Tour Reviews and Other Memories from
LEONARD COHEN WORLD TOUR Fall 2008
Paris, France
Set List - November 24, 2008
First Set
Dance Me To The End Of Love
The Future
Ain't No Cure For Love
Bird On The Wire
Everybody Knows
In My Secret Life
Who By Fire
Chelsea Hotel #2
Anthem
Second Set
Tower Of Song
Suzanne
Gypsy Wife
The Partisan
Boogie Street
Hallelujah
I'm Your Man
A Thousand Kisses Deep (recitation)
Take This Waltz
Encore
So Long, Marianne
First We Take Manhattan
Famous Blue Raincoat
If It Be Your Will
Democracy
I Tried to Leave You
Closing Time
Whither Thou Goest
Paris, France
Set List - November 25, 2008
First Set
Dance Me To The End Of Love
The Future
Ain't No Cure For Love
Bird On The Wire
Everybody Knows
In My Secret Life
Who By Fire
Chelsea Hotel #2
Anthem
Second Set
Tower Of Song
Suzanne
Gypsy Wife
The Partisan
Boogie Street
Hallelujah
Democracy
I'm Your Man
A Thousand Kisses Deep (recitation)
Take This Waltz
Encore
So Long, Marianne
First We Take Manhattan
Famous Blue Raincoat
If It Be Your Will
Closing Time
I Tried to Leave You
Whither Thou Goest
Paris, France
Set List - November 26, 2008
First Set
Dance Me To The End Of Love
The Future
Ain't No Cure For Love
Bird On The Wire
Everybody Knows
In My Secret Life
Who By Fire
Chelsea Hotel #2
Anthem
Second Set
Tower Of Song
Suzanne
Gypsy Wife
The Partisan
Boogie Street
Hallelujah
Democracy
I'm Your Man
A Thousand Kisses Deep (recitation)
Take This Waltz
Encore
So Long, Marianne
First We Take Manhattan
Famous Blue Raincoat
If It Be Your Will
Closing Time
I Tried to Leave You
Whither Thou Goest
Paris, France
ENGLISH VERSION.
Un truc en moins à faire avant de mourir: un concert de Léonard Cohen
Rue89
- November 26, 2008 by Hugues Serraf
Si je trimbalais la liste des choses essentielles à accomplir dans une vie d’homme dans mon portefeuille, j'aurais désormais la possibilité de la raccourcir d’une ligne. Je n'ai pas encore traversé l'Ouest américain à cheval, ni relié Paris à Marseille à vélo ou couru les cent kilomètres de Millau, mais j'ai tout de même assisté à un concert de Leonard Cohen!
C'est moins sportif, OK, mais c'est presque aussi fort compte tenu du challenge que ça représentait.
D'abord, le type est vieux: 73 ans. Charles Aznavour a beau entamer sa quinzième tournée d'adieu, plus un chanteur avance en âge, plus il se rapproche de la faucheuse et donc d'une sérieuse remise en question de ses dates de concerts. Ensuite, le songwriter de Montréal n’avait plus vraiment l’intention de se produire sur scène: sans la malhonnêteté de Kelley Lynch, son agent (Cohen est totalement ruiné et avait besoin de se refaire), il n’aurait probablement jamais repris la route.
Mais surtout, c’est bien la première fois de ma vie que je me débrouille pour être au courant de son passage dans mon fuseau horaire suffisamment à temps pour me procurer un billet! Et à en juger par le nombre de malheureux qui battaient le pavé, hier soir devant l’Olympia, à la recherche d’une hypothétique place à vendre, j’ai le droit d’en être fier.
Leonard Cohen, le plus proche de la tradition française du barde à guitare
Il est pourtant difficile d’expliquer en quoi assister à un concert de Leonard Cohen est une telle aventure humaine. Après tout, je connais un tas de gens pour lesquels le bonhomme n’est jamais qu’un mystique dépressif à la voix monocorde et, à la limite, ils ont raison.
Le truc, c’est qu’il est aussi un poète majeur, un mélodiste hors-pair et qu’il se sert de sa voix de basse comme un Brassens -ce qui n’est pas exactement une insulte.
Tiens, d’ailleurs, la comparaison avec le vieux Georges n’est pas si hors-de-propos et Leonard Cohen est sans doute le chanteur anglophone le plus proche de cette tradition française du barde à guitare. Celui qui n’a pas peur de parler d’amour avec des mots de plus de trois syllabes et ne s’interdit pas de se promener du côté de la foi et de la philosophie.
