CONCERT REPORT: Phoenix, April 5

USA and Canada (April 1 - June 4, 2009). Special concert for fans in NYC (February 19). Concert reports, set lists, photos, media coverage, multimedia links, recollections...
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lizzytysh
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Phoenix, April 5

Post by lizzytysh »

In Zenon's first photo, the look and depth in Leonard's eyes.


~ Lizzy
"Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken."
~ Oscar Wilde
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burningviolin
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Phoenix, April 5

Post by burningviolin »

.
Last edited by burningviolin on Sat Apr 11, 2009 3:53 am, edited 1 time in total.
2009 Liverpool 14/07/09, Dublin 20/07/09, Belfast 26/07/09, Lisbon 30/7/09, Barcelona 21/09/09.
2010 Sligo (x2), Lille 25/09/10 Las Vegas 11/12/2010
2012 Wembley 8/9/12, RHK 11/9/12
O2 London 2013 O2 Dublin 2013
"I've been where you're hanging, I think I can see how you're pinned."
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lizzytysh
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Phoenix, April 5

Post by lizzytysh »

You "sorta" like that photo of Leonard, Diana?? It's stunning!! So dramatically perfect 8) !

Your way with a camera I wish I had even half of 8) !


~ Lizzy
"Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken."
~ Oscar Wilde
stellablueee
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Phoenix, April 5

Post by stellablueee »

i didn't see this posted, my apologies if it's here already....but i get tom russell's blog.
here's a review only tom could write
Tom Russell
Dancing on the Rim of the Well: Leonard Cohen

Posted: 09 Apr 2009 09:23 AM PDT

With idea, sound, or gesture, the duende
enjoys fighting the creator on the very
rim of the well. Angel and muse escape
with violin, meter and compass; the duende
wounds. In the healing wound, which never closes
lie the strange invented qualities of a man's work.
Federico Garcia Lorca

Three and one half hours into Leonard Cohen's Phoenix concert; half way through the fourth encore, I thought of Garcia Lorca and the stated roots of art and duende. Lorca spoke of "black sounds" issuing from the essential, uncontrollable quivering common base of wood, sound, canvas and word…and there up on stage was Leonard Cohen and the guitars and female voices and wind instruments and percussion. Violin, meter, compass and angels. The musical soundtrack of lovers and poets and toreros and arch-gypsies and holy madmen who have stumbled down from the Zen mountain. Cohen was either kneeling in supplication or skipping off stage after another encore. There was nary a bad line sung; lest a bad song. It was akin to listening to an ancient Sevillian bard serenading his dead lover with deep song….at her graveside. Dead roses weeping. All the deep, beatific hits. The thoughts, and poetics and rhymes tumbled down till you forgot you were in the 21st century in the middle of the Arizona desert; you were watching this "little Jew who wrote the bible" tear though the heart of a deep repertoire, as he danced on the rim of the well of eternity.
So much for the poetics. There are no hard edged, journalistic set of tools to sum up an experience that washes over you and renews your faith that someone out there is still singing exquisitely crafted songs. Artful songs. Songs that cascade one after the other and resound in your worn soul. It was an ancient circus with guitars and horns and pretty girls and stuffed monkeys with plywood violins. And it was music untouched by time; not hacked to death with the politics of worry over the economy, baseball scores or God's broken ankle. The world, for four hours, wasn't run by "killers in high places," nor codified by the rules of love and engagement from afternoon talk shows. And I was the kid in the third row, enthralled; understanding for a swollen moment why I had joined up with the minstrel trade; why I had opened up in my soul… that "healing wound which never closes."
evewaldman
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Phoenix, April 5

Post by evewaldman »

Thank you, stellabluee, for adding Tom Russell's review. Speaking for myself anyway, Russell reminds me of so much of the appeal of Leonard Cohen, that he speaks to the most essential in human experience, and in his performance, nails it to the rim, as in Duende. And then, thank goodness, he also comes up for air, teases, skips off the stage, has fun. We get it all, and how we appreciate it!

