At eighty years old (soon to be 81 in may), Bruce Cockburn is still touring and entertaining fans at the ready when he comes to town. Picking from his catalogue spanning over sixty years with 35+ albums to his name, he shows no signs of stopping. Age has caught up with Bruce a bit – back and hands not cooperating due to wear and tear and arthritis. Cdhanging fingerings and tunings Bruce is able to play songs that were once thought to be never played again. His guitar chops have diminished but the lyrics and his voice is as strong as ever.

It’s been over twenty years and countless shows that I’ve seen Bruce play. This one was special; I’ve learned to not take shows like this for granted because you never know. This could be the last Bruce Cockburn show, you never know. Sounds like a dire prediction but one can’t help but think that. WIth that said, I sat in the front row soaking it in and appreciating the music and inspiration that Bruce has provided me over the years.

“Time takes its toll but in my soul I’m on a roll”

Bruce drew heavily from his most recent release, “O Sun, O Moon”. Songs like “Push Comes to Shove”, “Us All” and what I feel is his motto of today, “On a Roll”. There were some deep cuts like “Red Brother, Red Sister” and “Stolen Land”. The fan favorites “Wondering Where the Lions are”, “Call it Democracy and “Pacing the Cage” made there presence known as well.

Two plus hours of time well spent. My cup is full and feel revitalized. Seeing Bruce and live music in general always does that for me. Is it my last Bruce Cockburn concert? Maybe but I wouldn’t bet on it because he’sl is still on a roll.

Bruce Cockburn Concert Setlist: March14, 2026

1st Set:

• Cafe Society 
• Trouble with Normal
• When you give it away
• King of the Bolero
• Push Comes To Shove
• Red Brother Red Sister
• On a Roll
• Waiting For a Miracle

2nd Set:

• Last Night of the World
• 3 Al Purdy’s
• Understanding Nothing
• Call it Democracy
• Stolen Land
• Lovers in a Dangerous Time
• Wondering Where the Lions Are
• When You Arrive
• Tie Me At the Crossroads

Encore

• Pacing The Cage
• Us All

Bruce’s Set

• Slow Down Fast
• Pacing The Cage
• Interview with host Nick Forster
• (Joan Osborne Played Her Set)
• If a Tree Falls
• Beautiful Creatures
• Jerusalem Poker
• The City is Hungry

Bruce walks out on stage with a new hairstyle; grown long and pulled  back to a pony tail, samurai style.  He made a joke that he needed to put a bone in his hair to complete the look.  Bruce played two small sets with an interview placed in the middle.   Nick Forster (etown host) asked Bruce questions about his accomplishments, influences and intentions regarding songwriting.  A common theme in Bruce’s answers was that he didn’t want to look back but just live in the moment.  He said, at one point, his greatest achievement was being on “this stage at this time.”

His performance of Jerusalem Poker was incredible.  It never ceases to amaze me how he can keep that thumb going while he plays the ridiculously hard solo for that song.  His last selection was a new piece called “The City is Hungry.”  He mentioned that it was inspired by New York City where has spent quite a bit of time visiting his girlfriend.

Even though this was a shorter performance that I’m used to, Bruce was in great form and I can’t wait to see him for the “Slice of Life Tour.”

P.S.  I went to this concert only to see Bruce but I have to say that Joan Osborne blew my mind.  Her voice is so strong and her tone is spine tingling.  She put on a great show and I look forward seeing her live again.  Loved her performance so much I bought Relish and Little Wild One the next day.

Links:

• http://cockburnproject.net
• http://etown.org
• http://www.kingkoncert.com/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=2245

Highlights include:

• Studio footage of Bruce working with Andy Milne and Dapp Theory in his pursuit of overcoming writers block.
• Concert footage from when her got his first break to the Breakfast at New Orleans, Dinner at Timbuktu tour.
• Witnessing the birth of  “Postcards from Cambodia”  from “You’ve Never Seen Everything.”  He was working through the lyrics and music for this song and tried out the chorus for the first time on camera.  Truly moving to watch.

