It’s been a while since I’ve written – March 2020 in fact. To be precise, my last email about Gordon’s Acoustic Living Room (more about whom shortly) was sent on March 8, 2020 in advance of our gig on March 15. It was a good little missive, If I do so say so myself – and I recall some folks commenting favourably on it as well. The subject of the email was this COVID thing that was starting to rear its ugly head (and wow that was a very ugly head – and body too – full of spikes apparently). In the blurb I joked that no one had to worry about catching COVID at our gig because the concern was large crowds and the Free Times Café (more about that too shortly) was hardly a large venue.
So it was funny for about three or four days and then things got very real and we cancelled the show and we haven’t played since then, so it’s been a long while.
But now we’re back – or at least we’re pretty sure we’re back – I mean all plans are tentative plans these days. We’ll be playing our first show of 2021 on November 21 at the Free Times Café (and more about the show even more shortly – shortlierer?).
I know folks might be wondering how I kept in shape during this long time away and the answer, of course, is practice. You see, you can’t just write these things out of thin air, it requires discipline and focus and commitment – a willingness to give 125% (can you tell I’ve been watching a lot of sports recently) and again practice and more practice.
I admit, the first few months of the pandemic I was pretty depressed. I’d look at my computer on the second Sunday of the month and think ‘what’s the point – no one will read what I write because we’re not going to be playing.’ But then I shook off that lethargy, that dark fog, that crushing weight (admittedly the weight thing could have been the potato chips) and I started writing again. The second Sunday of every month I fired up the desktop, sat myself down in front of the monitor and wrote a clever one page or so piece knitting together issues of the day, wry observations and a cutting remark or two about the bagpipes. I didn’t send these off because they were about shows that weren’t happening and no one needs to know about what’s not happening.
Actually, that’s not really true. The not sending the emails off part is true but the part about no one needing to know about something that isn’t happening isn’t true because most of the pandemic has been spent listening to the news about what isn’t happening and when what isn’t happening might be happening and then hoping it would be happening and waiting to see if it happened.
And because you are reading this you know that Gordon’s Acoustic Living Room will be happening. We’ll be back at the Free Times – College just west of Spadina, in case you forgot – on Sunday November 21 (in case you forgot this from the subject line and the earlier reference). The show will start at 8 pm. There will, as always, be lots of music and fun. And because it’s our first gig in over 18 moths there will be no cover.
But… there are a few things that will be different. For one thing, you will need to be double vaxxed and have your proof of vaccination with you to show the helpful and friendly staff (more about them soon). And of course, you will have to be masked as you walk through the café to your table. Once at the table you can remove your mask and consume food and beverages. And if all goes well the room will be full so there will be people all around you and if that makes you uncomfortable I get it and you might want to wait a few more months before coming out.
For those of you who are ready to come out and hear live music we would love to see you – and so would the staff at the Free Times. As you can imagine, the past year plus has been really hard on restaurants and music venues. So while we don’t have a cover it would be great if you made a reservation to have dinner before the show. Priority seating will go to those with reservations. And to make it even more attractive we’ve put together a dinner show package where with dinner, you get to see the band for free. No cover is one thing, but free, that’s really special!
If you’ve missed us, or always wanted to see us, and you’re OK with sitting with folks in a room having a good time listening to great music, I really hope to see you there.
Jonathan
P.S. There is no truth to the rumour that hearing bagpipes keeps the virus away; it is a myth like the value of using Invermectin – unlike Invermectin though, which can be used as a horse tranquilizer, the sound of the bagpipes will never put anyone to sleep.
| November 21st Set List: | |
|---|---|
| Set #1: | Set #2: |
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Mist Covered Mountains Wagon Wheel Lake Dore Waltz Ghost… One of Us Cannot Be Wrong Hanging Around the House Song for the Mira Book of Love Cry If You Want To I Mean It When I Do Right… |
Meditation Run… The Wanderer Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow Nigel Down Where The Drunkards Roll Phone Company Rag Hours… Drifting Away Wild and Blue Galway Girl |