I saw Bruce in concert at Ontario Place more than once, but I can't remember how many times. It was a great venue for concerts and it was cheap too. Concerts were free with a $5 admission after some point in the evening, like 8:00. And, the stage rotated, which was cool. Sadly, that stage was demolished years ago and I have never been back.
During one Cockburn concert, on the Big Circumstance tour, a Chinese family got up and marched out when Bruce was part way through The Tibetan Side of Town. I think it was the line: "With their clinging memories of a culture crushed by Chinese greed." Clearly, they were not familiar with his music, and the free price tag wasn't enough to hold them.
The best thing about this record is the return to the guitar. I like his previous efforts with world music, but the sound was sometimes too big. The guitar is back where it belongs on this record.
I suppose from a religious point of view, Gospel of Bondage should be considered something of a brave statement from the once very Christian Cockburn.
Sometimes you can hear the Spirit whispering to you,
But if God stays silent, what else can you do
Except listen to the silence? if you ever did you'd surely see
That God won't be reduced to an ideology
I guess it's a movement away from structured religion.
By this album, Bruce included a few more environmental songs into his repertoire, like Radium Rain and If a Tree Fall.
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