DEBBIE GIBSON ON TOUR

TOO FANCY: DEBBIE GIBSON and guitarist Sean Thomas mesmerize the capacity crowd at The Arena in Pickering, Ontario on 25 July 2025. Editor / Publisher Michael McDowell takes a behind the scenes look that neither the body nor the heart will forget. Photo by Michael McDowell. C&P 2025 Blitz Magazine - The Rock And Roll Magazine For Thinking People. Al rights reserved. (Click on above image to enlarge). 

RED CARPET READY:

ON TOUR WITH

DEBBIE GIBSON

By Michael McDowell

Accidents Will Happen.

When Elvis Costello And The Attractions introduced that song on their 1979 Armed Forces album for Columbia, the group envisioned a somewhat larger, almost metaphorical perspective on that familiar theme. But suffice to say that in terms of developments surrounding Debbie Gibson's 25 July tour stop in the Toronto, Ontario suburb of Pickering, that concept availed itself in the most basic of ways for at least a few of those in attendance.

To wit, some among the concert goers came to Pickering from across the North American continent. A few of them opted to arrive a day early in order to settle in, see the sights, and fine tune their itineraries. 

However, during the afternoon commute on Toronto's main thoroughfare (the 401 Freeway) on the day prior to showtime, the driver of an eastbound vehicle attempted (to no avail) to straddle the guard rail that separates the express lanes from the collector lanes. 

The resultant seven car pile up brought eastbound traffic to a standstill. And since the main surface routes such as Yonge Street were also at capacity with rush hour traffic, those on the eastbound 401 found themselves stuck in a two hour squeeze in their attempts to steer clear of the multi-car fender bender. Remarkably, there were no apparent injuries, although the nearly 35C degree heat seemed to have caused more than one car that was stuck in the resultant traffic jam to overheat. 

Thankfully, Gibson and Team Deb drew from their wisdom borne of decades on the road and avoided any such concerns by arriving a day early and by flying instead of driving. 

Of course given that Gibson and her entourage descended upon Toronto's Pearson Airport from such disparate locations as Las Vegas and New York would have made her trademark RV road trip a logistical challenge, to put it mildly. Thankfully, the well seasoned Pearson airport shuttle team also rose to the occasion magnificently, bringing Gibson and Team Deb to the Pickering facility two days ahead of schedule.

"We even had a chance to go to the mall last night", said choreographer Eddie Bennett, during a breakfast gathering at Pickering Casino Resort's restaurant row during the morning of showtime. A group of Deb Heads was also on hand to join in the celebration.

However, that moment of respite proved to be the end of the so called free time for Team Deb for the duration of their stay in Pickering. 

By mid-morning on 25 July, all concerned had hit the ground running. In addition to a number of publicity / media commitments, on tap were soundcheck and a meet and greet that drew hundreds of participants. 

Team Deb's level of commitment was in full view that afternoon, from Bennett's masterful dual role as photographer during the meet and greet sessions to Tim Chang's consistently fielding with finesse an enthusiastic stream of clientele at the merch table. 

"We're just SO busy", Gibson said. 

"I don't even know if I'll have time for breakfast in the morning!" 

As anyone who has seen Gibson in concert in recent years can readily attest, few artists deliver with maximum intensity as consistently as she does throughout her entire live set. An unwavering perfectionist on stage, Gibson has learned via trial and error that the only way to continue to deliver at optimum level is through a series of preparatory steps that include both vocal warm ups and a brief period of relaxation prior to showtime. 

To that effect, Gibson retired to her room after the meet and greet for a bit of rest and an energy reboot. The relatively soundproof rooms and above average level of security at the facility seemed certain to offer an ideal setting in that respect.

Or so she thought.

At about 4:50PM, another variation on the aforementioned Elvis Costello theme availed itself throughout the resort in the form of a fire alarm. At that point, the automatic building security kicked into place, with the hall doors on each floor locking and the building's elevator system temporarily shutting down.

Guests at the facility professed mixed reactions. Thankfully, an off duty Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officer was staying at the facility with his family. He immediately availed himself to assist.

The alarm persisted for more than twenty minutes, putting even Gibson's trademark relentless optimism to a bit of a test. Happily, she rose to the occasion with her unique brand of humor intact.

"I just (wanted) a little disco nap before the show", she joked, as she apprised the faithful via cell phone.

