Duxford Girl

If you've come to this blog for an impartial and musically technical review of the Jim Cuddy concert in Calgary on the 6th, don't bother. Myself and the friend I went to the concert with are dedicated fans and it would be hard to find an instance where we wouldn't be praising anything done by Keelor/Cuddy/Blue Rodeo. The concert started with Justin Rutledge who is one of Canada's up and coming singer/songwriters. His lyrics are purposeful and I like his folk-to-rock sound. In fact, I kind of wish that he and his band would have performed a bit longer.

The Jim Cuddy Band is comprised of Colin Cripps on guitar, Bazil Donovan on bass, Bob Packwood on keyboards, Joel Anderson on drums and Anne Lindsay on violin. She totally kicks ass and I'd be lying if I said that I don't envy her job. She did a solo on Five Days in May that was the coolest performance I've ever seen on a violin.

The show had a very intimate feel with Jim Cuddy engaging in witty banter with the crowd. The set included songs of his both old and new, a Neil Young cover and much to my ultimate joy some Blue Rodeo standards as well as some rarely played BR songs (no Falling Down Blue but I always keep my fingers crossed).

The concert lasted about two and a half hours but I could have sat there listening all night. It's hard not to love a concert where the musicians on stage are obviously having such a great time performing. If I wasn't a slave to the railway I would definitely get to concerts in other cities to see the band again. This was my seventh Keelor/Cuddy/BR experience in the past four years and I think it's the mark of great performers that you can go see them that often and never feel like you've seen the same concert twice.

At one point in the concert, the entire band sat down (Justin Rutledge et al, included) in a semi-circle and jammed, opening the set with Bad Timing. The minute Cuddy played the opening notes on his harmonica people began to clap because this is one of the all-time favourites he's written. It was the song that started my love affair with the band about six years ago and because I'm a sucker for heartbreak, I never grow tired of hearing the song live.

"It's about meeting somebody at the wrong time... and not being able to honour the possibility that's presented... because keeping moving is more important than stopping and developing a relationship.."
- Jim Cuddy

Hey it's me what a big surprise
Calling you up from a restaurant
Around the bend
I just got in from way up North
I'm aching tired now
And I could use a friend
I might be a fool
To think that you do
Want to see me again
It's been awhile since I talked to you
Nothing wrong
Just nothing ever goes as planned
Many times I thought I'd call
I didn't have your number in my hand
I know it's true
You'd never do
The same thing to me

I never meant to make you cry
And though I know I shouldn't call
It just reminds us of the cost
Of everything we've lost
Bad timing that's all
Maybe soon there'll come a day
When no more tears will fall
If we each forgive a little bit
And we both look back on it
As just bad timing that's all

We used to have so many plans
Something always seemed to turn out wrong
I never could catch up to you
Moving on and doing what you've done
I don't know why
The harder I try
The harder it comes
I never meant to make you cry
And though I know I shouldn't call
It just reminds us of the cost
Of everything we've lost
Bad timing that's all
Maybe soon there'll come a day
When no more tears will fall
If we each forgive a little bit
When we both look back on it
Just bad timing that's all

I think that this is a great song but by the reaction of the audience every time I've see this song performed live it's clear that a lot of people feel the same way. I guess I'm not the only one walking around with the kind of pain and finality that this song conveys.