Autant que Brassens, d’ailleurs, Cohen est musicalement très sous-estimé par les "sachants", comme dirait Ségolène Royal, qui réduisent son travail à quelques accords sans génie. Rien n’est plus faux, évidemment. Et s’il fallait une nouvelle preuve de la sophistication de ses rythmes et de ses arrangements -au-delà de la quinzaine d’albums produits sur une quarantaine d’année de carrière-, le concert d’hier en ferait partie.
Alternativement désespéré en phase terminale et plein d'espoir pour l'humanité
Bon, personnellement, j’aurais été tout à fait capable de lâcher mes quatre-vingt euros pour un one man show avec bande enregistrée, même si les excellents musiciens et les formidables choristes qui tenaient compagnie au maître valaient d’être écoutés pour eux-mêmes (mention spéciale à Javier Mas, le joueur de luth venu donner un petit tour arabo-andalou à certains classiques coheniens). Ces derniers auraient tout de même eu du mal à mettre leur talent au service de mélodies sans intérêt…
Anglophone du Québec, juif fan de Jésus, bouddhiste-zen à ses heures, souvent cynique mais tout aussi fréquemment fleur bleue, alternativement désespéré en phase terminale et plein d’espoir pour l’humanité, Leonard Cohen est une espèce de contradiction ambulante dont on ne voit pas bien qui prendra la suite le moment venu.
J’ai bien pensé à postuler, mais je chante faux et je n’ai pas de goût pour la vie dans les monastères ou les chapeaux de gangsters. Et de toute manière, je n’aurais pas eu le temps d’organiser la moindre répétition entre la préparation de mon périple à travers le Colorado ou de ma descente sur Marseille à vélo.
Clairement, il faut se méfier des listes de choses à faire avant de passer l'arme à gauche; c'est des trucs à rester frustré sur son lit de mort...
Translated by Google Translate
One less thing to do before dying: a concert of Leonard Cohen
Rue89
- November 26, 2008 by Hugues Serraf
If I trimbalais the list of essential things to do in a life of man in my portfolio, I have now the possibility of shortening a line. I have not yet crossed the American West on horseback, or linked Paris to Marseilles to bike or run the hundred miles from Millau, but I still attended a concert of Leonard Cohen!
This is less sporty, OK, but it is almost as strong given the challenge it represented.
First, the type is old: 73 years. Charles Aznavour a beautiful start its fifteenth farewell tour, plus a singer's age, the more it approximates the mower and therefore a serious challenge to his concert dates. Then, the songwriter of Montreal had really intended to occur on stage: no dishonesty Kelley Lynch, his agent (Cohen is totally ruined and needed to rebuild), it would probably never resumed road.
But above all, it is the first time in my life that I do to be aware of its passage in my time zone in time for getting a ticket! And judging by the number of unfortunate that beat the street last night at the Olympia in search of a hypothetical place to sell, I have the right to be proud.
Leonard Cohen, closest to the French tradition of the bard to guitar
It is difficult to explain why attend a concert of Leonard Cohen is a human adventure. After all, I know a lot of people for which the man is never depressed to a mystical voice monotonous, and ultimately, they are right.
The thing is, it is also a major poet, a melodist outstanding and he uses his bass voice as a Boy is not exactly an insult.
Here, indeed, the comparison with the old Georges is not so out-of-words and Leonard Cohen is perhaps the English singer closest to the French tradition of the bard to guitar. Anyone who is not afraid to speak love with words of more than three syllables and does not refrain from walking on the side of faith and philosophy.
As far as Brassens, moreover, Cohen is very musically underestimated by "knowing", as seems Ségolène Royal, which reduce its work a few agreements without genius. Nothing is further from the truth, of course. And it was further evidence of the sophistication of its rhythms and its arrangement beyond the fifteen albums produced on a forty-year career, the concert would be part yesterday.
Alternatively desperate terminally ill and full of hope for humanity
Well, personally, I would have been quite capable of releasing my four-twenty euros for a one-man show with tape recorded, although the excellent musicians and singers who were great company to master worth to be listened to their same (special mention to Javier Mas, lute player came up a little tour Arab-Andalusian some classic coheniens). They have still had difficulty to put their talents to songs without interest ...
