4/13/08 – MHS Auditorium, Wawa, ON

I finally got to see Rossport in the daylight, having only visited previously in December, arriving after dinner and leaving before dawn. This would usually be a great opportunity to spy some amazing scenery, but when the morning light blasted through our window at 6:30 am this morning, I was a bit less excited about the landscape.

I need one of these thingers, like Blanche from the Golden Girls! On the road it’s very hard to control your environment and while I’ve been tempted to bring along a hammer, some nails, and a large light-proof blanket, the aforementioned gizmo would probably save me some apologizing to my hosts.

Honestly though, everything is more agreeable in the daylight. This past November we were shrouded in darkness for the larger part of our trip through this region and, looking back, I realize the long drives sit on a different place in my soul when accompanied by the stars.

I just finished a book about the race for the North Pole and while reading I was challenged to wonder about the effects of several months of night. I claim to be a night owl, most comfortable and inspired in fake light, but it would be difficult to be so contemplative for so long without imploding and shutting down completely. It’s a great mind exercise to think about how ready one is to wind down at 5 pm in midwinter, and how jazzed one is to head to the park at 7 pm on a bright warm summer day.

Heading into Wawa today, I was reminded about our last trip through and how if we hadn’t stopped at their self-serve gas pump, we would have most definitely been stranded on a frozen highway until morning. I was glad then, to be afforded a pilgrimage back to the land of my deliverance. It was not exactly what I had expected…

There are evenings during which I am quite sure that the audience is watching those seconds tick by. I think many artists will agree that a completely silent crowd is unnerving. You start to wonder if there really is anyone out there…

Tonight I finished up my second set, turned around to put my guitar on its stand, and when I faced forward again I saw something that nearly brought tears to my eyes. The folks in the MHS Auditorium were still clapping. And they were standing!

Things are not always as they seem, and conclusions often depend on your own perspective (or the light!).