Robert Gordon w/ Chris SpeddingCadillac Lounge Toronto ON 2008-09-06

For this years version of Robert and Chris we decided to see if we had the staying power to do two sets in one night. Still appreciative that these guys find their way to this city once or twice a year...best concert bang for the buck. Still not sure why we get these appearances. As Robert noted during the night he only gets together with this band every 4 months or so. The Detroit based rhythm section seems to be on retainer and Chris Spedding's pre-show whereabouts is a mystery.

To add to the enjoyment we booked a hotel just a short streetcar ride, or long walk, away from the bar. No driving, that's a bonus. We get time for a pre-show meal at a local Roncesvalles Village open kitchen. Brief walk along Queen St West to peruse some antiquities and boutiques. A couple/few drinks in our room to get us well lubed before we head to the Caddy. At the Cadillac Lounge renovations are underway. Owner Sam Grosso is taking over the building next door. For now the hole in the wall is covered with tarp but it won't be long before this place almost doubles in size. It'll be interesting to see if that results in more acts...perhaps lifting the Caddy to the level of Hugh's Room as a showcase venue.

They did a great job getting the show started. Doors were set for 8 and by 8:30 the band was on starting the early portion.

Tonight's set was a little looser than the shows from the past few years. A few cuties in the crowd, most notably a couple 30+somethings, all platinum-blondes adorned in bustiers and a younger even more energetic couple of girls, who rimmed the stage, added a saucy component to the nights activities.

Robert had a couple lyric flubs, most notably on set one's Hello Walls were he transposed a couplet from the ceiling verse into the window verse, missing the 'tear/pane' lines. During Suspicion he was momentarily distracted while holding the hand of yet another adoring female fan in the front row and he did the same thing...pulled a couplet from the next verse. Here he repeated "why can't our romance keep growing stronger", instead of holding her hand while exclaiming "why does our romance keep causing sorrow". I like to think he did it on purpose. I believe he stumbled briefly in Walk On By as well...but handled them all like a pro, not missing a beat.

Chris was a little slow out of the box the first set as well. Which is to say he was simply amazing most of the time. My favourite guitarist out there...in a class with Jack White and Jr Brown, for his ability to fill every piece of time with something interesting.

Between sets the 'hockey moms' had bassist Greasy Carlisi well pinned in a corner of the outdoor patio. Todd Glass was bouncing around as well, everybody getting a couple beers in before the midnight set.

Had an opportunity to talk briefly to Robert. I don't usually seek out the artists, figuring I'm like every other fan who has nothing to say but "Hey man, really dug the set," or something equally inane. But I did have a tale to tell him. So I start with a handshake and "Robert, I just want to thank you for coming this way a couple times a year. Your show's always in my top 5 of the year." D!oh

I had more to say though because back in November of '05 I was in London watching Bob Dylan do a Brixton Academy stand. Link Wray, who was Robert's guitar player in the '70's and '80's, had recently passed away. Bob opened 4 of the 5 nights with Rumble, Link's signature tune. As drunk as I was I thought that Robert Gordon would probably like to know this. As it turns out, he wasn't aware and seemed genuinely pleased to find out, saying, "Ahh, that was really nice of him." "And he's got my bass player, Tony" he says, referring to Tony Garnier who was with Robert in the late '80's before joining Dylan's Never Ending Tour in 1989. Robert moves over to the bar, leaning over for support, it seems he's having some trouble with his back tonight. Now he's got something to share about Bob: "Dylan came to see Link and I in London, (This would likely have been in the early to mid 80's) and he was pitching me some songs. He had 8 or 9 and he'd play one and I'd go 'hrrrmpph'. He plays another and I go, 'naaaaahhhrrr'. I was in a bad way back then, don't know what I was thinking." Robert goes on to say he should be opening for Bob, that would be a gig. I tell him Bob's mired in some Civil-War motif now and it would be best to wait awhile. Gotta wonder what songs Bob was floating though. Maybe I'll ask next time he's in town.

The second set was much better; the girls were bouncier, Chris found a ton of transcendant moments delivering his best-ever Guitar Jamboree. Robert was enjoying the crowd as much as we were him. Unfortunately my recording was marred by a strong air-conditioning system and an incessant buzz in the PA. Not my enjoyment of the set, though.

Here are some songs and sound samples:

Early Show

Robert's Set
Track 01 The Way I Walk
Track 02 I'm Gonna Be Your Loverboy Tonight
Track 03 Hello Walls
Track 04 I'm A Hot Rod
Track 05 Suspicion
Track 06 Look Who's Blue
Track 07 Fire
Track 08 Barry White Interlude
Track 09 Wild Wild Women

Chris' Set
Track 10 Instrumental
Track 11 Shakin' All Over
Track 12 Wild Thing
Track 13 Guitar Jamboree
Track 14 Motorbikin'

Robert's Second Set
Track 15 Beside You
Track 16 Mess O' The Blues
Track 17 Devil In Disguise
Track 18 Walk On By
Track 19 A Picture of You (John James Beveridge - Peter Andrew Ooakman)
Track 20 Move It (and Groove It)
Track 21 There You Go
Track 22 Bertha Lou
Track 23 Rockabilly Boogie
(encore)
Track 24 Red Hot

Late Show

Robert's First Set
Track 01 The Way I Walk
Track 02 I'm Gonna Be Your Loverboy Tonight
Track 03 Hello Walls
Track 04 I'm A Hot Rod
Track 05 Suspicion
Track 06 Look Who's Blue
Track 07 Lonely Weekends
Track 08 Fire
Track 09 Wild Wild Women

Chris' Set
Track 10 Instrumental
Track 11 Shakin' All Over
Track 12 Wild Thing
Track 13 Guitar Jamboree
Track 14 Motorbikin'

Disc 2

Roberts Second Set
Track 01 Beside You
Track 02 Mess O' The Blues
Track 03 Bad Boy
Track 04 Move It
Track 05 Walk On By
Track 06 Devil In Disguise
Track 07 I Just Found Out
Track 08 Rockabilly Boogie
(encore)
Track 09 Red Hot