Set list for Cerritos (Los Angeles) concert Aug. 26, 2006
Sheryl
high water mark on the Gordon Lightfoot Highway. He sounds better each
time I see him. It seems only yesterday I saw him for the first time
in concert. In fact, it was only last Spring. All totalled, I've now
had the pleasure of seeing Gord five times.
I took short notes to myself tonight so I could remember salient points
about the concert and make a nice little story for anyone who would
like to read it.
Here's the set list and I was one happy fan:
Cotton Jenny
Carefree Highway
Sea of Tranquility
14 Karat Gold
In My Fashion
A Painter Passing Through
Rainy Day People
Shadows
Make Way for the Lady
The Watchman's Gone
Ribbon of Darkness
Sundown
Wreck
INTERMISSION
Sit Down Young Stranger
Waiting For You
Clouds of Loneliness
Minstrel of the Dawn
Beautiful
Let It Ride
If You Could Read My Mind
Don Quixote
Canadian Railroad Trilogy
Baby Step Back
Restless
Old Dan's Records
ENCORE: Early Morning Rain
The Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts is a beautifully-designed
building with wonderful acoustics. There was wood everywhere in the
auditorium, including the ceiling. It was a beautiful auditorium. For
a minute I thought I'd walked into La Scala -- it was set up like an
opera house with private boxes on either side of the room. At 8:00
p.m. the lights dimmed and the band walked out onto the stage followed
by Gord. Very warm, welcoming applause from the audience. Our man
wore his black pants and black suspenders, and black boots, I believe,
a long-sleeved black and red shirt, and his watch. No other jewelry.
His just-above-shoulder-length brown hair looked very good with his
outfit. He looked VERY happy and full of energy. Rick, Mike, and
Terry got their ears lowered (their hair was shorter than when I saw
them in Vegas a few months ago). Rick and Terry smiled a lot
throughout the performance.
Gord picked up his guitar and started with Cotton Jenny. Behind the
band were bands of fabric on which shone lights of varying colors w/
patterns. At first there were green and purple lights on them and the
images kept moving. It made it very distracting and it seemed as if
the lights were right in Gord's face, as he kept squinting. I think
the technician fixed this, as by the end of the song it no longer
seemed distracting. To applause he immediately went into Carefree
Highway. Afterward he played Sea of Tranquility, a nice surprise, as
it had seemed last year he played Ghosts of Cape Horn quite frequently.
And, as everyone knows, these songs are from my favorite album, Dream
Street Rose. (nothing like a little plug, heh heh). After the song he
turned to drink some bottled water and said, "Let us go here, let us go
here," and exchanged guitars with the one propped behind him. When he
turned around and his backside was to us, someone wolf-whistled very
loudly. Gord half-smiled and said, "Let us not go there." <laughter>
He then did Never Too Close and I have to say that it was the best
picking I'd ever heard him do. He's done this song many times before,
but, there was something about this rendition that really took my
breath away. It was quite awesome. 14 Karat Gold was next. Rick
surprised us with an added "flair" toward the end which I'd never heard
him do before. It was really special. In My Fashion was next. One of
my favorites. Afterward, Gord said, "Here's a cute little tune. I
have a soft spot for this song -- I only have to move one digit of my
left hand to play it!" It was A Painter Passing Through. Guess what?
Yes! Another favorite of mine. This was pretty much a dream set list
for me. He enunciated so clearly tonight that there were some words I
finally understood. It was very cleanly done. Rainy Day People was
next. The minute the opening chords were played an applause went up
from the house. There was a very big applause at the end and Gord
smiled. Next up was Shadows. He closed his eyes here and there in the
song, feeling the words. When the line "Set it free..." came up, it
was sung with the most seductive plea -- I was captured. At the end,
he grinned and said, "All right!" Make Way For the Lady was next. OK,
the man already had my heart, this song just further flayed me. Rick
and Mike did some more special flairs on this song that they had not
done last year. It was nice that they were "being in the moment,"
rather than just playing note for note. Afterward, Gord changed
guitars back, saying, "We're going to take a 20-minute break. You can
take a stroll around this beautiful hall or outside on the grounds."
And, surprisingly, he went into The Watchman's Gone. When he sang,
"You don't know me, a son of the sea am I..." I believed it. We all
know our Man loves his seafaring songs. As do we. After Watchman, he
said, "This one sprang forth from nowhere right when I needed it most.
