CONCERT REPORTS: Istanbul, August 5 and 6

Europe and Israel (July 1 - September 24, 2009). Concert reports, set lists, photos, media coverage, multimedia links, recollections...
The Fedora
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Re: CONCERT REPORTS: Istanbul, August 5 and 6

Post by The Fedora »

Well, he talked about the tricky weather and summer flu, then people started to shout at the stage, things like "We love you!" ,"Again!" and "You're great", he was telling something like "I see you're surrounded here with friends, and if it's not your lot--" people cut off so many times, he couldnt continue, I guess he slightly giggled and said "..I'm very fond of you, friends." That sounds rude as it was. Well, I was not the only over-emotional one,but it'd be better if people have remembered that the very obvious end of the concert was not a very right time to ask for one more song.Leonard didn't look disturbed, though.
ultramarine
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Re: CONCERT REPORTS: Istanbul, August 5 and 6

Post by ultramarine »

We write because that's the only way that we can express what we think or what we feel. So shameful of our very nature, most of us are not capable of using this tool; we are solely transmitting some signs. But unlike us, Leonard Cohen is one of these exceptional figures who can use words perfectly, as Nick Cave and many others admit in the documentary Leonard Cohen: I'm your man: "He's got that advantage that he can actually write."

Last night, we were there to see this miraculous man's existence and to hear his magic words - which seemed impossible and unutterable. Besides, he was so generous to give us a part of him, to work for our smile. I must have been the most querulous one in the entire theatre, I complain about simply everything - when they started playing and singing, I couldn't find a single thing to complain about. Something has changed forever; and I feel that you, everyone who heard him and who saw his great gallantry and sincerity knows what it means. To everyone who tried to express how it felt to be there for only three hours, I can tell you that it was incomparable to anything we will ever get to experience. To dear Fedora - I saw you there, and I thought that you were too young (I'm only eighteen by the way, I don’t know how I could dare to think this way!) - I am deeply sorry for the ones like us who had these moments in their teens. Many things won't really matter after being there, seeing this man singing, reading great lines, kneeling in front of us, and all these great musicians along with him; we must have had the most spectacular nights of our lives. I can't think of any possible experience that can be compared to this. No reactions will be more sincere than screaming when we heard him singing Chelsea Hotel #2 or unfortunately, we probably won't have any other chance to hear people screaming "Hallelujah" in company with great musicians in this amphitheatre.


...and dear Mr. Cohen, many things in me changed when I got a chance to know you a little - now, after seeing on stage, nothing will be the same. Only thing that I know is that we are going to be keeping your songs, your words alive. I can't really think of any better way to thank you, but I know that, after those three hours when you and your company gave us everything you've got, nothing can be enough.
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Maarten
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Re: CONCERT REPORTS: Istanbul, August 5 and 6

Post by Maarten »

Hi,
Can someone please post the exact setlist for both the first and/or the second concert in Istanbul in the thread on top? It seems like they played Chelsea Hotel only the second concert, right?

Please post the full setlist if you happen to have written it down somewhere!


Thanks,
Maarten (and Marie)

2008 Manchester | Bruges | Amsterdam | London | 2x Brussels | Rotterdam |2x London
2009 New York | Cologne | Antwerp | Venice | Colmar | Barcelona | Las Vegas | San José
2010 Salzburg | 2x Sligo | Helsinki | 3x Ghent | Lille | 2x Las Vegas
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aydancinar
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Re: CONCERT REPORTS: Istanbul, August 5 and 6

Post by aydancinar »

:)

thank you..

Aydan CINAR
MaryB
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Re: CONCERT REPORTS: Istanbul, August 5 and 6

Post by MaryB »

ultramarine,

That is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful reviews I have read. Your writing skills are masterful and your sentiments are so very well-expressed. Thank you, and a very warm welcome to the forum. I am looking forward to reading more of your posts.

