Leonard was our Special Guest at the London meetup

[lizzytysh]

Hi Judy ~

I'm glad to finally see proof of your attendance! You appear to be a very wise and lovely woman... a beautiful photo of you two... not to mention that you also look like you could be Leonard's sister [not Esther... but Judy]. I love your hair.

Thanks Luisa for taking the photos. SUPER DUPER shot of Leonard signing his book. VEry frameable!

I'm SO glad you got to go, Judy and Luisa, and even moreso that you both got to meet him.


Love,
Lizzy

[hydriot]

Ah, the Troubadour in Earls Court! I used to go there a great deal in the seventies, so a year ago I tiptoed down the road fully expecting it to have closed. Not at all. It has doubled in size, and the performance area downstairs is now respectable. A lot of great names started their careers playing at the Troubadour, including Paul Simon.

Sadly, I never made it to Bunjies. Wish I had. Al Stewart is a singer-songwriter I especially admire, and his biography has glowing reports of that venue.

[Anne]

The London meetup was a wonderful event. It was amazing to see so many great friends again. Padma certainly chose a lovely location for the event. I was probably the only person who didn't arrive at 12 on the dot, but I had a hell of a time making my way there. In any case, I was there long before the Special Guest. I missed Pete, but I heard Henning. Good stuff. Such a nice crowd of people. Then, it was wonderful to see Leonard.I had an excellent talk with him again. He is a very kind man.


In reference to some of the other postings I have read here tonight, I think Paula owes the Green Note for the cost of a glass.

[Diane]

Glad you got home OK, Anne. I think the Green Note might just let Paula off the Glass.

Yes, what an excellent picture of Leonard signing BoL, Lortigosa! I really like that. Lovely pictures, all. I recognised Judy when she came in, even though I had only exchanged a couple of PMs. It was great to meet people who came along for the first time to a gathering. Hydroit, I have a couple of pictures with you in the background, PM me your email address if you would like them. Ruben, please PM me your email as I have some pix of you, also.

Padma, nobody will forget how Leonard Cohen turned up at the event you arranged.

And as for Jarkko, well, we will all love you forever. And Eija!

ps I am listening to the cd you sent Pete. Thank you! (Is that Liz on backing vocals?) We do have a lot of talent in our midst, one way and another.

[mat james]

The tyranny of distance !!!

What a buzz, reading all this.

[lizzytysh]

And the almighty units of monetary exchange, Mat! Distances are problematic enough with time off... but the money that needs to be spent for it all to come together is even moreso. I'm particularly happy for those who got to meet Leonard for the first time, which doesn't take away from being happy for those who got to again.

My guess is that the Green Note staff are ticked that they weren't paying closer attention... that the glass didn't end up going home with them. Good on you, Paula.


Two close calls with emoticons,
Lizzy

[Diane]

I wish all of you could have been there. You should have come over (cue Jeff Buckley song). But Leonard came for us all, and I'm glad people who weren't there can still 'feel the buzz', as you say, Mat.

Now I really need to focus on getting some work done ...

[Byron]

The tyranny of distance !!!

What a buzz, reading all this.

Just think how wonderful it will be once the highly trained team of Video Recordists descend upon the concert halls of Europe to bring near instant feedback to a computer near you. Pushing buttons, swivellin' thingies, uploadin' whatsanames, transmittin' wiffies, and weighed down wiv re-rechargeable batteries, (li-ion) they will still be a force to be reckoned with. Brown paper bags, no name, no pack drill, used notes, dark corners, night-time ladies, hops-honey (for that extra kick) all at your disposal, except those batteries of course. Given enough volunteers and unlimited access to Video Training Camp, we could have most of the halls full of camera swivelling devotees, if not all the halls.

In fact, the tour could be a sell-out, but for all the lc, I.C. oficionados(spl) grabbing all the available seats. I think I may have found a flaw in the scheme.