Peter, Paul and Mary had a big hit with it in 1965. I got American
representation afterward because of it. And Marty Robbins made it to
the top of the country charts with "Ribbon of Darkness." And that was
the next song, accompanied at the beginning by clapping. (Folks, if I
misquoted Gord just there, please forgive me, but, this is what I
thought he'd said.) Gord was showing tremendous energy throughout the
entire show. At the end of Ribbon, he left out the last line and
segued right into Sundown to lots of shouts and clapping. Terry was
quite perky during this song. Gord got a HUGE applause. Next up was
Wreck. When he came to the part "When the gales of November came
slashing..." the lighting suddenly changed to deep purple and
green/purple. It also seemed that it "shimmered" like water. It was a
very good effect. Kind of chilling.
INTERMISSION
When Gord and the band came back after intermission, he had changed
into a royal blue and black print short-sleeved shirt, same black pants
and suspenders, only he was now wearing his white boots. He stepped up
to the mic and said, "I thought since were were here in this wonderful
hall in Cerritos in Los Angeles, California, a costume change was in
order." <laughter> He started the next set with Sit Down Young
Stranger. He flubbed the first line ("Oh, gee!") and began again. A
few people cheered, sort of communicating to him that it was o.k.
regardless. Next, another favorite of mine, Waiting For You. This
time the lighting tech put on red and white lights. ??? Interesting,
was all I could think. Not what I would do, but, interesting. Perhaps
he was looking for an... "ethereal" look??!? Afterward, Gord said,
"Every time I play that song I think of my old friend, Bob Gibson.
Does anyone know Bob?" Shout-outs and claps from a few people in the
audience. Gord said, "We've played some songs from a long time ago.
Now here's something from my 20th album." It was Clouds of Loneliness.
Terry does a particularly lovely bit in this song which I always look
forward to. At the beginning of it, people clapped to honor him, but,
not at the end, as we didnt' want to clap over Gord. I did notice that
Terry's guitar sounded different, a bit higher in pitch than before.
It almost sounded banjo-like. Perhaps he has a new guitar? Next up
was Minstrel of the Dawn. The lights changed to a deep purple. Very
nice. Mike's keyboarding made beautiful harmony with Gord on this one.
After the song, there were many shout-outs of appreciation. O.K.,
O.K., now don't shoot me, but, the NEXT song was my ABSOLUTE favorite:
Beautiful. People sat still, silenced in their seats, absolutely
entranced by this breathtaking song. I noticed a few times Gord was
glancing to someone to the right of the audience during this song and
right at the end when he sang, "...you're beautiful..." he looked there
and nodded. Wow. Was I jealous. No, ha, not really, but, o.k., yeah,
kinda. Hey, I'm a woman, whatcha gonna do? Let It Ride followed,
bringing up the mood. He got a nice applause at the end and really
smiled big. He was very pleased that WE were pleased. If You Could
Read My Mind was next, people were clapping and gasping when the first
few strains started. Everyone's favorite. We were ALL under his spell
with this one. There was a HUGE applause. He went right into Don
Quixote, garnering shout-outs and much applause afterward. He then
began to explain, "I have a little trouble with this next song with the
high notes -- please bear with me." Which was, naturally, greeted by
applause. He then began the Canadian Railroad Trilogy. Everyone sat
spellbound until this legacy of a song was done. Need I say how big
the applause was at the end?? Gord took a few steps backward to get
some more water (and I think to change guitars) and I daresay the Man
swaggered those two steps. No one does it better. He went right into
Baby Step Back (very lively!) and enjoyed a nice mini jam session with
Terry during this one. Next was Restless. From the beginning strains
of Mike on keyboard until the very very end of this song, there was
respectful silence, as this is a quiet and introspective song. Thank
goodness because scattered through the evening, a young boy who was
sitting with his parents and two equally young siblings in a box to my
left kept shouting, "GORD WE LOVE YOU!" Oh, also when Gord had
announced he would be taking an intermission break earlier, the boy had
shouted out, "NO!" to which Gord had just smiled. So, at the end of
Restless, that very quiet and soft song, after our heartfelt applause,
Gord said, "Communication. That's what I love about this business.
Communication. I love it. That's why I do this." (I'm trying to
remember, but, I may not have gotten the quote entirely correct.
Again, forgive me.) He swung into a jaunty rendition of Old Dan's
Records, then waved and walked off following the band, stage left.
