Lightfoot to close legendary music venue
Gordon Lightfoot’s ties to Massey Hall stretch back to his childhood, so it’s fitting he will be the last performer at the legendary venue before it undergoes major renovations this summer.
The 79-year-old singer plays three concerts — Friday, Saturday and Canada Day on Sunday — before Massey begins interior and exterior repairs that are expected to last two years.
“It’s a time of joy for us, it’s a spiritual thing,” says Lightfoot of performing at the Toronto venue, which he’s done countless times throughout his career.
“I have an affinity for Massey Hall that’s very strong. It’s been my venue since 1966.”
Lightfoot says he doesn’t consider his upcoming run of shows a farewell to Massey, only a brief parting of ways.
“When it’s open and ready to go, we’ll go back in there again,” Lightfoot says.
“Let the chips fall where they may.”
Q Your ties to Massey Hall start at an earlier age than most other musicians. You first stepped onto its stage when you were barely a teenager, as the winner of the Kiwanis Music Festival in your hometown of Orillia, Ont. What was that night like for you?
A It was a beautiful thing to stand there unamplified, accompanied by a piano. I remember the thrill of being in front of the crowd. We had a lot of people in there. And it was a stepping stone for me. I was getting somewhere. After me, there was a clarinet player, a young guy about 14 years old, who did his solo and it reminded me of something you’d hear in a Mozart arrangement. This kid was so good. I never forgot him.
Q Was Massey Hall your first very large crowd?
A You could say so. I was doing events all around. I was playing at weddings, all the various clubs, the ladies’ auxiliary in the Orillia area. My dad took us all out to dinner at a restaurant in Toronto when we were down. My father did all the driving — Gord Sr., my dad — he had to drive me everywhere.
Q People talk about the uniqueness of the venue, everything from its steep seating to this historic structure resting in the heart of downtown Toronto. As a performer, is there anything that makes Massey Hall one of a kind to you?
A It has a character all its own and it breathes when you’re up there. It’s the way the audience of this place surrounds you. It sweeps around you. I love halls that go right up into the ceiling.
Q Do you have any fond memories of seeing other performers at the venue?
A I remember going down to see Stan Getz (a U.S. jazz saxophonist) at one time and Oscar Peterson another. My goodness, I saw Luciano Pavarotti there. I went to see the (Toronto) Mendelssohn Choir, Bruce Springsteen, Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan, Ian & Sylvia, more recently Neil Young. I’ve gone to a lot shows there.