Your First GL Concert

[Wes Steele]

Chuck

Of all the places I saw GL, "The Front Row" in Highland Hts, Ohio (east side suburb of Cleveland) was my favorite next to Massey Hall.

I am sure I will make it when he comes to Cleveland and I hope you will be there. I think Watchman & Classmx will be there. We really should all meet somewhere.

[SilverHeels]

My first real GL concert was June, 1972,
Royal Albert Hall, London. ( Although I had seen part of a concert earlier at another London venue.) I had front row seats and he joked and smiled at me throughout the two sets. My obsession began then in earnest.
Prior to that I had been fortunate to meet
The Man when he first come to UK to promote
'Circle is Small' with some tv shows.
My 'love affair' with Lightfoot and his music has remained constant and is still as passionate as it was back then in the days of my youth.

[Annette Hannivan]

Back in 1967 when I was 14 years old I bought a "passport" (kind of like a season pass) for EXPO 67 which was the World's Fair being held in Montreal, where I lived. Three or four days a week during our summer vacation my friends and I would take a series of buses and then the Metro (subway) to Isle Ste. Helen and visit all the International Pavillions and generally have a great time. I don't remember the exact circumstances but I remember seeing Gord in a large outdoor ampitheatre and I seem to remember hearing CRT. That same year I won a CFCF (good old cuf-cuf) radio station contest for 2 tickets to see Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention at a tiny club in downtown Montreal. My mother accompanied me to this bizarre concert and smiled all the way through it. As we left the club I was talking to her and she didn't hear me so I tugged on her arm to get her attention. She pulled out the cotton batting from her ears and I realized why she had been smiling. She had barely heard any of the music. Anyways, back to Gord. Seeing a man with an acoustic guitar, standing on stage, singing his heart out about things I could understand set the musical tone for the rest of my life.While I grooved to Led Zepplin, The Beatles, CCR, Cream, et al at parties and school dances, I listened to Gord, Peter,Paul and Mary, The Kingston Trio, Harry Belafonte, et al at home. The early 70's were a real treat for me. Gord and Bob Dylan had set the stage and the standards for a plethora of excellent singer-songwriters although if I've listened to a million hours of music in my life, about 850,000 of those hours have been spent listening to gord. Looking back, I see that I made a decision in 1967. One of the better ones I've ever made. I've also seen Gord in Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix, Fort Worth and Denver. The best concert (the word best doesn't come close to describing the totality of that concert)was the Reno concert in 1999 that was taped for PBS. Being in the last row of the balcony gave me the chance to see the whole of Gord and the band and the audience interacting. In a lifetime of ups and downs, ins and outs, forwards' and backwards', this a ways' and that a ways',and especially in dealing with the effects of time passing by so slowly and quickly, Gord has been a "constant" for me. The only thing that could top all of this for me would be seeing Gord at Massey Hall. I've ordered the tickets and if my creek doesn't rise too high, I'll be there.

[Mister hoot'n holler]

Back in 1967 when I was 14 years old I bought a "passport" (kind of like a season pass) for EXPO 67 which was the World's Fair being held in Montreal, where I lived. Three or four days a week during our summer vacation my friends and I would take a series of buses and then the Metro (subway) to Isle Ste. Helen and visit all the International Pavillions and generally have a great time. I don't remember the exact circumstances but I remember seeing Gord in a large outdoor ampitheatre and I seem to remember hearing CRT. That same year I won a CFCF (good old cuf-cuf) radio station contest for 2 tickets to see Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention at a tiny club in downtown Montreal. My mother accompanied me to this bizarre concert and smiled all the way through it. As we left the club I was talking to her and she didn't hear me so I tugged on her arm to get her attention. She pulled out the cotton batting from her ears and I realized why she had been smiling. She had barely heard any of the music. Anyways, back to Gord. Seeing a man with an acoustic guitar, standing on stage, singing his heart out about things I could understand set the musical tone for the rest of my life.While I grooved to Led Zepplin, The Beatles, CCR, Cream, et al at parties and school dances, I listened to Gord, Peter,Paul and Mary, The Kingston Trio, Harry Belafonte, et al at home. The early 70's were a real treat for me. Gord and Bob Dylan had set the stage and the standards for a plethora of excellent singer-songwriters although if I've listened to a million hours of music in my life, about 850,000 of those hours have been spent listening to gord. Looking back, I see that I made a decision in 1967. One of the better ones I've ever made. I've also seen Gord in Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix, Fort Worth and Denver. The best concert (the word best doesn't come close to describing the totality of that concert)was the Reno concert in 1999 that was taped for PBS. Being in the last row of the balcony gave me the chance to see the whole of Gord and the band and the audience interacting. In a lifetime of ups and downs, ins and outs, forwards' and backwards', this a ways' and that a ways',and especially in dealing with the effects of time passing by so slowly and quickly, Gord has been a "constant" for me. The only thing that could top all of this for me would be seeing Gord at Massey Hall. I've ordered the tickets and if my creek doesn't rise too high, I'll be there.

