[seafarer62]

Bemidji is only about a three hour drive away from Fargo at most. Rick Haynes has already posted pictures of Paul Bunyan and his faithful blue ox, Babe. Iconic picture of northern Minnesota.

The Sanford Center is on the south shore of Lake Bemidji, beautiful new hockey arena and occassional concert hall for the big names that ever get this far off the beaten trail. We had a beautiful sunny day in Bemidji. The concert was at 7:30 p.m. and I nearly forgot it and ran late.

Again, the sound was pretty good for a hockey arena.

This is one of the few venues I can remember that the concessions were selling popcorn. Seems strange to see people munching on popcorn. And a rowdy crowd. Possibly due to the beer, wine and liquor sales in the concourse. Lot of women whistling, screaming, and the occassional, "Gord, I love you." Whatever.

Gord came out in the blue velvet jacket and black jeans. Here is the set list:

1) Sweet Guinevere
2) The Watchman's Gone
3) All the Lovely Ladies
4) I'd Rather Press On
5) Let It Ride
6) Christian Island
7) Rainy Day People
8) Shadows
9) Beautiful
10) Carefree Highway
11) Cotton Jenny
12) Ribbon of Darkness
13) Sundown (all four verses)
14) Did She Mention My Name (shortened version)
Intermission:
15) Race Among the Ruins
16) Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
17) Never Too Close
18) Don Quixote
19) Clouds of Loneliness
20) Minstrel of the Dawn
21) Waiting for You
22) If You Could Read My Mind
23) A Painter Passing Through
24) Baby Step Back
25) Early Morning Rain
26) Encore: Old Dan's Records

Again, the crowd was pretty responsive. Probably 2,000 or more in the place. (Maybe 1,200 or a little more in Fargo).

Very loud crowd response to Carter's "Christian Island" and "Sundown." Gord was struggling a little with a couple of his deep bows by his water bottle to clear the sinuses.

The second set was very enjoyable. Surprised to get a rare performance of Race Among the Ruins. The crowd went nuts with the Fitzgerald and Gord delivered, his 12-string crisp as ever into the mike. Afterwards, he said, "how can you follow that?" Never Too Close was his choice. Great also to get another infrequent song, "Minstrel of the Dawn."

Before Baby Step Back, he got the crowd going with that the title of the next song was, "Meet me by the Rockpile and I'll get a little bolder there."

He hasn't been doing Old Dan's Records much in 2013, so I was happy that I got it for the first time among the 8 concerts this year.

So it was a great two concert tour. Oh, I did get to chat with Dakota Rose during the Fargo intermission. Good luck with your 2nd grade students in North Dakota, Nancy!

OK- I look forward to reading the set lists and reviews from those out west!

John - Minnesota