1981 London concert review

[johnfowles]

I have just come across a yellowing clipping from the UK
Daily Telegraph dated May 20 1981
A review by John Coldstream of the second of two Royal Albert Hall Lightfoot concerts I attended (the first was on June 10 1972 when he performed the ultra rare toetapper Rock My World to Sleep) this one was on May 18th 1981

Instead of deploying aides to track down his Mancunian and Irish ancestry ,Gordon Lightfoot would be better off ensuring they have sorted out the acoustics of the building he is about to fill with those who ultimately pick up the wages bill.
For the first ten minutes or so of the concert-- and how depressing it is to have to write this of yet another international artist--
the sound equipment brought on tour by Mr Lightfoot and his five musicians seemed to have missed the marriage presumably arranged during the day by the technical boys with the Albert Hall's own public address system. The Canadian singer has an indistinct voice at the best of times but, at the outset last night it appeared as if he had undergone extensive dental surgery.
Admittedly the engineers-no doubt seeing the word "Jobcentre" flash before their eyes- improved matters enough to make"Ghosts of Cape Horn" sound as stirring as it did on the soundtrack for the film of the same title.
Indeed the second half of the concert, containing the enormously successful "If you could read my Mind" and "Sundown" was pleasant enough, If made unduly tense by the odd figure who insisted on standing a few feet away from the singer apparently staring up at his nostrils,
If Mr Lightfoot is to achieve the same impact as his fellow North American and consumate graduate from the School of Soporifics,Don Williams, he needs to be better served.and from the asides which did come over,it was clear that he knows it.
Yes well I fail to recall that the sound was anywhere near that bad at that concert
Point of interest there the "five musicians" on that occasion comprised Rick Terry Barry and both Pee Wee and Mike Heffernan, the setlist is at
http://www.lightfoot.ca/810518.htm
I did not at the time know that Gord would be playing a second London concert two night's later at the Dominion Theatre which is appaerently on the Tottenham Clourt Road an area replete as I recall with tempting electronic goods stores where I purchased at great cost (24 pounds) my first ever transistor radio way back in 1957). I believe one of the corfid members attended that second extraordinary 1981 concert, fortunately (for me at least) the last one Gord was ever to give in the UK. Hence my continuing good luck and health here in the States
He had earlier (on the 13th) opened the tour in Dublin see the review at:-
http://www.lightfoot.ca/810513r.htm
A concert seen I believe by two Irish lady fans who were sitting at our table at the BB King Blues Club NYC concert last September

　

[Sydney Steve]

Good find Chookie. Gee the setlist stands up pretty well . Over 30 years ago .... you'd have been more of a spring chicken then - just 65 or so....!

More seriously some of you folk are very lucky to have such a long history to call on of seeing the master at work. I know John has seen a myriad.
I'm planning on going to my 1st concert in late 2012 (probably a second a day or two later too.) Oooh a 3rd well maybe /maybe not . Wish he would resurrect either "Summertime Dream" or "The House You Live In " to the setlist but I understand it may be as much to do with vocal constraints as pure song preference from a perfectionist.

Psst John : Tiny typo in your byline - an "N" for an "M" in Rainy. (cheers.)