Meadowbrook Gilford, NH

AWESOME performance by Gord and the band ! A nice outdoor venue a fine, enthusiastic crowd (including yours truely, thanks to a too strong, too large $3.50 cup of Starbuck's joe at the venue).


Our seats were excellent, 2nd row (the 1st row seats directly in front of us remained empty the entire show!) center section...just slightly stage left from GL. The stage was higher than most, and a small speaker obliterated my view of Terry's guitar unless I really stretched me neck (which of course, I did!).

As always -the band was tight, fairly good sound/acoustics at this venue and GL's vocals were mostly strong, always very excellent (very NICE) throughout. Some really fine vibrato in the lower register...particular during IYCRMM, Beautiful and CRT (he performed both CRT and The Wreck!). But all presentations were beautifully sung.

A little disheatening that "Sundown" turned into a sing-along, nearly drowning out Gordon's vocals, but the enthusiasm from the audience was fun none-the-less! And other 'toe-tappers'...there were quite a few in the audience, clapping along. Some people softly singing along (one guy a row or 2 back from us), throughout...but I've learned to block these things out by now (so long as they're not sitting very close to me).

Nobody chimed in "over me" prompty (nor loudly, anyway) at the end of "Ribbon" and I never have since I can't chance jinxing my relationship status, but I did a mousy "NOT over me!"

We had a nice, fun little Red Sox rally...which drowned out Gordon's cheer for the Blue Jays (and one Yankee's fan )....being that Gordon was clearly out-numbered -NH IS a huge Red Sox Nation territory, he relented and acknowledged us haha. That's the spirit!!!

"Ring-neck Loon" -I was just so thrilled to hear live, but the "calls" were mighty sad for the most part! Sounded like a bunch of Gremlins!!!

A GREAT night and my friend thought so too -he said he really enjoyed GL and the band, and said that the music was very relaxing. I felt bad for him to be going to a concert with homely old me... his beautiful wife at home w/the kids! But his wife and the kids were happy to see their hard-working daddy getting a rare night out! He tried taking some cellphone pix and they didn't come out. I hadn't wanted to take pix, but thought I should to share with the kids...so I took a handful (and one or 2 of Terry...for Vickie, but I'll let ou guys see them too ).

Will try to get them posted once I'm back home !!!

Pam

[Moosedog]

Sounds like you had a great time, Pam! Thanks for taking some pics - can't wait to see them. LOL

[SherylKat]

Hi, kiddo! SO GLAD you felt well and had a great time! Plans for any others? You're braver than I am - I had a ticket for Utica last month but didn't go because there were thunderstorms and patchy hard rain. Too old for that kind of thrill anymore!

Sheryl

Originally Posted by Moosedog

Sounds like you had a great time, Pam! Thanks for taking some pics - can't wait to see them. LOL

yep

Originally Posted by SherylKat

Hi, kiddo! SO GLAD you felt well and had a great time! Plans for any others? You're braver than I am - I had a ticket for Utica last month but didn't go because there were thunderstorms and patchy hard rain. Too old for that kind of thrill anymore!

Sheryl

thanks Sheryl! Our seats were 'in the shed' so no worries about getting rained on. Sorry you didn't brave the Utica concert! No plans for any more concerts this year -though my son and I briefly discussed the possibility of Massey. I'd love to catch one of the Vegas shows and spend some time in NV playing in the desert and visiting w/ friends there.

Am going to see Jeff fa-fa in a couple of weeks!!!!!!!!

[Acadia]

Hi everybody, I am a new member so I will try to keep this short. My first Gordon Lightfoot concert was the Gilford show. I really enjoyed reading Podunklander’s account of the concert. I am one of those fans who sort of grew up unconsciously soaking in Mr. Lightfoot's music because my parents were fans. In the last few years I rediscovered his music on my own and it has been a wonderful experience getting my own collection going, this time on CD instead of my parents old records. Anyway, the Gilford concert was thrilling and the music was magic. It was amazing seeing Mr. Lightfoot's artistry and genius in the person. His legendary band was phenomenal as well. I have been to plenty of rock concerts, but this was something truly unique and special. It reminded me of what that writer said in the liner notes on the United Artists Collection about Mr. Lightfoot having that "unknowable *it* that separates the masters from the also rans." My first Gordon Lightfoot concert more than confirmed the truth of those words. I am definitely looking forward to learning from the posts of the long time fans and members on this forum.

Originally Posted by Acadia

Hi everybody, I am a new member so I will try to keep this short. My first Gordon Lightfoot concert was the Gilford show. I really enjoyed reading Podunklander’s account of the concert. I am one of those fans who sort of grew up unconsciously soaking in Mr. Lightfoot's music because my parents were fans. In the last few years I rediscovered his music on my own and it has been a wonderful experience getting my own collection going, this time on CD instead of my parents old records. Anyway, the Gilford concert was thrilling and the music was magic. It was amazing seeing Mr. Lightfoot's artistry and genius in the person. His legendary band was phenomenal as well. I have been to plenty of rock concerts, but this was something truly unique and special. It reminded me of what that writer said in the liner notes on the United Artists Collection about Mr. Lightfoot having that "unknowable *it* that separates the masters from the also rans." My first Gordon Lightfoot concert more than confirmed the truth of those words. I am definitely looking forward to learning from the posts of the long time fans and members on this forum.

Hi and welcome !! oh yeah -nice that you experienced the 'phenomena' of a GL concert . All of us here can relate to that and have also found that the magic is there at all the performances we attend, and we can count on experiencing that!

