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Mary Ellen · 08-18-2005, 02:35 PM

Here is the set list, posted by Ken Wilson on the Google board. My impressions follow.

SETIST:

Spanish Moss
Don Quixote
Minstral of the Dawn
[ ..that one's ethereal... definitely not rock and roll
Now for some toe-tappers..]
In My Fashion ( he did do the 'rap' interlude tonight)
[Scarry...now a new one....about an erstwhile friend]
Harmony
Never Too Close (one of my favorites but Terry's guitar was too soft
in the mix)
[ This next one I wrote for an educational film that's all it
was...]
Ghosts of Cape Horn - (no whistling - except faintly from a few in
the audience- just guitar...)
Rainy Day People
(Gord grabbed a swig of water during the applause and switched to
the 12 string)
[ ...It's great to be here ...referred, as he has in the past, to
fond memories of playing at a local club, the
Cellar Door...]
Sea of Tranquility
Cotton Jenny
[ ...this is a song by a friend of my nephew...]
I Used to be A Country Singer
[..a significant song...from up in the great lakes...(instant
applause of recognition)]
Edmund Fitzgerald - (he really nailed this one and the audience loved
it! Thumbs up from the front row and from Gord)
Alberta Bound
Sundown

BREAK at about 9:17

Restless
Beautiful (Not one of my all time favorites but he really nailed it!)
[...not many songs way down in a C chord, but here's one...]
Shadows
(another quick drink of water for Gord and Terry)
IYCRMM
Let It Ride
Clouds of Loneliness
14ct Gold
Baby Step Back
(Gord switches from the 12 string to the 6 string and apparently
notices a bug on it - ah the joys of an outdoor concert! - because
he said [...got a passenger.... Tuning is hard but these really stay
in tune well but this is an exact twin of the one I used in the first
half....]

(Gord quuickly introduced the band - it almost seemed like an
afterthought..)
[...Say hello to the band...Terri, Barry, Rick, and Mike...(said very
fast)]
Song for a Winter's Night
Old Dan's Records

ENCORES

Early Morning Rain
Cold on the Shoulder

Concert ended at 10)14.

Mary Ellen's 2 cents:

A *beautiful* night for a concert outdoors. Like much of the country, the DC area has been plagued by pizza-oven weather this summer, but the temp/humidity was perfect.

Gord was greeted with a standing ovation when he followed the band out onstage. I think the crowd's enthusiasm was what he referred to as "Scary!" Wolf Trap was full (4,000 under the roof; a few thousand more on the lawn).

He ruefully referred to an erstwhile "friend," and not lady, when introducing "Harmony"--which was immediately recognized and got as big a hand as the chestnuts, before and after the song. He also expressed special fondness ("nice little ballad") for "Clouds of Loneliness" later on, and did a splendid version of that.

His exact words after the "ethereal" opening tunes were, "You couldn't call it rock & roll!"

Gord seemed to be in a very mellow, jocular frame of mind throughout--with doses of his ingrained humility. Before "Ghosts..." he said, "...and that's all it was!" about the educational film, as if to point out the song's humble beginnings. Like--Oh, well, that's all that came of that! (But we, at least, are the richer for it!)

Gord really seems to like talking about the nuts and bolts of songcraft, especially as it pertains to guitar playing--though he knows very well that he has to keep it simple! When introducing "Shadows," he talked about the fact that most songs written in "C" are written "up top" (gesturing at the high neck of the guitar, where his capo is), but this one was written "down here" (playing a few notes on the low strings near where the neck meets the box). Then, after a lovely perfomance, he continued to play with the chord--saying something like, fiddling around with this stuff [chords] is fun, "...even when the song's over!"

This, to me, was especially interesting as an insight into the artist's relation to his work. "Shadows" is such a profound, affecting, soulful piece--but, to it's creator, it's an exercise in "C"! Probably Bach thought the same about the "Well-Tempered Clavier"--like, "Well, that's a pretty good workbook"!

When he switched guitars and discovered the dragonfly (I think--or maybe a moth--LARGE insect) perched just above the soundhole, he brought it to our attention ("I seem to have a passenger"), and then ignored it. Didn't bat it off. Mr. Bug got bored or annoyed after a few bars and either flew or fell off.

"Alberta Bound" was done in tribute to a Canadian politician who apparently just died. I'm sorry, I don't remember the name Gord mentioned, but fellow Canadians probably know and could post it.

[As with several other songs that have a bit of beat, the crowd began clapping on time, but petered out by the second chorus. Enthusiastic, but only up to a point!]

When he mentioned his fond memories of the area, specifically of the old "Cellar Door" club in DC, I was reminded of a fine, long article from the late '60s I read online (perhaps somebody else remembers where and can add a link) that profiled the artist when he was introducing himself to the big time, and the US. Much of it is an interview that took place between shows at the Cellar Door. The "Trilogy" was new to his perfomance list, and it was Gord, Red, and a bass player in those days.

The article portrayed a very serious, intent, dedicated, ambitious young musician. I think that if that fella could see the mellow, accomplished performer he has become, he would be pleased. I'm sure there have been a lot of sacrifices, tradeoffs, and effort that we can only guess at, but what you see onstage now is a master musician who (albeit quite modest personally) knows what he's done, knows what he can still do, and is extremely skillful at pleasing an audience (especially if they're as eager to be pleased as the Wolf Trap crowd).

