is it ok to bring my 7 year old to a Cohen concert

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amcgee
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is it ok to bring my 7 year old to a Cohen concert

Post by amcgee »

Hi

I am going to th 3rd night concert in Kilmainham and got two tickets to go, my wife has gone to see him with the last 2 times and went witha friend for the other one, and she suggested i bring my eldest who will be 7 by the time he plays. I am not sure as he might be too young. he has sat down and watched leonard cohen live in london a few times and does like him. firstly ,do you know if he would be allowed in, in the first instance, and second, would it be fair on him, as it probably will be a long show. He does like cohen,. but is now expanding onto Jedword and the big fear also would be if he goes to a Cohen gigg, he may require me to go to a jedward Gigg....

thanks for any info on this
amcgee
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Mabeanie1
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Re: is it ok to bring my 7 year old to a Cohen concert

Post by Mabeanie1 »

If you want my honest opinion, I would say: No. 7 is much too young for a Leonard concert.

It's a long show with a late finish and long walks to and from the concert site. The weather could be cold and wet - not the sort of conditions you want your child to be out in for any length of time. Also, it doesn't matter how much he likes watching bits of Live in London, it's a completely different proposition being at the show. Will he be able to see anything? How long before he gets bored with the show? How much will he distract you if/ when he gets fidgety? How much will he spoil the enjoyment of the show for the people around you if he get whiney and fidgety?

My boys were 11 and 15 the first time I took them to a concert with me. This was a rock concert from a band whose DVDs they both enjoyed watching and they both insisted they wanted to go to the show with us - but the younger one still got bored during the course of the 2 hour set. Children just do not like sitting still for prolonged periods of time.

Wendy
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LisaLCFan
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Re: is it ok to bring my 7 year old to a Cohen concert

Post by LisaLCFan »

I second Wendy's advice. I do not think that it would be a good idea, for all the reasons she mentions.
LHHUNTER
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Re: is it ok to bring my 7 year old to a Cohen concert

Post by LHHUNTER »

Hi,
At the Madrid concert 2009 there was a woman along from me with a young baby at the show; most peculiar :shock: Leonard's youngest fan :razz:
osmachar
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Re: is it ok to bring my 7 year old to a Cohen concert

Post by osmachar »

If the 7 year old has listened to the music before and likes it then i don't think there's anything wrong with taking him/her.

A 7-year old might not care too much for lysics but likes the tunes...so why not?
amcgee
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Re: is it ok to bring my 7 year old to a Cohen concert

Post by amcgee »

thanks for all your replies,
i probably agree with wendy too, he does listen to him, and he picks up his guitar and plays suzzane(he is like myself, tone deaf and can't play the guitar) but he does like cohen and the music. as another pointed out, the lyrics are above his understanding anyhow. thankfully though he like a lot of other muscians too and especially jedward and lady gaga...

So it will be a question of thinking about it over the summer months, on an actual policy level, i assume that if he did want to go, he wouldn't be turned away for being too young, which is good to hear. but i wreckon the spare ticket will be used by a friend anyway, as i suppose the lenght of the concert and the weather and the crowd number might frighten him slighly.
thanks
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TipperaryAnn
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Re: is it ok to bring my 7 year old to a Cohen concert

Post by TipperaryAnn »

osmachar wrote:If the 7 year old has listened to the music before and likes it then i don't think there's anything wrong with taking him/her.

A 7-year old might not care too much for lyrics but likes the tunes...so why not?
Agreed, osmachar. It's a personal decision, like most things in life. My experience has been that some adults, especially those who got "freebies" from local promoters, have no interest in LC and are only interested in how much alcohol they can consume, behave much worse than any 7 year old could!
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There is a crack in everything...
kevwill
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Re: is it ok to bring my 7 year old to a Cohen concert

Post by kevwill »

If the cost of taking him to see Leonard Cohen is having to go see Jedward, then I believe the answer is clear!!!
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garden of eden
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Re: is it ok to bring my 7 year old to a Cohen concert

Post by garden of eden »

I bought a ticket for my 8y/o daughter. This was at the cost of being mocked by friends who thought I was being weird and irresponsible taking a child to a concert that was not appropriate for that age. Here's my humble opinion:
a) It IS a personal decision, and you know your son the best. For me, my daughter has been on stage in a handful of long-running performances... she's gone to plays & concerts with me since she was 2y/o... she emulates proper audience decorum and loves analyzing artistic choices (be it acting, directing, lyrical, or instrumental).
b) having seen Leonard on stage several times this last tour, I know that the music envelops you in a way that rarely happens in other concerts. I explained to her that (much like in art) there are layers to the music that can be peeled away and listened to separately - the vocals and instruments are built in layers to make a complete and balanced composition... that alone, inspired her to be a mini artistic "detective" - and adds an educational element to the experience.
c) Leonard is a Canadian icon, and much as I've loved him my entire life, one day she'll "discover" his poetry with the same depth as we all have... by the time she fully understands the beauty of Leonard he may no longer be with us :-( but she'll be able to proudly say "I've seen him and experienced him when I was little".
d) and lastly, as a single-mom, many times leaving her at home isn't an option for me... so I don't take other people's looks and judgement to heart... because until my married-friends are in my position their judgement is based on assumptions that are worlds away from the reality of things...

