Recap: Leonard Cohen - Palacio de Deportes (Madrid) - 05/10/12
Written by Ramon Santos on Monday, October 8, 2012
On stage, an exquisite sobriety, watching a group of willing tools and reflected on an endless curtain, distinguished figure of a young naked breasts firm and calm, holding the reins of a strong horse. Outside, the moon had gone, bitten by the silhouette of a Borsalino hat. I could not help the image of "The Horse's Bath" of Sorolla blended with sea horse of "The Book of Imaginary Beings" of Borges, the only animal that walks the earth when the breeze brings the smell of mares in the light of the moon ... and the horse galloped, oblivious to his nearly eighty years, attracted by the desire of an audience thirsty and passionate dancing beyond fear, far from spent kissing the end of love, accompanied a violin, Bublitchi Alexandru, who came from the fields of sunflowers Moldovans to illuminate a magical night.
Cohen began his concert with "Dance me to the end of love" and, almost four hours later, it ended with "Save the Last Dance". Between dance and dance: a life. Twelve thousand lives of all ages, who left indelible memories drawing at night with the appreciation of an audience to win freedom again, like a drunk in a midnight choir, as a "Bird on the Wire" as a bird charmed by the sound of a mandolin Javier Mas, in the words of the head teacher, who turned to be great, this time with a lute in flames, in "Who by fire".
Among messages of repentance ("Amen"), mercy ("Come Healing") and hope ("Going Home"), taken from the "Old Ideas", the teacher last record, we had a chance in the first half to rediscover the love abrasarnos and again at the foot of the "Sisters of Mercy" or attend a wonderful duet between the murmur of the teacher and the delightful voice of Sharon Robinson, who crossed the borders of the secret love "In My Secret Life".
It was a wonderful first part vanished almost without our accounts, as if time had stopped, between shadow play between songs that were projected on backgrounds blue and red, purple and gold, and coral seas, as a discreet lighting as elegant and suggestive, which ended with the message that it is sometimes desirable to break yet to see the light ("Anthem").
If the first half was impressive, even more so was the second. Perched on the "Tower of Song" from where we spotted how time and friends and loves are disappearing, without anesthesia, alone with his guitar, as if we listened for the first time, sounded "Suzanne" and went back to tea and Chinese oranges at home, on the banks of the river, just before, majestic, surely one of the most emotional moments of the night, sounded "The Partisan", with Cohen's long shadow cast on a background of struggle and freedom.
There was a time for relaxation of the teacher, who until that moment, from the beginning to the end, never tired of showing their gratitude and respect to each of the members of the orchestra and the audience, clasping her hands, leaning on each song in reverence, his hat, kneeling. Rang "Coming Back to You" in the pristine and blessed voices of the sisters Hattie and Charley Webb and, this time alone, Sharon Robinson wrecked us with pure joy with fears and farewell "Alexandra Leaving".
Then came the final fireworks: "I'm your man" was again the most beautiful declaration of love and submissive ever written, "Hallelujah" perfect prayer "Take This Waltz" the waltz in the morning and frost Lily and the moon, and lilies adorned the master violins, almost without accent, with an "I love you, I love you, I love you" in perfect Castilian ... and went back to trot and canter with a devoted audience which came ecstatic with the first chords of "So Long, Marianne" and that "First We Take Manhattan" ceased to be losers and eventually conquering Berlin. It was all a dream. A dream that ended with the promise that he would continue working to tear a smile ("I tried to leave you") and with the request that he guardásemos the last dance for him.
Just started the concert, Leonard said he did not know when they would see us and that was reason enough to give it all that night. He gave everything. We gave everything. And all he better than anyone, know that he will not. After three long years from gig to gig, hard disk (say the last due out next year), trying to save for a short break, it's likely to retire to a monastery as it did at other times, although I would not rule out the possibility that allthough his days in a new Hydra, in search of another with whom Marianne rescan curly forest of lilac and with whom to share delicious eggplant salad and a good Greek wine while day arrives judgment. Thank you, master.
Recap | Ramon Ray Santos and Monsanto
Photos | Ana Santos