Quebec Anglophone, Jewish fan of Jesus, Zen-Buddhist in his spare time, often cynical but just as frequently blue flower, alternately desperate terminally ill and full of hope for humanity, Leonard Cohen is a kind of contradiction which itinerant is not clear who will follow in due course.
I thought to apply, but I tune and I have no taste for life in monasteries or hats gangsters. And anyway, I would not have had time to organize any repetition between the preparation of my journey through Colorado or my descent into Marseille on a bicycle.
Clearly, we must be wary of lists of things to do before turning the gun on the left, so things remain frustrated on his deathbed ...
Paris, France
ENGLISH VERSION.
Leonard Cohen, chapeau bas
leJDD.fr
- November 27, 2008 by Eric Mandel
Après quinze ans d'absence, Leonard Cohen, le poète et songwriter de Montréal était à Paris dans le cadre d'une tournée mondiale débutée en juin dernier. Trois concerts étaient programmés à l'Olympia devant un public complètement acquis à la cause du créateur de Suzanne.
Quinze ans! Léonard Cohen ne s'était pas produit sur une scène parisienne depuis quinze ans. Une éternité... C'est dire si le retour du songwriter canadien, en concert à l'Olympia de lundi à mercredi dernier, constituait un évènement à marquer d'une pierre blanche pour son public -parmi lequel François Fillon, mercredi soir- venu en masse (les trois dates étaient complètes depuis belle lurette) pour voir son idole à la voix de basse envoûtante. Et ce malgré les prix prohibitifs -entre 95 et 161 euros.
L'artiste n'avait d'ailleurs fait aucun mystère des motivations de ce come-back, forcément nostalgique puisque sans nouvel album à défendre, le précédent, Ten new songs remonte déjà à 2001. Ruiné par sa manageuse (elle l'a escroqué de cinq millions d'euros), le chanteur devait renflouer les caisses après une longue période d'inactivité dédiée à la méditation (de 1993 à 1999) dans un monastère bouddhiste de Los Angeles. "Back to business", en somme. Contraint et forcé, mais Léonard Cohen s'impose comme un artiste trop intègre, sincère et viscéral pour se retrouver taxé de simple cachetonneur.
Un moment de paix
Il suffisait de le voir arriver sur scène, d'un léger pas de footing pour deviner le plaisir du créateur de Suzanne. Impression confirmée durant le concert. Durant près de trois heures, Leonard Cohen, silhouette fine et voûtée d'ascète, va livrer un concert d'une grande classe, généreux et sans fausse note. Sur la scène recouverte de tapis anciens, neuf musiciens d'une élégance irréprochable (vestimentaire et musicale), livrent un écrin feutré, plein de caractère, idéal pour accompagner la voix unique du maître.
En complet noir et chapeau de feutre sur la tête, il revisite trente ans de carrière, soit une impressionnante collection de classiques intemporels entre hymnes à l'amour salvateur ou destructeur (I'm your man, Dance me to the end of love), odes spirituelles (Hallelujiah, chantée à genoux), poésie à capella (Thousand kisses deep), jeux de séduction et chroniques sociopolitiques. Certaines trouvent d'ailleurs une résonance avec l'actualité. Comment ne pas rapprocher Everybody knows -et son couplet "the poor stay poor and the rich get rich"- de l'actuelle tourmente financière. Sans oublier Democracy is comin to the USA, trois semaines après l'élection de Barack Obama.
Mais l'artiste évite soigneusement les grands discours. Sinon pour saluer son public (au bout d'une heure) et faire le point avec humour sur son absence prolongée ("Ces 16 dernières années, j'ai pris beaucoup de Prozac"). A 74 ans, l'homme affiche une étonnante humilité, jamais feinte. Il faut le voir tirer son chapeau bas à ses musiciens quand ils exécutent un solo, remercier son public pour ce "moment de paix dans une période de chaos et de crise". Le concert se terminera, après un ultime rappel, avec une chanson de circonstance, comme un aveu d'impuissance: I tried to leave you (J'ai essayé de te quitter). En vain...
Translated by Google Translate
Leonard Cohen, hat low
leJDD.fr
- November 27, 2008 by Eric Mandel
After fifteen years of absence, Leonard Cohen, poet and songwriter of Montreal was in Paris as part of a world tour which began last June. Three concerts were scheduled in Olympia before an audience completely to the cause of the creator of Suzanne.