"It's a high class problem, I will acknowledge that!".

With that, Gibson smiled, placed her index finger to her lips and said, "But ssshhh!!"

Moments later, the off duty OPP officer returned with a bit of good news. It was a false alarm and all was well.

"I think I'm heading down to the pool", he joked.

However, as a matter of protocol, the facility itself took the full service approach in reassuring one and all that everything was safe. They did so in the form of a half dozen announcements that were broadcast through the resort's public address system every few minutes throughout the next half hour. 

As such, with Gibson endeavoring to make the most of that now truncated "disco nap" time, a new set of challenges availed themselves. Nonetheless, Gibson returned to her cell phone moments later to assure one and all that she had met the challenge head on and had emerged victorious.

"I do have headphones here", she said.

"It might be time! I think I'm going to go get them".

By the time that openers Boyzlife took to the stage at The Arena at 8:00PM, all was well. Comprised of Boyzone's Keith Duffy and Westlife's Brian McFadden, the Ireland-based duo took a somewhat Hall And Oates-flavored approach to celebrating one another's catalog triumphs, augmented inspiringly via covers of Anne Murray's You Needed Me, the Osmonds' Love Me For A Reason, the Bee Gees' Words, Billy Joel's Uptown Girl and Barry Manilow's reinvention of Scott English's Brandy as Mandy.

The capacity crowd roared its approval when Gibson took to the stage moments later. Opening with Dance 4U from her acclaimed August 2021 The Body Remembers album, the intensity continued unabated at optimum level for the remainder of the evening. Her set list ran the gamut of everything from such early career highlights as Shake Your Love, Electric Youth, Over The Wall, No More Rhyme and the mandatory (and utterly stupendous) We Could Be Together to additional highlights from The Body Remembers and a reprise of Love Under My Pillow, her early stage duet with long time choreographer and backing vocalist, Keeth "Stepp" Stewart. 

Stewart's return to Team Deb after a successful season of pursuing other career ventures has taken on an entirely new meaning in light of recent developments. Earlier this year, long time fellow choreographer Buddy Casimano suffered a heart attack, days after an overseas performance. Thankfully, Casimano continues in recovery mode after undergoing successful bypass surgery.

Meanwhile, Casimano's on stage role alongside Stewart and Bennett has been temporarily filled by Daniel Gold, a thirty-one year old newcomer to the world of Debbie Gibson. Bennett and Stewart have both done an extraordinary job of mentoring along the way, with Gold rising to the occasion and executing the complex and highly demanding routines with the confidence of a veteran.

Team Deb as a whole delivered with the best of them at The Arena, from backing vocalist Ronda Grinds and ace saxophone man Adam Tese to Johnny the musical director / drummer and guitarist Sean Thomas. Thomas, who first worked with Gibson in the landmark 2016 Hallmark production, Summer Of Dreams, subsequently toured with New Kids On The Block and was a contributor to The Body Remembers album.

Most assuredly, it was a night to remember. Presumably, it should have also been a night to celebrate. But duty continued to call. The group had a flight out of Pearson to Calgary, Alberta the next morning for a show on the 27th of July. As such, it appeared that Gibson's earlier assessment of the morning's breakfast schedule was on target. 

As Gibson bid farewell to a few of the Deb Heads in the lobby of the resort that morning, she turned to see Blitz Magazine Editor / Publisher Michael McDowell approaching to say goodbye. She immediately began chronicling the moment on her cell phone, when the airport shuttle arrived. 

With a decisive command of, "We have to go NOW!", a member of Team Deb's road crew whisked her on to the shuttle and off to the flight to Calgary. A truncated moment, but a magnificent one, nonetheless.

The whirlwind of activity that has followed Gibson as of late will continue unabated for the time being. In post-production is an ambitious video project to accompany the track Legendary from The Body Remembers. It will be followed in September by Eternally Electric, Gibson's highly anticipated autobiography. 

While the late Kingston Trio co-founder Dave Guard once infamously observed, "These are the times that try men's souls", in Gibson's case, times such as these ultimately serve to reinvigorate and inspire. 

Stewart reiterated as much the day after the Pickering performance.

"Living my best life on tour with Debbie Gibson", he said.

"Wonderful artist.....another city, and more fun!"

To paraphrase the title track of that game changing August 2021 album, the body might remember the rigours of the road. But the heart most definitely does not want to forget.