Back in Australia after Appleton concert

[Dave, Melbourne,Australia]

Thanks to a sympathetic wife, some helpful people on Lightfoot websites & a good friend in Milwaukee, I finally realised my dream of attending a Gordon Lightfoot concert. Many of you have requested my report, so here it is.

I left Australia on Mar28 & spent 3 nights in Milwaukee with Sue & her husband. On Sunday Mar30, Sue drove me 100 miles north to the smaller, college town of Appleton. Being a Sunday evening, traffic & parking were easy. We had dinner at the Italian restaurant Victoria's, where I overheard other diners saying how much they were looking forward to the concert.

The Fox Cities Performing Arts Centre opened at 6.30pm, one hour before show time. I noticed many fans getting photographed outside under the 'Gordon Lightfoot tonight' sign, as I had done earlier. The concert was sold out. There were no souvenir programmes or Lightfoot merchandise on sale. As Sue & I headed upstairs to our seats, corfid contributors John 'Seafarer62' & Debbie guessed who I was from my Australian swagman hat, which is surrounded by dangling corks to ward off Wisconsin's marauding early-spring flies(?). They had spent the previous evening enjoying Mr Lightfoot in concert in Onamia, Minnesota, & driven around 300 miles to Appleton. Debbie was returning to their Minnesota home after Appleton, but John was continuing to Des Moines, Iowa, for the Tuesday concert! We took our seats in Dress Circle 2, row F, seats 205 & 206.

Gordon came on stage with his band, Terry Clements on lead guitar, Mike Heffernan on keyboards, Rick Haynes (who looks like the Skipper on "Gilligan's Island") on bass guitar & Barry Keane on drums & percussion. Gordon's voice was quite hoarse, but got better after a couple of songs. They performed "Cotton Jenny", "Carefree Highway", "Sea of Tranquility", "14 Karat Gold", "Never Too Close", "In My Fashion", "If Children Had Wings" (very moving after he explained why he wrote it), "A Painter Passing Through", "Rainy Day People", "Shadows" (my favourite Lightfoot song), "Beautiful", "The Watchman's Gone", "Ribbon of Darkness", "Sundown" & showstopper "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" (which he said is being featured in the IMAX film "Mysteries of the Great Lakes").

During the intermission, I went to the seats near the stage & met Appleton journalist Jenny Perry & familiar website contributors Vickie 'Moosedog' from Michigan & Margaret & Tim from Green Bay. I would also have looked for 'Daylitekt' from near Appleton & Tom 'Knackelflerg' & 'Gitchigumee' from Wisconsin, but I didn't have their seat numbers.

After intermission, Gordon & the band performed "Triangle", "Hangdog Hotel Room", "Restless" (which I thought was the highlight of the concert), "Clouds of Loneliness", "Waiting for You", "Make Way for the Lady" (excellent keyboard performance), "If You Could Read My Mind", "My Little Love", "Baby Step Back", "Early Morning Rain" & the encore "Blackberry Wine". Gord had told a couple of riddles, which got good laughs. Sue said she was impressed by the lighting.

After the show, we were lucky enough to meet Mr Lightfoot. He joked about my hat & called me Crocodile Dundee. I asked what he remembered of his only Australian tour in 1974. He remembered it took 34 hours to travel to Melbourne (venue of the first concert), because they had to fly via Sydney. He gave us autographs & stood in a couple of photos. I was thrilled that he spent so much time with us & was so gracious. I also chatted briefly with his very young tour manager, Mr Leslie Charbon. I travelled back to Milwaukee on cloud nine, because the Gordon Lightfoot concert experience was everything I hoped it would be & justified my decision to come & every dollar the trip was costing.