Tremendous applause, 10 seconds later, out they come again, applause
applause still, Gord went up the mic and said, "Thank you! We were
coming back anyway!" <laughter> He then introduced the band, paying
lovely and special compliments to Barry and Mike. I was anxiously
trying to notate stuff on my Palm Pilot, so I may have missed what he
said about Terry. Then he got to Rick and, as everyone knows,
introduced him as the "Straw Boss." I still do not know what that term
means. He said, "Everyone has a boss, Rick is our straw boss." Then
he got his guitar ready and said, "Elvis did this one. I wrote it when
I was at Westlake College..." He said more, but, I just couldn't write
it all down. He played Early Morning Rain. HUGE applause afterward,
they all left the stage, Gord came back because we just kept clapping
and calling out, he walked to the center of the stage, waved to us,
said, "Thank you for this." and walked back offstage.
Afterward, Gabe and I waited by the stage door with about 20 other fans
(or, his "greatest fans" as one woman put it) and after about 40
minutes, out he came. He signed autographs and let people take a few
pictures, but, Rick and the guys were already in the car waiting for
him a few feet down the road, and it was getting chilly outside -- it
was about 11:15 p.m. Gord shook Gabe's and my hand (I'm never washing
this hand again) and signed our programs as we told him how much we
loved his music. He's always so sweet and attentive to his fans.
And then it was over. He played and played, yet we wanted more. We
always will want more Gord.
Jenney
Sheryl wrote:
> Hello everyone, hope you are all doing well. This evening was another
> high water mark on the Gordon Lightfoot Highway.
Sheryl, thank you so much for this review! I always look forward to
yours, and enjoy them. I think you outdid yourself on this one! I wish
I could have been there, but this was almost like being there.
Jenney
Jenney
Sheryl wrote:
> Hello everyone, hope you are all doing well. This evening was another
> high water mark on the Gordon Lightfoot Highway.
Sheryl, thank you so much for this review! I always look forward to
Tony Wesley
Sheryl wrote:
> Hello everyone, hope you are all doing well.
Thank you for your wonderful review.
I've had tre pleasure of seeing Gordon four times, the first time in
April 1999. I saw him twice more before his hospitalization and then
once afterward.
You mention the enunciation. I think that because he had to work so
hard and long at recovering from his hospital stay, he's become a
better singer that he was before.
There no magic time machine to take 30 or more years away. Some of the
effects of age are inevitable. But I thought back in 1999 and 2001,
some of things I heard in his voice were because he wasn't performing
as a singer as well as he could. Mind you, I still loved the show.
I'll take an aging Lightfoot being slightly lazy over I dunno, say Limp
Bizkit's latest (Way OT but one of son's thinks "Behind Blue Eyes" is
the best song they ever did. Funny, a 30+ year old Who song.)
But now, his voice is BETTER than it was a few years ago. I can hear
the words and understand them, not just fill them in from memory. And
it sounds better too, I thought it was somewhat nasal before.
Thanks again for the great review.
Sheryl
Jenney wrote:
> Sheryl, thank you so much for this review! I always look forward to
> yours, and enjoy them. I think you outdid yourself on this one! I wish
> I could have been there, but this was almost like being there.
> Jenney
My pleasure, Jenney! Believe me, I had you all on my shoulder.
Sheryl
Sheryl
My pleasure, Tony. I totally agree. Gord IS singing better now than
he was a few years ago. I know what you mean about a "laid-back
performance." He did one of those in Vegas a few months ago, but, he
was so chatty, so personable with us, we didn't mind. Everyone has
been commenting on how he used to just do his songs and off he'd go.
No more! And being human and older, I figure he's entitled to a
laid-back performance now and then. I begrudge him nothing, nor does
anyone, I know. Can't say I've ever heard Limp Bizkit (heard of them,
just not heard their music). Hey, my 13-year-old is now playing the
electric guitar, did I mention? She's not bad! Almost a full month of
lessons under her belt, ha!
Any advice (anyone here) on which Gord song might be the easier at
picking for her to learn?? I've never played the guitar, only the
piano, and "Chopsticks" is the only thing I remember, heh heh.
Sheryl
Cathy Cowette
"Sheryl" <Sher...@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:1156702272.9...@75g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
[snip]
> Any advice (anyone here) on which Gord song might be the easier at
> picking for her to learn?? I've never played the guitar, only the
> piano, and "Chopsticks" is the only thing I remember, heh heh.
>
> Sheryl
If she wants to learn fingerstyle, I'd start her out with something easy,
like IYCRMM. Does she read tablature? I wrote it out in tablature a few
years back. I'll send it to you if you'd like.
Cathy
http://www.cathycowette.com
Tony Wesley
Sheryl wrote:
> Can't say I've ever heard Limp Bizkit (heard of them,
> just not heard their music). Hey, my 13-year-old is now playing the
> electric guitar, did I mention?
