concert tonight in Charlotte. I haven't been this excited about anything in years! Thanks for the setlist from the Richmond concert.

Congratulations.....How long have you been a fan ?

[charlene]

Originally Posted by LightfootNC

Looking forward to my first ever Gordon Lightfoot concert tonight in Charlotte. I haven't been this excited about anything in years! Thanks for the setlist from the Richmond concert.

wow - I'm excited for you!
enjoy and report back!!

[stargazer]

Greetings all! Thought I'd add a few things I left out of my original post.

I know some of you are interested in Gord's wardrobe, so here's what I can remember: For the first set he came out with the usual dark jeans, along with a white dress shirt with subtle stripes. On top he was wearing a bright red velvet coat. In the second set he switched to a dark silk vest. I also noticed that Gord had a bandaid on the base of his right thumb. It didn't seem to affect his playing at all and he never mentioned it.

As to earlier comments about the mix. I also thought that the mix on Terry's guitar was a bit low for my taste, but I always feel that way - I always turn up Terry's solos when I play the recordings. So, knowing that it's usually that way in concert, I figured that they had the sound just where Gord wanted it. As to the drums, my wife remarked that they were a little hot in the mix. But, what I noticed was that I was hearing the drums from their direct sound, not from the speakers - so there slight prominence was likely due to the fact that we were in row C. Farther back in the house, I'm sure that they were better balanced. But, all things considered, I'd say that the sound was among the best I've heard at a Lightfoot concert.

On a couple of songs, e.g. Alberta Bound Gord drop a verse or two. Also, a couple of times he ran one song right into the next without much of a pause - almost as if they were evolving into mini-medleys. The examples of this that I remember are Ribbon of Darkness into Sundown where he ended with a long expectant pause (like the one in Trilogy) right after the final "ribbon of darkness......" He never did sing the final "over me". He just paused and then launched into Sundown. The other mini-medley was Spanish Moss into Shadows.

Twice Gord mentioned "really facing the music". One was in reference to returning home to one of his wives after a concert tour. The other was when he talked about the Richmond concert coming after a tour break so they could go home and "really face the music".

Several audience members left requests on the stage. The only one he seemed to take notice of was the LP cover of Endless Wire left with a Sharpie for autographing.

Glad to see there was at least one other Corfid'er at the Richmond concert.

Ken Wilson

[LightfootNC]

Thanks for the nice posts. I just got home, and am so happy/satisfied with the concert! Mr. Lightfoot and his incredible band were GREAT! It was everything I hoped it would be and more. I couldn't possibly say enough about him and the band, and sure I couldn't tell most folks here anything you guys don't already know. I'm just ecstatic that I got to see him in person. It's an experience I'll always treasure. My favorite songs tonight were Shadows, If you could read my mind, Beautiful, and If children had wings. Heck, all of them! Hard to pick favorites when you love every one!

I am a big fan of bluegrass music, and I bought a cd by Tony Rice, called "Tony Rice Sings Gordon Lightfoot". I loved all of the songs, and thought I'd check out the original versions by Mr. Lightfoot. Needless to say, I'm hooked. I'm having a hard time listening to anything but Gordon Lightfoot for about 2 years now. I'm still buying the albums one by one. My favorite so far is the United Artist Collection 2 cd set. Each album I buy is like a treasure to me.

Thanks again for the nice posts. I really enjoy reading what my fellow Gordon Lightfoot fans have to say.

[jj]

Originally Posted by LightfootNC

I'm having a hard time listening to anything but Gordon Lightfoot for about 2 years now

warning: i went through a stage like that once...that stage lasted 20 years, lol

great review...happy album acquiring...and lastly, welcome to Gord's World

[LightfootNC]

Originally Posted by jj

warning: i went through a stage like that once...that stage lasted 20 years, lol

Thanks! And I could very easily see that happening to me, too!! haha!

Originally Posted by LightfootNC

Looking forward to my first ever Gordon Lightfoot concert tonight in Charlotte. I haven't been this excited about anything in years! Thanks for the setlist from the Richmond concert.

[Patti]

What about the Triangle song? No one ever talks about that one. He sings it all the time for some reason. It must be one of his favorites. Is he like into the bermuda triangle or something? It almost seems like he didn't even really write that one.