If you are an aspiring song writer or just someone who loves the music of Bruce Cockburn, this documentary is highly recommended.  From interviews with friends and family and words from Bruce himself, you will learn just a bit more about this modern day troubadour.

List of Cockburn Tabs: (updated Sept 2025)

Sunwheel Dance:  I’m not a fan of ASCII tab but it’s fairly accurate/close to the version I have in my “All the Diamonds” songbook.  This version has you tune to open E(EBEG#BE) but I believe it’s tuned to open D (DADF#AD).  Both with the capo on the second fret.  The song is surprisingly easy to learn but incredibly hard to master, especially at the correct tempo.

• Pacing the Cage:  I couldn’t not find a free tab that was worth mentioning but I did find two versions that you can pay for.  Both are very accurate and are in a tab/standard notation form.
  Version 1: $5.50 to download from musicnotes.com
  Version 2: $3.95 to download from freehandmusic.com
• Foxglove:  Tuned to open C, this is transcribed to power tab and is almost identical to my “All the Diamonds” songbook.
• Wondering Where The Lions Are:  ASCII tab again but gives you the main motive pretty accurately which is pretty much 90% of the song.
• Dear Dancing Round a Broken Mirror and Water Into Wine:  Very good transcriptions, one in Powertab.  You will have to subscribe to the Bruce Cockburn musicians group in Yahoo groups and the tab can be found in the files sections.  Many other good tabs and ideas that will set you in the right direction in learning other Bruce’s songs.
• Also found the All the Diamonds Songbook on Amazon.  Expensive but if you really really want it, it’s there. However, I would recommend the following site: Granata Music. Better priced and a small biz you can support. I ordered a replacement one for me and it came pretty quickly.
• Since the writing of this post, I have found that Songsterr has some great transcriptions of Bruce’s work. Really nice that it syncs to the original recording (with paid sub). I highly recommend either version, it has helped me a great deal.

Playlist of Cockburn covers on my YouTube Channel.

I first discovered Manzer guitars about five years ago I saw Bruce Cockburn in Boulder, Colorado.  I have heard many times that when it comes to guitars, we listen with our eyes.  Let’s just say that with a Manzer guitar your eyes won’t be disappointed.  They are beautiful!  The tone is exquisite and a joy to listen to.  I also helps that  Bruce really knows how to make it sing.  Other notable Manzer lovers are Pat Methany and Carlos Santana.  Methany owns the famous Pikasso(Pictured right),  which is an intimidating instrument to look at it, let alone play it.  As you can see, the craftsmanship on these guitars are first rate and with such high quality of guitars made, the popularity and demand increases.

When I first dreamt about owning a Manzer, there was about a 12 month waiting list because she only makes about 15 guitars a year.  Next thing you know, it’s an eighteen months and today, the waiting list is closed so she can “catch up.”   One day, I was tooling around on the Internet and stumbled on the Dream Guitars site.  I noticed that they had a Manzer in the used list.  For grins, I checked it out and see how much it would cost.  $17,000!  Now you know why it’s only a dream.  Whether or not this is a ridiculous price or not is best left for a different post.  You can bet that you will not see a post about my new Manzer unless I get the winning lotto numbers.

So what is your dream guitar?  Is it attainable or will it always be a dream?

Links:

Manzer Guitars

Dream Guitars Manzer Listing

My first selection is Bruce Cockburn’s “Speechless.”  I chose Bruce because it was his playing that inspired me to study fingerstyle guitar  with his signature alternating bass lines with that unwavering thumb and his melodies continue to make my draw drop.  Speechless came out in 2005 and is a collection of his instrumentals throughout his almost 40 year career.  I think every song on this release is wonderful but here are some of my favorites.

