Diane and I got a late morning start and headed to Westbury. We had some time to kill, so we ended up going out to Jones Beach as the sun was shining, and we'd never been before. After we walked around for a bit, we drove around Hofstra University for awhile as my daughter is going there next fall (that's for anyone who I haven't bragged to yet!)Then we went to the cheesecake factory for dinner, and headed for the show.

The Westbury Music theater is a round theater with a rotating stage. I used to go to the one in Wallingford, CT all the time and loved it. Tonight the stage stayed in the same place, and they only sold it as a half round show. I'd never been there before, and was thrilled to see how much better our seats were, and how comfortable they were! It was a far more intimate setting than the night before. When GL first came out we thought no one was reacting, but it was just the acoustics from where we were sitting, and not a lack of enthusiasm. This crowd was every bit as happy to see him as the night before.
The set list was:
Triangle
Cotton Jenny
14 Karat Gold
Never Too Close
In My Fashion
A Painter Passing Through
Rainy Day People
Shadows
Beautiful
Carefree Highway
Hangdog Hotel Room
Ribbon of Darkness/Sundown
The Watchman's Gone

Intermission

Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
Alberta Bound
Don Quixote
The Minstrell of the Dawn
Clouds of Lonliness
Waiting for You
IYCRMM
Restless
Baby Step Back
Canadian Railroad Trilogy

Encores
Blackberry Wine
Old Dan's Records

It was great to hear Minstrell, which was the standout for me, and to hear CRT. A couple of notes about the people around us. The guys behind us were obvisously big fans, and one of them sang along softly on occassion which for some reason didn't bother us. I guess it was because we knew from their coversation that they were big fans, and they managed to stay on key!
There were two guys two rows ahead of us that must have been mighty hungrey or thirsty, as each of them got up at least once during each set, causing people to have to stand to let them through. WHy they couldn't go together, or time it better is beyond me, very annoying.
Next to me was a family of 4, I'm going to assume a father with three kids, one of which was a cute little red head girl of no more than 7. She bopped along to some of the songs, until GL started singing Beautiful. She sang softly along to the whole song, and got every word right! Then during DQ, she added the two stomps (which GL forgot!). She continued to sing a bit to other songs, but never was annoying or irritating. She thoroughly enjoyed the show, and made us smile and laugh. She obviously is being raised well! Kudos to her father, she was well behaved and has great musical taste!
After the show we met up with two gentlemen from Ireland and England who we had met the night before. They are brothers who flew over just to see the two shows. I wish we had had more time to chat, but instead we shoved them into the back of my car and raced them to the train station to try to catch a train back to Peekskill. I doubt they made it, but they sure looked grateful after they climbed out of the car...Hmm.....

Anyway, the Westbury show was by far the best of the three I was able to attend this time. I'm not sure if it was the intimacy of the theater, or the addition of a few songs that I hadn't heard for awhile, or that GL was a bit looser as it was the last night and he was heading home, but it all worked.
I'm sure I will remember a few more things later on this week, but all in all it was a great weekend.
Jenney

Guys don't do that.

That silliness aside, I thoroughly enjoyed your reviews. Wow...'Minstrel of the Dawn'. That takes me back close to the beginning. I've always thought it would be a great 'opener' to his concerts.

Thanks for reporting that a new generation is experiencing the magic of the music.

Sounds like you two had a great time - in an out of the concert halls!
Minstrel would be great to hear at Mariposa...
And he's doing Clouds of Loneliness..hmmm..great stuff..

thanks for the phone call last night Sparky..talking to the two of you was ALMOST like being there...and I can almost taste the cheesecake...!
lol

Thanks for the report Jenney! I'm kind of jealous. He didn't do "Minstrel of the Dawn" last Wednesday in Harrisburg. Would have loved to have heard that! It was on my "wish list".

This is one great setlist and my anticipation for his fall concerts in MN is really growing. I can hardly wait :)
Minstrel, Restless and The Watchman are three of my all time favorites, add Sit down young stranger and I'll be beside myself, lol.

Am I wrong or is he indeed mixing in a lot more tunes he didn't do in quite a while? Maybe he has someone checking out this side and knows our desire... :D

Jenney's co-pilot here again.

Even though we did alot of traveling and quite an array of activities (for this rural gal anyway) it was a relaxing day. I enjoyed the stop at Jones Beach, having not been oceanside for some time. And I chuckled when I got home to NH at 2am this morning, took off my socks and found sand between my toes. lol

Made a new friend, "nuvi", Jenney's invaluable GPS. We would be driving along, talking and then stop mid-sentence to hear her words of guidance. Too funny. But without her, we wouldn't have looked nearly as impressive to those lovely gentleman from the isles in getting them to the train station (hopefully on time, but the jury is still out on that. In any event, they were in a better place to get to where they needed to go instead of being stranded in an empty parking lot trying in vain to get through to the local cab company).

Westbury was probably my favorite of the two. It was very intimate. The family that Jenney mentioned was added entertainment and impressive to see. And yeah, the two guys in front that kept getting up were annoying. I wondered why they would time it about 30 seconds into a song and not during the applause. I can't imagine the people that had to get up to let them by were pleased. But takes all kinds I guess.

Minstrel and Alberta Bound were unexpected treats. Restless was outstanding. I was sorry that in the two nights I did not hear All the Lovely Ladies and EMR only once. Clouds of Loneliness is not one of my favorites from Harmony, but I am appreciating it more and more each time I hear it in concert. And as many times as I have heard the songs, live and recorded, I seem to come across a lyric or two that I hear in a different way and hits my heart.

Gord's mood was more relaxed and I can't help think it was because it was the last show. He mentioned more than once it was show #10 in 12 days.

While waiting in the parking lot for the doors to open, I watched a few Canada geese making themselves at home on the blacktop. Almost like they were there to support the "home boy" lol.

On my drive home to NH from Jenney's, I listened to more Gordmusic and reflected on what she had said as we were leaving Jones Beach, a place probably neither of us would have ever visited if it weren't for Gord. And how many places we had been and people we had met because of Gord. And along with having a outstanding soundtrack for our lives (and cheesecake in the refrigerator), how can you beat that? :)

Diane

Diane - re: cheesecake - do you want my address...?? What? NO fabric shopping expedition?
Those Canada geese you were watching while we talked on the phone were actually there representing this Canuck 'home-girl' who couldn't make it.. :(
I bet they caught a ride home with Gord!
lol
when can i expect delivery of dessert?
;)

As soon as you go to www.cheesecakefactory.com with your trusty Visa card. lol There ain't gonna be much left of mine to send to you once my family has their fill tonight. :)