CONCERT REPORT: Columbia MD, May 11

[westminster21157]

This concert was memorable not only for the music but the atmosphere. I was fortunate enough to be in the pavilion, but those who were outside were soaked by the rain and chilled by the low temperatures but they stayed on for the almost 3 1/2 hour show. Leonard and the Webb sisters wore scarves during parts of the show to keep themselves warm and performed their expected stunning show. People sitting around me came from North Carolina, West Virginia and Georgia though most were from Baltimore or DC. I will never understand those few who left the concert before the end. The was one of the best concerts I have ever seen.

[brightnow]

Still working on my report of this incredible evening but in the meantime: has anyone met any member of the band before the show? We were there when the gates opened for early entrance, looked everywhere but sighted no one.

[westminster21157]

First Set
• 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 #2
• Waiting For The Miracle
• Anthem
Second Set
• Tower Of Song
• Suzanne
• The Gypsy’s Wife
• The Partisan
• Boogie Street
• Hallelujah
• I'm Your Man
• A Thousand Kisses Deep (poem)
• Take This Waltz
Encores
• So Long, Marianne
• First We Take Manhattan
• Famous Blue Raincoat
• If It Be Your Will
• Democracy
• I Tried To Leave You
• Whither Thou Goest

[bigdee]

Still working on my report of this incredible evening but in the meantime: has anyone met any member of the band before the show? We were there when the gates opened for early entrance, looked everywhere but sighted no one.

A friend got me into the venue early, 4:15 PM to be exact, and managed to meet up with Hattie around 5:15 after the soundcheck was done. I also talked with a lady with the touring company before they opened the gates to the public who said the post on here for the early entrance was actually not suppose to be for a special fan club early entry. The venue always opens to everyone at 6PM on show nights which is why they could not do a special meet and greet with the band last night(too many people).

Soundcheck 5/11/09 (May be incomplete)
1. Dance Me To The End of Love (already in progress when I arrived)
2. The Future
3. Ain't No Cure For Love
4. Lullaby
5. Who By Fire
6. Heart With No Companion
7. That Don't Make It Junk
8. If It Be Your Will (Webb Sisters only)

[runwhiteyrun06]

Awesome concert. For me highlights were: First we take Manhattan, Famous Blue Raincoat, the Partisan, Who by Fire (surprisingly), and Boogie Street.

The concert was easily one of the best I've ever been to. The band was fantastic and really added to the experience. I find it somewhat ironic that this was the longest concert I've ever been to and yet, the singer is 74. Cohen literally ran and skipped off stage, was down on one knee numerous times, and danced at points. He is a true showman.

I was honestly surprised at how packed it was. The pavilion was at least 95-98% full and the lawn looked like it was pretty packed. If any one you were out on the lawn, I feel so bad for you; It was raining a good part of the show.


My one gripe that isn't really a gripe...I'm only 20 and the average age of the audience had to have at least been somewhere around 45. I was surrounded by people 3 times my age so I didn't really have anyone to talk to the whole time.

[bigdee]

My one gripe that isn't really a gripe...I'm only 20 and the average age of the audience had to have at least been somewhere around 45. I was surrounded by people 3 times my age so I didn't really have anyone to talk to the whole time.

I know the feeling. First time I saw Leonard was in 1993 when I was 13. I don't think anyone who was there was under 35 except for me. Funny thing was I went with my mother (It was my first ever concert) and everyone we talked to thought she dragged me to the concert when in fact I was the Cohen fan who made her take me since I was too young to go on my own. She's since become a fan and tonight I'm returning the favor I've owed her for 16 years, by taking her to the Philly show. Glad you enjoyed the show and glad to here more people our age are discovering his works.

[phillip]

wow you have been a fan since 13 cool I have been a fan since 17 and saw him in 1993 in London UK and twice last year in Manchester and Birmingham UK with my family who are also fans great shows and will see him again in Liverpool Uk in case you didn't know I am English living in England UK lol! Glad you had a great time:D

My one gripe that isn't really a gripe...I'm only 20 and the average age of the audience had to have at least been somewhere around 45. I was surrounded by people 3 times my age so I didn't really have anyone to talk to the whole time.

I know the feeling. First time I saw Leonard was in 1993 when I was 13. I don't think anyone who was there was under 35 except for me. Funny thing was I went with my mother (It was my first ever concert) and everyone we talked to thought she dragged me to the concert when in fact I was the Cohen fan who made her take me since I was too young to go on my own. She's since become a fan and tonight I'm returning the favor I've owed her for 16 years, by taking her to the Philly show. Glad you enjoyed the show and glad to here more people our age are discovering his works.

[PrettyKitties]

I agree it was THE best concert ever! We were late - we came from Arlington & left 2 1/2 hours early. (Couldn't leave earlirer because my daughter had a final.) The traffic going into Merriweather was so bad & I knew we were going to be late, so I got out of the car and walked a mile & a half in the rain. Worth it!

I've been a fan since the 70's and this concert exceeded all my hopes. His voice was amazing! And the fans were so appreciative & responsive & it was great to be among so many other true fans who can recognize a true genius. A truly magical evening. (Magic IS alive!)

[Crusser]

Does anyone know why "Closing Time" has disappeared?