Fifteen years! Leonard Cohen had not occurred on a Parisian scene for fifteen years. An eternity ... That means if the return of Canadian songwriter, in concert at the Olympia Monday to Wednesday, an event was a milestone for its white-among which François Fillon, Wednesday evening came in mass (the three dates were complete long ago) to see his idol in the bass voice mesmerizing. And despite the prohibitive price-between 95 and 161 euros.
The artist had in fact no mystery motivations of this comeback, because without necessarily nostalgic new album to defend, the previous Ten new songs back in 2001. Ruined by its manager (she defrauded of five million euros), the singer had to bail out cash after a long period of inactivity dedicated to meditation (from 1993 to 1999) in a Buddhist monastery in Los Angeles. "Back to Business, in short. Duress, but Leonard Cohen is an artist too honest, sincere and visceral to find themselves accused of simple cachetonneur.
A moment of peace
It was enough to see him get on stage, a slight not guess footing for the pleasure of the creator of Suzanne. Impression confirmed during the concert. During nearly three hours, Leonard Cohen, thin and stooped figure of ascetic, will deliver a concert of great class, generous and without false note. On stage covered with old carpets, nine musicians of impeccable elegance (dress and music), deliver a quiet jewel, full of character, ideal to accompany the unique voice of the master.
Totally black and felt hat on his head, he revisits thirty years career, an impressive collection of timeless classics between hymns to love saving or destructive (I'm your man, Dance Me to the End of Love) spiritual odes (Hallelujiah sung kneeling), poetry capella (Thousand Kisses Deep), games of seduction and chronic social. Some are also resonate with current events. How can we not bring Everybody knows his verse and "the poor stay poor and the rich get rich" - the current financial turmoil. Without forgetting Democracy is comin to the USA, three weeks after the election of Barack Obama.
But the artist carefully avoids rhetoric. Otherwise to greet his audience (after an hour) and make up with humor about his prolonged absence ( "These last 16 years, I took a lot of Prozac). A 74-year man displays a surprising humility, never feint. We must watch his hat down to his musicians when they perform a solo, thanking his audience for this "moment of peace in a period of chaos and crisis." The concert will end after a final reminder, with a song in circumstances as an admission of impotence: I tried to leave you (I tried to leave you). In vain ...
Paris, France
ENGLISH VERSION.
L'expérience Leonard Cohen
LE MONDE
- November 27, 2008 by Véronique Mortaigne (Photo: AFP/FABRICE COFFRI)
La dernière fois qu'on n'avait plus entendu les mouches voler à L'Olympia, c'était le 4 juillet 2003. Le commandeur de la bossa-nova, Joao Gilberto, y imposait trois heures de suspens millimétré, ne souffrant aucune toux. Sur les sites de fans, le concert est répertorié à la rubrique "musique et silence".
Mercredi 26 novembre, c'est Leonard Cohen, 74 ans, qui travaille à la réduction du bruit, dans une salle qui affiche complet depuis des mois. Après ses passages aux Nuits de Fourvière et au Nice Jazz Festival, cet été, le poète offrait à L'Olympia une ultime chance à la France de communier sur Suzanne, Tower of Song, I'm Your Man ou Hallelujah, ou encore sur sa version de la Complainte du partisan, chanson écrite à Londres en 1943 par Emmanuel d'Astier de la Vigerie et Anna Marly. On dit Joao Gilberto si fou qu'il aurait poussé son chat à bout, au point que l'animal sauta du 24e étage. Le Brésilien est une légende qui impose le cérémonial.
Cohen aussi, orfèvre du son où tout est code - les révérences, les trois heures de récital ; le genou mis à terre, le chapeau mou tombant sur les yeux. Le Canadien n'a poussé aucun félin au suicide. Mais il ne s'est pas épargné les excès jusqu'à l'épuisement en 1993. En 1994, il avait rejoint le centre bouddhiste de Mount Baldy, près de Los Angeles, et pris son nom de moine, Jikan, "le silence entre deux pensées". Le silence est parfois long.
Leonard Cohen a misé sur la rareté, apparition quand il apparaît, religion quand il chante, à son rythme, lent, très lent - il confia par le passé au mensuel Mojo que la prise de speeds (amphétamines) l'aidait à retrouver le rythme normal des humains. La voix grave conduit le corps habilement plié, enveloppé d'un complet-veston impeccable. Comme Joao Gilberto, Cohen peut paraître désuet. Encore un point commun : ce sont des monstres d'invention, mais le génie est dans les interstices.
