CONCERT REPORT: Detroit, Michigan - November 26, 2012

Concert reports, reviews, links, set lists - and meetup information + meetup reports
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bridger15
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Detroit, Michigan - November 26, 2012

Post by bridger15 »

Thank you Michicgan Guy for your lovely concert report, your first post. Such a special way to come on board.
Welcome to the Forum.

And thank you Diana for your wonderful concert report. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

---Arlene
2009-San Diego|Los Ang|Nashville|St Louis|Kansas City|LVegas|San Jose
2010-Gothenburg|Berlin|Ghentx2|Oaklandx2|Portland|LVegasx2
2012-Austinx2|Denver|Los Ang|Seattle|Portland

Arlene's Leonard Cohen Scrapbook http://onboogiestreet.blogspot.com
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sturgess66
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Detroit, Michigan - November 26, 2012

Post by sturgess66 »

Video uploaded by Bashakina - Thanks!

Everybody Knows (partial)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXx1uwE-cEE

Tower of Song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ey8GrOop54
xbgedx
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Detroit, Michigan - November 26, 2012

Post by xbgedx »

Saw this show from the front row center orchestra pit, wonderful to be that close toe he maestro! Only thing I felt that was missing and a disappointment to me was the absence of Dino Solo on wind instruments, left some songs lacking but overall another wonderful performance from the Legend
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panjandrum
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Detroit, Michigan - November 26, 2012

Post by panjandrum »

This was an absolutely wonderful concert. I saw him twice in the previous tour (Toronto and Detroit), and overall I think that he sounds better NOW than he did then. His voice seems a little better, and he seems to have just a bit more energy. Not that there was anything at all wrong with him during the earlier tour, it is simply surprising that at 78 he seems to be just a tad better than he was a few years earlier.

I took my daughter, who is now 16, to Detroit (both times), and after this one she said that "it was the best concert she has ever seen". That may not seem like much of a compliment from a 16 year-old, but we've been introducing her to music and concerts for a long time now (with the most recent one being Knofler/Dylan in Grand Rapids just a couple weeks back), so she does have a pretty good basis of comparison. It is great seeing younger people interested in Cohen. I even ran into a 12 year old there with his parents. What a wonderful memory these younger people will have to hold onto.

I too missed Dino, but I do like the way Cohen changes-up the styling of many songs between tours. It is so nice to hear the songs done in a new and different way (sometimes even with new lyrics) at each tour.

I don't usually spend money on "tour trinkets", but this time I couldn't pass up a shirt, and since I had to get one for my daughter (who fell immediately in love with the shirt featuring the art from the cover of "Book of Longing") anyway, I decided to splurge. Once at the front of the line I absolutely could not pass up on the "Cup of Longing", I will laugh now every morning with my coffee!
MaryB
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Detroit, Michigan - November 26, 2012

Post by MaryB »

Hi Diana and panjandrum,

That you so much for your reviews! You were indeed fortunate to have seen him in this glorious venue. I know that he performs equally well in 'souless' arenas, but to see him perform in intimate venues is the ultimate as evidenced by both your reviews.

Warmest 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
kdcoe
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Cohen at the Fox in Detroit

Post by kdcoe »

I have been a fan of Cohen's for over 50 years and I think I have seen the best concert ever, in Detroit at the old Fox Theatre, downtown. If there ever was a venue for a 78 year old balladeer it was this 84 year old theatre. It was intimate for us 5000 attendees. His performance, as always, was impeccable. His stage mates, as always, consummate professionals. It is too bad that his concerts could not be held more frequently in these classic settings instead of hockey arenas and the like. This concert, we all agreed, was probably the last opportunity we will have to see and hear Cohen live and in such good form and in such a wonderful setting. We may see him once more at a hockey rink but it will not match what we have just seen.
ChuckES
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Detroit, Michigan - November 26, 2012

Post by ChuckES »

I have to admit that I was very late in catching on to Leonard Cohen; so late, in fact that when he was due to appear a mere 20 minutes away from where I live, I ended up skipping the show (I was more familiar with cover versions of his fine songs than his own renditions). Not long after that, I finally saw some footage of him and his band and kicked myself for the next couple of this years. Luckily, I was given another chance - not only that, but a friend let me know how to catch the presale, so I found myself Monday after work making the 195 mile drive to the Fox Theatre, where a nice seat awaited me.

Much of the following will be obvious to anyone who has read the preceding or "researched" the tour, but anyone can scroll past as much as they want...

The Fox is a restored movie theatre from the grand old days when people got dressed up to go to the movies. It eventually declined along with the city of Detroit. I'm not sure how long it was closed, but I do recall that when my friends and I first attended an event there (the Pretenders in 1984), we thought "This place must have been great long ago!". Within a few years, it was restored, and I've seen a nice mix of fine shows there over the years, including Stevie Wonder, Santana, Neil Young, and U2, well before they started playing arenas and long before they started playing stadiums. (Coincidentally, another grand old theatre, the Grand Circus, was reopened a few years before the Fox. Not as big or as nice as the Fox, it played host to my first U2 concert, as well as shows by the Clash, the Stray Cats, and Ray Charles.) Anyway, the interior of the Fox is an intricate, ornate, colorful and sligghtly bizarre mix of Near, Middle, and Far East motifs. I don't know much about architecture, but the word that comes to mind is "Byzantine". I couldn't resist riding the elevator to the gallery - what with the bright red upholstering and brass rails, it looked and felt like something out of Captain Nemo's Nautilus (Disney, circa 1950's). All in all, the Fox is a fine, fine place for a show.

