CONCERT REPORTS: Vienna, September 24 and 25

September 21 - November 30, 2008. Concert reports, set lists, photos, media coverage, multimedia links, recollections...
richardrj
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Location: Vienna, Austria

CONCERT REPORTS: Vienna, September 24 and 25

Post by richardrj »

Great show on the 24th but IMHO too quiet. They should have pumped up the PA a bit, made the walls of the Konzerthaus shake a little.

Sharon was back and in great voice. No surprises in the set list (no 'Partisan' or 'Famous Blue Raincoat' which I read were played in Bucharest).

I was a little disappointed that Cohen didn't say anything special to introduce 'Take This Waltz', since it has a special resonance for us here in Vienna. Otherwise no complaints :)
red nag
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Re: Vienna, Sept 24 and 25

Post by red nag »

I was at the Vienna concert tonight (last night - 24th) and while I agree with Richard that the sound was too quiet, the concert was absolutely fantastic, Leonard and the band were brilliant. And although he didn't introduce "Take This Waltz" especially, I think he knew that everybody in the Konzerthaus knew what he was talking about. - Or wasn't that the number that he introduced saying, "The last time I was on this stage was 15 years ago, when I was just a kid of sixty with a crazy dream." (??)
Oh, if he uses the same line, I hope I haven't given too much away to anybody who may be going tomorrow. But if you are reading this before going to the concert on 25th, watch out for the Secret of Life (if he delivers that joke). Whoever said you can't have a laugh with Leonard? Lovely to see him with a twinkle in his eye and a wonderful lightness. But at the same time a depth of feeling that surpasseth all understanding. Joyful.
daisy
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Re: Vienna, Sept 24 and 25

Post by daisy »

I was absolutely amazed by this little old man.... by his incomparable voice and his gentle smile...
like someone else said some time ago, if it were possible to fall in love with a 74 years old man, well, that just happened to me last night... I haven`t seen him live before, but he has kept my heart warm for the last 15 years, and if I had the chance, I would kneel in front of him as a little thank you for all the joy and pain his words have brought me through the years...

dear leonard, I made some paintings as a tribute to you, but I`ll never be able to reach your depth...
thank you leonard for your time and your soul and the way you express all those little things which make us what we are, normal, human...

I hope to have some time again the great honor of your presence, here or elsewhere
richardrj
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Re: Vienna, Sept 24 and 25

Post by richardrj »

red nag wrote:Or wasn't that the number that he introduced saying, "The last time I was on this stage was 15 years ago, when I was just a kid of sixty with a crazy dream." (??)
This is just another of his scripted lines. And in this case not a particularly accurate one either, since he last played the Konzerthaus in 1985.
daisy
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Re: Vienna, Sept 24 and 25

Post by daisy »

I may be wrong, but didn`t he play "I`m your man", and then without saying anything, he started "take this waltz"?

"The last time I was on this stage was 15 years ago, when I was just a kid of sixty with a crazy dream." - he has said these words in several other concerts of this tour, read the postings... so it had nothing special to do with Vienna; I didn`t quite expect him to introduce this song particularly, as the song itself says more than enough, and everybody was waiting anyway for him to perform it...
robertwblues
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Re: Vienna, Sept 24 and 25

Post by robertwblues »

From the moment that Leonard skipped onto the stage, making light of his 74 years, he had the audience in Vienna's Konzerthaus entranced. I have attended many concerts but never in my previous experience have an audience provided a standing ovation for an artist BEFORE he had even opened the show. This was the emotional opening to last nights concert. It was testimony to the affection in which he is held by his many fans. Fans of all generations. There was a real cross-section of ages present last night. I believe this has a lot to do with the second phase of Leonard's career, following the world-wide acclaim for 1988's “I'm Your Man”.
Last night was very different from the previous time that I had seen Leonard perform – Manchester in the late 80's. That was also a great show but with fewer backing musicians and a more subdued artist. Last night Leonard performed as if it was his last concert, giving new emphasis and meaning to his words. This was a superb craftsman at the height of his powers – and clearly enjoying every minute..
The sound system was so clear that every word could be captured. The musicians were all excellent. Leonard is such a gentleman. He acknowledged every significant contribution from his tightly-knit band. He had the full complement of backing singers, who were also given the opportunity to shine. Indeed Sharon Robinson took the lead on her song “Boogie Street” and the Webb Sisters took over the vocals on “If it be your will”, after Leonard had spoken the opening words.
There were many highlights, from the pleading “Hallelujah” to the rocking “Closing Time”. Each song received its own particular treatment. The lesser known “Gypsy wife” was a special treat for me.
Leonard kept the break between encores as brief as possible in order to cram in as many songs as possible before the 11pm curfew. The show itself lasted just over 2.5 hours. I spoke to one of his entourage after the show, as he was packing up the merchandise. He told me that Leonard would have played longer if he had been allowed to continue. He had not worked with him before, but had been struck by how genuine he is as a person. He added that Leonard really enjoys performing for his fans on this sell-out tour.
As we drifted away afterwards I was left with the feeling that Leonard could have performed a different set of 24 songs from his fantastic repertoire and it would have been just as enjoyable a show. My only small gripe is that there was nothing included from “Dear Heather”, an album that grows on me the more I listen to it. “The Faith” is a particular favourite.
If you have not managed to see a show yet, please make every effort – you will not regret it. This was surely the concert of the decade – if not the century!
PS. The guy that I spoke to said that there may be one additional concert but not to divulge the location in my review, as it is not yet confirmed. ;-)
pironi
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Re: Vienna, Sept 24 and 25

