[spasticreelin]

Theres no denying he looked rough by the end of the set and the absolute letting go of emotions during Grace Too must have been a month long release waiting to happen - amazed he held it in that long.

I cant imagine anyone in the band wanting to perform live after that string of shows. It was just such an emotional experience for everyone involved - band, crew, family, friends, fans...

Last Night was a perfect, poetic, ending of their live career...

Certainly it may be time to visit the vaults and see what all would deem great to release...and I really hope they put out a compilation multi disc live album from this tour...

Something new? Well, we can all dream, but that requires a lot of work and time. I hope Gord has both the time and desire, but who knows?

I was really suprised no songs from the EP made it to Kingston - was positive one or two of those numbers were going to show up in the encores...maybe the band just simply doesnt like that stuff much

But no complaints - this month has been the most extraordinary musical experience Ive ever witnessed - from Gord's resolve and courage to the band's deep respect for him and each other, to the love and support from audience members...it was was quite emotional and represented much more than a rock n roll band playing songs...it was a deep, meaningful and celebratory examination of life...really, it was beautiful and I feel lucky to have been, in my own small fan-like way, a part of it.

[mark]

one thing i noticed was how quiet the crowd was when Gord spoke. and also how quickly they went from deafening scream to so quiet you could hear a pin drop

[Chris Tanz]

^^ Here's to screw_ball. Loved your post, man.

Ct

[direwolf74]

this month has been the most extraordinary musical experience Ive ever witnessed - from Gord's resolve and courage to the band's deep respect for him and each other, to the love and support from audience members...it was was quite emotional and represented much more than a rock n roll band playing songs...it was a deep, meaningful and celebratory examination of life...really, it was beautiful and I feel lucky to have been, in my own small fan-like way, a part of it.

This pretty much sums it up for me as well. Great post!

:thumb:

[mystery met]

Screw_ball, incredible post. Thanks.

[Escape@Hand]

did you see how tired he looked at the end of that show? that isn't a guy who is going to be able to continue at that pace for much longer, unfortunately. not that he is going to die any time soon, but it is simply a fact that he has a terminal illness.

he isn't someone who goes on stage and gives you 60%. if he can't give 100%, then he wouldn't do it. it could be that the band says that it isn't "the end" because maybe they will continue to put out music, but just won't tour. who knows.

Agree. He looks and moves like someone who is very ill. To do what he did for a month probably took a herculean effort. I think this represents the end of their touring career.

If I could make one more request of Gord (which is selfish of me) it would be for an in depth interview with a respected journalist (someone who knows the band and the music, like Ron MacLean). I would love to hear his reflections on the tour, the crowd response and how those few minutes on stage alone before leaving after the main set felt, the effort it took him to perform for two hours and how he dealt with physical and mental limitations, etc. I would also be very interested in his thoughts on the band's legacy and his musings on life (and death) and what's left on his bucket list.

What about Bob McKenzie from TSN? He's a respected reporter and huge fan; that would be a cool interview.

[tonyd]

one thing i noticed was how quiet the crowd was when Gord spoke. and also how quickly they went from deafening scream to so quiet you could hear a pin drop

you are so right mark, it went so quiet eachtime. We were hanging on every word as soon

[tonyd]

I was so very spent at the end of that show, it must have been 105º down in front, we were soaked and the emotions were running high all night. Gord truly left is all out on the stage, at times i was worried for his health, but he wouldnt give up.

That man is a legend

[mark]

i can't figure out if Gord's angst at the end of Grace was just Gord being Gord, or if he really was overcome with emotion. it's almost like him yelling "him?! here?! now?!!" is therapeutic.

if he is acting here, then he deserves an oscar.

[Chris Tanz]

i can't figure out if Gord's angst at the end of Grace was just Gord being Gord, or if he really was overcome with emotion. it's almost like him yelling "him?! here?! now?!!" is therapeutic.

if he is acting here, then he deserves an oscar.

I think he is acting a part, but fueling it with every once of emotion he can muster at that point. He loads up the emotion into the "Him. Here. Now." and then let's out the result in the "No." He's been building to it all tour, so that's why I believe it is an "act". In the Kingston show, I thought his head might explode. However, I think the mic drop was real emotion and not planned.

Interesting how the emotions moved on Grace Too during the tour. In Vancouver, the emotional high was the cheer after the second "... and grace, too ...". In the later shows, the outpouring of emotion (for Gord; for the audience) came during the "Him. Here. Now. No."

ct

[jlittlebones]

I think it was definitely the best show of the tour!

[Westent]

I was wondering who Gord sent Fiddler's Green out to before singing. It was t Charlie. It sounded like Michelle (?). "This one's for..."

That was Charlotte, his sister. The 'mother' referred to throughout the song.

[carebread]

I was wondering who Gord sent Fiddler's Green out to before singing. It was t Charlie. It sounded like Michelle (?). "This one's for..."

That was Charlotte, his sister. The 'mother' referred to throughout the song.

Charlyn. Charles was her son who died of heart complications.

[redhill]

i can't figure out if Gord's angst at the end of Grace was just Gord being Gord, or if he really was overcome with emotion. it's almost like him yelling "him?! here?! now?!!" is therapeutic.

if he is acting here, then he deserves an oscar.

I think he is acting a part, but fueling it with every once of emotion he can muster at that point. He loads up the emotion into the "Him. Here. Now." and then let's out the result in the "No." He's been building to it all tour, so that's why I believe it is an "act". In the Kingston show, I thought his head might explode. However, I think the mic drop was real emotion and not planned.

Interesting how the emotions moved on Grace Too during the tour. In Vancouver, the emotional high was the cheer after the second "... and grace, too ...". In the later shows, the outpouring of emotion (for Gord; for the audience) came during the "Him. Here. Now. No."

ct

think you are spot on there Chris

[Killer Whale Tank]

The question, really, is how anyone could have delivered that performance of 'Grace Too' without having an intense well of emotions do draw from - emotions undoubtedly connected to the horror of his condition. It's method acting, in that sense (which Gord, as a film student, knows all about).

I don't doubt that Gord 'planned' to unleash every drop of emotion in the coda to 'Grace Too.' Surely, it was calculated to that extent; he's a veteran performer and identified the moment in the set when the expiation would make sense. (E.g., such primal screaming and denial would have no place in ABAC, for God's sake; while keeping it until the climax of 'Trunk' might have been too demanding, or else sent the audience into the night traumatized, with insufficient time to recover. And also, 'him, here, now, NO' is simply best suited to that kind of thing). But I have a hard time believing that level of intensity was anything other than utterly sincere. We got, in that moment, the full, terrible revelation of Gord confronting his fate in his darkest moments, as gut-wrenching as it is.