My best,
Eve
MaryB
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Phoenix, April 5

Post by MaryB »

Hi stellablueee,

This blog hasn't been posted elsewhere - yours is the first :D .

Tom Russell is a wonderful wordsmith! To invoke Lorca in his fantastically crafted and eloquent review couldn't have been more appropriate. So beautifully written!!!!!!!

Thank you so so much for posting this.

Best regards,
Mary

(Bonus - I learned a new word 'duende' :D :D :D )
1993 Detroit 2008 Kitchener June 2-Hamilton June 3 & 4-Vienna Sept 24 & 25-London RAH Nov 17 2009 NYC Feb 19-Grand Prairie Apr 3-Phoenix Apr 5-Columbia May 11-Red Rocks Jun 4-Barcelona Sept 21-Columbus Oct 27-Las Vegas Nov 12-San Jose Nov 13 2010 Sligo Jul 31 & Aug 1-LV Dec 10 & 11 2012 Paris Sept 30-London Dec 11-Boston Dec 16 2013 Louisville Mar 30-Amsterdam Sept 20
MaryB
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Phoenix, April 5

Post by MaryB »

Hi Zenon,

You (and Diana) took the best pictures! LC all in blue light, #6, is particularly stunning! Thank you for helping me relive what will stay in my heart and mind forever.

So sorry - you did say your son's 21st birthday. You know, there was something going on, some guy had been singing and some music had been playing, which addled my brain completely :roll: ;-) . Hope you and your son have a fantastic time. I am speaking also for Diana (I'm pretty sure she'll be with me on this one) when I say, we are temporarily reliquishing our fan torch to you for this Oakland show based on you and your wife's enthusiastic responses at the Phoenix concert - use it wisely :lol: .

Congratulations to you and Sarah on your 25th and wishing you many, many more happy, healthy years together!

Best regards,
Mary
1993 Detroit 2008 Kitchener June 2-Hamilton June 3 & 4-Vienna Sept 24 & 25-London RAH Nov 17 2009 NYC Feb 19-Grand Prairie Apr 3-Phoenix Apr 5-Columbia May 11-Red Rocks Jun 4-Barcelona Sept 21-Columbus Oct 27-Las Vegas Nov 12-San Jose Nov 13 2010 Sligo Jul 31 & Aug 1-LV Dec 10 & 11 2012 Paris Sept 30-London Dec 11-Boston Dec 16 2013 Louisville Mar 30-Amsterdam Sept 20
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lizzytysh
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Phoenix, April 5

Post by lizzytysh »

What a beautifully crafted review by Tom Russell. So on point. Thank you for posting it, Stellablueee.


~ Lizzy
"Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken."
~ Oscar Wilde
MaryB
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Phoenix, April 5

Post by MaryB »

lizzytysh wrote:GEEEEEEZ-OH-PEEEEETE, You 2... Mary 8) and Diana 8) ~ :D :D :D :D :D !!!

~ Lizzy
WHAT?? If you had been there Lizzy, you would have matched us step for step :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:. Now that the standard has been set :razz: , I expect you, Marie, Diana, and Lisa to carry on in Detroit :D :D :D :D :D

Warmest regards,
Mary

(P.S. LC concerts are fantastic and serious, but they can be so much fun also. Makes you feel like a giddy schoolgirl - as if I've got to go home and write this all down in my diary - OOOPS, forum :lol: :lol: :lol: )
1993 Detroit 2008 Kitchener June 2-Hamilton June 3 & 4-Vienna Sept 24 & 25-London RAH Nov 17 2009 NYC Feb 19-Grand Prairie Apr 3-Phoenix Apr 5-Columbia May 11-Red Rocks Jun 4-Barcelona Sept 21-Columbus Oct 27-Las Vegas Nov 12-San Jose Nov 13 2010 Sligo Jul 31 & Aug 1-LV Dec 10 & 11 2012 Paris Sept 30-London Dec 11-Boston Dec 16 2013 Louisville Mar 30-Amsterdam Sept 20
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lizzytysh
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Phoenix, April 5

Post by lizzytysh »

I'm just glad you two were front and center, Mary. Yeah, you're right; I'd have asked if I could set the rose or the chocolates, whilst Diana did whichever she wanted and you took care o' the monkey... however, I fear that going step for step in Detroit would require doing so on the shoulders of others, so it won't be happening, except in memory of your great time, wishing in the present, and going with the flow of pure en/joyment.

