[seafarer62]

My wife Debbie and I enjoyed a sold-out concert at the Black Bear Casino, right off I-35, about 20 miles southwest of Duluth, Minnesota. My wife and I are non-smokers, so a long walk through the smoky machines is a turn-off, but I tried not to let that distract from the concert experience.

The Otter Creek Event Center is a standard hotel grandball room. I would guess there was about 1,400 to 1,500 in attendance. Gord came in his red velvet suit coat, with a black shirt underneath. There was no intermission.

Here is the set list:

1) Sweet Guinevere
2) Cotton Jenney
3) Now and Then
4) Waiting For You (12-string)
5) Never Too Close
6) All the Lovely Ladies
7) Wild Strawberries
8) Spanish Moss (then segue into)
9) Shadows
10) Beautiful
11) Let It Ride
12) The Watchman's Gone
13) The Wreck of the E.F.
14) Ribbon of Darkness (then segue into)
15) Sundown
16) Carefree Highway
17) I'd Rather Press On
18) A Painter Passing Through
19) If You Could Read My Mind
20) Restless
21) Baby Step Back
22) Canadian Railroad Trilogy
23) Encore: Rainy Day People

Gord was very business-like. No intro talk about the Fitzgerald, even though we were only about 25 miles away from where the Fitz left port for the final time. He did intro "Now and Then" as a difficult vocal and from the Cold on the Shoulder album.

Carter Lancaster stood next to Gord on Sundown and Baby Step Back. They were grooving next to each other during the instrumentals.

After a series of 12-string strong performances, Gord's voice was weak during "I'd Rather Press On" and the first part of "Painter". Then it looked like he stood up straighter and things improved. He mentioned that he had rearranged "Trilogy" and would do that one tonight. Then it was a quick Rainy Day People, he shook a few hands of the crowd that had gone to the stage and the Minstrel of the Dawn was gone.

OK- that's it for now. Heading to Rochester. I won't be able to post that set list until Tuesday or Wednesday night, due to my work schedule, but I will get 'er done for sure.

John