I have the pleasure of seeing him on Sunday and it is my favorite of his maybe

[mnkyface]

The traffic going into Merriweather was so bad & I knew we were going to be late, so I got out of the car and walked a mile & a half in the rain. Worth it!

Awesome.

Found this review of the show:
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postro ... night.html

Best part is this:
Cohen observed "We're so privileged to gather like this, with so much of the world plunged in chaos and suffering." Which is, roughly translated, Canadian poet-turned-monk-speak for "Throw your hands up and make some noy-oiiiise, Maryland!"

[brightnow]

Found this review of the show:
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postro ... night.html

Best part is this:
Cohen observed "We're so privileged to gather like this, with so much of the world plunged in chaos and suffering." Which is, roughly translated, Canadian poet-turned-monk-speak for "Throw your hands up and make some noy-oiiiise, Maryland!"

As Leonard said last nights: "... the critics are severe".

[Darling]

I was surrounded by people 3 times my age so I didn't really have anyone to talk to the whole time.

You are allowed to speak to "old" people, you know. Most of them would probably have been happy to talk to you!

[ubik333]

Found this review of the show:
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postro ... night.html

As Leonard said last nights: "... the critics are severe".

And in this case - regarding band and arrangements - quite clueless IMO.
Criticizing them for sounding like Live In London ....
I'll restrain myself...
I could not imagine a finer career retrospective - either performance - and I feel so privileged to have been in Columbia last night(under the roof fortunately).
Got there very early, and the soundcheck was a welcome - and rather substantial treat. Some variation, and I believe "anal sex" returned for the early version of The Future.
I'd never been to Merriweather Post Pavillion, but my first visit now holds an indelible place in my heart.

Jerry

[brightnow]

At 5:40pm we rolled to a stop at the venue's parking lot and joined a remarkably diverse group of 100 or so fans heading towards the gates. I picked up our pre-sale tickets (thank you Jarkko) without delay or incident and lined up for the entrance. By the time the gates opened a crowd of at least 500 was lined up all the way from the gate to the parking lot. The youngest fan in attendance looked to be two or three years old (that is, unless you count the unborn fans. I saw at least one of those moving about). All other age groups were very nicely represented as well.

The gates opened only a few minutes behind schedule and we all swarmed the merchandise and concession area. This was one of the most civilized human swarms I have ever seen and the venue was more than prepared to handle it. We got our merchandise and looked quite thoroughly for any member of the band who might have been hanging out; we sighted no one. We headed to our seats about half an hour before the show. A few minutes later it started raining. The rain came down at varying pace through the evening; the brave and dedicated souls on the lawn sprouted a forest of umbrellas and stood their ground quite heroically. By 7:30, the pavilion looked to be 80%-90% full. The show started a few minutes later.

This was my first Leonard Cohen concert. The evening had twenty-two year's worth of expectations stacked up against it and it wildly exceeded each and every one of them. The sound was masterfully balanced, powerful and very pleasant. The band was truly amazing, each member a star by their own right. Leonard jogged on to the stage and skipped playfully off the stage flirting with his spotlight shadow. In between he brought to life the words that resonate with my being in a way that my words cannot fully describe.

Within the magical continuum that started with "Dance me to the end of love" and ended with that pledge of loyalty from the book of Ruth "Whither thou goest" some songs surprised me in their own particular way. The arrangement of "In my secret life" was so rich it felt like the song was reaching out and hugging the audience. "Waiting for the miracle" seemed to echo every last human longing in the universe. "Anthem" was as uplifting as ever and the light effects added a whole new dimension to it.

By the end of the first set it was getting a bit cold, the temperature was only 50f (10c) but there was a gentle breeze that whisked our heat away. The four vocalists came back for the second set wearing scarves, Leonard took his off after a few songs but the Webb sisters and Sharon Robinson kept theirs on through the end of the show.

"Suzanne" was wonderfully delicate with Leonard and his guitar in the forefront and the band complementing and blending into the background. "Hallelujah" was, as expected, a religious experience and "A thousand kisses deep" was simply magical. "Take this waltz" was dreamy, I especially enjoyed how in parts of the song Charley was not singing backup vocals for Leonard, she was singing a duet with him. We received the shortened version of "So long Marianne" but it moved me almost to tears nonetheless. "I tried to leave you" is still echoing in my head as I write this, a day after the concert.

It was an experience out of this world. Walking away from the pavilion I was surprised to discover that the parking lot and our car still existed.

It's over. It's finished. It's completed. It has been paid for.

(Really, it has; the pre-sale was a while ago and the credit card payment has gone through )

[KaimiK]

I was surrounded by people 3 times my age so I didn't really have anyone to talk to the whole time.

You are allowed to speak to "old" people, you know. Most of them would probably have been happy to talk to you!

!

I second that! I'm in my mid-thirties and thoroughly enjoyed the wonderful mix at the Seattle concert. In fact, I felt far more comfortable and have more in common with those a few years my senior anyway! My seatmate was the most fascinating older gentleman who lives on a sailboat and is just now heading to Alaska for several months. Since we were in our seats so early, we had lots of time to chat - what great stories he had to tell! Age has nothing to do with it -just start talking. I think, especially with LC fans, our similarities are quickly evident!