CONCERT REPORTS: Saguenay, QC (May 30 and 31)

Canada and Europe (May 11 - August 3, 2008). Concert reports, set lists, photos, media coverage, multimedia links, recollections...
NerdDiamond
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Re: Saguenay May 30 and 31st

Post by NerdDiamond »

What a night it was! Me and my friend were in the first row to the far right on the second night. It was an incredible moment having presented Cohen with two roses me and my friend purchased in Montreal before we left for saquenay. Soon after a women threw a scarf on stage and Cohen wiped what looked like a few tears from his eyes. I will never forget this night.
NerdDiamond
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Re: Saguenay May 30 and 31st

Post by NerdDiamond »

Another thing I forgot to mention was one of the roadies gave us two of the setlists on stage. One being Leonard's and the other Havier Maas'. If anyone has any pictures from this evening I would be extremely greatful if someone could send some to me. I plan on framing the ticket and the setlist and would love to include some pictures. Thank you kindly.
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st theresa
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Location: Edmonton Alberta

Re: Saguenay May 30 and 31st

Post by st theresa »

Sigh --just one beautiful experience after the other. Leonard is dancing us to the end of love in fact.
Meeting leonard out in the common area by a student residence will remain with you for a long time, I am sure.
It was kind of you to think of him and to bring him a drink, as it was of the flower givers and scarf senders. I guess many would think that he might be beyond such gestures but apparently he is just as many of us imagine, still attuned to love and kindness. Well.. and who isn't really. It is good to hear this and to remember this--thank you Saguenay for the reminders.
jglBB
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Re: Saguenay May 30 and 31st

Post by jglBB »

Some other aftertoughts on the Saguenay May 31st experience:
I was very surprised by the aging scope of the audience. Many peoples were my age or older (gray hair) but there were also many younger peoples obviously in their teens or early twenties. And it seemed to me that even younger ones knew most of Leonard's lyrics, because they were singing with him. Never saw such a "diversified" audience for a concert before.

As it has been written in other cities reports, Leonard's voice was clear and strong. And it seemed to me that it still became stronger by the end of the show. His "Closing Time"'s voice was that of a young man. Probably an effect of the ambience in the venue on this particular evening. Maybe it's only me but I'm pretty sure it's not.

The person responsible for the show lightings is an artist. A real, definitive lights artist. He/she deserves every pennies of his/her paycheck.
NerdDiamond
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Re: Saguenay May 30 and 31st

Post by NerdDiamond »

jglBB wrote: Many peoples were my age or older (gray hair) but there were also many younger peoples obviously in their teens or early twenties. And it seemed to me that even younger ones knew most of Leonard's lyrics, because they were singing with him.
I myself took a look around and didn't see many people my age (22 years old), but my interests lie mostly with what was going on onstage rather then in the audience.

I find since Leonard quit smoking there is a new vigor in his voice that he lost somewhere along the way when he was a smoker. The moment where this rang mostly true was during Suzanne. He sounded 15 years younger!
NerdDiamond
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Re: Saguenay May 30 and 31st

Post by NerdDiamond »

jglBB wrote: Many peoples were my age or older (gray hair) but there were also many younger peoples obviously in their teens or early twenties. And it seemed to me that even younger ones knew most of Leonard's lyrics, because they were singing with him.
I myself took a look around and didn't see many people my age (22 years old), but my interests lie mostly with what was going on onstage rather then in the audience.

I find since Leonard quit smoking there is a new vigor in his voice that he lost somewhere along the way when he was a smoker. The moment where this rang mostly true was during Suzanne. He sounded 15 years younger!
Darling
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Re: Saguenay May 30 and 31st

Post by Darling »

Thanks to everyone who took the time to read my long post and to react to it. It's so nice to be able to share with people who understand. By the way, have you noticed my new name? Hihi! Thanks again jarkko.
jglBB wrote:Gaglou and Izielle. I think I saw both of you yesterday night finally. You were taking pictures of Auditorium Dufour from the outside and looked as excited as fleas. ( I probably missed something since I always thought that gaglou was a man....). Sorry, we didn't have a chance to met. Me and the Lady were taking our before-show brandy treat in the car around 7:15 in the parking lot. Are we Cohen fans or not? Never saw you after that. Before, during, or after the show.,
Yes we were the happy fleas! Too bad we missed you, but your car is probably on one of our pictures.
A magical night. Don't you agreee?
Oh yes I agree, how couldn't I?