I wondered if anyone would like to comment on the Simon Moorehead CD, which Simon played several times, during Leonard's visit, and Leonard's walk around the Cohen fans in the Green Note Cafe, where the Cohen fans, had gathered to discuss Leonard, his music, his work, his forthcoming performance, and to meet friends old and new?

I have a copy of the CD, which was sent to me by Henning, (as part of the 'goodie bag' from Berlin) I was unable to get my flight to Berlin, on account of safety concerns at the time. I looked forward to playing the CD. It was part of several musical offerings that accompanied the contents of the 'goodie bag.'

I should imagine that if Leonard had heard Simon's CD in the Green Note Cafe, during Leonard's mingling with you all, it would have been with some degree of interest. Simon has presented Leonard with copies of the CD on occasions in the past.

[Wybe]

We came back from London and landed in Holland again on Tuesday night. I’m back to earth now but Willy is still with her head in the clouds after our meeting with Leonard and the wonderful time we had in London.
We have to thank Jarkko and Henning, talking (mailing) us in to going to London.
Padma and Diana thank you both for arranging the Green Note meeting, thanks the Green Note for the Dutch beer they had, I felt home immediately.
Andrea thanks for holding Willy (and your self) up when your knees trembled to much .
We had an unforgettable time there thanks to all of you being there, and the special guest of course. Our lives will never be the same, thank you Leonard.

[Andrew (Darby)]

How wonderful for all you folk who got to meet Leonard in London last weekend (and earlier this year) - your joy is quite palpable!

We antipodeans (and there are a few of us here on the Forum) just have to hope that one day the gods also shine on us in this regard. Perhaps Leonard will include us on his next tour, in acknowledgement of Lian Lunson's small effort on his behalf (and we will then get such an opportunity) - a connection I'm making because I'm "grasping at straws"!

Cheers
Andrew (Darby)

[lizzytysh]

Magnificent photos, Wijbe! I'm beside myself with joy that you and Willy were at last able to meet Leonard. It is so true that this gift of a day is all the testimony ever needed [if it ever were, which it's never been] as overwhelming proof of Jarkko's solid and heartfelt relationship with Leonard. Every one of us, including those of us who weren't there, have been the benefactors for a very long time. We who didn't join all of you have been able to read these glorious reports and see these stunning photos.

Thank you to everyone for your sharing.


Love to you both,
Wijbe and Willy,
Lizzy

[mat james]

I see in the South Australian "Advertiser" news paper today, the Phillip Glass/Book of longing Concert is coming to Adelaide at the Festival Theatre, March 14th, 15th, 2008.
I'll check out whether he is performing in Melbourne as well and book into either one of those shows.

Matj

[mickey_one]

We came back from London and landed in Holland again on Tuesday night. I’m back to earth now but Willy is still with her head in the clouds after our meeting with Leonard and the wonderful time we had in London.
We have to thank Jarkko and Henning, talking (mailing) us in to going to London.
Padma and Diana thank you both for arranging the Green Note meeting, thanks the Green Note for the Dutch beer they had, I felt home immediately.
Andrea thanks for holding Willy (and your self) up when your knees trembled to much .
We had an unforgettable time there thanks to all of you being there, and the special guest of course. Our lives will never be the same, thank you Leonard.

Wybe, every time I see your wife or a photo of her I remember how beautiful she is and keep meaning to tell her, every time I see you or a photo of you I remember how tall you are and that's why I never tell Willy! Great to see you two again, sorry I wasn't aroud long but i look forward to the next time we meet

best wishes

michael

[Anne]

Cool pic of people from the Sunday after. (I met one of my friends instead of going on Padma's supercool London tour!)

[Pete]

ps I am listening to the cd you sent Pete. Thank you! (Is that Liz on backing vocals?) We do have a lot of talent in our midst, one way and another.

Diane
It's Diane on backing vocals..a colleague at work who had always nursed an ambition to sing on a song and have it recorded... this helped her to achieve it.
Another ambition was to ride on the back of a motorbike....another colleague helped her with that one

Pete