At several points in his show Saturday night Gordon Lightfoot mentioned that it had been 27 years since he’d played Rockford. Well, after seeing the response of the audience and how much he’s loved here, I wonder why he stayed away so long.

Lightfoot and his talented band made their way through a big chunk of his catalog over the course of a couple hours (there was an intermission). The music varied from mellower, more pure folk to some tracks that really rocked. They never seemed to falter.

Lightfoot’s voice seemed a bit higher and perhaps a little weaker (in terms of actual singing strength) than in his heyday. But much like the later Johnny Cash releases, this seemed to add an air of experience and credibility rather than take away from the experience. Of course, it’s possible that Lightfoot always sounded like that in live performance as it was the first time I had the opportunity to see him in that arena.

If you came for the hits, you were certain to be pleased. From “Sundown,” “Carefree Highway,” “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” and “If You Could Read My Mind” they were all there. There were deeper cuts that I didn’t recognize, too. The interesting thing, though is that it seemed like every song in the set had its share of hardcore fans as seemingly with each and every new number we heard a burst of fan appreciation.

Every one in attendance seemed to have a great time. Lightfoot and his band delivered some excellent music and he showed that he still has what it takes. Let’s hope we see him in Rockford again very soon. 27 years is a long wait.