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
goldstei
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Re: CONCERT REPORTS: Istanbul, August 5 and 6

Post by goldstei »

here's a review i trolled across on the web:

Leonard Cohen live in Istanbul


Leonard Cohen fascinates 5,000 concertgoers at first-ever İstanbul gig

“I didn't come all this way to İstanbul to fool you,” sings legendary Canadian poet-musician Leonard Cohen in his song "Hallelujah" to the tremendous applause and cheers of a 5,000-strong crowd on a hot and humid İstanbul evening at the Cemil Topuzlu Open-air Theater.

These words were more than just a song. These words compensated for the great disappointment Cohen fans in İstanbul felt as a result of last year's canceled concert. After learning that the legend of love songs was to come to İstanbul last August, fans were frustrated with the cancellation of the concert. This year, when the two concerts were first announced, everybody's excitement was suppressed, wondering, “What if they are cancelled again?”
But their dream came true. The cult name in poetry and music gave his first concert in İstanbul on Wednesday night as part of his ongoing world tour, which began in Germany on July 1. And Cohen himself probably also regretted not coming before, after experiencing the astonishing interaction with the Turkish audience.

Born in Canada in 1934, Cohen came from a Jewish family that had its roots in Poland and Lithuania. Cohen's father died when Cohen was 9. He felt the influence of religion in every stage of his life. After many years, he would describe his youth with the words, “I had a very Messianic childhood.” He would say, “I was told I was a descendant of Aaron, the high priest.” It is not surprising to see that Cohen always reflected a spiritual aspect in his poems and songs.

Cohen spent his youth largely writing poetry. After becoming a well-known poet in Canada, he moved to the United States in 1967 to continue his career as a folk singer-songwriter. His first album, "Songs of Leonard Cohen," released that same year, was not a commercial success, but he was already evaluated as one of the most significant names in folk music. The 1980s and '90s would bring worldwide fame to Cohen's beautiful songs, each of which would gather a cult following. In 1996 Cohen was ordained as a Rinzai Zen Buddhist monk and took the Dharma name Jikan, meaning “silence.” After his seclusion ended in 1999, Cohen would return with “Ten New Songs” in 2001. What a blessed comeback it was.

The lyrics of Cohen's songs are no different from his poems in terms of depth and meaning. Each word is carefully chosen for the place where it belongs and where it will penetrate directly into the listener's heart. The romance in his songs could reach the highest level; “Dance Me to the End of Love” from the album “Various Positions” became the song of lovers and everyone who wanted to love. Cohen also never hesitated to make spiritual, political and even satirical comments, as is largely perceptible in his song “Democracy” from the album “The Future,” for instance. Considering that it could take Cohen a year to complete a song, it is not surprising to observe that perfection comes out at the point where love meets innocence and politics meets irony.

‘Everybody knows’

This was what the people of İstanbul had waited for, for so many years. However, Cohen's long-awaited first İstanbul appearance on Wednesday drew protests from a 15-member group who demanded Cohen cancel a planned appearance in Israel on Sept. 24. The group, holding placards that read, “Everybody Knows… Israel is a killer” in a reference to the title of a song featured on Cohen's 1988 album “I'm Your Man,” demanded that Cohen perform in Ramallah instead of Tel Aviv. After a short period of tension at the entrance of the concert hall, the group peacefully ended their protest just before the concert started.

Inside the concert hall, the ambiance was very different. The arena was full to the brim with enthusiastic people applauding madly as Cohen appeared on the stage just on time, not a minute too early or late. With a modest but a charismatic greeting, Cohen started with the classic, "Dance Me to the End of Love," to a magnificent cheer from the crowd -- so loud that it even drowned out the music played on the stage for a while. Quintessential Cohen songs -- “Famous Blue Raincoat,” “Suzanne,” “So Long, Marianne,” “I'm Your Man” and “First We Take Manhattan” -- followed.

