Long review, lots of bitching, still interesting...
It was a great show, but I'm sure if you asked Gord he'd never do another one again - at least in a setting like this. You would think the price of the ticket would keep the yahoos away. Instead of teenage yahoos more interested in beer than music, you got late 20's/early 30's yahoos, and 45+ yahoos as well. Not to mention the wacko 61 year old woman who almost ruined the show single-handedly. She kept yelling inappropriate things, and the crowd would respond back to her (in the hopes of shutting her up). Gord said something back three times (or more?), but eventually gave up. I will say this - for a guy who doesn't do "crowd work" up close like that, he wasn't the least bit fazed by anything.
HOWEVER
The winner for "biggest asshat at a concert" was crowned last night. In all my concert-going years, all the places I've been and shows I've seen, nothing has come close to this guy and his gal. They came up after the show started and sat on the floor in front of the front row. If he stretched his legs out, he'd almost touch the stage (which was only one foot off the ground). They were right in front of Gord, who had his song list and lyric sheets/chord arrangements/tunings written on *many* pieces of paper on a music stand just in front of him. (He and Josh played the entire show seated.) So he was essentially looking straight ahead but downward. The first thing he would see if he looked past the music stand would be this guy. During one song that has a break in the middle, he actually told this guy to shut up. The guy said "who me" and Gord told him that his talking was messing him up. In fairness, I didn't hear the guy so he wasn't being super loud, but when the artist who is 6 feet away from you tells you to shut the fuck up, you need to shut the fuck up. (After the song, Gord being Gord, he left the stage and hugged the guy, saying "you get one..." meaning 'I warned you once in a nice way, now shut the hell up'. The guy did not shut up. Nor did he stop watching the show through his phone. The clincher for me was the last song, when he and his gal did the "back to the stage, devil horn signs" photo. Don't do that in the encore. Don't sit with your back to the stage for ANOTHER MINUTE looking at the photos in your phone to make sure you like them. Turn the fuck around.
I was never more ashamed to be a fan, because it means I'm guilty by association.
(Aside: can we please have one show where someone doesn't mention the Leafs, the Bruins, or the Habs? I'm a Leafs fan but I don't need to hear your opinions yelled out during a concert.)
The people at the front left, where I happened to be, were talking and whistling quite a bit. In fact, there was a lot of hooting and yelling as if this was a harder rock show. I love the enthusiasm, but really, take it down a notch. I never tell people to hold it down, because I believe that you bought the ticket, you get to rock it. However, there is a matter of respect, if not for your fellow concert-goers, then at least for the artist! This was a quiet acoustic show and should have been treated as such. How often does this show happen in the Hip universe? NEVER. When is the next time you will hear Bobcaygeon played on piano, especially by a musician of the caliber of Josh Finlayson? NEVER. So shut the hell up! I know it's cool, you know it's cool, so let your ears appreciate the music. When the artist himself who has essentially NEVER done this type of show asks you to shut up, you should shut up.
And really, you need to go get more beer during the encore? You can't wait five minutes? It reminded me of a trip I took with a buddy (big Todd) in '98 to Illinois and Wisconsin. We met some dudes at one show, then saw them again the next night. Their goal after driving ten hours, waiting in line, and spending all that money? To cause enough of a disturbance to get thrown out of the show. Literally. They weren't thrown out the night before, so their mission was to get thrown out of this bar/gymnasium in Combined Locks, Wisconsin. They succeeded. At least they were only 21, not 31 like these people yesterday. Grow up already.
Gord spent a few minutes right after the show signing autographs and such, but it was very brief. I can only believe the vibe of the crowd is what caused him to leave - although it was really loud after the first encore, which perhaps made him come back out for a second. There was no written set list, so I can't be certain. [Edit: yes there was. See Sarah's great photo below.]
So, now that I've vented, was the show worth the money? Absolutely. As soon as I saw Josh, who would help give the songs "body", I knew we were in for a good one. Billy Ray was doing the guitar tech work, and Gord must have borrowed quite a few from his friends, because Billy Ray was tuning a whole bunch of them. (Side question: would Bobby loan Gord an acoustic if he asked? And would he get the "show quality" guitar, or the backup? Discuss.)
About one-and-a-half hours long, the standouts were the "bigger" solo tracks like Canada Geese and 11th Fret, and Thompson girl. Bobc. was great for the piano, but the room was too loud and the piano wasn't loud enough in the mix, so it didn't come across as well as it should have. Wheat Kings is a good song, but I need Paul for that one.
Overall I left in a bad mood because of the crowd, but the show really was A+. Nice, low-key performances where Gord was in total control of what he wanted to do.
If my recording turns out OK (big IF), I will get it out through the usual channels as soon as possible. There was a guy filming with his "I'm-cool-because-I-bought-this-phone" I-device, who kept hitting my shoulder with the damn thing. Perhaps he'll post that on YouTube.
Anyway, don't let the negativity herein throw you off. If Gord ever does this kind of show again, I recommend that you go. All of you. (Unless you really don't like his solo stuff. You are hereby excused. Leave the tickets for the rest of us!)
See you down the road...
![[Image: Cleve_MayLong-GYRO2.jpg]](http://clevelandshouse.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Cleve_MayLong-GYRO2.jpg)
![[Image: DSC03340_zpsa48b8e52.jpg]](http://s32.photobucket.com/user/SRaetsen/media/DSC03340_zpsa48b8e52.jpg.html)
