The New York Event in our memories

The New York Event - before and after!
User avatar
lizzytysh
Posts: 25503
Joined: Thu Jun 27, 2002 8:57 pm
Location: Florida, U.S.A.

Post by lizzytysh »

No-no-no :lol: .....I belief dwarfism in nature is considered a mutation. Hence, your term belongs solidly with yours. Or, simply malnourished. So, take your teeny bird, the term, and have a bag of bird seed on me :wink: !
User avatar
Paula
Posts: 3155
Joined: Fri Aug 09, 2002 1:20 am
Location: London

Post by Paula »

Check out this website.

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php ... post130059

What a fuss :lol: There are a lot of weird websites out there.

Lizzie our robins are petite and look good on christmas cards, by the sound of it american robins wouldn't look out of place with a sage and onion stuffing at christmas.
User avatar
lizzytysh
Posts: 25503
Joined: Thu Jun 27, 2002 8:57 pm
Location: Florida, U.S.A.

Post by lizzytysh »

OMG ~ what an abomination :lol: ! Stuff our beautiful robin!?! Our robins are petite, too, when compared to the size of the trees they sit and nest in :wink: . Ours, by the way, look great on Christmas cards ~ for one thing, they show up :lol: !

I will, of course, check out the site/the forum[?] :wink: .
User avatar
lizzytysh
Posts: 25503
Joined: Thu Jun 27, 2002 8:57 pm
Location: Florida, U.S.A.

Zachary Oberzan

Post by lizzytysh »

Zachary Oberzan ~ What a name; and he comes by it naturally.

I'm not sure if it's because each of its components has the same number of letters and syllables, so it rounds out and completes itself as you speak it; or if it's the repetition of the combination of "z/a" [the last and first letters of the alphabet]. I don't really know ~ however, the name looks great in print; it is wildly fun to say; and the person bearing the name is delightful to meet :D .

A quiet, thoughtful man, Zachary is a person with whom one feels natural and at ease engaging in subdued conversation with; comfortable with sharing the seemingly minor, undramatic, and unexpected details of one's life ~ as "life is in the details" :D . He was someone totally new to me, a Dartmouth graduate in theatre, and a New York City resident. Out of the blue.

When Zachary played his guitar and sang at the International House; at open mic; and at the West End pub, his refined, reflective, and focused nature carried through into his performing. Whether he played gently or intensely, it was always attentively, and never by rote, in his rendering of the instrumentation and lyrics of Leonard's songs; as well as with "Amelia Earhart," the insightful and accomplished song of his own writing.

Leading up to Sunday, as his hands and fingers froze from the high-amp'd A/C at the International House, Zachary listened intently and concerned himself, as apparently most musicians do, with his set list ~ and what ones, if any, would end up as repetitions. I can't account it to memory, but to my request, that I'm able to provide that list. At the International House, he performed:

(1) Minute Prologue ~ "Changing a couple lines to be site specific, most notably, 'I think I can heal it with THESE songs.....'." Another comment that he made, which will make more sense to musicians than it does to me is, "Also, I played with the time signature of 'Night Comes On,' so that each verse alternated between 6/8 time and 4/4 time."
(2) The Future ~ The song that shows there's so much healing that is needed.
(3) Night Comes On ~ A bittersweet favourite of mine relating to death and love.
(4) Amelia Earhart ~ Wonderful and well-worth hearing. I was intrigued and impressed by the sensibilities that would lead a person to write a song like this, honouring this woman, and looking at 'love' from this totally different perspective.
(5) Love Itself ~ His favourite from "Ten New Songs."
(6) Don't Go Home With Your Hard On ~ This is the one that amazed me because it's the song that has always caused me to wonder why Leonard somehow 'compromised' so, to even do it. Perhaps, Zachary's own subtle and genteel manner lent itself to the song taking on a different spirit from what I'd heard in the raucous, poor-sounding recording I've always heard. When he began it, its spirit instantly filled and transformed the room into a joyous, high-spirited, rousing sing-along :D . I couldn't believe myself, as I was right there singing along, too ~ every lyric ~ and at the same volume as everyone else! It could have been a high-school pep rally, us singing the school song; or it could have been a [German?] pub, us singing and raising our mugs in the air, clicking them against those of our 'mates' :D , and my glass raised with the rest. I never dreamed I could enjoy that song so much 8) :D !
(7) Closing Time ~ This song was the perfect ending.

