Favorite Gord "bits" during concerts

[theotterjudy]

One of my favorites is Gord tapping his foot three times during the pause near the end of "Don Quixote". It always seems that some unaware audience member starts to clap, thinking it's the end of the song.
Another favorite was whenb PeeWee Charles was keyboardist. During a song, he put on "nose-glasses", the audience started laughing, Gord looks bewildered (part of the shtick?) and finally looks around at PeeWee and sees the glasses. As a result of that, I bought all my GORD-CONCERT-SEEING buddies and I some nose glasses, but I was the only one brave enought to actually wear them at the next concert. I don't think Gord noticed, but it was fun. (A side topic: "fans' attempts to get something to Gord at a concert venue" - MINE: I took a polaroid of my then-license plate "GORDFAN" along with an appreciative note, gave it to Rick Haynes with a rose, and asked him to give it to Gord. He gave me an exasperated look and walked on. He probably threw it away in the next trashcan! Oh well....) A friend of mine got Gord's autograph on her business card - lucky her!
Another bit: When Gord goes "alRIGHT!" after a song went well.
Write if you have some anecdotes on either topic!

Well in a way I can sympathize with Rick Haynes. Gord does get all the attention but if it weren't for his band members he wouldn't have that unmistakable Lightfoot sound. I had put on the stage some song requests ( along with others) but they too were picked up near the end of the concert and were tossed. Having met Gord twice I made a special effort to talk to the other band members but I agree that I found Rick Haynes to be a little abrupt. A side note: he is quite massive in person. HUGE!! lol.

Gord also has a habit of saying : " a wan, too three fer" before songs.

[Chuck Darling]

If Rick Haynes isn't friendly Terry Clements sure is! I was at the Oct 99 Cleveland show and at intermission a little girl waited at the stage and asked Terry Clements for his autograph on her Songbook CD hardback book.. not only did Terry sign it he had the rest of the band including Gordon sign it also!!! what class!! And by the way I also got lucky!! Gordon signed my songbook hardback also!..What a night!

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Ever Onward...

[Florian]

quote:Originally posted by theotterjudy:
One of my favorites is Gord tapping his foot three times during the pause near the end of "Don Quixote". It always seems that some unaware audience member starts to clap, thinking it's the end of the song.


There is also a short pause during the Canadian Railroad Trilogy - someone even started to clap at the Sunday Concert live recording.

Maybe the pauses are a way for Gordon Lightfoot to see if he still attracts new fans - if someone starts to clap before the song is finished, he knows he is still attracting new crowds.

[loveandmaplesyrup]

Rick is a bit rude. He literally tore my head off in Sacramento. It's kind of a long story, and I won't bore you with it here, but he DOES need to be a bit nicer. After all, it's the fans that pay his wages. The other guys in the band are so sweet. I don't know why Rick has to be that way.

Stay loose, eh?

LAMS

------------------
"Love and maple syrup
go together like the
sticky winds of winter
when they meet....
If you go into the forest
Gaze up through the trees
The sky is white.
You can understand
What makes the forest
Greet the man
Like a mother's only
child ..."

[char]

I remember the Pee Wee nose and glasses thing (I have several photos)too. I also recall when Gord would tune his guitar - the killer "B" string act, and when he would say "I'd like to introduce the band" and they would all walk around to each other shaking hands. I will always remember with great affection his introducing his mother at his shows at Massey Hall.
I have many pictures of the funny looks he would give over his shoulder to Pee Wee or Rick and how he bends over his guitar almost in a bow at the end of some songs.
Char

[loveandmaplesyrup]

The funniest little incident I saw was once at Concord Pavillion in California. They were doing "The Auctioneer" and you know, how the band each does their bit during that song? Well, when it came to PeeWee's turn, he was doing his thing on the steel guitar and Gord turned to him and said "Watch out, PeeWee -- that things going to catch on fire! I see smoke!!"
The audience cracked up and so did Gord because his cue came for the next verse and in his distraction, he forgot the words and had to hum most of that verse. It was one of those things that "loses" in the telling. You had to be there. But it WAS hilarious! Even Gord was laughing.

Stay loose,eh?

LAMS


CHAR, would you be interested in trading some photos? Please e-mail me so we can talk. I'd really appreciate it. Thanks.

------------------
"Love and maple syrup
go together like the
sticky winds of winter
when they meet....
If you go into the forest
Gaze up through the trees
The sky is white.
You can understand
What makes the forest
Greet the man
Like a mother's only
child ..."

[theotterjudy]

I thought of another one: at some point, one of the band's wife was expecting. Gord announced that fact, then said "I'd like to congratulate the father", walked over to some one ELSE in the band, and shook his hand, illiciting laughs from the audience.
Love those BITS!

[SaraJane]

In 1979 I saw Gordon & Co. in concert at college. In the middle of the show he broke a string, proceeded to restring the guitar, and took a loooong time tuning it, and discussing the importance of being in tune. When it was tuned to his satisfaction, he set it down and picked up another guitar. The audience roared, and he didn't touch that guitar again for the rest of the set!

