Gordon Lightfoot Forums - Sunday Concert in Joliet

Gordon Lightfoot and his band paid a call at Joliet's splendid Rialto Square Theatre this past Sunday evening. Gordon and crew took to the stage at precisely 7 p.m. and launched into the opening number Cotton Jenny. Wearing an elegant red velvet waistcoat, blue shirt and black slacks he stood out in the spotlight against a dramatic new stage backdrop of overlapping draperies. The sound was crisp and his voice got ever stronger as the show progressed. He did an excellent rendition of Beautiful. The Watchman's Gone was delivered near perfect to the original recording. Ribbon of Darkness ended abruptly and he began strumming the opening chords of Sundown with the audience erupting into applause. The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald closed out the first set.

I was pleased to be able to visit with fellow Corfidian "Gitchigumee" and her daughter "Little Gitch" during intermission and after the show. They had come down from LaCrosse, WI via Amtrak to attend the concert. We had hoped to connect with Dream Street Rose and Wyn, but to no avail.

During the second set Gordon related an anecdote about his younger days of playing and staying up all night partying with the likes of Steve Goodman, Bob Gibson, Joni Mitchell, Kris Kristofferson, Linda Ronstadt and Michelle Phillips. He told of having to rouse Kristofferson from a stupor to get up and do his show. He said, "It's OK if I tell that one, Kris and I are friends." Then he added, "I got a song out of it, well, I get a song out of everything!" and began playing Hangdog Hotel Room.

He pulled out an obscure oldie Minstrel of the Dawn and later told how he wrote If Children Had Wings after his ex-wife took his children away to Europe. He followed that with If You Could Read My Mind.

Missing from the evening's set was the Canadian Railroad Trilogy having not been played since the Buffalo concert on 9/21.

He did one encore Song For A Winter's Night and returned to the stage afterward for a deep bow and shook hands with some front row fans.

All in all an enjoyable evening with Gord.

Outside after the show I ran into Gitchigumee and her daughter and visited with them again as they waited for a taxi back to their hotel.

My route back to my car took me past the stage door and I couldn't resist joining some other fans waiting for Gordon as the roadies loaded the equipment onto a semi. We passed the time watching the big screen TV visible through the window of the crew tour bus parked out on the street. A security guard told us Gordon would be coming out to sign autographs after the "meet and greet" going on inside was over. Our patience soon paid-off as band members began emerging from the stage door; first Barry and Mike and then Rick who came over to us and chatted and signed autographs. I lost track of Terry while talking to Rick, but had seen him earlier catching a smoke out in the alley.

Finally Gordon came out accompanied by new road manager Leslie. We were asked by security to queue-up behind an imaginary line and "don't crowd him" as he patiently signed autographs and posed for pictures. I just wanted to say "hi", having met him before and having gotten several autographs over the years, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity for another photo with him and another "Lighthead" spontaneously obliged and took it for me. Thank you, whoever you are. I stayed until Gordon and entourage finally drove off into the night.

I've attached some photos from Sunday night.