CONCERT REPORT: Göteborg, Sweden, August 12, 2010

July 25 - December 11, 2010. Concert reports, set lists, photos, media coverage, multimedia links, recollections...
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bridger15
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CONCERT REPORT: Göteborg, Sweden, August 12, 2010

Post by bridger15 »

scandin1.jpg
LC is in the front cover of WHAT's ON? GÖTEBORG
Meeting up with fellow Cohenites tonight and tomorrow before THE CONCERT.
We are very excited.

Arlene & Marsha (friscogrl)
2009-San Diego|Los Ang|Nashville|St Louis|Kansas City|LVegas|San Jose
2010-Gothenburg|Berlin|Ghentx2|Oaklandx2|Portland|LVegasx2
2012-Austinx2|Denver|Los Ang|Seattle|Portland

Arlene's Leonard Cohen Scrapbook http://onboogiestreet.blogspot.com
ladydi
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Gothenburg, Sweden August 12, 2010

Post by ladydi »

Hi Arlene and Marsha!

Have a wonderful time in Gothenburg and at the concert!!! I'll be with you vicariously and I know you will have an incredible evening!

Diana :D
Liamberney
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Gothenburg, Sweden August 12, 2010

Post by Liamberney »

Just back from the gig and as good as any of the 10 concerts I've seen since 2008. Firstly, thank you to Eva for organising a pre gig meet up just by the venue and it was good to meet fellow Cohenites from around the world! An added bonus was to get the latest on 'Bird on a wire' and 'songs from the road' which Frisco girl and Bridger 15 had previewed in Krakow. Thank you both, and also Holy Dove for sharing her experience of a 1970 LC gig at her school and Donavan on a revolving stage (honest!).

The band came on a little late (20mins) at 19.50 to a warm welcome after some good natured slow hand clapping. Despite this, a very full set list of 32 songs and it was 23.30 before they left the stage. He performed all the new songs and did not seem to take much out. At the end of the first set, he thanked the audience for listening and invited us back for the second half 'if you have the stamina' (does this have something to do with some of the Danish reviews?)

As in Sligo, he thanked Gothenburg for inviting him back and commented on what a peaceful city it is. With this I agree. I would add that the UK also extends to you a warm welcome Leonard, and this may fit conveniently into that window you have between mid and late October.

It might be of interest that he concluded heart with no companion with 'cupped hand whistling' A la Both of us cannot be wrong.

By the end of the evening, we were all 'eating out of his hand. It's just getting better. Last year after Venice, I commented that it probably would be the last time i saw Leonard live. Now, I feel confident we have years & years to run.
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sturgess66
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Gothenburg, Sweden August 12, 2010

Post by sturgess66 »

BIG CONGRATULATIONS TO LEONARD COHEN AND ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE UNIFIED HEART TOURING COMPANY.
200 SHOWS - AND GOING STRONG.
SIMPLY THE BEST




A few tweets from Twitter -
RyanosaurusRex - is on the train to Gothenburg. 2,5 hrs until we get to see the wonderful Leonard Cohen. :D about 4 hours ago via Twitter for iPhone
blomprins - Now begins soon Leonard Cohen to sing. Sitting far forward with Tomas. about 1 hour ago via Echofon
Chonnymo - God wishes he had a voice like Leonard Cohen. about 1 hour ago via TweetDeck
Phil_B108 - RT @Chonnymo: Look, we could each donate a year of our lives, and let Leonard Cohen live forever, but he wouldn't take it // lovely about 1 hour ago via Echofon
janholmquist - Attending Leonard Cohen - Live in Concert (@ scandinavium w/ 2 others) http://4sq.com/8K4XEX about 2 hours ago via foursquare from Gothenburg, Västra Götaland
Aquavitae_ - at the leonard cohen concert. This is so awesome! about 3 hours ago via mobile web
Hammarstrand - RT @MattiasAgnesund: "Blessed is the Name, the Name be blessed" — Leonard Cohen led worship at Scandinavium. Hallelujah! #Gbg #GbgFTW about 1 hour ago via Echofon
Erik Höök janpererik - Four hours of Leonard Cohen was really really good! His blower was totally just wonderful. about 2 hours ago from TweetDeck
RyanosaurusRex - I didn't count, but after I believe five encores, Leonard Cohen left us very happy and satisfied. Thank you most kindly, Mr Cohen! :D about 3 hours ago via Twitter for iPhone
Posted by the Webb Sisters on FaceBook -
The Webb Sisters played the 200th show with Leonard tonight. And it was close to four hours...Bruce Spr here we come
about an hour ago
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/thewebbsisters
Last edited by sturgess66 on Fri Aug 13, 2010 3:42 am, edited 3 times in total.
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sturgess66
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Gothenburg, Sweden August 12, 2010

Post by sturgess66 »

