CONCERT REPORT: Tel Aviv, September 24

[bridger15]

Tweeter reports
Simon Soesan who decribes himself as:
"Dutchman lost in Israel, businessman and columnist"
http://twitter.com/siempie1956
As at 9:00 pm Israel time

'Who by fire' LC in Tel Aviv, just before Yom Kippur
24 minutes ago from Tweets60
'Ma tovu ohaleikha, beit yisroeel' LC in Tel Aviv
42 minutes ago from Tweets60
'I dont know when we will meet again, but we will give you everything we've got tonight' - LC in Tel Aviv....
about 1 hour ago from Tweets60
55000 green flares!!
about 1 hour ago from Tweets60
And @LeonardCohen sings Dance me to the end of love.....
about 1 hour ago from Tweets60
90 minutes to go. Stadium is filling up. Over 55000 exiited people came for The Master
about 2 hours ago from Tweets60
No sign of the Master yet
about 3 hours ago from Tweets60
Getting ready for Leonard Cohen's concert
about 4 hours ago from Tweets60
My counterpart is late..well.. I waited one whole year for this presentation, so i guess i will wait a bit more.
about 6 hours ago from Tweets60
Welcome, Cohenites. Will report from tonight's concert in Israel as promised

[sturgess66]

From Associated Press - Yahoo News

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090924/ap_ ... nard_cohen

Leonard Cohen Performs in Israel, Defies Boycott

By IAN DEITCH, Associated Press
Writer Ian Deitch, Associated Press Writer – 14 mins ago

RAMAT GAN, Israel – Leonard Cohen wowed an adoring audience Thursday night, crooning his iconic ballads at his first show in Israel in 30 years and ignoring a political storm over his appearance.

The 75-year-old singer entertained fans at Ramat Gan stadium near Tel Aviv. Some in the audience wore black fedora hats, a tribute to one of Cohen's trademarks.

The concert sparked a protest long before it took place on a warm night near the Israeli seashore.

Some Palestinian activists called for a boycott because of Israel's punishing invasion of Gaza, aimed at stopping daily rocket attacks. More than 1,150 Palestinians, including hundreds of civilians, were killed in the three-week offensive that ended in mid-January.

Cohen responded by offering to perform in the West Bank city of Ramallah as well. He said all proceeds from the shows would go to Israeli-Palestinian peace organizations.

But a pro-Palestinian group called "Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel" urged the singer to cancel the shows and launched a protest campaign.

"There are a lot of people who don't want us here, and anything done here invites controversy," Cohen's manager, Robert Kory, told The Associated Press. "But we believe freedom of speech is very, very important."

Kory said the singer established a foundation, "The Fund for Reconciliation, Tolerance and Peace," to distribute proceeds from the concert.

At an event launching the foundation before the concert, Israeli novelist David Grossman, whose son was killed in Israel's 2006 war in Lebanon, said he hoped for peace between Israel and the Palestinians. "We are here today to show that with a joint effort, we can redeem each other from this hate," he said.

"Cohen wants the money to go toward changing hearts and to bring peace," Kory said. He said most of the money will go to the Parents Circle, a joint Israeli-Palestinian group of bereaved parents that helps families from both sides who lost loved ones in the conflict.

Top international musicians are slowly returning to perform in Israel after years of staying away due to violence and political tensions. Madonna, Depeche Mode, Faith No More, and others have appeared this year.

The 47,000 tickets for Cohen's concert were snatched up within hours when they went on sale earlier this month. Prices ranged from $90 to $315.

Cohen performed Thursday night meticulously dressed in a tailored suit and hat, clutching the microphone as he sang but showing no apparent affects from an incident last week, when he fainted during a concert in Spain.

The Canadian songwriter, best known for his dark poetic lyrics, has been making music since the late 60's. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last year.

He has been on a worldwide tour since May 2008, and earlier this year played in Australia and Europe. After Israel, he goes on to perform at U.S. venues.

Cohen had to come out of retirement five years ago when he discovered that most of his retirement fund had disappeared in a disputed case of mismanagement while he spent time at a Buddhist monastery.

He last performed in Israel in 1975. Before that, Cohen entertained Israeli troops during the Mideast war in 1973.