With a 13-year old, I suspect that in a while you'll be hearing their
music. Theirs or Blink-182 or whatever the current trend is.
Sheryl
Cathy Cowette wrote:
>
> If she wants to learn fingerstyle, I'd start her out with something easy,
> like IYCRMM. Does she read tablature? I wrote it out in tablature a few
> years back. I'll send it to you if you'd like.
>
> Cathy
> http://www.cathycowette.com
I'd love it, Cathy, thanks! I'll e-mail you my address. Can I do that
through your website?
Sheryl
Sheryl
Actually, my daughter's fav band is called HIM. They're goth. <sigh>
Because of her terrific grades this last year, I'm taking her to a HIM
concert on Halloween night. God help me, LOL.
Sheryl
johnfowles
HI Sheryl
I was very pleased to see that you have been able to replace Susan as a
setlist recorder by a Palm Pilot and even more pleased to see your
brilliant follow up to your previous Agoura Hills 2005 magnum opus
which is preserved at:-
http://www.corfid.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=003140
As I personally very much miss your corfid postings I have taken the
liberty, and please do forgive me if you intended your report to be a
secret for Newsgroupers only, of referring corfid members to this
thread by a reply to a "Cerritos" topic at:-
http://www.corfid.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi
Miss You!
John
bill
Bill
Sheryl
No, that was fine, John. I miss you, too. I actually pretty much
expected you would post a link there to here. You are a link between
the two groups. The missing link? hmmmm (LOL) I thank you for your
kind remarks!
Sheryl
The Rez
Sheryl wrote:
He sounds better each time I see him . . .
Howdy Folks,
Just a few thoughts to compliment Sheryl's beutiful descriptives:
So pleased, from the first words, to hear how strong Gord's voice had
become in the year since last years Cerritos Concert. Has it already
been an entire year?
Shadows: 20 years ago, in Gord's Universal City hotel room, I asked
him where the song had come from in his heart. I know where and why it
lives inside me. His answer: "If I told you, then it wouldn't be
yours anymore." Backstage Sat nite I reminded him of that long ago
conversation. There's a reason Shadows is both sung by Gord and heard
by me w/ eyes closed. His answer remains: "It's still yours, Rex, in
"your" fashion." Indeed . . .
Ribbon of Darkness: As Sheryl mentioned, Gord's seque into Sundown was
well received. To me, he did what few can do. He stopped Ribbon of
Darkness on the unresolved "5" chord . . . just leaving it hanging in
air for a time - a long time. I could see the twinkle clearly &
wondered where he was headed. Edge of yer seat stuff . . .
Restless: "Connection" was the word . . . not "Communication" Another
time of doing something few can do - holding and mainting audience
absolute silence. To me, this is more a Wonderment than the thunder to
follow.
It took me back 35yrs to The Universal Amphitheater - then open air.
The lady I was w/ and I saw two empty seats upfront - not re-taken
after intermission. We took 'em. T'was then Gord sang Affair on 8th
Avenue. As he came to the end of the riddle . . . another time of
sheer silence - not even breath. Can't say how long - but quite long,
indeed.
To hold some 8 thousand+ people in rapt silence while waiting for him
to resolve both the chord and the riddle - Wonderment.
Such was the silence of Restless - even after Gord touched his last
string and Mike's high pedal tone suspension/drone carried thru to fade
- just the one note. "Connection" was dangerously present.
Don Quixote: If Gord were ever to dispense w/ the two-count boot fill,
I would be very saddened. Of all the fine lyrics from his pen across
the years, to me this ranks as high as the best [which is impossible to
define] Knowing how Gord views Cervante's character, this "tarnished
cross" is always there - in many other lyrics - a Shadow.
Old Dan's Records: I'm very glad this song is on every show I've seen
since it was new. "We're all here. We've all got dates. We'll dance
all night to the 78s." Best rhyme a-goin' . . . right there w/ "Her
name was Anne and I'll be damned . . . "
Early Mornin' Rain: A friend saw Gord in Redwood City. She said he
sang "where the cold wind blows" instead of his original "a pain that
ever grows." Tonight . . . the original.
I smiled for my friend.
Sit Down Young Stranger: Saved my thoughts here for last. I'd not
heard Gord do this tune onstage in 35yrs. One precious time 20yrs ago
in that hotel room, but not on stage.
