Gaithers in Hamilton

I wanted to write last night, but we got home so late, there was only time for tea and pajamas!

Last night, Dad and I worked Gordon Mote's product table at the Gaither show in Hamilton. We drove out a few hours before the show, just in time to have pie (I've never seen a Swiss Chalet line-up literally trailing down the street!) and pay too much for parking.

I met Gordon and his manager, Bob, at Stamps-Baxter a few years ago, and it's always great to see them - good, cool people. Working the table was fun, and there's no one friendlier and happier than Gaither fans at a show.

It's been a few years since I've seen a Gaither show, and I have to say - we had a great time. Our seats were prime - 3rd row, almost center - so we could really see the music happening. There were some amazing acoustic sets with Buddy Greene, Gordon Mote and the Isaacs, sometimes with all of them playing together. Really - amazing!

The show contained some lovely vocal performances by Karen Peck, Charlotte Ritchie, and Gene MacDonald. There was also an wonderful moment with Lynda Randle. I know she has a great voice, but I've never really understood the extreme devotion of her fans. Well, partway through "Sparrow", she noticed someone in the front row to the right of us. I couldn't see the person, but he or she must have doing sign language. Lynda noticed, and every time she turned to that side of the audience she looked directly at that person and signed the lyric of the song. She didn't do it any other time or in any other direction. It was so obvious that she was reaching out to a specific person, that other people in the audience started looking around to see who she was looking at. It was a beautiful moment of an artist in a venue of thousands reaching out and connecting with one person. Extreme devotion explained.

Tonight was also my first time seeing the new GVB. Michael English is still out, so Reggie Smith filled in! I know Reggie through Stamps-Baxter, and he sang on 'Real Big Fan', so it was so cool to see him! The group sounded great, but loud. The only complaints of the night were the volume and the cold (I think the ice is still down in the stadium).

Oh, one more lovely moment - during the 'homecoming' part of the show, Bill pulled a chair to the front of the stage, sat down, and sang a song by himself. His voice cracked and warbled and did everything else a 'good' voice shouldn't do, and yet it was one of the most moving parts of the show. Why? Because he communicated the message of the song. Beautiful!

So overall - good music, good show, good pie!