It's just so COOL that you two covered all our bases with your items that you gave him. For you both, it definitely personalized the concert for you and with you 8) !!

Just plain happy fer ya!


~ Lizzy :D
"Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken."
~ Oscar Wilde
MaryB
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Phoenix, April 5

Post by MaryB »

mnkyface wrote: told me about a guy who was coming by every day for about a week, when the good seats were being released day by day, he was buying a ticket every day trying to get as close as possible. She said he probably bought at least 12 tickets for himself, all ORCH or PIT. He bought something like ORCH F one day, then checked again and bought B. A the next day, PIT the day after that,, etc, etc. :lol: :lol:
mnkyface,

Great story! Did you happen to give your phone # to the box office lady and ask her to pass it along to this guy with a message that there are a number of avid fans (especially on this thread) who would willingly take those rejected, bad, ORCH and PIT seats off his hands and in return we could school him in 'The art of how to really enjoy an LC concert and The art of making LC and his band smile - and maybe even chuckle'. :lol: :razz: :lol: :razz: :lol:

Warmest regards,
Mary
1993 Detroit 2008 Kitchener June 2-Hamilton June 3 & 4-Vienna Sept 24 & 25-London RAH Nov 17 2009 NYC Feb 19-Grand Prairie Apr 3-Phoenix Apr 5-Columbia May 11-Red Rocks Jun 4-Barcelona Sept 21-Columbus Oct 27-Las Vegas Nov 12-San Jose Nov 13 2010 Sligo Jul 31 & Aug 1-LV Dec 10 & 11 2012 Paris Sept 30-London Dec 11-Boston Dec 16 2013 Louisville Mar 30-Amsterdam Sept 20
ladydi
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Phoenix, April 5

Post by ladydi »

Hi all,

Just a couple of more photos to share from that magical evening in Phoenix!

Zenon5...loved your photos! Looks like we were taking many right about the same time! Happy Anniversary! It was wonderful to meet both of you!
IMG_1713.JPG
IMG_1709.JPG
IMG_1696.JPG
MaryB
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Phoenix, April 5

Post by MaryB »

Diana,

Your pictures just keep getting better and better!

Warmest regards,
Mary
1993 Detroit 2008 Kitchener June 2-Hamilton June 3 & 4-Vienna Sept 24 & 25-London RAH Nov 17 2009 NYC Feb 19-Grand Prairie Apr 3-Phoenix Apr 5-Columbia May 11-Red Rocks Jun 4-Barcelona Sept 21-Columbus Oct 27-Las Vegas Nov 12-San Jose Nov 13 2010 Sligo Jul 31 & Aug 1-LV Dec 10 & 11 2012 Paris Sept 30-London Dec 11-Boston Dec 16 2013 Louisville Mar 30-Amsterdam Sept 20
evewaldman
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Phoenix, April 5

Post by evewaldman »

Wow! Diana, you took some fabulous photos! Thanks for posting them for all of us to enjoy. :D

My best,
Eve
ladydi
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Phoenix, April 5

Post by ladydi »

stellablueee wrote:i didn't see this posted, my apologies if it's here already....but i get tom russell's blog.
here's a review only tom could write
Hi stellablueee,

I'm a tad late in adding my thanks but I'm sure we all appreciate SO much your sharing Tom Russell's words with us! I was quite overwhelmed. Mystic words invoking Lorca and the depth of Leonard's poetry....all the emotion that is embodied in his songs! Yes indeed, only he could write a review like that!

And...omg, he was sitting 2 rows behind us!

All the best,
Diana

ps...Mary and Eve...thanks so much for your words about the photos. Fortunately I had great subject matter! :D
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