Friday's show was perfect. As soon as the musicians arrived on stage, everybody stood up immediately and when LC arrived he got the welcome he deserved. Somebody shouted: '' On vous aime M. Cohen''. He said 'Moi aussi je vous aime beaucoup' and we were on our way to a fantastic night, my worries about not feeling the buzz all gone. Perfect.

Teachers used to tell us that things couldn't more than perfect because perfection can't be surpassed. These teachers should have been at the Saturday show! I think, as someone said, that M. Cohen was very pleased about how things went the night before indeed. And we reaped the benefits.

I have never felt so much love in a room. It was like there was this big bubble that had been growing for years and years and could finally burst. The configuration of the Auditorium Dufour gives the impression that the crowd is hugging the stage and the energy radiating was overwelming. I was sitting at the left end about 1 meter from the stage and I turned around a couple times and the sight of all these people standing up, with the applaud, all the 'Merci' , the calls of love was just out of this world. No wonder that after an extraordinary rendering of Hallelujah, with this sight, roses (great idea, guys, thanks) and the throwing of the scarf, the man shed some tears (yes, Nerddiamond, they were definitely tears). Then of course, although I am not one to cry at concerts, I and surely quite a few people shed some tears too. And the show wasn't even over yet.

What a night. The best show I have ever seen. Even better than the one in Montreal in 93 (94?). I didn't think that was possible.

More than perfect definitely is possible, more than perfect it was and it will stay in my heart for the rest of my life.
By the way Gaglou, I was born in St-Anaclet (near Rimouski) many many years ago but I left the area when I was 40 days old for exactly the Saguenay region.

40 days in St-Anaclet, that makes us practicly neighbours! Small world.

By the way No.2. Were you one of those who were doing "the wave" in the Hallelujha chorus in the first three rows? I think even Leonard's musicians and chorists had never seen that before,[/quote]

No, I was a the extreme left side, but I would gladly have done the wave too! These kids brought a lot of energy, it was a fun.
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richargroulx
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Re: Saguenay May 30 and 31st

Post by richargroulx »

Hi, I have been waiting 20 years to see the master again.
Thank you Mr. Cohen for doing your duty again and again...

Here are some picture of that evening (May 30th).

http://picasaweb.google.com/picture.trip/LeonardCohen
1988: Québec (Qc) | 2008: Saguenay (Qc) | 2012: Québec (Qc)
jglBB
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Re: Saguenay May 30 and 31st

Post by jglBB »

Darling wrote:....Too bad we missed you, but your car is probably on one of our pictures.
Please, never show these photos to the police. Not sure they could understand. We had a very good brandy but only one glass. It would have been a pleasure to share it with both of you. Next time maybe.
chleobean
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Re: Saguenay May 30 and 31st

Post by chleobean »

For those who can read French, here is a very good review that appeared in the Le Quotidien newspaper:
dimanche 1 juin 2008
Leonard Cohen à Chicoutimi




Le Quotidien
Arts et spectacles, samedi 31 mai 2008, p. 3

Rien de moins que de l'amour
Leonard Cohen envoûte le public saguenéen

CHRISTIANE LAFORGE
claforge@lequotidien.com

CHICOUTIMI - Du jamais vu! Si intense que l’on demeure sans voix, ne trouvant pas le mot pour traduire ce moment d’exception. Un spectacle unique. Un personnage immense. Entre Leonard Cohen et le public ce n’est rien de moins que de l’amour.

