This is absolutely true and to my ears, no Leonard Cohen concert is the same. It was always very subtle, indeed in phrasing and emphasis. Some songs, like The Future, changed much in very subtle way. while some grew deeper and more sad, like I'm Your Man (that's why I think that Roscoe Beck's screaming "I'm youuuur maaaan" is ot appropriate anymore, as Leonard is *very* serious, while on first shows he was much uplifting and ironic).MaryB wrote: During these two concerts, what seemed to be different was the slight changes in phrasing and more intense emphasis on certain words (starting with 'The Future'). I have often wondered how one can continue singing the same words over and over and not get tired of doing it. This has never happened with Mr. Cohen and his performance seems even deeper.
Beside Lucca, where I attended the show, I listened mostly to the Toronto bootleg (almost every day, as it's good recording), which is much quicker. First big change I noticed was the Manchester recording, where some songs became so intense that it was hurtful. Even Bird on the Wire (which is living the new life, being one of the best renditions on the current tour) was phrased so that it seemed to me like completely different than on Toronto bootleg. And it's all in emphasis and the way LC pronounce words and lines, from great emphasis on some lines and words in The Future (again, Toronto version is awesome in its phrasing and way of delivery, from lines which were sing to lines which were told, or even rapped in a certain Cohen-style), to whispering of "I'm your man" line after crescendo of what he would do for the loved one.