GBS at the Molson Amphitheatre
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Feel It Turn was next. It was Sunflower’s first time hearing the new version with Kris’ lovely drums. Nice, very nice, I have a soft spot in my heart for this song since our 5th grade “graduating class” sang it for Closing Exercises on last Wednesday. World Domination strikes again!

Alan exhorted us once again “Don’t waste the time that you have with loved ones. You never know how many summers you will be given to enjoy.” That was the intro to Consequence Free. I have a special spot in my heart for this song too. It’s gotten me thru some lousy days. I don’t know why, but I just had to drink in the visuals for this one. I spent the song looking at the audience. Singing, dancing, clapping and being consequence free for a few hours. Lennart in front of me was just dancing away, enjoying himself. Made me smile. The song does just what it’s supposed to do, Alan. What a good choice here.

Lukey came next and I was a little sad because I knew it was the beginning of the end. Murray finally had a great solo and they all played their solo parts with gusto. Everyone was dancing and bouncing – both onstage and off. Lennart and Sunflower had a little dance themselves.

Mari Mac followed immediately after and continued the energy of Lukey. I love Bob’s fiddle in this and Sean was particularly engaging. His little jump off the drum podium was done with a flourish. Have I mentioned lately how smiley Bob was? And how dancey Sean was? Yes? Oh, well I was just so impressed. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Bob smile so much.
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We didn’t have to chant “Great Big Sea.” The audience was still cheering and clapping and stomping from Mari-Mac when Sean came out all alone. The visual here was powerful. One I can’t get from my usual spot in the front. I was happy to be sitting farther back for this. Picture Sean on a darkened stage,  bathed in the light from one lone spotlight, alone on stage singing – WIDOW! Oh my! I never thought I’d hear this one again. I really like it and Sean didn’t disappoint. Somewhere in the song he muffed up the words, but the audience cheered him on and he just grinned from ear to ear and finished with a flourish. Even though I dearly miss Bob’s fiddle part he does live for this, I so loved this. What a powerful voice he still had after singing 20 songs! Thanks Sean.

Alan exchanged places with Sean, patting him on the back for a job well done and painted the same visual. It was a wonderful Boston  and St. John’s. He broke a string after the first verse and looked to Danny and said “Hold that thought” to the audience. He met Danny halfway and continued as if nothing had happened. Great job, Alan!

The rest of the band came out after that and we were treated to Excursion and Feller From Fortune. I wish they’d retire Excursion. I just can’t get used to Alan singing it. Feller was a treat. The more I hear it, the more I like it. But I still secretly hope that Auntie Mary is somewhere on that new CD.

They left the stage and once again the clapping continued till they came back. They went right into an abbreviated Rant and Roar and allowed the audience to sing several times alone. They seemed to enjoy hearing 10,000 honorary Newfoundlanders sing. We were all Newfoundlanders for that song. At least that’s the way it felt to me. My third very powerful auditory memory of the evening. AS it had all thru the show, a Newfoundland flag was being flown during this song. Alan smiled at the people in the audience who were flying them and said, “Thanks for flying the colors.”

The evening with GBS ended with Old Black Rum. A fitting end for a celebratory evening. Alan introduced everyone in thre band at the end and Bob introduced Alan. As the rest of the band left the stage, Alan just stood there, drinking it all in – the crowd, the energy, the love. He didn’t want to let it go. GBS had taken a show that threatened to be half empty and almost filled the hall. We may have packed it with bodies, but Alan, Bob, Kris, Murray and Sean filled it with hope and spirit and joy. Thank you b’ys, we needed that.

As we left the venue, an impromptu singing of “Oh Canada” broke out all around us. What a proud moment for the Canadians there. I felt all warm and tingly like I do when we sing the Star Spangled Banner on the 4th of July. I just reveled in that patriotic moment. Ya done ‘em proud, b’ys. Ya done ‘em proud.