Nov. 26, 1996 · Toronto, ON · Massey Hall
Recording & Broadcast Information
Audio recording
Yes
Sound quality
Not available
Video footage
Not yet documented
Setlist
For individual songs, use the Media links in the setlist when available.
Setlist not yet available
No setlist has been added for this show yet.
Archive Notes
Review (from the Toronto Sun, November 27, 1996):
Too much family, not enough Cash
By JANE STEVENSON
Toronto Sun
It definitely says something about a man's strength as a performer when he can literally have his audience sobbing with tears one minute, and smiling and clapping the next. But then, what else would you expect from country music legend Johnny Cash?
The 64-year-old singer-songwriter had a near-capacity crowd of 3,000 fans along for an emotional roller-coaster ride at Massey Hall last night. He sang his first ever live performance of the teary ballad I Still Can't Say Goodbye -- which he dedicated to his late father. Cash then quite abruptly switched his gears, rumbling into his classic and powerful barnburner, Ring Of Fire.
"Holiday season is upon us," said Cash."I've been thinking about my Mama and Daddy. You think about them when they're gone."
Gulp.
Still, Cash seemed genuinely happy to be revisiting his old stomping grounds in Toronto with wife-singer June Carter Cash, son-guitarist John Carter Cash and his five-piece band. "It's good to be back at Massey Hall," he said in his famous baritone.
"The last time I was here was 40 years ago. I felt a lot older then -- I really did."
Now Cash could have been referring to his notorious younger and much wilder days. Or to his latest incarnation as an interpreter of alternative rock songs written by everyone from Beck to Soundgarden, most recently on his latest album, Unchained. (One of the evening's highlights was his version of Chris Cornell's Rusty Cage.) Either way, the older-skewed crowd at Massey was there to worship The Man In Black -- one woman brought along a dozen, long-stemmed red roses -- which is why his gentlemanly gesture giving equal, combined time to guitarist-son John and singer-wife June in solo sets was ultimately disappointing.
In short, there was too much of his family -- especially the chatty, rambling June, who probably talked more than she actually sang -- and not enough Johnny. Particularly since Cash chose not to satisfy his fans and come back out on stage for an encore last night. After the final verse of another one of his classics, A Boy Named Sue, Cash blew a kiss and exited the Massey Hall stage. It didn't help that there was also a bit of a bumpy start to the proceedings, due to a muddy sound mix in which Cash's vocals were difficult to make out. Thankfully, his trademark salutation -- "Hello, I'm Johnny Cash" -- wasn't.
RATING: THREE OUT OF FIVE STARS
Too much family, not enough Cash
By JANE STEVENSON
Toronto Sun
It definitely says something about a man's strength as a performer when he can literally have his audience sobbing with tears one minute, and smiling and clapping the next. But then, what else would you expect from country music legend Johnny Cash?
The 64-year-old singer-songwriter had a near-capacity crowd of 3,000 fans along for an emotional roller-coaster ride at Massey Hall last night. He sang his first ever live performance of the teary ballad I Still Can't Say Goodbye -- which he dedicated to his late father. Cash then quite abruptly switched his gears, rumbling into his classic and powerful barnburner, Ring Of Fire.
"Holiday season is upon us," said Cash."I've been thinking about my Mama and Daddy. You think about them when they're gone."
Gulp.
Still, Cash seemed genuinely happy to be revisiting his old stomping grounds in Toronto with wife-singer June Carter Cash, son-guitarist John Carter Cash and his five-piece band. "It's good to be back at Massey Hall," he said in his famous baritone.
"The last time I was here was 40 years ago. I felt a lot older then -- I really did."
Now Cash could have been referring to his notorious younger and much wilder days. Or to his latest incarnation as an interpreter of alternative rock songs written by everyone from Beck to Soundgarden, most recently on his latest album, Unchained. (One of the evening's highlights was his version of Chris Cornell's Rusty Cage.) Either way, the older-skewed crowd at Massey was there to worship The Man In Black -- one woman brought along a dozen, long-stemmed red roses -- which is why his gentlemanly gesture giving equal, combined time to guitarist-son John and singer-wife June in solo sets was ultimately disappointing.
In short, there was too much of his family -- especially the chatty, rambling June, who probably talked more than she actually sang -- and not enough Johnny. Particularly since Cash chose not to satisfy his fans and come back out on stage for an encore last night. After the final verse of another one of his classics, A Boy Named Sue, Cash blew a kiss and exited the Massey Hall stage. It didn't help that there was also a bit of a bumpy start to the proceedings, due to a muddy sound mix in which Cash's vocals were difficult to make out. Thankfully, his trademark salutation -- "Hello, I'm Johnny Cash" -- wasn't.
RATING: THREE OUT OF FIVE STARS
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