We arrived at approx. 3 PM, and decided to walk to the
venue, to check it out, when lo and behold, there's a big-ass maroon bus
pulling in behind the bar. We wait by the bus for about 10 minutes, and
Kate walks out. What a lady! My roommate and I met her at the second Zoo
show, and got her autograph, and a picture taken with her, so we just said
hello this time around. What an
absolutely beautiful lady, with a voice to match. A few minutes later,
the man walks out. He's wearing a white terry-cloth lid, and shades. He
come up to us, and says. "Hi. How are you guys doin'? I'm Gord." And he
shakes all of our hands. And he takes pictures with all of us. And he signs
all of our things. He signs my friend Dave's Moosehead cap: "Dave's Thought
Protector- G. Downie" He signs my M@W lyric book: "Rory's Green Power".
He signs my friend Lori's ticket for that night: "Lori's Band". And then
he returns to the bus... What a class act! He comes out of the bus, specifically
to meet and greet us. The other band members followed, Paul coming out
before Gord D., and then Gord S and Robby coming out together. As those
two were coming out, Johnny dashed for the back door, so we didn't get
to meet him (again). Robby and Gord S. posed for pics with us, and were
genuinely happy that we were there! A few minutes later, their bodyguard
stepped in, and said that it was time for the soundcheck. And with the
back door wide open, my friend Dave and I stood outside, and listened to
the soundcheck!! I started my minidisc, and got the whole thing. They played
the Bear twice, with Kate singing the entire song! It didn't quite sound
show-ready yet, but look for it soon! They played, in order:
Train Overnight
Yawning or Snarling
The Bear (twice)
Lake Fever
Chagrin Falls
On to the show...
A thousand people there, most of them from Thunder Bay. Just a bar,
all the tables had to be pulled outside and stacked there. Chris and Kate
did a Bob Dylan cover for their final song, and Kate welcomed a special
guest on stage to join them. Mr. Downie walk on with a snazzy white suit,
and a tiny lyric sheet that he read off of. After singing the duet with
Kate, he gave her a kiss on the cheek, and quickly left. A throbbing mass
of people awaited the arrival of the band, and here's what
they got:
Tiger
Something
Gift
Putting
Yawning
Fireworks
Fever
Poets
Flam
ABAC
Train
Daddy
Wheat Kings
Freak
Nautical
MM@W
E1:
Chagrin
Scared
Penguin
E2:
Completists
NOIS
Whatta night, whatta show, whatta crowd!!
And the weekend is over....
Just...like that.
Rory Young
Winnipeg, MB