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TinkaLuisa · 08-06-2006, 10:06 AM

Hi Folks. Finally recovered enough from an awesome Friday night in Concord with good friends, great music and too much popcorn, lol, to give you all a report. Unfortunately I was not able to follow Jenney, Susan, John et al to Burlington but I am sure one or all of them will report in as soon as they are near their pc's again. And I don't have a set list either as I can't write in the dark and enjoy the show at the same time.

But I know Sir John kept one. I do know that it was similar to the one he has been rotating through this tour. He did not play Harmony (sorry Char) but did treat us to SDYS which was perfect.

The Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord is a typical old theater that has been beautifully refurbished. It seats about 1000 and to my eye it looked full. Although most of the crowd was my contemporary (old enough to remember hearing IYCRMM on the radio as a break out hit) there were some "youngsters" in the crowd. We were well behaved and mesmorized, with one obnoxious heckler toward the end that seemed to have been squelched quickly either by his neighbors or the theater security. Not only have I seen Gord there twice now, but also Natalie MacMaster (a fiddle player from Cape Breton NS...if you like fiddle music make a point of attending one of her concerts...she gives a great show) and Alison Krause, also another great show giver. The sound in the theater is great. Our seats this time were in center rows 5 and 7. I switched between the two at intermission (so hubby could sit with our two daughters)and have to say I had a better view from row 7 than 5, but can't complain about either one.

Gord was great. Usual m.o. of his voice getting stronger as the night wore on which I think is amazing since this was the 7th show in a 10 day stretch during one of the worst heat waves the US has seen in some time. There were some gems in the first set...Make Way for the Lady being particularly worthy of mention. Never has been my favorite song on the cd...but I love it live and Friday night's version...well, since the heat wave had broken and we were in an a/c'd theater...can't blame the heat for making me melt. Whoa mamma. And as usual, IYCRMM sounded like we had all traveled back in a time machine to 1970.

One thing he did do that I have to say that I do not remember ever seeing before is that he paid a sincere homage to the band. Not once but twice. In the first set, he did a gracious introduction of the band giving time for each one to receive their due applause, leaving Rick for the last to go into his "straw boss" shtick. Okay, I've seen that before. But then just before the end of the show, he named them again and asked the audience to give them a round of applause while he turned to them and applauded them as well. Can't say I've ever seen that before and I was touched.

The high point for me is that it was my 2, 20 something year old daughters' first concert and they had plenty of opportunities to talk to Gord, Rick, Terry, Mike and Barry after the show which thrilled me and them. To be honest, it's not that my girls are fans themselves, but after being "forced" to listen to Lightfoot music since before birth and watching mom (and sometimes dad) go off to every concert from here to Toronto, they wanted to go at least once to see what the fuss was all about. However after doing so, I think I am not going to be able to leave the house for another concert without them. lol. And as always it makes it a very special time to spend it with such good friends as Jenney, Susan and John and their families.

Not meaning to end this post about a great evening on a bad note, but I have a rant. I hate it when I overhear during intermission or after the show from various people how "frail" he is cause they can't distinguish the difference between not having an ounce of fat on you from disciplined exercise and healthy living choices and being thin from being "frail". I wanted to say to those people, if he is so frail, you think he'd be able to do this night after night, in this weather, at his age and after what he went through and still give as great of a show as he does? I think not.

Diane

[ August 06, 2006, 10:13: Message edited by: Sundown17 ]

08-06-2006, 10:06 AM	#1
TinkaLuisa Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Corvallis, OR, US Posts: 1	Hi Folks. Finally recovered enough from an awesome Friday night in Concord with good friends, great music and too much popcorn, lol, to give you all a report. Unfortunately I was not able to follow Jenney, Susan, John et al to Burlington but I am sure one or all of them will report in as soon as they are near their pc's again. And I don't have a set list either as I can't write in the dark and enjoy the show at the same time. But I know Sir John kept one. I do know that it was similar to the one he has been rotating through this tour. He did not play Harmony (sorry Char) but did treat us to SDYS which was perfect. The Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord is a typical old theater that has been beautifully refurbished. It seats about 1000 and to my eye it looked full. Although most of the crowd was my contemporary (old enough to remember hearing IYCRMM on the radio as a break out hit) there were some "youngsters" in the crowd. We were well behaved and mesmorized, with one obnoxious heckler toward the end that seemed to have been squelched quickly either by his neighbors or the theater security. Not only have I seen Gord there twice now, but also Natalie MacMaster (a fiddle player from Cape Breton NS...if you like fiddle music make a point of attending one of her concerts...she gives a great show) and Alison Krause, also another great show giver. The sound in the theater is great. Our seats this time were in center rows 5 and 7. I switched between the two at intermission (so hubby could sit with our two daughters)and have to say I had a better view from row 7 than 5, but can't complain about either one. Gord was great. Usual m.o. of his voice getting stronger as the night wore on which I think is amazing since this was the 7th show in a 10 day stretch during one of the worst heat waves the US has seen in some time. There were some gems in the first set...Make Way for the Lady being particularly worthy of mention. Never has been my favorite song on the cd...but I love it live and Friday night's version...well, since the heat wave had broken and we were in an a/c'd theater...can't blame the heat for making me melt. Whoa mamma. And as usual, IYCRMM sounded like we had all traveled back in a time machine to 1970. One thing he did do that I have to say that I do not remember ever seeing before is that he paid a sincere homage to the band. Not once but twice. In the first set, he did a gracious introduction of the band giving time for each one to receive their due applause, leaving Rick for the last to go into his "straw boss" shtick. Okay, I've seen that before. But then just before the end of the show, he named them again and asked the audience to give them a round of applause while he turned to them and applauded them as well. Can't say I've ever seen that before and I was touched. The high point for me is that it was my 2, 20 something year old daughters' first concert and they had plenty of opportunities to talk to Gord, Rick, Terry, Mike and Barry after the show which thrilled me and them. To be honest, it's not that my girls are fans themselves, but after being "forced" to listen to Lightfoot music since before birth and watching mom (and sometimes dad) go off to every concert from here to Toronto, they wanted to go at least once to see what the fuss was all about. However after doing so, I think I am not going to be able to leave the house for another concert without them. lol. And as always it makes it a very special time to spend it with such good friends as Jenney, Susan and John and their families. Not meaning to end this post about a great evening on a bad note, but I have a rant. I hate it when I overhear during intermission or after the show from various people how "frail" he is cause they can't distinguish the difference between not having an ounce of fat on you from disciplined exercise and healthy living choices and being thin from being "frail". I wanted to say to those people, if he is so frail, you think he'd be able to do this night after night, in this weather, at his age and after what he went through and still give as great of a show as he does? I think not. Diane [ August 06, 2006, 10:13: Message edited by: Sundown17 ]