Gordon Lightfoot Forums - View Single Post - MARIPOSA 2007-wet and wild with Lightfoot-July 8/07

Auburn Annie · 07-12-2007, 09:04 AM

007 Mariposa Folk Festival

[www.simcoe.com, 07/12/07]

When hometown troubadour Gordon Lightfoot was braving a torrential downpour in the final hours of the Mariposa Folk Festival, Bob Dylan was seeking shelter from the storm.

Organizers say the reclusive music legend - fresh from the second of two performances at Casino Rama - is believed to have appeared at the front gate of Tudhope Park in a limousine during Lightfoot's closing-night set.

But the luxury car did an abrupt reversal and left, putting to bed months of speculation that the two friends would share the stage.

"(The limo) came in right at the height of the storm," said festival president Chris Mockler. "All these cars were streaming out because of the rain. He probably figured the show had been cancelled."

One evening of dicey weather did little to dampen the spirits of the estimated 20,000 people who attended the lakeside festival, said Mockler.

"It is our biggest year ever, for sure," he added. "The headliners are bringing people in, but the atmosphere brings them back. The setting is the base of the whole thing."

About 8,000 people gathered at the main stage to hear Don McLean on the Saturday evening.

"He just completely commanded the stage, and he is such a gracious man," Mockler added. "He knew the people were there to hear 'American Pie' and was completely willing to play it up to the audience. Seeing that many people standing up singing American Pie was just a real buzz for me. It gave me goose bumps."

Mockler was standing stageside when a sopping-wet Lightfoot happily ignored the pummeling rain to the delight of an equally drenched crowd.

"At one point he was actually leaning into the wind," he added. "It looked like he was on the bow of the ship."

The inclusion of emerging bands like The Sadies and renowned singer/songwriter Hawksley Workman reflected a lineup that catered as much to youths as to the middle-age set and beyond.

"It cuts across all the age groups," Mockler added. "We try to pay some attention to world music and to some of our cultural heritage. We try to make it a really diverse show."

A series of intimate and informal performances by up-and-coming artists and seasoned pros proved equally popular, Mockler said.

"The headliners bring people, but the workshops are what bring people back," he said.

07-12-2007, 09:04 AM	#24
Auburn Annie Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Upstate New York Posts: 3,101	007 Mariposa Folk Festival [www.simcoe.com, 07/12/07] When hometown troubadour Gordon Lightfoot was braving a torrential downpour in the final hours of the Mariposa Folk Festival, Bob Dylan was seeking shelter from the storm. Organizers say the reclusive music legend - fresh from the second of two performances at Casino Rama - is believed to have appeared at the front gate of Tudhope Park in a limousine during Lightfoot's closing-night set. But the luxury car did an abrupt reversal and left, putting to bed months of speculation that the two friends would share the stage. "(The limo) came in right at the height of the storm," said festival president Chris Mockler. "All these cars were streaming out because of the rain. He probably figured the show had been cancelled." One evening of dicey weather did little to dampen the spirits of the estimated 20,000 people who attended the lakeside festival, said Mockler. "It is our biggest year ever, for sure," he added. "The headliners are bringing people in, but the atmosphere brings them back. The setting is the base of the whole thing." About 8,000 people gathered at the main stage to hear Don McLean on the Saturday evening. "He just completely commanded the stage, and he is such a gracious man," Mockler added. "He knew the people were there to hear 'American Pie' and was completely willing to play it up to the audience. Seeing that many people standing up singing American Pie was just a real buzz for me. It gave me goose bumps." Mockler was standing stageside when a sopping-wet Lightfoot happily ignored the pummeling rain to the delight of an equally drenched crowd. "At one point he was actually leaning into the wind," he added. "It looked like he was on the bow of the ship." The inclusion of emerging bands like The Sadies and renowned singer/songwriter Hawksley Workman reflected a lineup that catered as much to youths as to the middle-age set and beyond. "It cuts across all the age groups," Mockler added. "We try to pay some attention to world music and to some of our cultural heritage. We try to make it a really diverse show." A series of intimate and informal performances by up-and-coming artists and seasoned pros proved equally popular, Mockler said. "The headliners bring people, but the workshops are what bring people back," he said.