Blue Rodeo, Kathleen Edwards @ Chrysler Theatre, Windsor, ON

Hallelujah! My faith is restored! Last night, Blue Rodeo proved to me why I still love them. I had a blast, due in no small part to having front row seats. Right in front of Mr. Cuddy...

Kathleen Edwards was awesome, what else can I say? I walked in during Hockey Skates, and it sounded great. During her set she invited everyone to come out and visit her in the lobby, so I took that opportunity to buy her CD and get it signed. Chatted briefly with her about the U.S. tv gigs she's been playing. I asked her about whether she was nervous about her upcoming appearance on Jay Leno and she said she was just looking forward to the warm weather. I also asked if she knew who else would be on the show with her and she said she didn't know, then expressed her disappointment at the fact that the night before her Letterman appearance, George Clooney was on. The night she was on, it was Joan Rivers.

As for Blue Rodeo... well. I haven't seen a show this good in I-can't-remember-how-long. I think a bit of it had to do with being so close, and not having to worry about the people around me being unresponsive, because it is a sit-down venue. Jim was right in front of us and we were doing some dancing and singing along so he gave us a few grins now and then.

The setlist was:

Is It You
Moon and Tree -- dedicated to Greg's mom who was in the audience... a couple of people in the crowd went "Awwww..." and he said, "No tears, folks." Jim wiped an imaginary tear off his cheek then Greg said, "Okay, but wait til the chorus."
Five Days -- before this song, Jim said something like, "You folks seems pretty energized for a Sunday night." That's when my friend Kathy, sitting next to me screamed out, "That's 'cause they just let us out of church!" Jim laughed and said, "Oh... hmm... I don't know whether to be frightened or flattered."
Til I Am Myself Again -- Jim mentioned that it was nice to see all their friends from across the border at the show... "You guys can live like sultans up here. You have enough money to buy a casino!"
Bulletproof
Girl In Green
Stage Door -- with the spotlight on Baz and him pretending to mouth the words. Jim came out afterwards and said, "I asked Baz what he was mouthing and he said he was acting out an Italian film! Quite remarkable, really."
After the Rain (WOW! and Jim at the piano right in front of me)
Homeward Bound Angel -- after this song, Jim thanked Kathleen Edwards for playing. "No one says Hockey Skates quite as sexy..."
Head Over Heels
Home -- incredible... not a peep from the audience, just Greg's voice echoing through the theatre
You're Everywhere -- this was awesome... I couldn't help but do my best chair dancing
Somebody Waits
Bad Timing -- before this song, Jim tried to introduce one of the crew guys as being from Windsor. He asked the crowd, "So what do you called yourselves? Windsadorians?" and everyone yelled back, "Windsorites!" and he said, "But that's boring! Windsadorians sounds so much better... Windsadorians..." he kept repeating, with a slightly British lilt. Then Kathy piped up again "Upper class!" then he was like, "Yes, I am an upper class Windsadorian..." Then he introduced the horns as they took their positions up front... said that they'd already blown their per diem at the Casino that day, so they were performing for free tonight.
Comet -- "Another one from the new record."
Walk Like You Don't Mind
Heart Like Mine -- before this song, a guy was screaming for something and Greg said something like, "He must be in the union, he wants to pipe up and have his voice be heard!" Then when Jim and Greg were in the middle of the a cappella intro, Greg opened his eyes, smiled, and started pointing to the neck of his guitar. Then Jim must have noticed, so he opened his eyes, looked over at Greg and must have been wondering what the hell he was doing. Jim then tried to wrap his hand around Greg's guitar to finger the chord, presumably so Greg could strum... "Haha, I can't do it!" and that's when Jim lost it and started laughing... so the intro just fell apart right there and Jim yelled, "Oh just start the song!"
Hasn't Hit Me Yet -- The guy yelled again for something, and Greg was like, "THAT'S IT! I'VE HAD IT WITH YOU BUDDY! YOU'RE OUTTA HERE!" and came towards the front of the stage. When the song eventually started, Kathy and I, who'd been singing along all night, started singing the harmonies while Greg led the rest of the crowd. And we must have been singing just loud enough, because Jim, who was sitting in front of the drum kit just kept grinning at us and nodding. Then when Greg finished up the sing along, Jim looked at us and mouthed, "Niiiice! Nice job!" and nodded in approval.

Then it was time for the encore... everyone was on their feet and when the band came back, Jim said, "Don't feel obliged to sit down!" so everyone stayed standing. Good thing too, 'cause I would have had a hard time sitting during The Railroad Song and Trust Yourself, the perfect let-your-hair-down dancing songs. Then they started into Falling Down Blue and the ladies sitting next to me said, "Ohhhh..." meaning that they were so happy that they were playing it as the last song of the night. Jim must have heard it differently, 'cause he thought they were disappointed... "This isn't good enough for you!?" But then he came over to them during the solos and asked what they really wanted to hear... of course, they said, "THIS SONG!" and I think one of them had tears streaming down her face... awww... you lucky girls.

As for after the show, I had a bit of trouble getting backstage, due to a very anal venue manager. I eventually got back there and got a chance to chat briefly with Bob, James, and Greg (who all said something about my being in the front row and singing... ). When I saw Jim, he smiled and said, "Hiiiiiiiiii!" and complimented me on a great singing job... even kissed me on the cheek... :swoon: Ahhh, you coulda mopped a puddle of Reem off the floor of the Chrysler Theatre last night. I chatted with him a while, asked him where his Windsor Spitfires jersey was, told him that he'd let down all the "Windsadorians"... had a few more giggles, a lot of smiles and got just enough compliments to make me wonder if my head would fit through the door on the way out.