Nov 28 Concert Review

Okay I'm beat and I have to work in the morning but I was left instructions to make a report when I got home as I was the only one who lives close lol.

He was greeted with a thunderous applause when he took the stage, and his opening song was Spanish Moss. It was apparent he has been away for a couple of years as he appeared to be a bit shaky at times but given what he has gone through totally understandable.

The songs he laid down down were: Sundown,The Wreck, IFYCRMM, Harmony, Let it Ride,Christian Island, Old Dan's Records,In My Fashion, Couchiching, River of Light,Triangle,Sit Down Young Stranger,Cotton Jenny, and ended it with Early Morning Rain.

On a serious note, he made it quite clear he was extremely grateful to the staff at McMaster. I'm paraphrasing here but the gist of it was that if it wasn't for them he wouldn't be "standing here" He also made mention of his many friends and family who were in the audience and he also mentioned us " Net People" lol

We did get a bit of a scare during IYCRMM, for some reason he just stopped playing his guitar and he had a hell of a time remembering the words, he turned away from the stage to compose himself and he did resume the song.

Everybody in the theatre was camera happy including me, I think of 15 pictures I took 3 turned out... will post those later. My intent was to get near the stage to get better shots but I was pretty well boxed in as Bill W can attest to.

In closing, it was really great meeting some of the members here in Hamilton, nice putting a face to the names.

Anyway work calls.... pictures tomorrow

Okay I'm beat and I have to work in the morning but I was left instructions to make a report when I got home as I was the only one who lives close lol.

He was greeted with a thunderous applause when he took the stage, and his opening song was Spanish Moss. It was apparent he has been away for a couple of years as he appeared to be a bit shaky at times but given what he has gone through totally understandable.

The songs he laid down down were: Sundown,The Wreck, IFYCRMM, Harmony, Let it Ride,Christian Island, Old Dan's Records,In My Fashion, Couchiching, River of Light,Triangle,Sit Down Young Stranger,Cotton Jenny, and ended it with Early Morning Rain.

On a serious note, he made it quite clear he was extremely grateful to the staff at McMaster. I'm paraphrasing here but the gist of it was that if it wasn't for them he wouldn't be "standing here" He also made mention of his many friends and family who were in the audience and he also mentioned us " Net People" lol

We did get a bit of a scare during IYCRMM, for some reason he just stopped playing his guitar and he had a hell of a time remembering the words, he turned away from the stage to compose himself and he did resume the song.

Everybody in the theatre was camera happy including me, I think of 15 pictures I took 3 turned out... will post those later. My intent was to get near the stage to get better shots but I was pretty well boxed in as Bill W can attest to.

In closing, it was really great meeting some of the members here in Hamilton, nice putting a face to the names.

Anyway work calls.... pictures tomorrow

[stationmaster]

Thanks for the review Gord. Wish I could have been there. I hope GL is feeling OK. It must have been quite exhausting for him after 2 years. All those songs with the crowd in front of him. I'll bet he was feeling very emotional inside.

[Tyler]

Wow Sit Down Young Stranger, that has been off the song list for a while, wish I could have heard it.
Thank You Gord for taking the time to fill us in. You are a Saint! So what did he say about us Net People, I hope he was including those who couldn't make it.
Thanks
Deb

[This message has been edited by brink (edited November 29, 2004).]

[brink]

Wow Sit Down Young Stranger, that has been off the song list for a while, wish I could have heard it.
Thank You Gord for taking the time to fill us in. You are a Saint! So what did he say about us Net People, I hope he was including those who couldn't make it.
Thanks
Deb

[This message has been edited by brink (edited November 29, 2004).]

[Cathy]

quote:Originally posted by brink:
Wow Sit Down Young Stranger, that has been of the song list for a while, wish I could have heard it.
Thank You Gord for taking the time to fill us in. You are a Saint! So what did he say about us Net People, I hope he was including those who couldn't make it.
Thanks
Deb


He was probably saying, "I snuck into the chat room under an alias, and those net people, especial Brink and Bill, the guy who wears pink underwear, where acting so bad."

Time for me to hit the sack. I've got to work tomorrow. YUK....