I spent Mar31-Apr2 with American friends in Pulaski, New York State, & Apr2-4 with Australian & American friends in Manchester, New Hampshire. The sightseeing was brilliant (especially for someone not used to ice & snow) & included Lake Michigan, Lake Ontario, New Hampshire's White Mountains & lakes, the Atlantic coast from Maine to Massachusetts, a Manchester Monarchs ice hockey game, the world-class Cedar Creek Winery (near Milwaukee) & a huge night out in Syracuse. I arrived back in Australia on the morning of Sunday Apr6, spent 1-and-a-half days catching up on sleep & returned to work on Tuesday.

Thanks again to you wonderful website coordinators & contributors. I couldn't have got there without you.

[BILLW]

Great report Dave - thanks for sharing. Glad your trip worked out well ! Talk about a hard-core group of fans.

Bill

Take any pictures ?

[KHester]

A wonderful report, it's great to see a dream come true. I've met Gord also, as others will also confess I was impressed by how personable he was. Sounds like you had a truly wonderful time.

Kevin

[Jesse Joe]

Really glad you got to experience a Gordon Lightfoot concert. Thanks for sharing your trip.

[formerlylavender]

Thanks for posting your review/trip report. I'm glad the trip was everything you expected it would be (and maybe more). You certainly win the prize for miles traveled and determination. Gord must have been impressed and flattered. It's great that you got to do a lot of visiting and sightseeing as well. Glad you're home safely.

[charlene]

Great trip report and concert review! Glad to hear you are safely back home with such wonderful memories.
Back in 2001 another Aussie ventured to Toronto for the Massey shows..Peter toured across eastern Canada, over to Europe and a bit of time in California as well..if I recall correctly..
You guys are remarkable in your devotion to having the Lightfoot Experience!
I hope you are ready to share some of your pics!!
Char

very, very kewl, Dave to have your dream fulfilled! Glad to know you had such a great time and wonderful travels

[Dream Street Rose]

Hello Dave,

I totally understand your dream coming true. I did that over 30 years ago and have enjoyed the experience over and over again through the years. I am still as excited as the first time. Maybe more because I know what lies ahead. How wonderful you have very special memories to share with your family and friends. Bet you get a very special smile when you think of your time at the concert and then meeting Gordon.

Also, I am glad your got to meet Leslie. He is so attentive to Gordon and very laid back while getting the job done.

Glad you are home safely.

DSR

[joveski]

nice report, neighbour!

pity i wasnt alive in 1974!

hope you can post the pics you took.

ps: next time, use paragraphs :-D

[Moosedog]

Great trip report, Dave! I enjoyed meeting you, and was happy to see how much time Gordon spent talking with you after the concert.

Vickie

[Auburn Annie]

Hey, where in Syracuse? I live a stone's throw from there (Auburn). I hope you got to the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que and hit some of the great places in Armory Square.

[seafarer62]

Dave....... Debbie and I enjoyed meeting you and Sue at the Appleton concert. Of the four consecutive concerts I attended, Appleton's was the best. So you picked the right one.

To borrow a line from the Summertime Dream album.......I'm thankful for all the good spaces in the farway places you go (went).

Regards,

John (Seafarer62)

[Dave, Melbourne,Australia]

Thanks for the replies, friends. I didn't take any photos during the concert, but I'll try to post one of my after-the-concert photos soon.

Charlene, I'm sure the Peter you mentioned is the Melbourne fan I had a long phone conversation with after John Fowles put me in touch.

Auburn Annie, I don't know Syracuse's Armory Square, but the venues on that Tuesday night were the Wise Guys comedy club (100 jokes in 100 minutes), Awful Al's Wine & Whisky Lounge (excellent wines from around the world) and Dinosaur Barbecue (jam session with many brilliant musicians playing together for the first time).

[charlene]

Dave - yep! that would be Peter in Footscray..I know he'd dearly love to get back here so I'm hoping he can in November 2009 if there's another Massey series of concerts..You'll certainly have to come for those!
can't wait to see the pics!

[brink-]

Good onya Dave!! Glad all worked out for you!!