[theotterjudy]

On the subject of tuning, does any else remember Gord's bit of saying (something like) "and now, an ancient Chinese song, called 'Too Ning'...." ?

[theotterjudy]

Hey, where are all those funny bits you all know but aren't sharing???
(I really just wanted to get this topic back up at the top of the recent post list 'cause I'm getting too lazy to scroll....)

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"the mornin' after blues, from my head down to my shoes..."

Not particulary funny, but at the concert at the Westbury music fair, Gord referred to the "disco" version of "If You Could Read My Mind", & how "pleased" he was with it.

He also introduced "The House You Lie In" as his Mother's favorite song, & sounded wistful saying it.

That's my favorite song, & I have to say he touched me that night...

[Simone]

When Gordon came onstage at Purchase College he picked up a bunch of papers lying by the microphone (might have been song requests or things to autograph, I don't know) and said either "My mail," or "thanks for the mail." Before doing "Blackberry wine" he told us that there actually is such a thing as blackberry wine, that he's had it sent to him.

He mentioned that the "House you live in" was his mom's favorite, that she told him he must never drop it from his repertoire, and he imitated her saying "Gordon." And he said that he wrote the Canadian Railroad Trilogy in three days.

Incredibly, sometime during the 2nd set he said something like "I hope I'm not going too long, to which some of the audience members yelled out "No!!!" When coming back for an encore, Gordon held out one finger emphatically, signifying that they would do one more tune, and he said "We're not going to do the Las Vegas thing of 7 or 8 encores."

I'm sorry that my memory is so bad and I can't always remember exactly what was said, and that I can't remember much more than that. Next time I'll have to pay closer attention.

[Florian]

quote:Originally posted by Simone:
And he said that he wrote the Canadian Railroad Trilogy in three days.


Hi Simone,

Thanks for your comments. I am not the least bit surprised that it took Gordon Lightfoot exactly three days to write a trilogy.

Everything other than that wouldn't fit. Imagine working two days or five days on a trilogy! That wouldn't make sense at all.

[theotterjudy]

Chuckle to you, Florian.....

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"the mornin' after blues, from my head down to my shoes..."
"Laughing eyes and smiling face..."

[vlmagee]

Hi again Simone,

Ref: concert at Purchase, NY

The papers were all song requests, in one form or another. There were a total of four. One was mine, for Heaven Don't Deserve Me. He made a comment about the "wacky" song and seemed to say he would do it, but he didn't. (I don't know if I forgive him!). Two were computer printed photos of my friend's children, a boy 6 (who was sitting with us in the front row), and a girl, 4. Both children are big Lightfoot fans (I failed totally with my son, now 15) and each had written a note, in their own handwriting, with their request on the sheet with the photo. Gord didn't sing their requests either, but they are songs he hasn't been doing in concert recently. Luckily my friend and his family got to meet Gord - and get their autographs - after the show; a true night to remember.

The last request was from someone I don't know (!). I think it asked him for something "from Songbook", because he said something along those lines at the time and then when he introduced Never Too Close a bit later in the set, he said it was one of the songs he brought back because of "the anthology".

In my years of going to his concerts, I have decided that the best way to get your request sung, if it is a song that he has rehearsed and does occasionally, is to ask for it at the start. Most people put up their requests during the intermission, but by the second set he has less flexibility as he has about 10 songs left that are absolute musts. Plus, certain songs (Heaven Don't Deserve Me being one of them) are played on the 12 string he uses during the first set (capoed and tuned differently from the one he uses later for EMR and CRT). He can transpose the chords and play them on the "wrong" 12 string (he actually did that with "Heaven" back last October when he sang it in concert for the first time ever after a shouted request), but I think the odds are far better with an early request if everything else is right (and, of course, if Gord feels like doing it). Gord, on the other hand, occasionally makes fun of those of us who put our requests up at the start, laughingly saying something about "bon fide requests before the fact" ... but over the years, it has worked for me.

Don't apologize for what you remember or don't remember. Believe me, I know how hard it is to sit there and enjoy the music, and let yourself be transported to whereever his music takes you, and also to listen to, understand, and remember everything he says. But, the little "bits" we each remember are much enjoyed when shared.

One thing that I remember from this concert, not a little bit that he said, but something that happens occasionally - like it or not - is that Gord dropped his guitar pick during a song. What is wonderful is how he handled it, such that almost no one noticed. Since I was right in front of him, I saw what he was doing and realized that he had dropped the pick, even though I didn't see it fall. It was during Cherokee Bend ... he dropped the pick, reached into his pocket with his left hand and took out another, transferred it to his right hand, and resumed playing. And all the while, he never missed a beat in the vocals. What a professional! But then, we all know that already.