Aussi, pour son retour en scène après quatorze ans d'absence, choisit-il, juif aux origines russes né à Montréal, de ramener l'Europe centrale (clarinettes, valses), la péninsule Ibérique (guitare portugaise, laud, bandurria...) au centre des préoccupations du folk américain. Les six musiciens - dont le guitariste espagnol Javier Mas et le bassiste "historique" Roscoe Beckes - et les choristes, les soeurs Webb et Sharon Robinson, sont exceptionnels. Et le concert, une expérience.
Translated by Google Translate
Experience Leonard Cohen
LE MONDE
- November 27, 2008 by Véronique Mortaigne
The last time we had heard the flies fly at Olympia, was on 4 July 2003. The commander of the bossa nova, Joao Gilberto, also imposed three hours of outstanding millimeter, not suffering any cough. On fan sites, the concert is listed under the heading "music and silence."
Wednesday November 26, is Leonard Cohen, 74, who works in noise reduction, in a room which is sold out for months. After his passages Fourviere to Nights and the Nice Jazz Festival this summer, the poet offered at Olympia one last chance for France to communicate on Suzanne, Tower of Song, I'm Your Man or Hallelujah, or on its Complainte version of the partisan song written in London in 1943 by Emmanuel d'Astier de la Vigerie and Anna Marly. It said Joao Gilberto so crazy that he pushed her cat to end, so that the animal jumped from the 24th floor. The Brazilian legend is an imposing ceremony.
Cohen also orfèvre sound where everything is code - the reverence, the three-hour recital; knee put ashore, the soft hat falling on the eyes. The Canadian has no feline pushed to suicide. But it has not spared the excesses until exhaustion in 1993. In 1994, he joined the Buddhist center at Mount Baldy, near Los Angeles, and took its name from a monk, Jikan, "the silence between two thoughts." The silence is sometimes long.
Leonard Cohen has focused on the rare occurrence when he appears, religion when he sings, his pace, slow, very slow - he confided in the past month in Mojo that taking speeds (amphetamines) helped him to find the rhythm normal humans. The deep voice led the body folded neatly, wrapped in a complete impeccable suits. As Joao Gilberto, Cohen may seem obsolete. Another thing in common: they are monsters invention, but the genius is in the interstices.
Also, on his return to stage after fourteen years of absence, he chooses, Russian Jewish origins born in Montreal, to bring Central Europe (clarinets, waltzes), the Iberian Peninsula (Portuguese guitar, laud, Bandurria .. .) A central concern of American folk. The six musicians - including Javier Mas Spanish guitarist and bassist "historic" Roscoe Beck - and singers, sisters Webb and Sharon Robinson, are exceptional. And the concert experience.
Paris, France
Blog and Other Fan Reports
Blog - The Huffington Post - ""First We Take Manhattan...Democracy is Coming to the U.S.A." by Vivian Norris de Montaigu"
The Leonard Cohen concert at the Olympia in Paris last night was better than I could have imagined it to be...
Discuss the tour and read fan reviews on The Leonard Cohen Forum and in French on the Leonard Cohen Forum (French site).
Brighton, UK
Set List - November 28, 2008
First Set
Dance Me To The End Of Love
The Future
Ain't No Cure For Love
Bird On The Wire
Everybody Knows
In My Secret Life
Who By Fire
Chelsea Hotel #2
Anthem
Second Set
Tower Of Song
Suzanne
Gypsy Wife
The Partisan
Boogie Street
Hallelujah
I'm Your Man
A Thousand Kisses Deep (recitation)
Take This Waltz
Encore
So Long, Marianne
First We Take Manhattan
Famous Blue Raincoat
If It Be Your Will
Democracy
I Tried to Leave You
Whither Thou Goest
Brighton, UK
REVIEW: Leonard Cohen at the Brighton Centre
Crawley Observer
- December 22, 2008 by Charlotte Taylor
LIKE a surreal gangster in double-breasted suit and trademark Fedora, Leonard Cohen skipped on to the stage to a deafening and reverential welcome at the Brighton Centre.
With stellar reviews at every stage of this sell-out tour and after so long an absence, expectations were sky high and Cohen, at 74, did not disappoint.
The 'golden voice' may have deepened over the years from a high baritone to a bass baritone/bass but it has lost none of its power and seduction.
Tales of relationships, loss, life, death, and hope are still as fresh today and Cohen's lyrics are delivered with crystal clarity.
Curled over the mic like a charcoal-slashed question mark or crouched in supplication, his beguiling songs speak of intense and intimate moments.