Again, this is just my humble opinion - and one of many varying opinions... but you know your son best... what's right for one may not be right for another... In the end, he may love it despite the weather, distance from venue, time of day, or his age...
Clementine
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Re: is it ok to bring my 7 year old to a Cohen concert

Post by Clementine »

Sorry. I may have double posted here. My daughter was 9 last time Leonard played here in NZ and she and I were in the second row. Bless her, she's grown up with LC music as the soundtrack of her life and she loved it. It's a long show and she got sleepy occasionally but all in all, she tells me, she treasured the experience!
Amrei
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Re: is it ok to bring my 7 year old to a Cohen concert

Post by Amrei »

I brought my children to several LC concerts. My youngest daughter was only 6 at her first concert, so was my son.
All my children grew up with Leonard´s music, so they knew all the songs and most of the lyrics in advance.

I would bring them again on two conditions:
1. having good seats, like 1st or 2nd row, so they actually really can see the show and occasionally make eye contact
2. having a backup person somewhere nearby, who can take over and - if necessary - take the child to bed if it gets too late or the child too tired.

I never needed option no. 2, but just knowing, that I had this possibility, was good for me.

All my children enjoyed the concerts very much, so I wouldn´t hesitate bringing them again (and we have tickets for them for the Berlin concert, then aged 9, 10 and 16).

I woul never (!!!) bring small children to concerts with unnumbered seats or even standing areas (don´t know, how it is at the concert you plan to attend) and I would never let myself blackmail to attend other concerts (Jedward) for ths one.

I also think, that Leonard´s audience is special and I would not expect rude behaviour there. I definitely think it is a much safer concert to go to than many other artists´gigs - and for children that might make a big difference.

At Leonard´s concerts my children always and only met really lovely and considerate seat neighbours (like "the beautiful ladies from Dublin" (Stella Sophia ;) ) and as my kids love the music, they never had a problem with sitting quiet and listening.
So - yes, it is a personal decision - if you are in doubt that your son can manage, then I would wait for Leonard´s next tour. :razz: That´s far better than giving your son a bad experience and ruining the concert for yourself and possible seat neighbours.

My children regard the concerts they attended (Copenhagen, Hamburg, Berlin, Hannover, Dortmund) as marvellous evenings, they never will forget. But this is maybe only so, because they knew the songs so well in advance (and with kowing the words I do not think, they actually understood most of the lyrics;) - but they like the music).

Hope this was helpful. Don´t hesitate to ask for more details. :)

Yours, Amrei
___________________________________
1988: Århus 21.04.
1993: Holstebro 25.4.; 26.4.
2008: Århus 06.07.; Copenhagen 17.10.; Hamburg 31.10.
2009: Berlin 02.07.
2010: Hannover 27.09.; Dortmund 29.09.
2012: Copenhagen 25.08.; Aalborg 26.08.; Berlin 05.09.
2013: Hamburg 14.07.
cohenadmirer
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Re: is it ok to bring my 7 year old to a Cohen concert

Post by cohenadmirer »

might have to stay up way past her bedtime!
Leonard's work resonates
Brighton 1979; Dublin , Manchester june 2008; glasgow, manchester Nov 2008; Liverpool july 2009 ; Barcelona Sept 2009 ;marseille, lille september2010: Ghent August 2012;Barcelona October 2012;Montreal x2 November 2012: 2013; Saint John NB April 2013; Brussels June 2013;Manchester August 2013; Leeds , Birmingham September 2013; Amsterdam September 2013
songwriter
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Re: is it ok to bring my 7 year old to a Cohen concert

Post by songwriter »

of course bring your precious child!

Persons of all ages should bear witness to the magic spells that Leonard weaves while he is still fit and well to conjure them.

It would be a sad situation for your child when she reaches a level of maturity to appreciate Leonard fully to look you in the eye and say "Father, why did you deny me the pleasure of a Leonard Cohen concert? Now he exists only in peoples memories, and you did not allow him a place in mine"
amcgee
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Re: is it ok to bring my 7 year old to a Cohen concert

Post by amcgee »

Hi
thanks for replies, i thnk i am going to take a chance and bring him. i think he will like it and is looking forward to it, i will probably leave early though , which will be tough for me..but as i have seen Cohen a few times before and since he will be playing for over 3 hours. missing the encores and a few other songs may be the price to pay for bringing my eldest son.
thank
looking forward to hearing the reviews from the first few concert!
amcgee
sandraa
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Re: is it ok to bring my 7 year old to a Cohen concert

Post by sandraa »

I'm bringing my 12 yr old on Wednesday, possibly my 10 yr old on Saturday. They're long concerts but they're very familiar with the music
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