• Rouler Sa Bosse: He has been performing this live quite a bit now.  Took me over a year to get that sucker down.
• Sunrise on the Mississippi: Great blues tune. A great example of how his thumb is independent from his entire body. Make you feel like you’re on the front porch down south  with some of the old greats.
• Deep Lake: Slow meditative song that reminds me of a trip I took to the English River in Canada.
• Water Into Wine and Sunwheel Dance: Both of these songs are perfect examples of his mastery of fingerstyle guitar. There is so much happening in these songs, you sometimes wonder if there is someone playing with him.
• Mistress of Storms: Another “thumb” song but he adds vibes to this for a more jazzy feel.  If you can get a hold of him doing this live, get it!  His improv is incredible.

Links of Interest:

Cockburn Project

Rounder Records

The show started off a bit tough because the mix was a bit hot and Bruce even mentioned it and asked for the mix to be turned down a bit.  A few songs in, the mix was pretty much dialed in and we were on our way.  As always Bruce’s playing was spot on and that thumb never quits.  Had some great solos on “Stolen Land” and “If a Tree Falls” and surprised me with “Kit Carson” and “Trouble with Normal.   Ended the night with “Rouler sa Bosse” and “Tie Me at the Crossroads.”

Great show by Bruce, one of the better shows that I have seen him do.  The only thing that was different about Bruce, this time was that he didn’t really converse with the crowd all that much.  He would respond to some of the comments the audience made but wouldn’t offer anything on his own like he usually does.  So sometimes there was an awkward silence when he was tuning or switching guitars.  Maybe because of the long delay before he went on, bad day, etc…  Who knows?  Either way, his performance was awesome and he never fails to deliver.

Set List

1. Last Night of the World
2. See You Tomorrow
3. Lovers in a Dangerous Time
4. Pacing the Cage (wow!)
5. Trouble With Normal
6. Stolen Land
7. Kit Carson
8. Put it in Your Heart
9. If a Tree Falls
10. Wondering Where the Lions Are

Encore:

1. Rouler Sa Boss
2. Tie Me at the Crossroads

Other Bruce Cockburn Concerts I have reviewed:

1. 7.22.03  Boulder Theatre  – Boulder, Colorado (First time I saw Bruce Live)
2. 10.30.05 Gothic Theatre – Denver, Colorado (solo)
3. 8.17.06 Chautauqua Auditorium – Boulder, Colorado (Sarah Harmer, opening act)
4. 8.18.06 Denver Botanic Gardens (Sarah Harmer, opening act)

* I also was at the the November 12, 2003 show at the Paramount Theatre in Denver but didn’t leave submit a review.  Should-of though because he did a version of “Stolen Land” on electric guitar that was amazing.  I remember thinking that he was channeling the spirit of Jimi Hendrix during that song

The show was emcee’ d by Harry Tuft(Swallow Hill Founder), Mollie O’Brien and Rich Moore.  Between each set they would perform one or two classic fold song to help pass the time.  I was really impressed by the guitar playing of Tuft and Moore, they both played together but it seemed as if it was one instrument.  The collaboration of their guitars were inspiring.  Moore was the nice surprise with his blues fingerstyle licks all over the fingerboard.  He more than once got the crowd going with his playing.

Other Acts:

• Souther Journey, featuring Emily Morgan Bates and Marta Burton:

Morgan Bate’s voice filled the hall with her voice with old time southern spirituals like “Wade in the Water.”  It was a great start to a wonderful evening.

• Fifth World:

Mix Australian didgeridoo playing with Native American flute and rhythm, you have Fifth World.  First time I ever heard them and I’m getting their CD now.  The rhythms of the didgeridoo and the calmness of the flute was intoxicating and I wanted more.  If you like good mood music with a cosmic feel, check them out.

• Santa Cruz River Band

A three piece band from Arizona playing traditional Mexican music with the and Arizona flair.  Tight rhythms and perfect harmonies during their set and thy topped it off playing one of my favorites, “Volver, Volver.”  I’m a sentimental fool, that song reminds me of my grandma.

