DUNCAN BC Review: by Peter Rusland - Cowichan News Leader Pictorial - Andrew Leong
posted Oct 27, 2014 at 11:00 AM
Canadian musical treasure Gordon Lightfoot struck all the right nostalgic chords in a packed Cowichan Theatre Friday.
Lightfoot's valley debut heard him, and his flawless quartet, perform some 27 songs that made the $80- to $100 ticket price good bang for the buck.
Sure, his buttery baritone voice wasn't what it was 40 years ago in its prime. But, after all, Lightfoot is 75 years old — and how many singers are still able to perform at that age?
He shared his thankfulness for job longevity, stating early "I'm grateful for the opportunity to be able to work."
And quoting author Mark Twain, the Torontonian joked about premature reports concerning impacts of his formerly frail health. "Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated."
But the mood-peddling poet seemed pleasantly rejuvenated by his Cowichan reception as adoring folks barked accolades, as if Lightfoot were an elderly uncle come to visit.
His baggage held tons of familiar songs that earned the Order of Canada officer international acclaim in a 60-year career helping to define Canada's folk-roots-rock genre.
Against a lovely backdrop of tree-like shapes that changed colour, the somewhat gaunt balladeer used a Martin six-string and a Gibson 12-string guitar to unload bittersweet favourites spanning All The Lovely Ladies, Rainy-Day People, Christian Island, Beautiful, Carefree Highway, Cotton Jenny, Sundown, If You Could Read My Mind, and The Wreck Of the Edmund Fitzgerald, before encoring with Cold On The Shoulder.
It seemed paradoxical even Elvis had recorded Lightfoot's hit In The Early Morning Rain.
Lesser-known songs A Painter Passing Through, The Pony Man, and others nicely filled spaces between his suite of beloved hits.
Friday's audience seemed to sense they may have seen Lightfoot locally for the last time as old age creeps into his voice and touring schedule.
Luckily, Lightfoot's legendarily insightful lyrics and memory-filled melodies are a legacy of timeless dimensions.
Folk-rock concert rating: 10 moods out of 10.
http://www.cowichannewsleader.com/en...280551072.html
DUNCAN BC - Oct.24,2014
