Robert Gordon
Cadillac Lounge Toronto
September 6th 2008
 
reviewed by Jim Newcombe
 
The first time I saw Robert Gordon was at a club in Toronto in 1987, and it was many years later before I actually met him ( Green Bay 2007).
 
So here he was again in my neck of the woods and at a club that is very friendly to rockin’ people. You sense that when you walk in and see all the Elvis posters. It’s not a big club, the gig room is long and narrow with the bandstand at one end. I chose to stay near the back so as not to have my ears blasted, but with some of the younger guys now reaching well over six foot not a good move for a midsize like me.
 

 
Chris Spedding took the stage fressed in a while coat and there was a drummer and bass player later identified as both being from Detroit. Robert came in from a side door as Chris had started on the fiff for “The Way I Walk” a song that could have been written for Robert and which was the song he started with 21 years ago ! Glancing through my original review I see not many songs were repeated from that show. With just a ‘hi how you doing’ Robert was into the catchy “Loverboy” and then straight into classic country with “Hello walls”. His voice as always deep and rich. Robert was smiling the whole time far from the more moody ‘cool’ guy I had commented on all those years ago. He’s put on a pound or two since them but seems a happy man. Not sure of next song as I don’t have it but it was “I’m A Hot Rod’? then a brilliant “Suspicion” one of Elvis greatest RCA performances and a natural for Robert.
 


 
He had a drink of water and introduced the bass player, then classic Don Gibson “Look Who’s Blue.” I must point out at this stage Robert was in black and even the tv’s around the club weren’t picking him up as the lighting was faulty. Owner Sam was up a ladder correcting it after the show. This meant Chris’s white coat stood out on the screens. “Great to be back in Toronto” said Robert and introduced the drummer who I think was Tom West (His name is Todd Glass – Arjan).
 


 

His very popular “Fire” was greeted with enthusiasm by a knowing audience. One guy I talked to had seen Robert five times, actually the same guy said he had seen Gene and the Bluecaps in Winnipeg when he was 13 but had no photos, just a memory of it. Robert brought a bit of humour into the show by starting into a Barry White piece saying he could do a whole show of Barry White (God forbid). A spedding song “Wild Wild Women”, then Robert exited stage left while Chris entertained with an instrumental and vocals on “Shaking All Over” and “Wild Thing” (uh?).
 

 
Then he did his guitar heroes thing, but I’d rather have heard Scotty and Cliff saluted instead of Hendrix and Townsend whoever they are ! I always liked Hendrix cos he made me sound like Caruso! Robert was back with “ Beside You” and then a brace of great Elvis songs “Mess Of Blues” and “Devil In Disguise” stepping back , clapping his hands while Chris soloed. “Walk On By” brought us back to country music then two Brit hits, Joe Browns “Picture Of You” and Cliff’s “Move It.” Both given excellent treatments. Lutjers boom chicka boom and “There You Go” with Robert saying after “Johnny Cash, we love him”. A pounding “Bertha Lou” and then “Rockabilly Boogie” which Robert makes his own. He had to come back for an encore and it was “Red Hot” which some guy had been calling for all night.
 

 
I went outside a few minutes later and Robert was out on Queen Street chatting to a couple of female fans dressed rockabilly style. We talked for a while about this and that, about Sandford Clark “Does he still sound the same?” Robert asked and then I had to go. Robert was doing a midnight show but I didn’t stay. Twenty one years on and Robert hasn’t lost a thing vocally and he’s a real laid back character now. Great show.