Vendredi 30 mai 2008. Occupant la totalité des sièges de l’auditorium Dufour de Chicoutimi, le public vibre avant même l’arrivée des musiciens. Leonard Cohen entre en scène. C’est déjà l’ovation. «Je vous aime» crie quelqu’un. «Moi aussi je vous aime», réplique l’artiste. Si menu dans son costume anthracite, tenant son chapeau contre sa poitrine, saluant gentiment, il a une telle présence que l’on succombe, conquis.

À peine commence-t-il a chanter Dance me to the end of love que s’instaure une certitude : nous ne serons pas déçus. Loin de là.

Sur la scène, entièrement habitée par les nombreux instruments, trois choristes aux voix très belles, six musiciens - et quels musiciens ! Dix artistes en harmonie pour livrer un spectacle mémorable. À l’entracte comme à la fin, les réactions sont délirantes. Plusieurs fois le public se lèvera spontanément pour l’applaudir, manifestant son émotion sous l’impact des mots et son admiration pour la grandeur du poète.

Précédant ses chansons de courts textes qu’il récite en français, du moins au début, le charme de Leonard Cohen réconcilie Molière et Shakespeare, abolissant avec grâce les limites des deux langues. L’effet est impressionnant. Il crée un lien puissant entre lui et son public par le pouvoir de tout ce qu’il exprime à travers les mots et la musique de ses chansons. On peut bien aimer ses disques, cela ne rivalisera jamais avec ce qui se passe là, ce vendredi de mai, sur la scène de l’auditorium Dufour.

À la troisième chanson il demande «Est-ce que je peux parler anglais ?» pour évoquer ses 15 ans d’absence sur scène et prétendre avec humour «qu’il n’y a pas de remède pour l’amour». Jusqu’à la fin, il établit un lien entre ses chansons et ses musiciens, maintenant le rythme sans bavure. C’est impeccable et chaleureux, propice à l’adhésion inconditionnelle aux échos d’une âme sensible, lucide, tourmentée et pourtant amoureuse. «Comme un oiseau sur la branche, je cherche ma liberté» récite-t-il avant de chanter la très émouvante Bird on a wire. Ce qu’il dit, ce qu’il chante n’a de simple que l’apparence. Ses textes, même les plus sombres, sont d’une telle poésie qu’on les reçoit l’esprit ouvert à la confiance qu’il a d’être compris. Et il l’est.

Everybody Knows met en évidence la grande qualité de ses musiciens. La répétition de certaines phrases, comme un mantra, s’appuie sur la musique. Elle en modifie la couleur, en accentue le sens qui se transforme dans le rythme et les intonations. Avec In my secret life on a le sentiment qu’il entre à l’intérieur de la chanson. Ce n’est pas mécanique, ce n’est pas technique. Cela vient de l’intérieur de lui et explose en douceur dans l’oreille de nos cœurs.

De sa voix grave, il crée de la douceur. De sa silhouette il exprime toute la profondeur de sa parole. Puisant dans les succès anciens, risquant des chansons nouvelles, la salle réagit sans cesse et avec force. Lorsqu’il termine la première partie c’est l’ovation. À la seconde l’accueil est vibrant et Suzanne ajoute à la fièvre du public. Hallelujah les éblouit. Democracy les transporte.
Pas question de le laisser partir, la salle scande son retour. Il revient de bon cœur et, trois chansons plus tard, ravira tout le monde en disant: «On n’est pas pressé», avant de continuer.

Difficile d’expliquer ce qui se passe entre cet homme et son public. Une communion. Une reconnaissance. Tout se résume à cet aveu spontané : «Je vous aime» lancé. Moi aussi monsieur Cohen… plus encore, désormais !
To see the actual article, and the two wonderful pictures of Mr. Cohen in it, please follow this link:

http://www.oragesurocean.blogspot.com/


This article repeats what everybody else above has been saying. I can't wait to see the master in Montreal on June 25!