There were strong hispanic, gipsy, world music and jazz influences and the Canadian singer-songwriter, novelist and poet was supported vocally by long-standing collaborator Sharon Robinson and Brit duo The Webb Sisters.
His pride in his musicians is huge and he introduced them at least four times.
He told us: "It's been a while since I was in Brighton. Fourteen or 15 years.
"I was 60 then. Just a crazy kid with a dream."
Highlights included the haunting So Long Marianne, Ain't no cure for Love, I'm Your Man, the epic Tower of Song and Dance Me to the End of Love.
This is someone who never for a moment needed to work for our smiles.
Brighton, UK
Leonard Cohen, Brighton Centre, King's Road, Brighton, Nov 28
The Argus
- December 2, 2008 by Tim Norman
I was lucky enough to see Leonard Cohen at Glastonbury this year and the experience was about as spiritual as standing in a crowded field can be. As the sun set behind the Pyramid stage, the frail form of the septuagenarian singer hypnotised us with some of the most poetic songs ever written.
Tears were shed and massed voices joined together in what seemed unrepeatable, eternal moments.
In Brighton the setting couldn't have been more different - the unsteady unwashed of Glastonbury replaced by the sober souls who sat before an unexpectedly re-energised legend.
But Cohen's powerful presence, humble humour and almost impossibly low baritone again produced a kind of religious communion between the performer and his audience.
Impeccably attired as always, the 74 year-old fairly leapt onto the stage, revealing no hint of tiredness at the end of a long tour.
Almost all Cohen's songs can be called classics, but over the course of the three-hour performance he generously provided many of his best-loved, early works: Bird On The Wire, Chelsea Hotel #2, Suzanne, So Long, Marianne and Famous Blue Raincoat were all delivered flawlessly, with Cohen often playing acoustic guitar in bassist Roscoe Beck's supportive arrangements.
Much has been made of the musicianship of Cohen's band, and Cohen made much of them himself. He introduced all of them twice and often stepped out of the spotlight with his fedora clutched to his heart, leaving his outstanding backing singers to deliver whole songs such as Boogie Street (Sharon Robinson) and If It Be Your Will (The Webb sisters).
As he knelt to deliver Hallelujah and his voice cracked a little, the mortality of the man was exposed. He prefaced his prayer for humanity, Anthem, with a short meditation on the difficulty of the times and, after a wryly humourous reading of I Tried To Leave You in the encore ("I hope you're satisfied") he drew his whole band together at the front of the stage for a finale of Wither Thou Goest.
"May happiness find you in your lonely moments," he said, blessing the crowd at the end.
And, truly, we were blessed.
Manchester, UK
Set List - November 30, 2008
First Set
Dance Me To The End Of Love
The Future
Ain't No Cure For Love
Bird On The Wire
Everybody Knows
In My Secret Life
Who By Fire
Chelsea Hotel #2
Anthem
Second Set
Tower Of Song
Suzanne
Gypsy Wife
The Partisan
Boogie Street
Hallelujah
I'm Your Man
A Thousand Kisses Deep (recitation)
Take This Waltz
Encore
So Long, Marianne
First We Take Manhattan
Famous Blue Raincoat
If It Be Your Will
Democracy
I Tried to Leave You
Whither Thou Goest
Band's Set List - November 30, 2008
Manchester, UK
Leonard Cohen
CityLife
- December 1, 2008 by Mike Caulfield
IF this year has found many of the elderly stateside stalwarts of classic songwriting hitting the road again for the first time in a long time, with relative recluses Tom Waits and Neil Young possibly scared into action by the credit crunch klaxon, Leonard Cohen’s return has certainly courted the most headlines.
Some 15 years since he last had to size up tour buses, Cohen’s early summer four-night sold out stand at the Opera House drew plaudits and frothing enthusiasm from all those lucky enough to get hold of tickets, and some six months on having travelled full circle around the globe he’s still able to astound.
While few artists beyond normal retirement age would hardly even consider such a lengthy schedule the sight of Cohen - who recently celebrated his 74th birthday - almost skipping to centre stage for opener ‘Dance Me To The End Of Love’ is a strange sight that defies his undeserved sullen reputation.
Still as dapperly dressed and prominent now as on previous album sleeves, the only thing that seems to have changed beyond those dusty vinyl covers is his once unremarkable voice dropping to a gentle calming low baritone adding further gravitas to even Cohen’s more emotionally charged expert word play.