[jaybyrd]

Mr hoot'n holler, I saw a program on the ole TV recently, suggesting that we could be living for 150 years in the not to distant future. (Perish the thought)I must have seen you on the program, as you appear to have spent 114 years listening to music, well done. (I hope my maths is right, if not, much egg on face)

[wattsdmatter]

Mr hoot'n holler, I saw a program on the ole TV recently, suggesting that we could be living for 150 years in the not to distant future. (Perish the thought)I must have seen you on the program, as you appear to have spent 114 years listening to music, well done. (I hope my maths is right, if not, much egg on face)

[seahawk11]

One other thing I forgot to mention in the above description of my first GL concert (Denver in November of 1990), and this shows Gord's perfectionist side...Gordy and Terry were sitting there playing (I forget which song) and there was this fantastic 'crackle' that appeared to come from Terry, from a bad cable. You could see Gord seething as he glared over and poor Terry's face just dropped! They took an instant intermission at the end of that song and roadies came out and changed EVERY cord out there on stage...amazing. I guess they should have been using Monster brand cables.

[Brian 57]

Looks like those wires weren't endless -- they met theirs.

[Rose]

I have seen Gordon many times, Buffalo Niagara Falls, Cleveland, Saratoga, Troy, New York, Rochester, New York, Syracuse, New York, Finger Lakes Performing Center in Canandagua, New York and somehwere in Pennyslvania. The most magical night was the one at Humphrey's in San Diego. I got to meet Janice, see above, and it was a wonderful concert.

[sundownbuff]

I have seen Gordon many times, Buffalo Niagara Falls, Cleveland, Saratoga, Troy, New York, Rochester, New York, Syracuse, New York, Finger Lakes Performing Center in Canandagua, New York and somehwere in Pennyslvania. The most magical night was the one at Humphrey's in San Diego. I got to meet Janice, see above, and it was a wonderful concert.

[johnfowles]

Originally posted by Mister hoot'n holler:
Back in 1967 when I was 14 years old I bought a "passport" (kind of like a season pass) for EXPO 67 which was the World's Fair being held in Montreal, where I lived. Three or four days a week during our summer vacation my friends and I would take a series of buses and then the Metro (subway) to Isle Ste. Helen and visit all the International Pavillions and generally have a great time. I don't remember the exact circumstances but I remember seeing Gord in a large outdoor ampitheatre and I seem to remember hearing CRT. That

whilst searching the forums for "Expo 67" I found this old 2002 topic with notable postings by Derek Kidd (telekidd ) and revealing more details from Jenney

[johnfowles]

Originally posted by Mister hoot'n holler:
Back in 1967 when I was 14 years old I bought a "passport" (kind of like a season pass) for EXPO 67 which was the World's Fair being held in Montreal, where I lived. Three or four days a week during our summer vacation my friends and I would take a series of buses and then the Metro (subway) to Isle Ste. Helen and visit all the International Pavillions and generally have a great time. I don't remember the exact circumstances but I remember seeing Gord in a large outdoor ampitheatre and I seem to remember hearing CRT. That

whilst searching the forums for "Expo 67" I found this old 2002 topic with notable postings by Derek Kidd (telekidd ) and revealing more details from Jenney

[charlene]

First heard him sing onstage with Kris Kristofferson-Me and Bobby Magee - May 1973.
First LIGHTFOOT concert - Massey Hall - March 1975...