Michelle
Last edited by chleobean on Wed Jun 04, 2008 12:01 am, edited 1 time in total.
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mnkyface
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Re: Saguenay May 30 and 31st

Post by mnkyface »

richargroulx wrote:Here are some picture of that evening (May 30th).

http://picasaweb.google.com/picture.trip/LeonardCohen
Awesome pictures. I especially like his Tower of Song grin. THANK YOU!!
"In this world of shallow, he is the abyss."~ YouTube commenter greg450318
________________________________________________________________
Lyon, July 2008 / Oakland x2, April 2009 / San Jose, November 2009 / Oakland, December 2010 / San Jose, November 2012 / Oakland, March 2013
Dream Warrior
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Re: May 30th:Looking for Izielle, finding LC laying in the grass

Post by Dream Warrior »

"There I am sitting in the grass under a perfect sun with Javier Mas, Leonard Cohen and Sharon Robinson. After the presentations 'd'usage' and the hand shaking, I said 'I thought you may be thirsty laying in the hot sun, I didn't want to bother you'. 'No bother, no bother he said, relaxez, relaxez..' Gosh. Deep breath needed!... then someone came to get them and he said, 'Well my darling, it was a pleasure to meet you, but we have to go to work.' Darling! I know he probably calls all women darling, but that's ok, I'm not jealous."

Whta a marvellous story and, I am sure, an even more marvellous experience for you, Darling! (Hey, now we all get to call you 'Darling' - that's not too bad, eh? lol) Thank you for sharing it with us.

Liam
Darling
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Re: Saguenay May 30 and 31st

Post by Darling »

Dream Warrior wrote:
Whta a marvellous story and, I am sure, an even more marvellous experience for you, Darling! (Hey, now we all get to call you 'Darling' - that's not too bad, eh? lol) Thank you for sharing it with us.

Liam

Not too bad at all! ;-)

I am starting to come back to earth after such a wonderful week-end. The whales did their best. On my way here from Tadoussac (I am in Montreal visiting some friends), it suddenly started to rain very hard with some hail mixed in it. So I stopped in the first town closeby to wait it off. I soon realized I was in Ste-Anne-de-Beaupré a well known pilgrimage site. The kind of place where people come by busloads to pray and to ask for miracles. After what happened in Chicoutimi, it's kind of eery isn't it? Was someone/something somewhere trying to tell me something?

I decided to go for a visit, the time for the rain to stop. There's a beautiful movie called The Novena that was filmed there, and I also wanted to see if there's actually a little booth where you can go and get a blessing like in the movie, and there is. When you go inside the church, you see the crutches of people who claim to have been 'miraculés'. Although, as most francophone quebeckers, I was born and raised as a catholic I have given up my religion a long time ago, but I did burn a 'lampion' anyways just in case! I wouldn't want to offend the Universe that has been so kind to me lately because I was too cheap to spend 4$. And there are some beautiful mosaics in the church that deserve to be preserved.

I also went to the shop out of curiosty, and they had these medals in plastic boxes on which the name of the saint you have to pray depending on what you want was written. ''St-Judes, desperate causes'' for example. On one box, it was written 'Ste-Claire, television'. Was it who you have to pray to get what you want to play on television? I had to ask ! I did ask ( a bit more subtly though), and I was told that she is the patron saint of people who work in television, don't ask me why.

All this to say that it took Leonard Cohen, a jewish anglophone zen monk to take me to Ste-Anne's basilica, a 'haut-lieu' of Quebec's old catholic culture. I think he is the true miracle maker!
Darling
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Re: Saguenay May 30 and 31st

Post by Darling »

mnkyface wrote:
richargroulx wrote:Here are some picture of that evening (May 30th).

http://picasaweb.google.com/picture.trip/LeonardCohen
Awesome pictures. I especially like his Tower of Song grin. THANK YOU!!

Yes, thank you so much. Mine are all blurry except one or two.
Darling
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Re: Saguenay May 30 and 31st

Post by Darling »

MEB wrote:Just curious did somebody give you the set list of was it just left lying around on the stage?

Somebody gave the three (?) setlists to people that lingered inside after the show.
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