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Bruce Cockburn solo - Hamilton

Kanada Kev

By Kanada Kev
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TimmyB Newbie

TimmyB

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I haven't been on here in a while, but I promised edge that I would post the setlist of this beautifully intimate performance from the legendary Bruce Cockburn.

So here it is:

BRUCE COCKBURN

THE STUDIO AT HAMILTON PLACE

FRI NOV 13 2009

SET I Start time: 8:10PM

1. Lovers in a Dangerous Time (Stealing Fire '84)

2. Slow Down Fast (Life Short Call Now '06)

3. Child of the Wind (Nothing But a Burning Light '91)

4. Strange Waters (The Charity of Night '96)

5. The Iris of the World (first time performed)

6. Let the Bad Air Out (Breakfast in New Orleans... '99)

7. Bone in My Ear (Dart to the Heart '94)

8. How I Spent My Fall Vacation (Humans '80)

9. Stolen Land (Waiting for a Miracle '87)

10. Peggy's Kitchen Wall (Stealing Fire '84)

SET I End time: 9:07PM (Set time 57 minutes)

SET II Start time: 9:32PM

11. Down to the Delta (Breakfast in New Orleans... '99)

12. Dust and Diesel (Stealing Fire '84)

13. This is Baghdad (Life Short Call Now '06)

14. My So Called Buddy Never Called Me Back (new song)

15. Put it In Your Heart (You've Never Seen Everything '03)

16. Each One Lost (new song)

17. Wondering Where the Lions Are (Dancing in a Dragon's Jaw '79)

18. If A Tree Falls (Big Circumstance '88)

Encore:

19. Waiting for a Miracle (Waiting for a Miracle '87)

20. Anything Can Happen (Big Circumstance '88)

Encore 2:

21. Mystery (Life Short Call Now '06)

Encore 3:

22. Last Night of the World (Breakfast in New Orleans... '99)

SET II End time: 10:49 (Set time 1 hour and 17 minutes. Total show time 2 hours and 14 minutes)

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edger Explorer

edger

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What a brilliantly, achingly beautiful show that was.

seeing bruce solo is captivating, it lays bare what a great guitarist he is and how beautifully crafted his songs are. he truly is a canadian legend.

Pretty much sums things up perfectly.

We were fortunate enough to end up second row, left of centre. It was just Bruce and his guitars (and one of the largest set of chimes I had ever seen). The crowd was definitely a bunch of die-hard fans, silently soaking up every note for the majority of the night, and increasingly calling out requests as the night rolled on. Amounted to a great exchange of energy.

I had seen Bruce once before, but never solo acoustic for a whole show and for me it couldn't have been better. I truly gained a further appreciation for his beautiful melodies and tone, the pain in his voice, his scathing poetic angst. The venue couldn't have been more perfect (other than not being able to bring our drinks in I suppose).

Nice seeing you & your fam Kanada Kev. Same for you and your bro TimmyB! Thanks so much for posting the setlist, and for taking the time to include the album each song was off of. I definitely need to fill out my collection.

Sigh! Needed that.

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Kanada Kev Newbie

Kanada Kev

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A truly memorable live experience it was.

Having seen Cockburn many times over the years, i never tire of it. He always brings something fresh and new along with that massive catalogue of material from his past.

I think the only time i've caught him solo was when he did that mini set of shows on the same bill as Weir/Wasserman.

The room was tiny and sounded fantastic. There was almost no need for amplification, but he does layer his sound with some effects and all ;)

What can I say about how this man plays the guitar? To see him up close like that you simply get mesmerized and hyptnotized. He makes it look so easy. I love the way he maintains a rock steady rhythm with his thumb while dancing all over the place with his 3-finger picking style. Add on top of that his incredibly poignant, poetic and emotionally-charged lyrics and you might get the idea :o

Timmy, thanks so much for posting the detailed setlist. I can NEVER remember that stuff after. Song selection was really varied and covered a lot of albums (albeit not much from his 70s catalogue) and it flowed beautifully. Weaving in and out of songs that are politically charged, to emotional, to sarcastic and humourous. A few of the highlights for me:

Lovers in a Dangerous Time

Great opener. This song takes me back to memories of being a camp counsellor. It includes one of my favourite Cockburn lyrics:

Sometimes you're made to feel as if your love's a crime --

But nothing worth having comes without some kind of fight --

Got to kick at the darkness 'til it bleeds daylight

How I Spent My Fall Vacation

Typical example of how Bruce paints the most amazing scenes with his words. I love this shit:

I saw an old lady's face once on a Japanese train

Half lit, rich with soft luminosity

She was dozing straight upright head bobbing almost imperceptibly

Wheels were playing fast in 9/8 time

Her husband's friendly face suddenly folded up in a sneeze

Across the straight a volcano flew a white smoke flag of surrender

Stolen Land

Everytime i've heard this song it stirs up emotions and is aided by the anger in which he sings it. These songs with messages are not preachy by any means, however they drive the point home like no others.

In my mind I catch a picture -- big black raven in the sky

Looking at the ocean -- sail reflected in black eye --

Sail as white as heroin, white like weathered bones --

Rum and guns and smallpox gonna change the face of home

In this stolen land...

Peggy's Kitchen Wall

I've always enjoyed this song. The sing-a-long refrain was kinda fun too ;)

Down to the Delta

Tasty tasty instrumental i'd never heard live before. Bradm, i wish you were there taping this ;)

Dust and Diesel

ahhh, just another favourite in the list.

Dust and diesel

Rise like incense from the road

Smoke of offering

For the revolution morning

This is Baghdad

I remember reading a long article on Cockburn when he returned from his visit to Baghdad. Like a great war photographer it's incredible what he can capture in only a handful of stanzas.

Carbombed and carjacked and kidnapped and shot

How do you like it, this freedom we brought

We packed all the ordnance but the thing we forgot

Was a plan in case it didn't turn out quite like we thought

My So Called Buddy Never Called Me Back

This was a quick comedic effort after some of the heavier stuff. It basically poked fun at how ridiculously attached we all are to our communication devices and how that effects our interactions with our friends and behaviours.

Each One Lost

Shit, this brought a tear to my eyes. He introduced this one by explaining how his little brother was doing a tour in Afghanistan as a doctor. Bruce was able to get over there very recently with a special observational group to visit. While there, he experienced a Ramp Ceremony that he could only describe as unbelievably heavy. This should be used with film of Canadians and their efforts in Afghanistan.

Waiting for a Miracle

By request from the audience. Who can complain? I'm sure Jerry was listening to this one with us for sure. All those out there who tirelessly try to make this world a better place should have this as their anthem.

You rub your palm

On the grimy pane

In the hope that you can see

Last Night of the World

A fitting finish to a stellar evening.

I've seen the flame of hope among the hopeless

And that was truly the biggest heartbreak of all

That was the straw that broke me open

I was fortunate to grow up listening to Bruce Cockburn because of my MOM. While she took me to shows when I was a kid, I got to hear (it's in the deep recesses of my mind somewhere) him at the Mariposa Festival when it used to be on The Island. That was back in '74 or '75!!!! I was only 4, but as thanks, i had to get a ticket to this show for my Mom. It meant a lot. Last time we saw Cockburn together had been at Massey Hall in '91. This man's material is a treasure. A songwriter and poet who should be mentioned alongside the Dyalns and Lightfoots of this world IMHO.

Thanks for such a special night. Thanks Bruce. Thanks Mom :)

ps - good running into you edger. Sorry we didn't have more time to chat. Had to get home to the kids and relieve my sister of her Aunt duties.

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