At open mic, Natalie Fuhr spontaneously joined him at the microphone for a you'd-never-believe-it-was-unpracticed duet of "Famous Blue Raincoat" ~ again, Zachary's contemplative nature is imparted to the song, and Natalie's vocals blended beautifully :D . After that, he did "Heart With No Companion" ~ another bittersweet favourite of mine.

Whereas, others were cheering; after Zachary's performances, I shared with him that I just couldn't bring myself to do anything beyond clapping, heartily and respectfully. His playing had reminded me of a meditation, where I would never consider 'hootin' and hollering' or calling out, "YaY! Great meditation!" He smiled and said, "You got it, then.....that's how I intend for it to be."

Modest and self-effacing in his manner and humour, his humble and unassuming responses to people's compliments often came with a look of surprize, preceding a lift in his voice, with his "Oh really!?! Thank you!" He can be, in equal measure, earthy :wink: , as well, in response to praise [see Teratogen's posting below, where the quality of the songs themselves gets highlighted]. Sincere and genuinely grateful for the positive feedback he receives, he's the kind of performer it's gratifying to compliment.

At the West End pub, toward the close of the night, people stopped talking to listen, when the lightness of his guitar, the clarity in his voice, and his perfect diction, joined with his intentional, unique pacing of "Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye," to absolutely make it his own.

As Dick Straub commented, "His performances and company were great all weekend." :D Bobbie Chalou was also motivated to go, a couple weeks after the Event, to see him perform in Portland, Maine, where she also met his family 8) . He has two Cds out, with his own, unique perspectives encased in interesting, intense, and highly-imaginative lyrics. Anyone interested may find him and additional details through http://www.zacharyoberzan.com.

Zachary's gentle kind of class lent a very special, pleasant timbre to the Event 8) . He's the worthwhile, high-quality kind of person one is pleased, and proud, to introduce with, "This is my friend." :D

~ Elizabeth
Last edited by lizzytysh on Sun Jul 25, 2004 5:42 am, edited 6 times in total.
User avatar
lizzytysh
Posts: 25503
Joined: Thu Jun 27, 2002 8:57 pm
Location: Florida, U.S.A.

Post by lizzytysh »

By the way, Paula ~ I don't mind 'eating crow' ~ however, I will not 'eat robin' :shock: ~ in any form, for any holiday! :wink:

~ Lizzie
User avatar
Teratogen
Posts: 1653
Joined: Mon Jun 21, 2004 11:09 pm
Location: Santa Clarita, California
Contact:

Post by Teratogen »

lizzy! i too enjoyed zachary's performance! i don't know if you remember, sean and i were ecstatic. we were cheering and screaming "yeah!" and singing along with the lyrics, and really bobbing our heads around. sean and i went out to thank him for choosing to perform the songs he did and we shook his hand. he said something like, "yeah, those songs are so fucking underrated," or something like that. it was great. sean bought his cd. he's a magnificent writer. his music sounds similar to cohen's old stuff, too.

thanks for reminding me of that one-of-a-kind performance!

jason
User avatar
lizzytysh
Posts: 25503
Joined: Thu Jun 27, 2002 8:57 pm
Location: Florida, U.S.A.

Post by lizzytysh »

Dear Jason ~

My pleasure :D . I also love the balance that your comments here have brought to my posting because you're absolutely right in all you've said 8) . In fact, you've prompted me to do several, minor Edits/additions. Thanks :D !

~ Lizzy
User avatar
lizzytysh
Posts: 25503
Joined: Thu Jun 27, 2002 8:57 pm
Location: Florida, U.S.A.

Post by lizzytysh »

:lol: Well, Paula......seems some folk in Leicester and Nottinghamshire are rather excited about seeing an American Robin, and I didn't note any exchanging of recipes, either :wink: .

~ Lizzie
User avatar
lizzytysh
Posts: 25503
Joined: Thu Jun 27, 2002 8:57 pm
Location: Florida, U.S.A.

Post by lizzytysh »

Way back when [August, 2003], someone initiated a thread as to who were the 'best looking' male and female in the Beautiful Losers Gallery. These comments were made about Heather Salisbury.

