Friday, February 05, 2010

Gordon Lightfoot & Gord Downie
Feb 4, 2010
Toronto Centre for the Arts



Interesting fusion of two iconic Canadian artists in conversation and song. Gotta love the CBC-Radio, who else can afford to produce something 10 people are gonna listen to?
It's part of a 6 part series celebrating Canadian Hall of Fame musicians. This episode is called "If You Could Read My Mind."

Gord was warming up this past December when he did a solo version of Lightfoot's Restless at his annual Phoenix Christmas gig. Gordon is on the road, a little worse for wear and tear, but still going at it. I haven't seen Lightfoot since the '70's and have seen Downie 4 times in the past couple of years. It's about time they hooked up. I mean they both do great nautical songs.

What a venue! The George Weston Recital Hall is a world-class stage. Ranks up there with the best auditoriums I've been in. Check out the link for more detail.

In for the night, from our nations Capital, Ottawa, is a friend and fellow-Dylan fan, Mike. He likes good music too. It's just he lives in Ottawa so he has to travel a bit.

Unfortunately, since I've had a 2 month taping hiatus, i have no sound...left my rig on 'pause' all night. I was expecting an opener and was setting my levels but wasn't going to record. They messed me up by putting the 'opener' in the middle of the set.
Oh, well, it's an official recording anyway, so I shouldn't have been trying.

Check into CBC on Easter Sunday (April 4) for the broadcast.

Here's an excellent, and comprehensive, review from The Toronto Sun.


REVIEW


And in addition to that, what my friend Mike thought.
"Setlist for the nerds. I.e. us:

Lightfoot - Rainy day people
Downie - Morning moon
Lightfoot - Shadows
Downie - Willow logic
Lightfoot - If you could read my mind
Downie - (The) Hard Canadian
Lightfoot - Let it ride


My favourite part:

Lightfoot: (talks for 5 minutes about CRT, without ever mentioning its name)
Brown: What do you think of that song, Gord?
Downie: (pauses….) Which song is that?
Brown: Canadian Railroad Trilogy
Downie: Oh…
Lightfoot: That’s okay, I don’t know all of *your* catalogue, either.

Lots of laughs throughout the night. "


and more of what i thought that wasn't in that review

"my favourite part is when Downie was talking about debuting The Hard Canadian at an RBC (Financial Institution) private gig for charity.
Gord : "Never debut a song in front of bankers."
after the song
Brown (interviewer); "Wow, that was lovely. Than line about "painting the pavement"
Downie: "That was "painting the pigment", what are you, a banker?"

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