Wondering Where the Line-ups Are

I've always enjoyed the little bit of Bruce Cockburn music that came my way. I never really sought it out or ever owned any of Cockburn's albums, but I always thought his songs were pleasing in a creative and energetic way. Via the radio I heard such staples as Wondering Where the Lions Are, If a Tree Falls, and Lovers in a Dangerous Time. 

So after decades of a very casual acquaintance with Bruce's tunes, the opportunity arose for me to see him in concert. Now actually, the 2011 show I'm about to talk about wasn't the first time I saw Cockburn. I did sort of see him at Ottawa's Folk Festival many years ago, but I was far from the stage and was enjoying food and drink in a picnic sort of atmosphere. Fun but not totally engaged in the music.

And at a little church concert in Kingston in 2010, when I went to see another folk pop artist, Jenn Grant, Cockburn made a "surprise" appearance. There were rumblings beforehand that Bruce might show up so it wasn't a total shocker. Still, wonderful music from the two of them (three including the warm-up act Kyra and Tully), both separately and together. A highlight was the whole bunch of them performing Grant's sweet, lilting, and rootsy hit song Dreamer.

But back to the 2011 concert: a friend and I attended the gig at Ottawa's National Art Centre, and I was amazed at how close our seats were to the stage. I could have flipped a coin onto the stage with ease. But I wouldn't have done that... ol' Bruce would have been insulted, I'm sure. 

The NAC is a wonderful venue for both seating arrangement and acoustics. And that night was no exception... excellent seats near the stage, and pristine sound washed over us as Cockburn and his impressive backup band delivered with class and precision a fantastic, mesmerizing set of music. The newer material, with which I was not familiar, was quite different from anything I'd previously heard... very ambient and challenging, though very beautiful. And of course, the older favourites got the audience clapping and singing along. Last Night of the World, Lovers in a Dangerous Time, plus the songs I mentioned earlier were among the biggest crowd-pleasers. 

It wasn't until I'd seen Cockburn up close and personal at that church gig, and again at the Arts Centre, that I realized just how accomplished Cockburn was as a musician. A true Canadian icon.