REVIEW: Gordon Lightfoot
Nov. 7
Casino Regina Show Lounge
Jeff DeDekker
Leader-Post
Gordon Lightfoot is not the performer he used to be and that’s OK.
Lightfoot, who will turn 76 on Nov. 17, was in Regina on Friday night for a sold out show at the Casino Regina Show Lounge and while his singing voice isn’t what it used to be, his remarkable catalogue of material made for an entertaining evening.
And while Lightfoot made sure to include the big hits in the 90-minute set, he did dig deep into the catalogue for a few tunes.
“We were looking through the catalogue and found some old ones that we haven’t played on stage, at least not until lately,” said Lightfoot while introducing Now And Then, a track from 1975’s Cold On The Shoulder.
Dressed in black pants, black shirt, a short red velvet waistcoast and sporting shoulder length hair, Lightfoot looked a little frail. Looks, however, can be deceiving as he easily managed the workload — when you think about it, it’s rather impressive that a man his age is still touring as actively as Lightfoot.
Friday’s show was the 14th on the current leg of his tour which started Oct. 21 in Nanaimo and will end on Saturday in Winnipeg.
“We’re on Day 18 of a 19-day trip so let’s just carry on,” Lightfoot said about his tour, which will resume later this month in Ontario and Quebec.
The set just wasn’t about memories for the fans. Before Wild Strawberries, Lightfoot told the crowd, “This song reminds me of when I first moved to Toronto from Orillia. I got married and eight years later I was out on the street. This song reminds me of those times.”
Lightfoot’s voice did have its moments. His baritone was strong during Beautiful and 50 minutes into the set he hit his stride with The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald, Ribbon Of Darkness, Sundown and Carefree Highway.
Even when Lightfoot was in his prime, it wasn’t about the voice. It was about the songs. And now, despite the frailness of his voice, Lightfoot fans still pack venues across the country because he connects with them through his music. Would it be nice to hear the hits as they were originally recorded? Sure, but the vintage version of Lightfoot certainly didn’t disappoint the fans Friday night.
He saved a real treat — If You Could Read My Mind — for late in the set and it was worth the wait. The poignant and touching story of love lost and a failed marriage is a perfect example of what sets Lightfoot apart from the average songwriter. It wouldn’t matter who sang the song, the emotional connection would still be made through Lightfoot’s words.
Lightfoot was supported by a wonderful band: Rick Haynes (bass), Barry Keane (drums), Mike Heffernan (keyboards) and Carter Lancaster (guitar). Given their history with Lightfoot — Haynes (1969), Keane (1976) and Heffernan (1981) have played many years with the man — it’s no surprise the band was silky smooth. And in case you’re wondering, Lancaster is the new kid on the block, having joined the band in 2011.
Lightfoot finished the evening with an encore that was short but sweet, with a lovely version of Rainy Day People before the music legend exited stage right.
jdedekker@leaderpost.com
Twitter.com/ThePloughboy
- See more at:
http://blogs.leaderpost.com/2014/11/....6fkEt6P9.dpuf
REGINA, Saskatchewan-Nov.7-2014