[ September 13, 2005, 16:14: Message edited by: Mary Ellen ]

08-18-2005, 02:35 PM	#8
Mary Ellen Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 3	Here is the set list, posted by Ken Wilson on the Google board. My impressions follow. SETIST: Spanish Moss Don Quixote Minstral of the Dawn [ ..that one's ethereal... definitely not rock and roll Now for some toe-tappers..] In My Fashion ( he did do the 'rap' interlude tonight) [Scarry...now a new one....about an erstwhile friend] Harmony Never Too Close (one of my favorites but Terry's guitar was too soft in the mix) [ This next one I wrote for an educational film that's all it was...] Ghosts of Cape Horn - (no whistling - except faintly from a few in the audience- just guitar...) Rainy Day People (Gord grabbed a swig of water during the applause and switched to the 12 string) [ ...It's great to be here ...referred, as he has in the past, to fond memories of playing at a local club, the Cellar Door...] Sea of Tranquility Cotton Jenny [ ...this is a song by a friend of my nephew...] I Used to be A Country Singer [..a significant song...from up in the great lakes...(instant applause of recognition)] Edmund Fitzgerald - (he really nailed this one and the audience loved it! Thumbs up from the front row and from Gord) Alberta Bound Sundown BREAK at about 9:17 Restless Beautiful (Not one of my all time favorites but he really nailed it!) [...not many songs way down in a C chord, but here's one...] Shadows (another quick drink of water for Gord and Terry) IYCRMM Let It Ride Clouds of Loneliness 14ct Gold Baby Step Back (Gord switches from the 12 string to the 6 string and apparently notices a bug on it - ah the joys of an outdoor concert! - because he said [...got a passenger.... Tuning is hard but these really stay in tune well but this is an exact twin of the one I used in the first half....] (Gord quuickly introduced the band - it almost seemed like an afterthought..) [...Say hello to the band...Terri, Barry, Rick, and Mike...(said very fast)] Song for a Winter's Night Old Dan's Records ENCORES Early Morning Rain Cold on the Shoulder Concert ended at 10)14. Mary Ellen's 2 cents: A beautiful night for a concert outdoors. Like much of the country, the DC area has been plagued by pizza-oven weather this summer, but the temp/humidity was perfect. Gord was greeted with a standing ovation when he followed the band out onstage. I think the crowd's enthusiasm was what he referred to as "Scary!" Wolf Trap was full (4,000 under the roof; a few thousand more on the lawn). He ruefully referred to an erstwhile "friend," and not lady, when introducing "Harmony"--which was immediately recognized and got as big a hand as the chestnuts, before and after the song. He also expressed special fondness ("nice little ballad") for "Clouds of Loneliness" later on, and did a splendid version of that. His exact words after the "ethereal" opening tunes were, "You couldn't call it rock & roll!" Gord seemed to be in a very mellow, jocular frame of mind throughout--with doses of his ingrained humility. Before "Ghosts..." he said, "...and that's all it was!" about the educational film, as if to point out the song's humble beginnings. Like--Oh, well, that's all that came of that! (But we, at least, are the richer for it!) Gord really seems to like talking about the nuts and bolts of songcraft, especially as it pertains to guitar playing--though he knows very well that he has to keep it simple! When introducing "Shadows," he talked about the fact that most songs written in "C" are written "up top" (gesturing at the high neck of the guitar, where his capo is), but this one was written "down here" (playing a few notes on the low strings near where the neck meets the box). Then, after a lovely perfomance, he continued to play with the chord--saying something like, fiddling around with this stuff [chords] is fun, "...even when the song's over!" This, to me, was especially interesting as an insight into the artist's relation to his work. "Shadows" is such a profound, affecting, soulful piece--but, to it's creator, it's an exercise in "C"! Probably Bach thought the same about the "Well-Tempered Clavier"--like, "Well, that's a pretty good workbook"! When he switched guitars and discovered the dragonfly (I think--or maybe a moth--LARGE insect) perched just above the soundhole, he brought it to our attention ("I seem to have a passenger"), and then ignored it. Didn't bat it off. Mr. Bug got bored or annoyed after a few bars and either flew or fell off. "Alberta Bound" was done in tribute to a Canadian politician who apparently just died. I'm sorry, I don't remember the name Gord mentioned, but fellow Canadians probably know and could post it. [As with several other songs that have a bit of beat, the crowd began clapping on time, but petered out by the second chorus. Enthusiastic, but only up to a point!] When he mentioned his fond memories of the area, specifically of the old "Cellar Door" club in DC, I was reminded of a fine, long article from the late '60s I read online (perhaps somebody else remembers where and can add a link) that profiled the artist when he was introducing himself to the big time, and the US. Much of it is an interview that took place between shows at the Cellar Door. The "Trilogy" was new to his perfomance list, and it was Gord, Red, and a bass player in those days. The article portrayed a very serious, intent, dedicated, ambitious young musician. I think that if that fella could see the mellow, accomplished performer he has become, he would be pleased. I'm sure there have been a lot of sacrifices, tradeoffs, and effort that we can only guess at, but what you see onstage now is a master musician who (albeit quite modest personally) knows what he's done, knows what he can still do, and is extremely skillful at pleasing an audience (especially if they're as eager to be pleased as the Wolf Trap crowd). [ September 13, 2005, 16:14: Message edited by: Mary Ellen ]