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Valerie Magee

[Wes Steele]

Does anyone remember:

Gordon would say, "Boy, it was like a jungle in here getting everything set up," and then the band would do its imatation of a jungle; monkey sounds, bird calls, bird sounds, elephant sounds.

Wes......

[fezo]

Well, I'll always remember hearing him introducing "All the Lovely Ladies in Refineries Tonight" once......

I remember at a concert at SPAC in Saratoga,
NY, around 1979?[Val, maybe you were there]
Gord & the band was doing "Spanish Moss"
Into the second chorus of "...Spanish moss,
wish I knew what you were saying..." it became obvious that Gord was distracted by
someone off the left stage wing. One by
one the band members became distracted. Gord
started missing lyrics & they all started
smiling, then laughing, becoming figidy until
they all put down thier instruments & walked off the stage. The audience
was bewildered not knowing what was happening
After several moments Gord and the guys
walked back onstage grinning ear to ear and
took thier places. Gord then announced that
Terry just became a Daddy! Maybe the announcement at that concert in Cleveland was
one and the same pregnancy? Later was when
I fully appreciated the timing of the birth
and the news being delivered at the time they
were singing a song with the lyrics "wish
I knew what you were saying" when someone
[probably Barry] was trying to tell them of
the special event - amazing, huh?

And Val, your theory about the timing to make
request didn't work for me. I placed a request [actually 2in multiple choice form]
on the stage before the concert at Westbury
Music Fair on March 11th began. He did not
pick it up till one song before the end of the concert - Needless to say he did not play "Drifters" or "Boathouse". There was only one other request. That was the first time I was brave
enough to leave a request on the stage. I
think the events of the night before, in Northampton, pumped me up.
Dorothea

[vlmagee]

Yes, I was there Dorothea. But I had totally forgotten about it! No excuse for a senior moment in 1979, but ... I'm not sure of the year (obviously), but I do remember the incident now that you mention it.

Regarding my "tried and true" approach for getting him to sing requests, it failed for me too this year. He read my request early in the concert and implied he would do it, but then did not. My note was longer than usual however and I'm afraid I went beyond what he can take the time to read.

In any case, it was very clear from the start of the tour in March that he was rehearsing for the Reno taping. He did few songs that weren't serious candidates for that show. He had clearly decided to do only one song from his latest album: the title song. So your two had no real chance anyway. I think he did only one song from APPT other than the title song during those 6 or 7 weeks, and that only once in all the concerts before Apr 19 (and presumably on request).

And he did no covers, something else that he had clearly decided (the same choice he made for the boxed set). So, given that each of those March and early April concerts was part of his preparation for the taping, he knew he wasn't going to really consider requests because he couldn't. As a result, he probably ignored the sheets of paper more often than he might have.

So don't give up on the technique. If you have a favorite that he's done in the past few years, ask.

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Valerie Magee

I've been to many Lightfoot concerts, and I
can remember 2 homorous bits.(I'm sure there were more). One is where he says he'd like to
introduce the band, at which point he introduces Terry to Rick, Barry to Mike, and so on.... as they all get up and shake each other's hands. Pretty corny, eh?
The other was actually a joke he told- this
was at the Hollywood Bowl back in the 70's,
I think. He claimed that he came from a large
family because his Mom was hard of hearing!
Every night when Mom & Dad went to bed, Dad
would say "Well, do you want to go to sleep,
or what?" Then Mom would reply (as Gord cupped his hand to his ear)"WHAT?"

[Dan]

At a concert at Kleinhans Music Hall in Buffalo New York in the 70's between songs a number of audience members would scream out requests in unison. When they screamed out Pony Man, GL began singing 'When it's midnight on the meadow and the cats are in the 'sh?t'' instead of shed. He then went on to sing another song! He obviously didn't want to play Pony Man.


[This message has been edited by Dan (edited May 09, 2000).]

[young stranger]

Just a quickie, conveys his humor. This was a concert my parents went to (before I was born!), my mother told me the story. She said that just as Gord was all settled in and ready to start the first song, he dropped his pick. He bent over, picked it up, and said to the audience, "Well, that was a good start!"

[Silver Heels]

This one goes back to 1974! It was at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Gord was in a really good mood - cracking jokes with the band as well as with the audience. Suddenly he gives a soft 'cuss'. He's broken a finger nail! 'Anybody out there got a nail file?' he calls and to my utter astonishment jumps down from the stage into the arena and passes along the aisle asking for a file.
Somebody handed him an emery board. He filed down the broken nail, handed back the emery board and with a grin vaults back on stage.
As I was sitting in the front row you can imagine how delighted I was. He could so easily have jumped into my lap ... I wish!
This is one of my very special 'bits'

[theotterjudy]

Here's a related thread re: personal stories and experiences at concerts. Like Wes, I like to "bring it back up to the top" once in a while!

theotterjudy

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"the mornin' after blues, from my head down to my shoes..."
-------------------------
"Laughing eyes and smiling face..."