I meet Gordon Lightfoot at an Ian Tyson concert!

[TimmyB]

I went to see Ian Tyson a Canadian folk and then country legend at Hugh's Room in Toronto tonight (February 11, 2005).

When I walked through the Hugh's Room doors the concert didn't get off to a great start.

To backtrack I called the night before the show to reserve a single ticket, I was told that the ticket would be standing room at the bar only for $7 less the ticket price (so $25 instead of $32). I asked the Hugh's Room staff worker on the phone that would seeing the concert in the bar be obstructed? They replied no, it would just be in the back of the venue. So I said to myself well that's worth it.

Back to entering Hugh's Room at the exact time they asked me to go to the venue (8:20PM). The bar area at the back was definitely obstructed by two giant walls dividing the bar from the actual venue! The only way to see a full view of the stage was to be "standing in the doorway" (I love that song), and this wasn't allowed. Us people who purchased standing room only had to be a good five or six feet back of the doorway, so that's were I stood for the next three plus hours.

I'm so happy that I'm tall as I usually had a full view of the stage over shorter peoples heads. Though the sound was terrible by the bar, not only from the noise of the bar but because of the walls dividing the rooms.

When the opener came on stage she was far too quite, which made me worry about how Ian Tyson was going to sound. I even debated on leaving. But since I had never seen Tyson before and he is seventy-one years of age I decided to stick it out, and I'm glad I did.

When Tyson came on, he really impressed me. Not only by his performance (he did two sets that nearly lasted two hours), but also by the way he looked. He is a rancher when he isn't recording or touring and it shows! When I retire I think I'm going to get a ranch, just so I can look like that when I'm over seventy.

Back to the show, his voice is still so smooth and his accompaniment of a guitarist and bassist also sang with beautiful harmonies throughout the show.

Part way through the first set someone says something about Gordon Lightfoot, and I think to myself that wasn't a Lightfoot song? What are they talking about? Then as I'm thinking why they said Lightfoot, the man himself walks right by me to a seat right up infront of the stage!

At the end of Tyson's first set, Lightfoot gets up from his table and the crowd gives him a standing ovation. Which was something Tyson hadn't even gotten yet, but then it's Gordon Lightfoot.

Lightfoot walks right by me again to go to Tyson's dressing room and I'm thinking to myself, damn if I only knew Gordon Lightfoot was standing right beside me I could have gotten his autograph, because I thought I wouldn't get that opportunity again (It immediately reminded me of the time I missed a Lightfoot autograph session at Sam the Record Man when his 1999 album "A Painter Passing Through" came out).

Well I kept standing in the same spot I had for the past two hours and while the setbreak was still happening, I turn to see Lightfoot just standing beside me again!

This time I say "Mr. Lightfoot, could you sign this for me?" The legend replies "Sure" and proceed to take my pen and paper and signs his name. As he's writing I also said to him "I'm glad you're back performing again. I saw you and Mr. Good (one of the Good Brothers was standing beside Lightfoot) at your first show back at Hamilton Place in the fall." Both Lightfoot and Good smile and me and simutaneously say "Thank you."

I turn back around as all the people at the bar look in astonishment that Gordon Lightfoot is standing around the same bar that they are in.

Ian said while he took the stage for the second set, "It's good to see my friends Gordon Lightfoot and the Good Brothers tonight." Which garnered another applause for the legend. Then Tyson said "Lightfoot and Good that sounds like a supergroup, doesn't it?" Yes it does.

Then Lightfoot stood beside me for the first few songs for the second set before ducking out of the venue early. And one things for sure, I'm glad I didn't duck out early that night!

[Esau]

Right on Tim.

[TimmyB]

Right on Tim.

It was one of those right place at the right time situations. If I didn't have such a crappy spot in the venue I would have never gotten an opportunity to tell Gordon Lightfoot it was great to see him back on stage and get his autograph.

You never know when you can make lemonade out of lemons.

BTW Esau,

I picked up a copy of The Gourds "Blood of the Ram" at Sam the Record Man today for $26.99+tx. I didn't know if you had a copy or not yet so I didn't get you one (though there was only one copy in the racks).

If you want I can attempt to burn you a copy?

[Esau]

I like when situations like that end up being a good thing in the end.Gotta love four chord Gord.

As for Blood of the ram,thats alright Tim,just knowing its available through Sams is excellent news,saves me ordering em from Austin,I'll probally make a few calls around town here tomorrow and see if I can locate my own copy,much appreciated though.

Wasn't expecting to see the disc top 25 bucks but I guess with the exchange its about the same,15 USD on their site.

Thanks

[mark tonin]

A great story TimmyB, thanks for sharing.

Peace, Mark

[meggo]

that's awesome timmy! gordon lightfoot is one of my all-time faves. i used to listen to the album "sundown" at my cottage all the time, and it brings back great memories. it is perfect mellow canadian lakeside music.

cheers to you and mr L!

PS have you heard the lightfoot tribute album "beautiful"? my sister bought it for me a few years ago and it is really nice too, has songs by cowboy junkies, ron sexsmith, blue rodeo... good stuff.

[StoneMtn]

Timmy, that story rocked!

Congratulations on meeting Gord (and a Good Brother, too, as icing on the cake). The Good Brothers are certainly legends in their own right, although certainly not known the way Gord is; even if they are "Rock 'n' Roll Hall-of-Famers". (I used to know a daughter of one of those guys, actually, Darcie Good, who was also the singer for The Coma Toast in Toronto. Beautiful voice in her own right; used to blow me away with her take on "White Rabbit" by Jefferson Airplane.)

And, re meggo's comment ... if you don't have a copy of "Beautiful" you should! Apart from those artists named by meggo, it also has Bruce Cockburn, Blackie and the Rodeo Kings and James Keelaghan (to name only a few).

Thanks for sharing the story Tim.

[TimmyB]

No I haven't picked up the Gordon Lightfoot tribute album "Beautiful" yet. I believe it came out around the same time as Lightfoot's latest effort "Harmony" and I picked up "Harmony" instead of "Beautiful."

I will look for it now, especially since I'm in such a Lightfoot mood at the moment. Gord was the first person I put on the stereo last night when I got home.

[RayRay]

Tim that is pretty amazing, way to go.