CONCERT REPORT: Red Rocks, June 4

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...
rmura
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CONCERT REPORT: Red Rocks, June 4

Post by rmura »

burningviolin wrote:Here's a just uploaded audio boo of the real thing!!

http://audioboo.fm/boos/27723
It's fantastic to hear a clip so soon. Thanks!
novabella
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Re: Red Rocks concert

Post by novabella »

Hi everyone. It's intermission. No rain. No lightning. I don't know what you are seeing but that's not happening here. Thinking of all who were supposed to be here.
San Diego- April 7th, 2009, Red Rocks- June 4nd, 2009, Las Vegas- November 12th, 2009, San Jose- November 13th, 2009
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bridger15
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Re: Red Rocks concert

Post by bridger15 »

sturgess66 wrote:Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!! It is fascinating to watch the lighting on the stage - and the darkening sky - and the changes on stage -and the images on the jumbo screen - but it is torture too. *Sigh* Wish I were there!

I am listening to the Beacon download.
I agree with everthing you described. It is intermission now. I have been listening to the Live from London CD. This is all so exciting.
2009-San Diego|Los Ang|Nashville|St Louis|Kansas City|LVegas|San Jose
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KaimiK
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Re: Red Rocks concert

Post by KaimiK »

Thank you for the thought novabella. Can't believe I couldn't stay for this... Heartache!
You let me sing, you lifted me up, you gave my soul a beam to travel on. You folded your distance back into my heart.
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KaimiK
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Re: Red Rocks concert

Post by KaimiK »

It is finished... at almost 11:30. Must have been quite a show! Thanks to Len who tweeted his way through the concert - took away a bit of the sting for me. Thanks to those who thought of the ones who should have been there in body, not only spirit.
You let me sing, you lifted me up, you gave my soul a beam to travel on. You folded your distance back into my heart.
Phil Rice in NZ
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Red Rocks, June 4

Post by Phil Rice in NZ »

Amazing show! I resheduled flights, costing quite a few dollars (probably covered by insurance, luckily), but am more than glad I did. Standing O after every song, the audience were just so into it, the venue was amazing, virtually perfect. My seat put me directly behind the venue camera operator, a really horrible seat, until a couple of songs in it became obvious that the row 10 seat in front of me was going to stay vacant. From then on, a perfect view, seated next to a very cool Denverite. So, unfortunately someone else's misfortune ended up saving my night. Thanks, whoever you are. Once again, a beautiful night in every sense.
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Mabeanie1
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Red Rocks, June 4

Post by Mabeanie1 »

Does anyone have the set list?

Wendy
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mutti
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Red Rocks, June 4

Post by mutti »

Thanks to everyone who said they were thinking of all of us who had to leave after the Tuesday show was postponed!
That did ease the pain somewhat. I was watching the webcam as long as I could as once it got dark it was difficult to see.
We were able to enlarge the screen which was great.
Looks like an amazing show...Now the band and Leonard will have a much deserved rest before they head out again!
Mutti (Leslie)
1988 Vancouver
2009 Victoria/Seattle/Almost Red Rocks/Las Vegas/San Jose.
2010 Sligo x 2/Victoria/Vancouver/Portland/Las Vegas x 2.
2012 Austin x 2/Seattle/Vancouver/Montreal x 2.
2013 Oakland x 2/New York City x 2/Winnipeg...
rmura
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Red Rocks, June 4

Post by rmura »

Mabeanie1 wrote:Does anyone have the set list?

Wendy
I've been waiting and hoping that someone will post it too. From watching the webcam, my guess is that it was the same as the second show in Boston (May 30), except that in the second encore segment the folks at Red Rocks got both "Democracy" (as in Boston) and "Closing Time" (an additional song).

Ron
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sturgess66
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Red Rocks, June 4

Post by sturgess66 »

From DenverPost.com:

http://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_12525019
Cohen's Lyrical Charm Classic

By Ricardo Baca
Denver Post Pop Music Critic
Posted: 06/05/2009 01:00:00 AM MDT

The most important ingredient in any given Leonard Cohen song is the lyrics. The Canadian singer-songwriter is best known for his unparalleled way with words, and so it was incredibly fitting that the lyrics took center stage at Cohen's sprawling Red Rocks Amphitheatre set Thursday night.

Not only is Cohen a master of the sly yet audible delivery, but the cheery weather also agreed with the songwriter, his six-piece band and three backup singers. After postponing the show Tuesday because of rain and cold, Thursday's weather couldn't have been more agreeable to Cohen's canyon-deep bass and the subtleties of his mood-defying music.

