12-01-2012, 02:23 PM
The Horrible Esthete Wrote:emperor penguin Wrote:So I was able to trade my ticket to a scalper for a ticket to see Thursday's Lightfoot show at Massey Hall, and we traded up to 10th row centre floors! Absolutely epic show. My favourite song of all time was played - In My Fashion - as well as a song I've never gotten to hear him play live before, Canadian Railroad Trilogy. The show also marked the first time, according to Gordon, he has ever played Circle of Steel live. I could not find any documented live appearances of it before that. The rest of the show was sprinkled with a plethora of legendary classics, Restless, Beautiful, Edmund Fitzgerald, Sundown, If You Could Read My Mind, Carefree Highway, Let it Ride, Waiting For You. Gordo is getting frail but his crowd banter, stage presence, guitar playing and even singing are still excellent.
I've seen him several times, and some were good, but a couple there in the 90's .. well... notsomuch. He's hit some rough patches over the years, I'm glad to hear he's rounded back into form.
Last time I saw him was over a decade ago in Findlay, Ohio, and it was okay - but the great thing about it was that I was with my ma and pa, who have been listening to him since the 60s. I told mom that as he was playing a theater in such a small town, we might get a chance to meet him. So she brought a few old vinyls and a Sharpie with her. "How might we meet him?", she asked. "Well, we'll go out back and stand by the bus, of course", I said. So that's what we did...and after a few minutes of standing there, out comes Terry Clements (rest in peace) and gosh, I must have talked to him about his style, his influences, and guitars in general for fifteen minutes... and he seemed to actually enjoy talking. Finally, here comes Gordie...and seeing my mom standing there clutching her copy of Summertime Dream like a bashful teenager was one of the cutest things I've ever seen.
Gord gave her a hug and and signed her jackets. As he turned toward the bus and my folks turned in the opposite direction, I tugged his sleeve and said "you don't know how happy you just made her." He gave me a wink and a smile and said "Well, it makes me happy too". I thought that was cool as hell.
Just one of the many reasons why The Hip's cover of "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" in Cleveland (2007) was one of the most sentimental and moving live music moments I've ever experienced :thumb:
That is an incredible story! Many times throughout the show, people would yell: we love you Gord! and he would reply with: well we love the work, and it seemed genuine as hell.
He's battled a number of health and addiction issues, which I have no doubt affected his performances at times. As you say though, it does appear that he's rounded back into form and it's great to see.
cratch: )