Cathy http://www.cathycowette.com

Wow, Gord... I'm just speechless! I actually blew a kiss to my screen (to GL) when I read what you wrote -- that he mentioned us!!! Wow... I guess he really knows we're here, rooting for him, loving him... thinking of him!! How wonderful! I've been on pins and needles all day! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I almost started to cry when you mentioned the part during IYCRMM..., he's such a fine person, he can do no wrong. He deserves such happiness. I will sleep happier tonight after reading what you wrote. Thank you from the bottom of my heart! >kisses to GL<

Sheryl

P.S. Thank you SO MUCH for the great pictures, Gord!!

[This message has been edited by Sheryl Klein (edited November 29, 2004).]

Wow, Gord... I'm just speechless! I actually blew a kiss to my screen (to GL) when I read what you wrote -- that he mentioned us!!! Wow... I guess he really knows we're here, rooting for him, loving him... thinking of him!! How wonderful! I've been on pins and needles all day! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I almost started to cry when you mentioned the part during IYCRMM..., he's such a fine person, he can do no wrong. He deserves such happiness. I will sleep happier tonight after reading what you wrote. Thank you from the bottom of my heart! >kisses to GL<

Sheryl

P.S. Thank you SO MUCH for the great pictures, Gord!!

[This message has been edited by Sheryl Klein (edited November 29, 2004).]

[SilverHeels]

Thank you for the report. And the darlin' man (GL not Gord) sang Christian Island for me and I was stuck here in UK!!!


Debs, how much of that Capt.Morgan do you have left?

[Betty]

Gord,

Thanks so much for letting us have a little sample of last night. I sure wish I could have been there, but it's so good of you to take the time to inform us....

I'm a little surprised he didn't do more songs from the Harmony CD, but what a great list of songs.

I can't wait to actually see him in concert!

Thanks again! I'll wait patiently for pictures.


------------------
Betty

[TheWatchman]

Thanks for the review! Looking forward to seeing the pics.

quote:Originally posted by Gord:
Okay I'm beat and I have to work in the morning but I was left instructions to make a report when I got home as I was the only one who lives close lol.

He was greeted with a thunderous applause when he took the stage, and his opening song was Spanish Moss. It was apparent he has been away for a couple of years as he appeared to be a bit shaky at times but given what he has gone through totally understandable.

The songs he laid down down were: Sundown,The Wreck, IFYCRMM, Harmony, Let it Ride,Christian Island, Old Dan's Records,In My Fashion, Couchiching, River of Light,Triangle,Sit Down Young Stranger,Cotton Jenny, and ended it with Early Morning Rain.

On a serious note, he made it quite clear he was extremely grateful to the staff at McMaster. I'm paraphrasing here but the gist of it was that if it wasn't for them he wouldn't be "standing here" He also made mention of his many friends and family who were in the audience and he also mentioned us " Net People" lol

We did get a bit of a scare during IYCRMM, for some reason he just stopped playing his guitar and he had a hell of a time remembering the words, he turned away from the stage to compose himself and he did resume the song.

Everybody in the theatre was camera happy including me, I think of 15 pictures I took 3 turned out... will post those later. My intent was to get near the stage to get better shots but I was pretty well boxed in as Bill W can attest to.

In closing, it was really great meeting some of the members here in Hamilton, nice putting a face to the names.

Anyway work calls.... pictures tomorrow

quote:Originally posted by Gord:
Okay I'm beat and I have to work in the morning but I was left instructions to make a report when I got home as I was the only one who lives close lol.

He was greeted with a thunderous applause when he took the stage, and his opening song was Spanish Moss. It was apparent he has been away for a couple of years as he appeared to be a bit shaky at times but given what he has gone through totally understandable.

The songs he laid down down were: Sundown,The Wreck, IFYCRMM, Harmony, Let it Ride,Christian Island, Old Dan's Records,In My Fashion, Couchiching, River of Light,Triangle,Sit Down Young Stranger,Cotton Jenny, and ended it with Early Morning Rain.

On a serious note, he made it quite clear he was extremely grateful to the staff at McMaster. I'm paraphrasing here but the gist of it was that if it wasn't for them he wouldn't be "standing here" He also made mention of his many friends and family who were in the audience and he also mentioned us " Net People" lol

We did get a bit of a scare during IYCRMM, for some reason he just stopped playing his guitar and he had a hell of a time remembering the words, he turned away from the stage to compose himself and he did resume the song.