[charlene]

welcome to corfid!
there's lots to learn from the folks here and feel free to share your concert experiences, pics, questions etc.etc..
char

[Acadia]

Thank you for the welcome's. I am looking forward to it-- as well as learning a whole lot from the Gordonlightfoot.ca and lightfoot.ca websites which look to be extremely well done and packed with information.

[Moosedog]

Originally Posted by podunklander

drats! the 2 photos I took of Terry didn't come out at all!!!

Bummer, man. LOL

Originally Posted by Moosedog

Bummer, man. LOL

Guess he's being anti-photogenic

[Cathy]

Originally Posted by Acadia

Thank you for the welcome's. I am looking forward to it-- as well as learning a whole lot from the Gordonlightfoot.ca and lightfoot.ca websites which look to be extremely well done and packed with information.

Where are you from, Acadia? That's a word we hear a lot here in Northern Maine.

Cathy

[Acadia]

Originally Posted by Cathy

Where are you from, Acadia? That's a word we hear a lot here in Northern Maine.

Cathy

Hi Cathy, I am from Mount Desert Island so the Acadia comes from Acadia National Park. I see you are from further up north. I used to do some flying up there. In and out of Presque Isle and Houlton mostly. It's beautiful up that way.

[Cathy]

I live in Fort Fairfield, northeast of Presque Isle, and right on the New Brunswick border. I've been to Mount Desert Island several times, and figured with a name like Acadia you must be from there, or up here where the real Acadians live. Did you fly commercial flights, or have a private plane? My father was also a pilot, but he had his own plane. He often flew to Newfoundland or Labrador, where he'd land at some local airport, and hire a guide to take his group of fishermen into a lake in the wilderness.
Talk about beautiful... it doesn't get much more beautiful than Acadia National Park.

[Cathy]

I live in Fort Fairfield, northeast of Presque Isle, and right on the New Brunswick border. I've been to Mount Desert Island several times, and figured with a name like Acadia you must be from there, or up here where the real Acadians live. Did you fly commercial flights, or have a private plane? My father was also a pilot, but he had his own plane. He often flew to Newfoundland or Labrador, where he'd land at some local airport, and hire a guide to take his group of fishermen into a lake in the wilderness.
Talk about beautiful... it doesn't get much more beautiful than Acadia National Park.

[Acadia]

Originally Posted by Cathy

I live in Fort Fairfield, northeast of Presque Isle, and right on the New Brunswick border. I've been to Mount Desert Island several times, and figured with a name like Acadia you must be from there, or up here where the real Acadians live. Did you fly commercial flights, or have a private plane? My father was also a pilot, but he had his own plane. He often flew to Newfoundland or Labrador, where he'd land at some local airport, and hire a guide to take his group of fishermen into a lake in the wilderness.
Talk about beautiful... it doesn't get much more beautiful than Acadia National Park.

Those flying treks your dad went on into Canada must have been spectacular! I did most of my flying up there in the context of the Boston-Presque Isle run for a regional airline, but on the good weather days I couldn't help but note the pristine landscape and extensive wilderness--not many lights out there until Bangor.

It was very neat to see your website and that you are a professional musician and songwriter. I would like to see one of your shows to hear your originals and interpretations of others--especially those by Mr. Lightfoot. Do you ever make it down south for any gigs?

[Cathy]

Originally Posted by Acadia

Those flying treks your dad went on into Canada must have been spectacular! I did most of my flying up there in the context of the Boston-Presque Isle run for a regional airline, but on the good weather days I couldn't help but note the pristine landscape and extensive wilderness--not many lights out there until Bangor.

It was very neat to see your website and that you are a professional musician and songwriter. I would like to see one of your shows to hear your originals and interpretations of others--especially those by Mr. Lightfoot. Do you ever make it down south for any gigs?

Well, I've written a couple of songs with lyrics, but they were so corny I trashed them. I've written a couple of guitar instrumentals, one of which is on my CD. Toronto in May was inspired by Lightfoot's Massey Hall concerts in 2001, which I had the pleasure to attend.

Yes, there is a lot of wilderness between here and Bangor. There are a couple of small cities... Caribou, Presque Isle, Houlton. In between those towns, the landscape is either forest or potato fields.

I'm not doing any shows. In 2005 I had a ruptured brain aneurysm that really set me back, and I've just started playing guitar again, after being urged by someone that I really admire to work at it.

Cathy

[Acadia]

Originally Posted by Cathy

Well, I've written a couple of songs with lyrics, but they were so corny I trashed them. I've written a couple of guitar instrumentals, one of which is on my CD. Toronto in May was inspired by Lightfoot's Massey Hall concerts in 2001, which I had the pleasure to attend.

Yes, there is a lot of wilderness between here and Bangor. There are a couple of small cities... Caribou, Presque Isle, Houlton. In between those towns, the landscape is either forest or potato fields.

I'm not doing any shows. In 2005 I had a ruptured brain aneurysm that really set me back, and I've just started playing guitar again, after being urged by someone that I really admire to work at it.

Cathy

Yes I noticed that a number of times, both driving and flying up there--all those fields, it almost looks like parts of the midwest from above. People tend to forget that Maine has that.

Oh, I am hoping your return to playing goes very well, and that is motivating for everyone who has faced a set back of any kind. Both you and Mr. Lightfoot are keeping the music going. Thank you so much for sharing that.