Bird On A Wire
Dipping into hits and fan favourites from his impressive back catalogue the force of early set songs such as ‘Bird On A Wire’, ‘Who By Fire’, ‘Anthem’ - each delivered with a surgeon's precision by his expert nine-piece backing band - has the devoted M.E.N audience transfixed.
Whether through the angelic vocal harmonies of regular collaborator Sharon Robinson and the “sublime” Webb sisters, “shepherd of strings” Javier Mas’ virtuoso Laud/ nylon string runs or “master of breath” Dino Saldo’s woodwind expertise the musicianship on display is near perfect.
Soon hitting his stride following the short interval with knockout numbers ‘Suzanne’ and ‘I’m Your Man’, ‘Tower Of Song’, ‘Chelsea Hotel No.2’, a staggering reading of ‘A Thousand Kisses Deep’ and not to mention his hijacked masterpiece ‘Hallelujah’- soon to be given the X Factor treatment (i.e. ruined).
Remaining genial, enthused and humble throughout, even moved to removing his trademark hat in gentlemanly fashion as the vocal harmonies take centre stage, Cohen soaks up the thunderous applause that follows each song.
Whilst it may have taken some persuasion for the Canadian poet to once again take to the stages following such a long lay off the three encores this evening - each met with a standing ovation - suggests he has taken to performing again with gusto, lets hope it lasts.
CityLife Rating * * * * *
Manchester, UK
Sound of Len made it all make sense
ON a list of things to do before I die, living to be at least 100 years-old would be top.
There are other items but not many. Seeing if a stamp bought at auction a few years ago really is worth the £15,000 I think it is would be another but it’s no big deal if it isn’t.
I feel no great urgency to toboggan down the Matterhorn or swim with dolphins.
However, when a dark suited 74 year-old man walked slowly onto the stage wearing his trademark hat at the MEN Arena in Manchester last week I realised there had been another thing on my “must see” list.
After a 15-year absence, forced back on the road following his former manager syphoning $5m from his pension plan, Leonard Cohen’s ocean-deep baritone flowed through the hall with Dance Me to the End of Love.
Judged in terms of “hit” records, Cohen, often deemed depressing by those that don’t get the joke, is none too successful.
Judged by his 40-year back catalogue of music that has bridged the gap between poet and singer like no other, the man has no peer.
Songs of Leonard Cohen (1968), written when he was 33, was one of the first albums I ever bought and despite my tender years, was smitten from the outset and so began a life-long addiction.
Over the years Mrs L has suffered in silence but the “Ladies Man” won her over before the bars of the first song had died away.
Suzanne, So Long Marianne and a bass-driven high-voltage First We Take Manhattan brought the MEN to its feet and thousands smiled as Len sang the line in Tower of Song “I was born with the gift of a golden voice.”
For me it was a near spiritual experience and when the stage turned a fetching shade of cyan and he sang Famous Blue Raincoat I knew I could die happy.
WITH not so much a squeak or scratch of anything approaching rodent activity, some semblance of normality has returned to the household.
No longer do I precede Mrs L by banging on the door and switching on all the lights as we enter a room.
She was expecting hordes of mice scuttling for cover as we went into the kitchen and I was a bit disappointed at the no show, despite my leaving the occasional raisin as a little treat.
Apart from the odd false alarm we have returned to Defcon4. ever wary but not at high alert.
“Did you hear that?” she said.
“Hear what?”
“That. It’s that scratching noise again.”
Out of her seat Mrs L was again eyeing the corner with fearful suspicion.
Still, anything for a quiet life I dutifully inspected nooks and crannies for any uninvited guests, only to discover the fridge was the probable source.
“It’s the fridge,” I said.
“Are you sure?” said a wary Mrs L, convinced I am operating some sort of cover-up for my mice chums, “I wouldn’t put past you to be feeding them nuts.”
Actually they prefer raisins.
Manchester, UK
Blog and Other Fan Reports
Blog - Oonahverse - "Leonard Cohen at last"
...He gave himself totally to every moment of performance and every nuance of every song and he gave generous mention to every one of his team of musicians, technicians and roadies. Did I say performance? I don't think it was a performance as such - it was Leonard Cohen as honest and human as he has always been which is why he has drawn so many to him, young and old over these many years.
Discuss the tour and read fan reviews on The Leonard Cohen Forum and in French on the Leonard Cohen Forum (French site).
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