Cohen front-loaded the night with some of his most familiar, celebrated songs — from a "The Future" that was breezy instead of sinister and a "Bird on the Wire" that had fans tearing up before the sun had set.

Before hanging his fedora up for a mid-set intermission — he is 74, mind you — Cohen threw down a revelatory take on the dark epic "Waiting for the Miracle" and a surprisingly powerful, yet expectedly relevant, "Anthem."

Cohen often started songs bent down on one or both knees, getting a little Bono-weird on the audience. But his minimalist-rooted theatricality worked — a tip of the hat for accentuation, a muted old-man shuffle, an unsettling sway to a carnival beat. The charm of a song like "Take This Waltz," which won over the crowd in the middle of the second set, defines Cohen's presence on a stage: He's classic, refined and ageless.

And that God-like bass-growl? Forget about it. It was 10 times more rewarding watching and listening to Cohen in 2009 than seeing Bob Dylan verbally stumble his way through another concert.

Cohen, who introduced each band member twice over the course of the night, was expected to play well past 11 p.m., but this review was filed earlier because of deadline reasons. The singer's signature song, "Hallelujah," was classically placed toward the end of the first set, evoking a near-riotous, well-deserved standing ovation from the audience. Whereas the localization of most songs sounds trite and cheap, Cohen's inclusion of the lyric du jour, "I have not come all the way to these Red Rocks to fool you," was poetry.

Cohen's first encore began with a gorgeous "So Long, Marianne." And with that, he began another long goodbye.
gram
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Red Rocks, June 4

Post by gram »

He was truly amazing last night, 3 hours of his beautiful lyrics and music, and I sure love how deep and majestic his voice has gotten. My faves for the evening were In My Secret Life, Tower of Song and of course Hallelujah, but everything was pretty incredible.

Here was the set list:

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
Waiting for the Miracle
Anthem

Tower of Song
Suzanne
Sisters of Mercy
Partisan
Boogie Street (Sharon)
Hallelujah
I'm Your Man
A Thousand Kisses Deep recitation
Take This Waltz

So Long Marianne
First We Take Manhattan

Famous Blue Raincoat
If it Be Your Will (Webbs)
Democracy

Closing Time
I Tried to Leave You
Whither Thou Goest
rmura
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Red Rocks, June 4

Post by rmura »

There's a good review here:

http://blogs.westword.com/backbeat/2009 ... _at_re.php

(The setlist omits the "A Thousand Kisses Deep" recitation and "Whither Thou Goest.")

Ron
pippi
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Red Rocks, June 4

Post by pippi »

Hello everyone :D

Thanks for the above post, I just found the article too and was about to add it here.

Does anyone know how many people were there? Was it full? Hope all of you who got to attend had a blast.

My Dad and I flew to Denver from Asheville, NC last Friday and we built the trip around going to the concert, but all we got to do was go there Tuesday afternoon and stand at the seats where we would have been. :cry: At least we got to be there for several days and do other fun things in the area. Flying home yesterday was heartbreaking...I've never gone so far to have a concert postponed. Oh well :cry:
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bridger15
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Red Rocks, June 4

Post by bridger15 »

Can anyone tell us about Leonard's closing words last night, his Four Priestly Blessings at the end of the concert?

It may have been similar to what he said in Oakland.

1. It’s getting kind of windy and chilly out there, so don’t catch cold
2. Be lucky
3. Be surrounded by friends and family
4. And if this is not your lot, may the blessings find you in your solitude"

I also remember at another concert, he included, "Drive carefully".
Last edited by bridger15 on Sat Jun 06, 2009 8:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
2009-San Diego|Los Ang|Nashville|St Louis|Kansas City|LVegas|San Jose
2010-Gothenburg|Berlin|Ghentx2|Oaklandx2|Portland|LVegasx2
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Arlene's Leonard Cohen Scrapbook http://onboogiestreet.blogspot.com
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brightnow
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Red Rocks, June 4

Post by brightnow »

[I posted this a few minutes ago to another Red Rocks thread, but figured it actually belongs here. Please pardon me spamming the board :D]

Here's a capture of the webcam before and during the concert. I've time-lapsed it into six minutes of video.
Let me know what you think...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfP1LLfOaDk
Columbia May 11, 2009; Boston May 29, 2009; Durham November 3, 2009; Las Vegas December 10 & 11, 2010; Austin November 1, 2012; Boston December 15, 2012; Brooklyn December 20, 2012
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