During the concert, Cohen never abandoned his respectful attitude, taking off his hat with a respectful gesture towards his companions as they played music. He showed the same respect to his audience: at the so-called end of the concert, he left the microphone on the floor as he greeted the audience with an appreciative thanks, but this was not enough for his fans. Cohen returned to the stage for four encores; every time the audience became more and more rapturous. Despite his age, Cohen did not seem to be exhausted after playing and singing for more than two-and-a-half hours. Every time he tried to leave the stage, the audience cheered up by his style of leaving: Cohen was running, dancing and turning around. Turning back every time, he started to sing songs of "separation," which was his way of humorously bidding farewell.

So, Cohen was in İstanbul for two fabulous, unforgettable concerts that are sure to live on in the audiences' memories for as long as they live. The 74-year-old Cohen made everyone remember the unifying power of music once again when he thanked the audience for its “warm reception” in “complete peace in a time of chaos and suffering” and continued with his unforgettable lyrics: “Ring the bells that still can sing. Forget your perfect offering. There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in.”
MaryB
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Re: CONCERT REPORTS: Istanbul, August 5 and 6

Post by MaryB »

Sharon Robinson's tweet Aug. 5 11:16PM

"We're loving Istanbul, most of us never having been here before. And the Harbiye Theater audience last night was so fantastic. Great fun."
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
ultramarine
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Re: CONCERT REPORTS: Istanbul, August 5 and 6

Post by ultramarine »

Thank you Mary, your reply was more than a warm welcome to me. I wasn’t really planning to continue writing on the forum, but yes, this great poet made me feel like I have to write a few words, by giving us lessons of modesty and making us let our cracks fill with his prophetic light on Thursday night. Apparently, I haven’t run out of things to say about Mr. Cohen yet, and I guess I’ll be sharing my words with you despite their inadequacy.

Maarten, I can’t remember the exact set list, but I found that photo on a Turkish website which you might have also found. And yes, your assumption is right; they played Chelsea Hotel #2 only in the second concert.

Image
Last edited by ultramarine on Sun Aug 09, 2009 11:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Zeynop
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Re: CONCERT REPORTS: Istanbul, August 5 and 6

Post by Zeynop »

It was a magical night and I still cannot go back to my real life :(
I can't remember the exact order of the songs but these are the songs they played in the 6th of August show.

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 no.2
Waiting for the miracle
Anthem

Tower of song
Suzanne
Sisters of mercy
The partisan
Boogie street
Hallelujah
I'm your man
Take this waltz
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
Zeynop
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Re: CONCERT REPORTS: Istanbul, August 5 and 6

Post by Zeynop »

MaryB
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Re: CONCERT REPORTS: Istanbul, August 5 and 6

Post by MaryB »

Thanks for posting the set list ultramarine!

It's nice to see 'The Gypsy's Wife' back on - maybe in Barcelona. After all, it is Javier's hometown and this song showcases his talent beautifully!

I know 'Lover, Lover, Lover' has recently been done in a soundcheck (Belfast?) and if I remember correctly, has been on a few set lists. Would be sooooo fantastic to see it performed!

(PS ultramarine - nice to see you back!)
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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sturgess66
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Re: CONCERT REPORTS: Istanbul, August 5 and 6

Post by sturgess66 »

Some video on YouTube posted by "mercedescolomar"

"Hallelujah"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiUnb7-hssU
confetti
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Re: CONCERT REPORTS: Istanbul, August 5 and 6

Post by confetti »

what a lovely review by ultramarine, and superb photos by zeynop. It looked like 2 wonderful nights, Leonard looked like he was really enjoying himself.
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Joan
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Re: CONCERT REPORTS: Istanbul, August 5 and 6

Post by Joan »

Thanks for the photo's zeynop - they are lovely.
Kind Regards, Joan.
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surrender
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Re: CONCERT REPORTS: Istanbul, August 5 and 6

Post by surrender »

Thanks to Zeynop for the beautiful foto's
and thanks to Aydan, Blixa, Eymen, Fedora and Ultramarine for the heartfelt reports from magic Istanbul...
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2012: Ghent (8/12)|Amsterdam (8/21-22)|Verona|Lisboa 2013: Antwerp|Brussels|Rotterdam|Amsterdam


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