• Dakota Blonde

Yet another first time listen and I will definitely get their CD.  There were so many things I could go on about them but what got my attention was the mandolin play of Ernie Martinez.  Worthy to note was their rendition of Men at Work’s “Man Down Under.”  I Highly recommend a listen.

• Steppin’ In It & Rachel Davis

These guys (and gal) totally surprised me.  Wasn’t sure to what to expect but they didn’t disappoint.  High energy Jazz in the spirit of the 30’s and 40’s, they got the crowd rocking.  Two brothers in the band were Andy and Joe Wilson and it was fun to watch them.  They would switch between instruments in the middle of the song and I’m not just talking 1 or 2 but three or four.  From fiddle, resonator, trombone, trumpet, harmonica and even a flute, they played each instrument like it was their main one.  A pleasure to hear.

• Nanci Griffith

A legend in her own right, Nanci Griffith was nothing short of magnificent.  Her beautiful voice resonated through out the hall and I was hooked.  She played for about an hour and her energy was infectious.  She chatted with the audience and told stories just like a true folk musician should.  

• Bruce Cockburn

Bruce was great but you will get a more detailed description of his set in my next post.

I have to say that the Swallow Hill Folk and Roots Festival was worth every penny that I paid for my tickets.  Swallow hill needs to be congratulated for bringing such a talented group of musicians to Denver last night.  Swallow Hill Music association is a hidden jem in not only Denver but all of Colorado.  I encourage you to check out their site at http://www.swallowhill.com/. 

What Hasn’t Worked for Me:

• I read an interview with Bruce Cockburn where he said that he used to super glue his nails to reinforce them.  Even went as far as getting tissue or toilet paper and cutting them into small strips and glue them onto his nails.  Kind of a type of wallpaper or fiberglass type feel. I tried this and at first it seems to work but overtime it weekend my nails to the point where they would break and chip more often.  Bruce now uses a product called Nail Envy that he’s been using for a long time and swears by it.  I haven’t tried it myself.
• Haven’t tried acrylics but I did try the trick of cutting up a ping pong ball and shaping a fake nail and then gluing it to my finger.  It worked fairly well but you still run into the weakening of your organic nail because of the glue and I didn’t like the feel of fake nails because I felt a disconnect between me and the string.  It just didn’t feel right.  I didn’t think that acrylics would be any better so I didn’t try.  Plus I was a struggling college student and couldn’t afford them.

What Has Worked:

For me to have healthy nails was really more a lifestyle change rather than a quick fix gadget.

• I changed the way I do things with my hands.  For example, I wear gloves a lot to protect my hands or when I’m opening doors or drawers, I make sure I have a good grip because I have some of my worst breaks when opening a door or drawer and my hand slips and my nail catches.  That really pisses me off when I break a nail that way.
• I learned how to manicure my own hands with a nail file and I never use nail clippers.  I can’t remember where I read it but I read that  your nails get stronger if you file them down.  It has worked bunches for me.  I also keep a nail file everywhere I am; car, work, bathroom, etc…
• When I break a nail, I resist the urge to bite it and I can go all day, if I have to until I get to a nail file.  This one was hard for me since I used to be a chronic nail biter.  If the nail isn’t to bad I use a band-aid to re-enforce the nail until it grows out enough or finally breaks.  This works very well and I can usually buy a couple of weeks with this.
• I take a good multivitamin, it’s a Costco equivalent of Centrum.  Had to try 3 or 4 different brands until I found one that worked for me.

With all that said, I feel the constant use of a nail file is what has helped the most for me.  I don’t go more than a day or two before I use it.  It keeps my nails clean from snags, chips and I do believe that it has made my nails stronger.   What do you do, please leave a comment and let me know.

Update (10.27.08):  Recently purchased Nail Envy from amazon and have been using it for about a week.  So far, I have been impressed with the results.  More details in a future post.

http://www.swallowhill.com/festivals/DenverFolkFest2008/DFRF2008.htm

http://cockburnproject.net/