Post by pironi »

there may be one additional concert
Let's hope Mr. Cohen will fill the gap between Barnardos Young Supporters and Sarah Gillespie!
pp.
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Patrasch
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Re: Vienna, Sept 24 and 25

Post by Patrasch »

"...14 years ago...i was 60! Just a little kid with a crazy dream" was at the end of the 1. set (8:55 pm)
before "Anthem" or "Hey, that's no way to say good bye".. i don't exactly know.

P.S. what about photos??
Love has torn us apart
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mirka
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Re: Vienna, Sept 24 and 25

Post by mirka »

I agree the show was a little too quiet, IMHO it was also less energy in the air then at the other concerts that I saw (2 in Atlantic Canada and 1 in Dublin). It may as well have something to do with the public, IMHO more uptight then people at the other concerts I saw (in Dublin the 10k public sung the chorus to So Long Marianne in the torrential rain:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRn8sjvGObk.

For me this time the exchange of energy between the public and LC was missing, he was much more talkative in other concerts -- but so was the public. Here he just used a couple of scripted lines, while at the other concerts at times he held a genuine dialog with the public.

Otherwise -- just the usual magic :lol: :razz:

ps.
maybe the accoustic of the Konzerthaus is a little weird, I was seated in the loge and the sound was kind of flat, just saw a clip taken in the parterre, sounds like it has better dynamics (?).
/Warsaw March 22 1985 / Halifax May 16 /Charlottetown May 18 / Dublin June 15 / Vienna Sept 24 2008/
Oakland April 13, 14, 15, San Jose Nov 13 2009/
Las Vegas Dec 11 2010/ Oakland March 2 2013/
mr happy
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Re: Vienna, Sept 24 and 25

Post by mr happy »

Of course that the concert was great but far less intense than in Lucca (the only other show that I've atended so far). I don't know (but everybody does?), maybe our man is geting a bit tired. After reading set list from Bucharest, I expected The partisan (my favourite) and famous blue raincoat (my second fav). Or at least something like Avalanche, Chelsea hotel etc. but the set list was the same as in Lucca. And please don't moan so much about "too quet". I would like to see everyone of us doing something like this at 74! Good luck tonight (especially with the set list) and see you in Munich!
PS Did he say "this stage" or just "the stage"? I really can't tell.
richardrj
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Re: Vienna, Sept 24 and 25

Post by richardrj »

mr happy wrote:And please don't moan so much about "too quiet". I would like to see everyone of us doing something like this at 74!
This is not a criticism of Leonard's performance at all, it's directed at the sound engineers. They could have given the performance a bit more impact if they had turned up the volume on the PA. Certainly the acoustics at the Konzerthaus can cope with higher volume, as I remember from when I saw Nick Cave there a couple of years back.
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Patrasch
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Re: Vienna, Sept 24 and 25

Post by Patrasch »

he meant common "stages"
Love has torn us apart
tommylen
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Re: Vienna, Sept 24 and 25

Post by tommylen »

Its great to read about the concerts.I think every one has its particular appeal for those who have attended .
Every one seems to have its own highlights.

I like to read the comments that talk about the concert being the best one that they have ever been to.Says a lot about the tour.

Can the people who seem to attend a number of the concerts please tell me how they manage to do that?

Travel expenses accommodation etc etc.

How is it done?
scarlettrose
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Joined: Wed Sep 24, 2008 1:43 pm
Location: Vienna

Re: Vienna, Sept 24 and 25

Post by scarlettrose »

The concert yesterday was the first Leonard-Cohen-concert I've ever seen, so I have no comparing to others.
All I can say is; i think it was fantastic!
I'm absolute with daisy; it it is possible to fall in love with an 74-years-old man, it happend to me too!
But as you said, it was a little bit to quiet, I was not able to hear all he was saying.


PS; I hope my english is comprehensible, even in school I was never good in it.
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basecamp
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Re: Vienna, Sept 24 and 25

Post by basecamp »

richardrj wrote:...
Sharon was back and in great voice. No surprises in the set list (no 'Partisan' or 'Famous Blue Raincoat' which I read were played in Bucharest)...
You made may day! I'm so happy to hear that lovely Sharon is back in the band! Can't wait to see Leonard in Berlin!
Berlin 90ies /2008: Amsterdam/Berlin/Hamburg/ London RAH /2009: Berlin/Barcelona 2010: Odense/Berlin/Ghent(3x)/Wiesbaden/Strasbourg/Marseilles/Hannover/Las Vegas(2x),2012: Ghent(5x)/Amsterdam(2x)/Berlin/London/Verona/Toulon/Paris(2x)/Barcelona
2013: Paris-Antwerp-Mannheim-Brussels-Rome-Lucca-Berlin-Lodz-Prague-Vienna-Pula-Odense-Zurich-Manchester-Leeds-London-Rotterdam
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