I meet Gordon Lightfoot at an Ian Tyson concert!

[TimmyB]

I went to see Ian Tyson a Canadian folk and then country legend at Hugh's Room in Toronto tonight (February 11, 2005).

When I walked through the Hugh's Room doors the concert didn't get off to a great start.

To backtrack I called the night before the show to reserve a single ticket, I was told that the ticket would be standing room at the bar only for $7 less the ticket price (so $25 instead of $32). I asked the Hugh's Room staff worker on the phone that would seeing the concert in the bar be obstructed? They replied no, it would just be in the back of the venue. So I said to myself well that's worth it.

Back to entering Hugh's Room at the exact time they asked me to go to the venue (8:20PM). The bar area at the back was definitely obstructed by two giant walls dividing the bar from the actual venue! The only way to see a full view of the stage was to be "standing in the doorway" (I love that song), and this wasn't allowed. Us people who purchased standing room only had to be a good five or six feet back of the doorway, so that's were I stood for the next three plus hours.

I'm so happy that I'm tall as I usually had a full view of the stage over shorter peoples heads. Though the sound was terrible by the bar, not only from the noise of the bar but because of the walls dividing the rooms.

When the opener came on stage she was far too quite, which made me worry about how Ian Tyson was going to sound. I even debated on leaving. But since I had never seen Tyson before and he is seventy-one years of age I decided to stick it out, and I'm glad I did.

When Tyson came on, he really impressed me. Not only by his performance (he did two sets that nearly lasted two hours), but also by the way he looked. He is a rancher when he isn't recording or touring and it shows! When I retire I think I'm going to get a ranch, just so I can look like that when I'm over seventy.

Back to the show, his voice is still so smooth and his accompaniment of a guitarist and bassist also sang with beautiful harmonies throughout the show.

Part way through the first set someone says something about Gordon Lightfoot, and I think to myself that wasn't a Lightfoot song? What are they talking about? Then as I'm thinking why they said Lightfoot, the man himself walks right by me to a seat right up infront of the stage!

At the end of Tyson's first set, Lightfoot gets up from his table and the crowd gives him a standing ovation. Which was something Tyson hadn't even gotten yet, but then it's Gordon Lightfoot.

Lightfoot walks right by me again to go to Tyson's dressing room and I'm thinking to myself, damn if I only knew Gordon Lightfoot was standing right beside me I could have gotten his autograph, because I thought I wouldn't get that opportunity again (It immediately reminded me of the time I missed a Lightfoot autograph session at Sam the Record Man when his 1999 album "A Painter Passing Through" came out).

Well I kept standing in the same spot I had for the past two hours and while the setbreak was still happening, I turn to see Lightfoot just standing beside me again!

This time I say "Mr. Lightfoot, could you sign this for me?" The legend replies "Sure" and proceed to take my pen and paper and signs his name. As he's writing I also said to him "I'm glad you're back performing again. I saw you and Mr. Good (one of the Good Brothers was standing beside Lightfoot) at your first show back at Hamilton Place in the fall." Both Lightfoot and Good smile and me and simutaneously say "Thank you."

I turn back around as all the people at the bar look in astonishment that Gordon Lightfoot is standing around the same bar that they are in.

Ian said while he took the stage for the second set, "It's good to see my friends Gordon Lightfoot and the Good Brothers tonight." Which garnered another applause for the legend. Then Tyson said "Lightfoot and Good that sounds like a supergroup, doesn't it?" Yes it does.

Then Lightfoot stood beside me for the first few songs for the second set before ducking out of the venue early. And one things for sure, I'm glad I didn't duck out early that night!

[charlene]

sounds like a great time! Tyson still has thta wonderful voice and he looks great. The life of a rancher has certainly agreed with him.
i dont' know what walls there are up by the bar-there are two pillars at the stairs on either side down to the dining area and the walls are open on either side - over by the bar and where the stairs go to the washrooms downstairs.
Geeze - even at his own tribute shows a few weeks ago Gord had a bar stool at the back of the venue - no seat up front!!
lol
It's good to hear Gord was out to see Ian again this year as he did last year. Gee - he had the award ceremony for Cummings/Bachman and the Tyson show! He's gettin' around!
lol
He scooted out before the end of the tribute show too.....

[bjb]

Thanks for posting your story! Very cool...

[Sentimental]

That is just so neat. Aren't you glad you stayed!!! I wonder is Ian Tyson has casually appeared at some of Gord's concerts? What a cherished memory this will be for you.

[jj]

"that should be interesting...also wonder if Gordon will be attending any of the shows at Hugh's Room this week, would sure love to go but don't think it will happen"

hey, GREAT news and WONDERFUL post, TimmyB!

i posted the above last week with excited anticipation...but when i said "i didn't think it will happen" i didnt' mean, GL not showing up for Tyson, i meant that my loving to go wouldn't happen, and IT didn't

excellent anecdotal post you typed out! i thought i was reading a flashback i had at Hugh's only last month with char, jenney and ron jones...except i DID get to see pretty good from the bar area (just lean on the wood rails over the washroom stairs to the left, maybe someone already had that spot?) but i DIDN'T get GL's signature...nice words you said to him, i could never keep it that concise (lol!)...but i was happy to share his space for a while, i guess i just quietly wished him good spaces...sure glad Jenney got that GREAT pic! you guys are more on the ball and will always have something to LOOK at...for me, that wonderful memory will be gone when i lose (lost?) my mind... lol

thanks for sharing, 'Good' stuff!