Rockford, IL Set List 6-15-19
 

This is my second review of a Lightfoot concert in a week, having attended the Milwaukee concert at the Pabst Theater on June 9.

This one was held at the ornate Coronado Performing Arts Center in Rockford, IL, a 2,400 seat theater built in 1927.

Having a choice seat near the stage, I decided to add some photography to my review this time.

Gordon and the band came onstage promptly at 8pm and it didn’t take me long to realize they were playing virtually the same set list as was performed in Milwaukee.

I have to say Gordon struggled with his vocals during most of this concert, quite a contrast to the Milwaukee show, where he seemed in better voice, a week earlier. I guess it’s just the rigors of touring and the stress it puts on an 80 year-old body. He wasn’t lacking in encouragement from the audience, though, with several shout-outs of “We love you, Gord!” and “You’re awesome, man!” After the end of the first set, he remarked, “I’ll try to get my voice back for the second half”.

The Lightfoot band sounded great, as usual, with stellar guitar solos by Carter Lancaster on “Sundown” and “Baby Step Back”.

Gordon congratulated the Toronto Raptors on their NBA championship, mentioned Drake is building a house right across the street from his and introduced himself, saying rumors of his death had been greatly exaggerated, á la, Mark Twain.

After the show, I walked around back to the stage door and waited with other diehard fans, hoping to just say hi. Having met him a number of times over the years, I’ve acquired enough autographs and pictures taken with him that just saying a few words to him would suffice.

A younger fan with an LP of Sundown was waiting nearby with a Sharpie marker in hand, waiting for that special moment to meet a music legend, as a steady drizzle of rain started to fall.

I don’t think they had a “meet and greet” after this show and I’m not sure if Gordon even does them anymore. The band members, Mike, Carter and Barry soon emerged and chatted briefly with fans before getting into a car and leaving. Anticipation was building for Gord to come out when a couple of fans walked by and announced that Gord had left the building out the front entrance of the theater. The rain began coming down harder, dampening everyone’s spirits and the stage manager soon confirmed to us “Gord had left the building!”, which dispersed the waiting fans pretty quickly. I felt a little sorry for the young fan who was eagerly waiting, but hopefully there will be another opportunity. The afterglow was over, the end of another evening with Gordon Lightfoot.

Set List - Rockford, IL 6/15/19

Now and Then
Waiting for You
The Watchman’s Gone
14 Karat Gold
Minstrel of the Dawn
Christian Island
Make Way for the Lady
Let It Ride
I’d Rather Press On
Beautiful
Carefree Highway
Did She Mention My Name?
Ribbon of Darkness
Sundown

Sweet Guinevere
The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
Never Too Close
Don Quixote
Shadows
Rainy Day People
A Painter Passing Through
If You Could Read My Mind
Restless
Baby Step Back
Early Morning Rain

(Encore)
Cold on the Shoulder

Re: Rockford, IL Set List 6-15-19
 

Wow...no Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.

I can't recall him not including it in a setlist before.

Must have been a rough night.

Re: Rockford, IL Set List 6-15-19
 

Thanks for the set list.

As mentioned previously... I was born and raised in Rockford and in the mid 70s earned some school sponsored thing to have a Saturday at a Coronado with lame-ass stage presentors of cartoons and other vintage film stuff.

I did consider going to this but it's like 1000 miles away now. Also, I already have seen this latest lineup behind Gordie, and good enough for me.

I'm still kind of shocked that Wreck was no included!

Re: Rockford, IL Set List 6-15-19
 

Thanks for the set list and comments. I just saw him in St. Louis last week and I too am almost shocked to hear that he didn't do the Wreck in Rockford.

The first time I ever saw him was at the old Mississippi River Festival outdoors in Edwardsville IL in July of 1976. And of course the Wreck was brand new with Summertime Dream coming out in June of that year.

In about 40 concerts around the midwest since then, I have never NOT heard the Wreck done. There are several songs that you just know you will hear, and I always put that one on the list. On the other hand, I, like most everyone here am just so glad he's still able to be on the road at all, especially at 80 plus years old. So maybe he just didn't feel up to it that night.

Oh, and thanks for all the photos too!

Re: Rockford, IL Set List 6-15-19
 

Actually, Gord did do 'The Wreck...'.

Second set, second song. Right after 'Sweet Guinevere'. He commented before the song that he recently learned that one of the bodies was recovered in 1995.


Kelly Davis

Re: Rockford, IL Set List 6-15-19
 

Thank you for jogging my memory, Kelly! I stand corrected. I was using the Voice Memos feature on my iPhone to create song clues to compile the set list later, which is usually a pretty accurate method, but I must not have hit "Record" when the "Wreck" was beginning. I may have been distracted when I got up from my seat to take some pictures, at one point. I didn't write my review until about 24 hrs later and had only the recorded memos to rely on for song chronology. Apologies to everyone for the misleading information. I have revised the set list to include the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. I think the rest of the set list is accurate.