An Evening with... Madison Square Garden

[friscogrl]

Call me CRAZY

M

[sourire]

sourire--

on this site, you are crazy only if you attend at least seven (7) Leonard Cohen concerts.

Confession-so I'm officially half-crazy, been to 3 already (02 Nov2008, RAH 2008 X2)
YES they're a special experience. Enough angst, will do Philly if possible. But definitely hope to meet-up with other crazygang Cohenites in NYC. Thanks Goldstei for the kind freemeal deal!
Any New Yorkers know of a good meet-up place near MSG?

[sue7]

Any New Yorkers know of a good meet-up place near MSG?

Sourire,
I thought that maybe we should wait until we hear what Dick has arranged for the plaque installation: whether it's on that day, what time it is, etc. Then we could figure out from there what might work best. I'm very much hoping to be able to attend.... in the meantime I'll do some research about possible places in the area. I wonder how many of us will be at MSG?
Sue

[sourire]

Thanks Sue7, that's so sensible. I was only vaguely aware of the Plaque plans; I can't always keep up with all the interesting threads here!
Wow-also found the Chelsea Hotel link for fanforum members. If affordable, that would be such a great place for our short stay in NYC. Hope to meet you and others there! Yes, it's difficult to know how many forum members are going to MSG. Yet another thread....

[Rock Chick]

I'm another Londoner going to NYC for the MSG concert. I simply cannot wait! I managed to get fantastic seats near to the stage on the pre-sale, which was quite a feat considering I was still in Portugal after seeing Leonard in Lisbon when they went on sale, and had to use the hotel's very slow computer! I'm also going to Barcelona and hoping to fit Prague in between. Like so many of you, I'm officially crazy!

[rmura]

Does anyone know what does An evening with Leonard Cohen mean ?

It means that the whole show is Cohen (no opening act).

Ron

[FREEMAN]

Hello Everybody

I was fortunate enough to catch 3 of the spring shows, Austin, Dallas &
Red Rocks. For the fall tour I'm going to MSG, Vegas & San Jose. I thought
it would be appropriate to stay at the Chelsea for the NYC show. Has anybody
stayed there before?
Cheers!
Freeman

[Doug]

Hi.

I have been trying to book two Diamond Class packages for the MSG concert from the UK. Ticketmaster cannot sell me them via the website at all, unless I live in the US or Canada, and do not sell this package via the phone. Seems crazy to me.

Does anyone have any ideas about I can get this package?

[sue7]

I thought it would be appropriate to stay at the Chelsea for the NYC show. Has anybody
stayed there before?
Cheers!
Freeman

Freeman, Take a look at the commemorative plaque thread in the 75th birthday celebration section. Dick has arranged for discounts for that weekend for forum members, and it seems as if there are a number of people planning to stay there.
viewtopic.php?f=38&t=15556&start=195
Sue

[trish]

Hi!! I just booked flights to New York for the concert! Coming from Dublin... So excited!! I have always heard so much about Madison Square Gardens, I am really looking forward to going to see Leonard at this venue. A couple of weeks ago when U2 were playing in Dublin, a documentary about their 360 tour was shown on TV. In this, Bono was explaining that MSG was the inspiration for their 360 stage - that when they thought back over all the concerts that they have done over the years they realised the MSG ones were the best. And they put this down to the fact that the crowd all is around the stage at MSG. And this was the inspiration for their stage for the 360 tour. Believe me I can't listen to Bono for long periods of time but I tuned in just enough to hear this nugget of information and was impressed (that's a Bono smiley btw...)

I had been thinking about how logistically possible the Philly show would be the night before so thanks Goldstei for sharing that information. Sounds very do-able! On the countdown now!

[goldstei]

good decision trish.

philly to nyc is really a snap--one of the few regions in the u.s. where there is decent train connections!

as you probably know already if you've been to LC concerts, your Irish eyes are going to be smiling in a couple of months!

[trish]

Thanks Goldstei.. Yes my Irish eyes are beaming already just at the thoughts of it and I just can't wait!! Have booked the Chelsea Hotel also so I am really excited about it. I know the whole experience will be amazing... as Mastercard would say - priceless Can't wait to take Manhattan!

I had a look at the Spectrum Theater, it seems a little bit out of town.. Leonard's concerts tend to finish a little late, do you think we would be ok with connections back to New York after the gig? Many thanks

[goldstei]

hi trish,

the spectrum is a little out of downtown philly but not really of town and not far from downtown. LC is giving three hour concerts--worth staying thru the last encore--so things will not let out until about 11 p.m. i'm planning to stay in philly that night, partly because hotels are a lot less expensive than in nyc, and that's what i would recommend. but, if you're determined to get to nyc that evening, there are several possibilities:

1) rent a car
2) check amtrak.com (regular rail) for schedules--not sure how late they run
3) google new jersey transit for their schedules--they have commuter trains between philly & nyc and I THINK they do run pretty late but am not sure
4) google "bus new york philadelphia" for commercial bus services

good luck!

[da2008]

http://www.megabus.com very affordable bus fares from NYC to Philly

[RainDog1980]

sourire--

on this site, you are crazy only if you attend at least seven (7) Leonard Cohen concerts.

at fourteen (14) concerts, you qualify as insane.

at twenty (20), the men in white suits come to cart you away (sorry, bonnie, but you know it's true!)

as i am a "Dr." (ok, it's a Ph.D. in political science), in my professional opinion, you would be "crazy" to cross the Atlantic for the Oct. 23 NYC concert and NOT go to the Oct. 22 Philadelphia concert. assuming you are able to convince your partner to humour you (in the u.s. it's spelled "humor" but i am seeking to "humour" you), 2 Philly tickets in the lowest price category, plus the extortion fees required by the ticketseller, will probably cost you about $75, and the transport from NYC will add another $25 or so, but that $100 compared to what you are already investing is pretty minor. plus, if you come to Philly, i will treat you & your companion to a (modest) restaurant dinner (sorry folks, this offer is good only for sourire & her friend, who is coming from the UK--just extending that famous Cohen forum hospitality, which is usually compared only to the southern variety).

all kidding aside (but the meal offer is for real!), these concerts have been amazing. person after person has written blogs, reviews etc which basically all say:

1) this was the most amazing concert i've ever been to
2) this was the closest thing to a religious experience i've ever had
3) i was crying for joy during these concerts

i agree with all of the above. these are concerts which provide hope and joy and which give all of us "a box of chocolates and a long-stemmed rose," for three solid hours.

"yes you can"

bob from ann arbor

I 100% agree with this. Before I saw Cohen in Boston, MA, I was like "how can people be going to so many shows, it's the same set almost each night!!"

Since seeing the concert (which involved a lot of tears on my part), I have not been able to get the images I have out of my head. I thought I was going to explode. LOVED Famous Blue Raincoat, it was SO chilling. I will never forget when Bob Metzger started soloing during Bird on a Wire, and thinking "Hot DAMN, he is so restrained but intense, this is brilliant." But it was Dino Soldo who put me over the edge. WOW.

So, my fiance (who at the time of this concert will be my wife) is taking me to MSG on our honeymoon. It is DEFINITELY worth seeing twice. Usually there have been meet ups elsewhere, so I'm sure we could find somewhere to meet before or after (or BOTH) and share in the joy.