[charlene]

First heard him sing onstage with Kris Kristofferson-Me and Bobby Magee - May 1973.
First LIGHTFOOT concert - Massey Hall - March 1975...

[Jesse Joe]

My first Gordon Lightfoot concert, was October 24th, 1987, at The Rebecca Cohn Auditorium, Halifax, Nova-Scotia. {Canada}

[Jesse Joe]

My first Gordon Lightfoot concert, was October 24th, 1987, at The Rebecca Cohn Auditorium, Halifax, Nova-Scotia. {Canada}

[T.G.]

Hamilton Place, Hamilton, Canada 1987 ... I believe it was the East of Midnight tour. First and best show I saw.

[Borderstone]

Okay...those of you that have read this story when I've posted it before,I'm just letting you know in advance!

Those of you that haven't heard it well,c'mon listen to a story about a man named Jed....er,sorry ...got carried away there! :D LOL!

My first (and so far) only Gordon Lightfoot concert was right here in Phoenix on Tuesday,August 6th,2002 @ Dodge Theatre.
This was one day shy of a year after getting "Songbook" and I was eager as heck to see the show,since the music had impressed me so much.

I made an afternoon of it,requesting the day off over a week in advance. I was at least 4 hours early but had a nice afternoon downtown. Anyhow,after 7,I went in and was in the 10th row for the first 1/2 but moved up to the second row after noticing no one was there.

That gave me a much better view and I could see Gordon a lot clearer. That's where I was when I shouted out "Hail Hero" when he mentioned doing music for that film & he responded with,"You got it man!"

That was great but after the show when I and nearly 30 others waited outside and got autographs and shook hands with him,was the icing on the cake.

Makes me look forward to January,which I'm keeping my fingers crossed for.

Odd thing about the date of the show in '02,same date as my late Grandmother's birthday.

[Doug]

My first one was this year in July at 7 Springs. After trying to see him live for four years, I finally made it
I saw a lot of great concerts from "big names", like Springsteen, The Stones, Tina Turner, Eric Clapton etc. But this one was the most memorable one I ever went to. The only bad thing: It was over much too quickly.
I saw him again in Minneapolis this September. Another great memory, especially because his Mini Stroke just happened.
Too bad I discovered his music so late ( just five years ago ) but hopefully I'll have many more opportunities to see him live.

[Claudia]

My first one was this year in July at 7 Springs. After trying to see him live for four years, I finally made it
I saw a lot of great concerts from "big names", like Springsteen, The Stones, Tina Turner, Eric Clapton etc. But this one was the most memorable one I ever went to. The only bad thing: It was over much too quickly.
I saw him again in Minneapolis this September. Another great memory, especially because his Mini Stroke just happened.
Too bad I discovered his music so late ( just five years ago ) but hopefully I'll have many more opportunities to see him live.

[RM]

My first concert was at the Men's Gym on Northern Arizona University campus in Flagstaff, Arizona ('72 or '73). There was no assigned seating. Those who arrived first got the best seats, which meant sitting on the floor near the stage. I ended up in the bleachers.

If my time eroded memory is correct, he wore a billowy white shirt and it was the only time that I've heard him play "Approaching Lavender" live.

[ September 29, 2006, 12:03: Message edited by: RMD ]

[BILLW]

Originally posted by RMD:
If my time eroded memory is correct, he wore a billowy white shirt and it was the only time that I've heard him play "Approaching Lavender" live.

WOW - I'd pay quite a bit to hear him do that song. Great story !

Bill

[Glenmark]

In spite of the fact that I've loved and played his music for almost 30 years, my first GL concert experience was last year at the Nugget in Reno, and I loved the concert, but he only played for about 75 minutes, which was disappointing, but the band was great, the sound was good, and it whetted my appetite for more, so my wife and I are off to Edmonton from Spokane on Wednesday to see the show on Thursday. Woo hoo! Can't wait!