>From the first hearing on the LP all those years ago, I stood amazed at
the touch of waiting to bring in Rick's bass until the key change. The
most subtle yet spectacular mood shift I'd ever heard. With eyes
closed - as were mine - you forget it's only Gord and Martin . . . then
the awakening key change. Brilliant. T'was Gord's idea according to
Rick. That song - that moment - alone was worth the proverbial price
of admission.
A side note to Piano Guys like me: Mike always uses two synths. This
night I hear some very familiar belcanto - he was using an original
Yamaha DX7. The original DX7 came out in '83 and took over as keybord
of preference for the performing musician from the Fender Rhodes. Mine
sits at the foot of my bed. Chatting w/ Mike aftershow, he was tickled
I knew the instrument and the sounds he used - all factory, no custom.
His Roland top board supplied all the wonderful orchestral sounds, but
the DX7 was the workhorse last night. Just can't figure out why my DX7
won't play all the fine notes Mike's will. Strangest thing . . .
peradventure a faulty synth [not]
I hurried backstage as the lights come up for I had to hurry home [I'm
Caregiver to my Mama - she insisted I go] He was beaming w/ afterglow
from a show well done.
As Sheryl said, Gord is always kind to us fans. I used to take my 3
sons to see him as often as possible when they were in their teens.
They're in their 30s now. He remembers them well. A kind, good man .
. . I never even wildly dreamed close to 40 years ago when I first saw
him in trio at The Troubadore and old Golden Bear, that I'd one day
come to know him. Thanks Jason Siever . . .
Blessings to each and all . . .
Breath deep . . . listen w/ eyes closed . . . and treasure our Gord.
The Rez
Ed Mullen
Great writing. Thanks for sharing it.
> Early Mornin' Rain: A friend saw Gord in Redwood City. She said he
> sang "where the cold wind blows" instead of his original "a pain that
> ever grows." Tonight . . . the original.
> I smiled for my friend.
>
I read the above with curiosity. I was pretty sure you had those
lyrics' chronology reversed so I pulled out my copy of the original
"Lightfoot" songbook from 1966 (cover price $1.95!!!). The lyric in the
second verse is "Where the cold wind blows."
--
Ed Mullen
http://edmullen.net
http://mozilla.edmullen.net
http://abington.edmullen.net
If you can read this, I can slam on my brakes and sue you.
Sheryl
The Rez wrote:
<snip>>
> Restless: "Connection" was the word . . . not "Communication" Another
> time of doing something few can do - holding and mainting audience
> absolute silence. To me, this is more a Wonderment than the thunder to
> follow.
Gee Rez (and HI by the way), I'm fairly confident he said
"communication." He repeated it -- I wrote it on my Palm Pilot the
minute he said it. I was "typing" and listening at the same time, so
I'll put it out there that perhaps for you the magic word was
"connection," but for Gord it was communication. I had said to Gabe,
"Gee, this place is so big and we're almost at the back of the room,
I'll bet you we won't hear a word he says because you know he never
speaks into the mic." And darned if we didnt' hear every single word
he said. That place's acoustics are awesome.
Peace.
Sheryl
Sheryl
bill wrote:
> Wow Sheryl ...Thanks! that was fantastic review!
> Bill
>
Hello Bill!! I hope you and your wonderful family are doing well.
Enjoying the Fall colors and all? Lucky you!! We have mostly
evergreens around here, a few trees turn color and it's nice when that
happens.
Your CD is still my new favorite. Favorite song: "The Last Timber
Wolf." Completely original, completely awesome; reverential, in fact.
Thanks for that!
"Talk" to you soon!
Sheryl
nor...@hotmail.com
of my concert memories, from GL to EC to TYA, the Stones to the Allman
Bros, Dave Mason to Jeff Beck, Don McLean to Jethro Tull [ETC ad
infinitum], amount to BLURS. Yup, mere blurs. I know a bit of time has
gone by, but I'm not even smoking! :-o
I saw Johnny Lang recently at Humphries by the Bay. Kind of a blur (but
once again). One hot guitar with a squeaky saxophone accompaniment, I
remember that. The stage, the stars, the sounds... and a camera click
that almost sent me on my way early. [oops] Add the face of a bouncer
:: that's about it.
Notes! That's it, notes! And a Palm device. And a little foresight and
organization. And minimal recall .... and ... ah fogeddaboutit.
Jb
Sheryl
Thanks, Jb, for your kind words. Also, you cracked me up with your
comments: "kind of a blur..." So, the "oops" -- was that you? LOL I
saw a few camera flashes in Cerritos, too. At one point, Gord mugged
for someone up front. It was done so over-the-top, most of us laughed.
Rez, do you remember that moment?
Sheryl