[sturgess66]

Not much detail yet - just another report that the concert took place.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1116783.html

Last update - 19:56 24/09/2009

Leonard Cohen Performs in Israel After Selling Out Concert in Record Time

By City Mouse Online

Veteran singer Leonard Cohen took to the stage at Ramat Gan stadium on Thursday night after breaking an Israeli record when all the tickets for his show were sold out in less than 12 hours, despite costing between NIS 1,000 and 1,200.

The Canadian, whose previous performance in Israel took place more than 20 years ago, was expected to play many of his most well-known hits, including "Suzanne," "Bird on the Wire" and "Dance Me to the End of Love."

Before the concert, an event was held in the VIP section of the stadium for the Leonard Cohen Fund for Reconciliation, Tolerance and Peace, which gives support to bereaved Israeli and Palestinian families.

Grants were given at the event to people who have suffered personally from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict but continue to believe in peace and work toward achieving it.

Cohen also announced around two months ago that the proceeds from his performance in Israel would go toward the fund.

Around 200 bereaved Israeli and Palestinian families were expected to attend the concert, among them the renowned writer David Grossman.

Cohen landed in Israel on a private plane on Tuesday, which his production team says he will use to travel around Israel.

[DrHGuy]

From baotzebao: A trembling, inspired version of "Anthem" followed Leonard Cohen's eloquent, touching words about the basis of respect and of compassion and understanding between enemies.

[bridger15]

http://twitter.com/siempie1956
Simon Soesan who decribes himself as:
"Dutchman lost in Israel, businessman and columnist"

55000 voices on Haleluyah and all shouting: I'm your FAN! And then all the green sticklights waiving for LC in Tel Aviv

[bridger15]

Twitter progress report from http://twitter.com/siempie1956
Simon Soesan who decribes himself as:
"Dutchman lost in Israel, businessman and columnist"

and with a blessing LC ended a concert of over 200 minutes! Thank you, LC!

[Happygirl]

Thanks everyone for the updates! The stadium looks massive. What was the sound like? Apart from the Hebrew bits, were there any other differences to recent concerts? Any pix of the green light sticks in the dark?

[bridger15]

http://twitter.com/siempie1956
He just added two more tweets

55000 people and you could hear a pin drop during If it be thy will....by the Webb sisters..

I closed a circle tonight: 40 years since my first LC concert. He remains The Master! What a guy!

[bridger15]

Re: Chelsea Hotel Plaque
by siempie1956 on Thu Sep 24, 2009 4:15 am

for those interested, i will report live from tonight's concert in Israel, via Twitter.
Simon Soesan, siempie1956

A huge thank you to our very own Forum reporter, Simon Soesan, siempie1956,
who describes himself as: "Dutchman lost in Israel, businessman and columnist"
for his awesome real time progress reports from the Tel Aviv concert.

Yashar Koach!

[bridger15]

And one clarification by Simon:

Clarification: LC ended the concert giving the Blessings of the Priests (birkatt cohanim) in Hebrew. Nothing can top this!

[goldstei]

with regard to the last, as many already know, the "cohens" were a priestly tribe of ancient israel, so in given this blessing, which explicitly refers to the cohens, leonard is closing, or continuing, his own circle, as well as ours...hopefully, this circle, in its three-dimensional component, will be a wheel, and will keep rolling along. looking forward to seeing you in nyc, philly, kc, and st. l., fellow fans and, of course, also to seeing/hearing leonard and his wonderful troupe of musicians, magicians, technicians, etc.

[confetti]

Dino's latest tweet:

Leonard Cohen's TelAviv ws magical. Green candles!The Most moving words on suffering I've heard, EVER. Way to go, Pops! Amazed 2 b with u!

[tigrib]

just found this on youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04-A22Ne42k

[Mazal]

And one clarification by Simon:

Clarification: LC ended the concert giving the Blessings of the Priests (birkatt cohanim) in Hebrew. Nothing can top this!

And thank you bridger15 for showing us the way to Simons tweets... I asked him what the Brachot were, as I'm sure we're all wondering...

Simon, if you read this, it's been a while, but I always used to enjoy your reports from Erets Yisrael in the Dutch Jewish Weekly (NIW).

Shana tova le'kulam.

[burningviolin]

Wow tigrib!! Thanks for posting, I couldn't find anything when I checked. The green light sticks look brilliant and listen to that sound!! Barcelona was magical but THAT must've been brilliant!!!