The lighting was superb - the layers of curtains were bathed in a shifting palette of gorgeous colors. At the back of the stage were Neil Larsen (keyboards) and Rafael Gayol (drums). In a semicircle in front of them were Charley Webb (vocals, guitar, clarinet), Hattie Webb (vocals, harp), Sharon Robinson (vocals), Roscoe Beck (bass), Mitch Watkins (guitar), Alexandru Bublitchi (violin), and Javier Mas (archilaud, guitar, ?). All were exemplary performers, and each had a number of moments to shine. (Mike Scoble played harmonica on just one song, I believe).

Leonard Cohen was an unlikely centerpiece for this dazzling array, what with his somewhat flat and more than somewhat lugubrious voice, dressed in black and moving slowly, when at all (a typically flamboyant Canadian!), but he was absolutely riveting!

I own two pieces of Leonard's music, the Songs From the Road DVD, and the new Old Ways CD, plus I know a fair amount of his other songs (many indirectly), but I knew that much of the show would be unfamiliar to me (no matter, I loved the songs that were new to me). I'd grown fond of the band on Songs From the Road, and was initially disappointed when I learned that Dino would not be present. However, Alexandru was a splendid "replacement" - fiery at times, but more often mournful, at times almost unbearably poignant (Suzanne, Famous Blue Raincoat). I haven't enjoyed sad "fiddling" that much since Martin Fay was still touring. I was glad to see the Sharon and the Webb Sisters each get to lead a song, while Leonard stood stock still and silent, doffing his hat to them. His spoken intros to their two songs were very nice, as well.

Highlights included Dance Me to the End of Love, Closing Time, and everything in between. Like I said, the lighting was great, but one thing that stood out was they way two spots each cast a huge shadow of Leonard on the back curtain during Suzanne, making a duet of sorts.

At the beginning of the show, Leonard had said something like "We'll give you all we got" and I think they did.

I made it back home in time to get a whopping 2 hours and 15 minutes of sleep before I had to get up for work, but I felt great the next day!
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Hydrogal
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Detroit, Michigan - November 26, 2012

Post by Hydrogal »

ladydi wrote:Leonard's Detroit concert at the Fox theatre was special on several levels. First the theatre itself witnessed by several of Joey's photos....it blows you away. In fact it's so ornate that it took several minutes to realize that it was was also decorated for Christmas! Definitely not designed by Ikea...

Special also was meeting up with several fans prior at the Hockeytown cafe. Wonderful touching bases with Nancy, Janis, and Barbara and Rick. Enjoyed visiting with you SO much!

Most special of all though was Leonard and the UHTC. They were spectacular! Leonard was witty, slightly wicked, and full of energy. I think he could have gone on for another hour or more. The band was perfection! I love the addition of Alex and his violin (still missing a certain person though at stage left), and Mitch is fabulous. As Sharon sang "Alexandra Leaving" you could have heard a pin drop, and it brought tears to my eyes. It was said that one of the security men also had to wipe his eyes a bit. Of the new songs, I love Leonard's concert interpretation of Amen and Anyhow!

Missed Joan of Arc, but The Guests was wonderful!

The lighting was masterful, and the sound perfect. And as always the techs amaze me with their speed and precision.

A couple of personal remarks. I prefer the intimacy of a concert hall to an arena but realize the revenue is much greater in the latter, however I feel blessed to be a part of this moment in time regardless of the venue. And Detroit...wow! You gave Leonard a great welcome last night!! The energy level was fabulous!

Now I wait patiently for 2013.... :D
Lady Di, Rick and I so enjoyed meeting up with you and the rest of our small group. Thank you so much for including us!
My concert experience is limited, but I must agree with you--everything about the Detroit concert was perfect. I look forward to the next time we find ourselves in the same place for another incredible evening with Leonard.

On a different note..I received my VIP package today. WooHoo!
Barbara
we are so lightly here
it is in love that we are born--in love we disappear

Verona 2012, Paris 2012, Detroit 2012, Boston 2012, Miami 2013, New Orleans 2013
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sturgess66
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Detroit, Michigan - November 26, 2012

Post by sturgess66 »

Video uploaded by jaz853 - Thanks!

Hallelujah
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoRz4H2OqKM
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sturgess66
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Detroit, Michigan - November 26, 2012

Post by sturgess66 »

Video uploaded by Kathleen Grigg - Thanks!

Suzanne
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiJCa0-1GUc

Come Healing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyrnkMEqI_4
rangerdad
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Detroit, Michigan - November 26, 2012

Post by rangerdad »

Thanks for the video link Sturges !

Truly inspiring,....I just wish I could have been there to bask in his genius.
Poetry is just the evidence of life. If your life is burning well, poetry is just the ash.
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