Chatham 19th June 2008
Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 9:11 am
Mr Giltrap was brilliant as ever in Chatham on 19th June. The concert was at the Brook Theatre which was the old Chatham Town Hall when I were a lad. Anyway – a small intimate venue which suits Gordon perfectly.
As ever he played a range of his material including the very first outing of a tune called at the moment Mrs P’s Lullaby, which was a piece Gordon was commissioned to write and uses the baritone guitar. Highlights were as ever the astonishing Dodo’s Dream, Heartsong, The Lord’s Seat ( which I have the music for and should try and learn I think now ) and his usual finale of Lucifer’s Cage. I bought the music, CD and a DVD he has put together about Dodo’s Dream but whether I’ll ever get a loop station and have a real go at it is no doubt unlikely. Although I’ve tracked a loop station down for about £150…
Gordon had his new 12-string in use (see the guitar anorak section). He hasn’t played 12-string live for some years and it was great for him to have gone back to that and bringing old tunes like From the Four Winds back into the live set as a result.
Interspersing the splendid tunes were his usual anecdotes and commentary on his life past and present which are always amusing. A thoroughly entertaining, humble and lovely man with an amazing talent. His enthusiasm and love of what he does shines through. He must have played Heartsong for example every other day of his life for 30+ years but the smile on his face as he finished stating how much he always enjoys playing that tune was clearly entirely genuine. As ever I was humbled by his music and talent, making my renditions of Dublin Day and On Camber Sands sound lifeless, I’ll have to practice some more.
As ever he played a range of his material including the very first outing of a tune called at the moment Mrs P’s Lullaby, which was a piece Gordon was commissioned to write and uses the baritone guitar. Highlights were as ever the astonishing Dodo’s Dream, Heartsong, The Lord’s Seat ( which I have the music for and should try and learn I think now ) and his usual finale of Lucifer’s Cage. I bought the music, CD and a DVD he has put together about Dodo’s Dream but whether I’ll ever get a loop station and have a real go at it is no doubt unlikely. Although I’ve tracked a loop station down for about £150…
Gordon had his new 12-string in use (see the guitar anorak section). He hasn’t played 12-string live for some years and it was great for him to have gone back to that and bringing old tunes like From the Four Winds back into the live set as a result.
Interspersing the splendid tunes were his usual anecdotes and commentary on his life past and present which are always amusing. A thoroughly entertaining, humble and lovely man with an amazing talent. His enthusiasm and love of what he does shines through. He must have played Heartsong for example every other day of his life for 30+ years but the smile on his face as he finished stating how much he always enjoys playing that tune was clearly entirely genuine. As ever I was humbled by his music and talent, making my renditions of Dublin Day and On Camber Sands sound lifeless, I’ll have to practice some more.