Everybody in the theatre was camera happy including me, I think of 15 pictures I took 3 turned out... will post those later. My intent was to get near the stage to get better shots but I was pretty well boxed in as Bill W can attest to.

In closing, it was really great meeting some of the members here in Hamilton, nice putting a face to the names.

Anyway work calls.... pictures tomorrow

one more try...
Obviously I am a visitor to this site.
Gee now what did I type ... lol

I was just saying how I was at the concert last night too! I actually felt honoured to be there. I enjoyed it totally!

You could really feel how grateful he was to be on that stage! I'm so glad I could go. I wish I could again tonight!

I was hoping to find a picture from last night and knew SOMEONE would post one

Thanks for the picture it's a keepsake now.
Sorry for messing up on that last post .. lol
~jackie

one more try...
Obviously I am a visitor to this site.
Gee now what did I type ... lol

I was just saying how I was at the concert last night too! I actually felt honoured to be there. I enjoyed it totally!

You could really feel how grateful he was to be on that stage! I'm so glad I could go. I wish I could again tonight!

I was hoping to find a picture from last night and knew SOMEONE would post one

Thanks for the picture it's a keepsake now.
Sorry for messing up on that last post .. lol
~jackie

[SilverHeels]

quote:Originally posted by ~jackie:
one more try...
Obviously I am a visitor to this site.
Gee now what did I type ... lol

I was just saying how I was at the concert last night too! I actually felt honoured to be there. I enjoyed it totally!

You could really feel how grateful he was to be on that stage! I'm so glad I could go. I wish I could again tonight!

I was hoping to find a picture from last night and knew SOMEONE would post one

Thanks for the picture it's a keepsake now.
Sorry for messing up on that last post .. lol
~jackie

Welcome, Jackie. Lucky ol you - I had been planning on being there but RL got in the way. Check in again - there are sure to be more reviews and more photos.

[vlmagee]

Gord, thanks for the review and set list. Tell me, did the Good Brothers end their set with Alberta Bound?

------------------
Valerie Magee

Visit my business site at mageenet.biz, Hamilton Camp's Offical Web Site at hamiltoncamp.com , and Cathy Cowette's web site at cathycowette.com. Also visit Dr. Jack's Lightfoot page.

[Auburn Annie]

From Wayne Francis' site:

LIGHTFOOT BACK IN FINE FORM AND FEELING NO PAIN FOR HHS BENEFIT
BY GRAHAM ROCKINGHAM
Hamilton Spectator
November 29, 2004

The staff of McMaster University Medical Centre got to see the product
of their handiwork last night as Gordon Lightfoot performed his first complete
concert since being struck down by a near fatal aneurism more than two
years ago.

And what they saw was a chatty Lightfoot, full of vitality, singing new
songs and legendary hits with a surprisingly strong voice.
Lightfoot performed the first of two sold-out benefit concerts dedicated to
tonight, will likely be Lightfoot’s last until he plays Toronto’s Massey Hall in
May.

Halfway through his 80-minute show, Lightfoot paused to personally
thank Dr. Michael Marcaccio, the surgeon who performed several operations
on him during a 13-week period in the fall of 2002.

“I had a wonderful experience there,” Lightfoot said before playing Sundown,
with its “I’m feeling no pain” chorus. “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it
again, it’s a family atmosphere there.... “Thank you, everyone at McMaster.”

Summertime Dream. It was the first of many classics spanning the Lightfoot
songbook, including Minstrel of the Dawn, Rainy Day People, Cotton Ginny,
a near-perfect rendition of The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald and an
outstanding Early Morning Rain, as an encore.

During the concert’s opening songs he seemed frustrated with his guitar
playing –“my fingers are not yet talking to me,” he told the crowd – and at
times was a bit rusty on some of the lyrics. But the crowd was more than forgiving,
voice grew stronger and more confident, so that by the time he sang
Sit Down Young Stranger and If You Could Read My Mind, it was like listening
to Lightfoot of 30 years ago.

His vocals were particularly strong on three songs from Harmony, an album
that he pieced together from his hospital bed from rehearsal tapes he
had recorded at Hamilton’s Grant Avenue studios before his illness.