By Ronnie:

Heather Salisbury

she is very easy on the eye


and me of course

***********************************************************

By BlingyBlongy:


oh yes, she is different class!

***********************************************************

[I commented that everyone is beautiful, etc.]

***********************************************************

By SEXBOMB:


All what Lizzytysh said was true but also what Ronnie and BlingyBlongy said was true. I wish the World had no opinions at all on looks, but it does. I just hope HS knows her appearance is a gift and not a burden. And when I say "beauty" about her we are not talking just attractive features but an outside appearance that reveals an absolute inner beauty as well.

***********************************************************

I advised that Heather would be coming to the Event in New York [though would be bringing a Guest :wink: ].

Now, having been to New York for the Event, I can confirm with absolute certainty that Heather is not only amazingly photogenic, but is equally beautiful inside, as well :D . What you saw is, indeed, what you get 8) . She was a lovely and serene hostess of ceremonies on our first day of Davis Hall activities, at the International House.

~ Elizabeth
Charles
Posts: 90
Joined: Tue Jan 28, 2003 1:42 am

Post by Charles »

I would like to say that the pages of the New York Event are truly remarkable. And a big thanks to Lizzytysh for writing such wonderful accounts of the different events. Lizzytysh, you are a talented writer. You made me "see" people I have never "met". I now feel (through your descriptions) that I "know" more about Leonard Cohen's music and those who love it. I know Leonard would be proud of such fans. I hope you write some more "pages" about your adventures in New York City.
User avatar
lizzytysh
Posts: 25503
Joined: Thu Jun 27, 2002 8:57 pm
Location: Florida, U.S.A.

Post by lizzytysh »

WoW. Thank you very much, Charles :) . As I was reading your posting, I presumed you had been there. As I re-read it, I'm still not sure, as I know you couldn't have met everyone, particularly those who weren't even a part of the Event. So, were you or weren't you there? Actually, there are still a couple things [not any major segments, though] that I wanted to "memory"-ize, but certainly not 'pages' worth [though :wink: :lol: , I don't know, it could end up that way, knowing me :lol: ......however, I'll try for it not to]. Thank you for your interest :) .

The pages of the Event are incredibly well done 8) . They're beautiful :D !
Charles
Posts: 90
Joined: Tue Jan 28, 2003 1:42 am

Post by Charles »

No I was not able to attend the New York Event. That is why your account of the activities and the people in attendance was so meaningful to me. Your writings on the Event were like "snapshots" that enabled the rest of us who could not be there to savour the experience "second-hand". Thanks again! Maybe Leonard will send thanks too!
User avatar
lizzytysh
Posts: 25503
Joined: Thu Jun 27, 2002 8:57 pm
Location: Florida, U.S.A.

Post by lizzytysh »

Oh good; not that you weren't able to be there :( , but that what I wrote helped you to "second-hand" pretend for a moment :D . That causes me to feel very good :) , and I'm glad I decided to finally try to capture some of my, own memories [on the Forum] for others, as well as myself! They ended up on the Event pages, but not with that in mind originally. I kept watching for others to record their own, but I guess their photos must have been satisfying enough.

You're very welcome, Charles. My pleasure :) . That's a great thought on Leonard :lol: , but you never want to 'set him up' like that :wink: .

Are you going to be able to go to Hydra or Berlin? Surely, one or the other ~ you're so close to both :D .

~ Lizzy
User avatar
Paula
Posts: 3155
Joined: Fri Aug 09, 2002 1:20 am
Location: London

Post by Paula »

I second what Charles said Lizzie. I have really enjoyed your "ramblings" about the event. I would have loved to have gone but as an alternative to going your snippets of the event have brought some of the atmosphere to me. 8)
Midnight
Posts: 297
Joined: Tue Jan 21, 2003 4:29 am

Post by Midnight »

I third this motion. Lizzytysh's "reporting" on the event and participants was most enjoyable to read. I felt like I was there...at the registration table....at the Knitting Factory...on the harbor cruise...adoring Leonard's Deer Heather...watching the subway train zoom away without us...struggling together on the scavenger hunt...tripping together in Leonard's room...looking for bargains in jewlery...

Seriously, well done.
Post Reply

Return to “The Leonard Cohen Event in New York 2004”