Cedar Rapids: June 30

[seafarer62]

Thanks to those Corfid members for the early notice of TicketMaster's sale of the June 30 Cedar Rapids, IA concert. I used the password "Gordon" to sign in and everything worked great.

My reward? Two tickets in the Orchestra Pit in Row C !!

We are also planning to catch all three concerts in Minnesota in September. I will bring my little pocket notebook and jot the set lists for all.


John/ Forest Lake, MN

[RJ]

Alright John.. we'll see you in the pit as well.. and the 3 Minny shows too..
I assume you've seen a Hennepin Avenue/Canal Park, Sat/Sun combo before.. it makes for a great weekend; the Minneapolis crowds are always so nice and lively on Saturday nights for the fellas, and Sunday on the Gitcheegumee? very cool.. Oh, let me tell you guys a little story: a couple years ago we saw Gord on Hennepin Avenue on a Thursday night and then headed up 35W to Duluth on Sunday for the show. Sunday afternoon we decided to head up to the Split Rock Lighthouse for a visit. It was a cold gray day, and the lake was awesome. We stopped in the gift shop and my friend finds this little loon about the size to fit in the palm of yer hand. We suddenly came up with this fantasy that, hey, wouldn’t it be cool if we bought the loon, brought it to the DECC, and in between sets that evening, placed it at the foot of the microphone stand etc.. y’know, like a request to play the song etc.. So we did, and they come out for the encore and sure enough, he looks down and picks up all the little pieces of paper on the floor and shuffles through them (doesn't pick up or acknowledge the loon, but obviously sees it there because) and then says something like, “well, we’re gonna do one’a these, we’re gonna try this, we haven’t even played this in about two years,” ..!! my heart is thumping.. (he’s got one of the 12-strings on) and launches into Ringneck Loon! Of course we’re beside ourselves knowing that we not only got a request in there, but we got one that wasn’t even in the rotation! ..not even on the radar! etc.. (I'm convinced this would never have happened on a full-house Saturday night, but on a Sunday in Duluth, with several empty rows in the back of the hall etc., the timing was just right for him to try something offbeat.. but what a thrill).. My friend has that loon on her desk at work today and (needless to say) it also travels with us whenever we hit the road to see Gord and the guys. By the way, if you happen to read this Gord? Thank you, that evening, for taking our breath away (which aint nothin new).. See you in Cedar Rapids.. Rochester, Minneapolis, and on the shores, of the great Gitcheegumee.. etc..
http://www.lightfoot.ca/020505.htm

[ April 17, 2007, 10:54: Message edited by: RJ ]

[patybear]

Oh man,you guys are so lucky! I'm so jealous! Oh well,have a great time for me.After the concert:
details-please,please,please! Photos too please,if you can get them.Hope you have a ball!
patybear

[seafarer62]

Hi RJ. We will be in Seats 16 and 18 in Row C in Cedar Rapids. Let's talk about things !!

The concerts you refer to were in 2002 and my wife and I were at both too. Gord was in Minneapolis on May 2 (Thursday) which was fantastic. We then went to Duluth on Sunday (5th) with a fantastic performance. In Duluth, he was about to do "Early Morning Rain" towards the end when he looked at a card that had a ring neck loon on it. He then launched into a shortened version of "Ring Neck Loon" that was just masterful.

The other gem of the Duluth concert that year was that Gord opened the second set solo with "Sit Down Young Stranger".

Four months later, Gord had his major illness and for a long time, I thought the Duluth concert was going to be my final memory of him playing.

Gord gave Debbie and me another scare last year as we drove to Harris, Michigan (Sept 15. We were practically in tears to see him unable to move his right arm. Seeing Gordon Lightfoot injured and singing about mortality with "In My Fashion" left a chill down our spines.

I am just so thankful for him and joy of his music. With four concerts planned for this year, they will be #s 32-35 for me. I still get excited about each of them.

[RJ]

Yes I do in fact recall Ringneck being abbreviated.. and I seem to remember he was fumbling the lyric a bit or something.. not that it phased us any.. it was all good that night..
Cedar Rapids will be 28 for me since 1981..
and the 3 Minny shows'll put me up over 30..
Speaking of thinking the Duluth show would be the last.. y'know, the last thing I ever did with my dad, was see Gord (Ruth Eckerd; Clearwater, March 2001).. http://www.lightfoot.ca/010317.htm
My dad loved Gord's songbook (which I'm proud to say I introduced him to so many years ago etc.).. We sat together that night in Clearwater, and when Lightfoot launched into the last song of the evening (CRT) I turned to my dad, not sure why, just being philosophical I suppose, or perhaps trying to appreciate the evening in some grander romantic sense or something, and said, "this might be the last song we ever hear him do..".. A few seconds went by and I looked at my dad again.. and he was softly weeping.. "..and many are the dead men.. too silent.. to be real.." etc..
I dropped him off after the show and flew home to Minnesota the next day, and that was the last time I ever saw my dad, and it was indeed the CRT which was the last one for him..
I have that ticket stub in a picture frame of my dad (who's looking quite happy).. Now when I go to the shows, I always sort of, look up in the corner of whatever theatre I'm in when the guys get to Old Dan's Records, a song my dad loved, and which has such greater meaning for me now.. "..if Old Dan was with us still.." etc..
Me and my dad.. we didn't always see eye to eye, but we loved Lightfoot's music, and we did it together..
Thanks Gord..

[ April 17, 2007, 13:25: Message edited by: RJ ]

[charlene]

Originally posted by RJ:
y'know, the last thing I ever did with my dad, was see Gord (Ruth Eckerd; Clearwater, March 2001)..
My dad loved Gord's songbook (which I'm proud to say I introduced him to so many years ago etc.).. We sat together that night in Clearwater, and when Lightfoot launched into the last song of the evening (CRT) I turned to my dad, not sure why, just being philosophical I suppose, or perhaps trying to appreciate the evening in some grander romantic sense or something, and said, "this might be the last song we ever hear him do..".. A few seconds went by and I looked at my dad again.. and he was softly weeping.. "..and many are the dead men.. to silent.. to be real.." etc..
I dropped him off after the show and flew home to Minnesota the next day, and that was the last time I ever saw my dad, and it was indeed the CRT which was the last one for him..
I have that ticket stub in a picture frame of my dad (who's looking quite happy).. Now when I go to the shows, I always sort of, look up in the corner of whatever theatre I'm in when the guys get to Old Dan's Records, a song my dad loved, and which has such greater meaning for me now.. "..if Old Dan was with us still.." etc..
Me and my dad.. we didn't always see eye to eye, but we loved Lightfoot's music, and we did it together..
Thanks Gord..

I think Gord would like to hear this story-drop him a note or try to tell him in person.
I'm sorry for your loss but happy your memories are so sweet and Lightfoot filled..
Char

[RJ]

Thanks Char..
for your kind words..
Life is good..

[RJ]

re: always sort of, look up in the corner of the theatre etc..

and high above the fireplace
there’s a smile on old Dan’s face
If old Dan could see us now
I know he’d be so proud..
If old Dan were with us still
I know he’d come around..

so I'll be damned..
if life aint really like that..
etc..

[BILLW]

Nice stories, thanks for sharing them !

Bill