“When I was working on my record in ward 4-Z, a couple of nurses stuck
their heads in and said ‘Gee, we like that song,’” Lightfoot said while introducing
Lightfoot is donating the net proceeds from the two concerts – which
could total as much as $100,000 – to the Hamilton Health Sciences Foundation.
As well, about 100 tickets were given free to hospital staff who were involved
in Lightfoot’s care at the McMaster site.

“Sure there will be some cash going to the hospital,” Lightfoot said in a brief
interview before the show. “But more importantly, I want people to think of
this as a gesture of thanks to them, a dedication.”

[Auburn Annie]

From Wayne Francis' site:

LIGHTFOOT BACK IN FINE FORM AND FEELING NO PAIN FOR HHS BENEFIT
BY GRAHAM ROCKINGHAM
Hamilton Spectator
November 29, 2004

The staff of McMaster University Medical Centre got to see the product
of their handiwork last night as Gordon Lightfoot performed his first complete
concert since being struck down by a near fatal aneurism more than two
years ago.

And what they saw was a chatty Lightfoot, full of vitality, singing new
songs and legendary hits with a surprisingly strong voice.
Lightfoot performed the first of two sold-out benefit concerts dedicated to
tonight, will likely be Lightfoot’s last until he plays Toronto’s Massey Hall in
May.

Halfway through his 80-minute show, Lightfoot paused to personally
thank Dr. Michael Marcaccio, the surgeon who performed several operations
on him during a 13-week period in the fall of 2002.

“I had a wonderful experience there,” Lightfoot said before playing Sundown,
with its “I’m feeling no pain” chorus. “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it
again, it’s a family atmosphere there.... “Thank you, everyone at McMaster.”

Summertime Dream. It was the first of many classics spanning the Lightfoot
songbook, including Minstrel of the Dawn, Rainy Day People, Cotton Ginny,
a near-perfect rendition of The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald and an
outstanding Early Morning Rain, as an encore.

During the concert’s opening songs he seemed frustrated with his guitar
playing –“my fingers are not yet talking to me,” he told the crowd – and at
times was a bit rusty on some of the lyrics. But the crowd was more than forgiving,
voice grew stronger and more confident, so that by the time he sang
Sit Down Young Stranger and If You Could Read My Mind, it was like listening
to Lightfoot of 30 years ago.

His vocals were particularly strong on three songs from Harmony, an album
that he pieced together from his hospital bed from rehearsal tapes he
had recorded at Hamilton’s Grant Avenue studios before his illness.

“When I was working on my record in ward 4-Z, a couple of nurses stuck
their heads in and said ‘Gee, we like that song,’” Lightfoot said while introducing
Lightfoot is donating the net proceeds from the two concerts – which
could total as much as $100,000 – to the Hamilton Health Sciences Foundation.
As well, about 100 tickets were given free to hospital staff who were involved
in Lightfoot’s care at the McMaster site.

“Sure there will be some cash going to the hospital,” Lightfoot said in a brief
interview before the show. “But more importantly, I want people to think of
this as a gesture of thanks to them, a dedication.”

[Cathy]

I hope you don't mind, Annie, but I stole your article and posted it on the newsgroup. There has been no mention of Gord's concert and I know people are wondering.

Thanks,
Cathy http://www.cathycowette.com

[Cathy]

quote:Originally posted by ~jackie:


Hi Jackie, and welcome to the group.
Can you give us a little info as to how Gord and the band sounded?
Cathy
http://www.cathycowette.com

quote:Originally posted by vlmagee:
Gord, thanks for the review and set list. Tell me, did the Good Brothers end their set with Alberta Bound?



Yes they did

quote:Originally posted by vlmagee:
Gord, thanks for the review and set list. Tell me, did the Good Brothers end their set with Alberta Bound?



Yes they did

quote:Originally posted by Cathy:
Hi Jackie, and welcome to the group.
Can you give us a little info as to how Gord and the band sounded?
Cathy
http://www.cathycowette.com

Gord's voice sounded a lot stronger than it did during the Peterborough concert, his band was equally strong... the one thing I noticed he tended to pick songs that didn't require him to strain his voice much.

quote:Originally posted by Cathy:
Hi Jackie, and welcome to the group.
Can you give us a little info as to how Gord and the band sounded?
Cathy
http://www.cathycowette.com

Gord's voice sounded a lot stronger than it did during the Peterborough concert, his band was equally strong... the one thing I noticed he tended to pick songs that didn't require him to strain his voice much.