Image
The bands ready to roll, but the crowd is slow getting in, so we have to push the start time ten minutes again.
— Göteborg, Sweden
Image
Show number 200 of the tour has begun at the Scandinavium.
— Göteborg, Sweden
Image
… then we take Berlin
— Scandinavium - Göteborg, Sweden
Image
Guitarist Bob Metzger lays into a smooth as silk solo in Tried To Leave you.
— Scandinavium - Göteborg, Sweden
http://leonardcohen.tumblr.com/post/943 ... th-as-silk
Last edited by sturgess66 on Fri Aug 13, 2010 3:10 am, edited 1 time in total.
Liamberney
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Gothenburg, Sweden August 12, 2010

Post by Liamberney »

Sturgess 66

You just never miss a detail, where would we be without you?
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sturgess66
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Gothenburg, Sweden August 12, 2010

Post by sturgess66 »

http://www.gp.se/kulturnoje/musik/1.424 ... nard-cohen
Leonard Cohen
Image

Scandinavium, Thursday
Attendance: 7503
Best: Who by Fire
Worst: A singer must die

Cohen Lined Up Hits

Cohen offers a delightful evening with all the favorites.

It is usually hot on Håkan Hellström that he can not sing. Well. The same has been said about Leonard Cohen for 40 years. And just as with Hellstrom, it is totally wrong. In addition, it is not even on it. It's about conveying some kind of nerve and presence, to embrace the audience and completely go up in the moment, in music, and it really makes Leonard Cohen. On several occasions during the (perhaps too) long concert at Scandinavium, it is a pleasure to sit back and marvel at his rumbling baritone. If Leonard Cohen's voice developed in any direction since his debut in 1967 as it has just become even more distinctive, more suited to interpret the narrative texts about religion and sex, about love, darkness and light.

At the same time want a part of me that soon 76-year-old Leonard Cohen got to spend his time back in the hammock with the other age pensioners, instead of having to groom around Europe to supplement his pension, which his former manager apparently drained of five million dollars. But another, a bit cynical part of me is very grateful for the opportunity offered, namely that the grizzled poet, singer and songwriter from Montreal, now Sweden is visiting for the third time in three years.

And Leonard Cohen does not seem to feel uncomfortable up there in the spotlight with his superb band (particularly guitarist Javier Mas) and beautiful singing choir. On the contrary. He hoppsastegar onto the stage to the opening number, Dance Me To The End of Love, receiving the audience's cheers and succeed immediately and with a wry smile in his mouth to bring in or rather invite the entire Scandinavium. There is absolutely no doubt that Leonard Cohen's Swedish fans would gladly continue to accept him as an annual summer guest, blasted somewhere between herring and crayfish.

As expected, the evening unfolds into a veritable best-of-show. We may all favorites. All "hits". All the ballads, where the Who by Fire is adorable in its Spanish dress and where Hallelujah increasingly proving the last 25 years, most interpreted the song apart, especially after Cohen's precise, almost sacred and majestic performance.

Sure we might have to call for a slightly more alert låttlista, but it feels more like a whiny rand note in an otherwise delightful evening.

FOOTNOTE: The concert was still on when this was written. Leonard Cohen was in its third encore Famous Blue Raincoat.
Jan Andersson, 031-62 46 11 jan.andersson @ gp.se
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sturgess66
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Gothenburg, Sweden August 12, 2010

Post by sturgess66 »

Liamberney wrote:Sturgess 66

You just never miss a detail, where would we be without you?
Someone else would get it done no doubt. :lol:

But - I'd say you were pretty quick! :D

Thanks for your recap - and I just saw the set list you posted -
viewtopic.php?f=44&t=22360#p242811

"Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye" "with 'cupped hand whistling'" - as the last song! Nice. :D :D
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coolcohen1
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Gothenburg, Sweden August 12, 2010

Post by coolcohen1 »

Thanks To Eva for buying the tickets
Thanks to all the fans at the meetup it was great but short, i liket it.

Thanks to Mr. Cohen and the band GREAT evening

pic and fils follow.

Kindly
Marc
3 times in denmark 3 times in germany 1 in sweden 1 in norway
Concerts 2010 2 times in sweden 1 in Denmark and thenn we take Berlin
And now alsoo going to stuttgard is life not just beutifull ??

http://coolcohen.blogspot.com/
BlizzardofIce
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Gothenburg, Sweden August 12, 2010

Post by BlizzardofIce »

In Oslo he did the cupped hand whistling at the end of "Heart with no companion"
He did it in a smiling, ironic style.
There are many ways a man can serve his time
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Mabeanie1
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Gothenburg, Sweden August 12, 2010

Post by Mabeanie1 »

sturgess66 wrote:http://www.gp.se/kulturnoje/musik/1.424 ... nard-cohen

Worst: A singer must die
What??? Maybe the reviewer was only interested in the "hits" that he could clap along to? For what it's worth, I thought this was an amazing, powerful version of A Singer Must Die. I hardly dared breathe for fear of spoiling the magic. It was the best of the three versions I have heard so far, 2 of them live (Oslo and Goteborg) and one via YouTube (Sligo).

I didn't realise last night was show #200. I was proud to be there and at many steps along the way from show #3 in Halifax on May 13, 2008 onwards. It was a wonderful night. Leonard was obviously very happy to be back in Goteborg and he did indeed give us everything he'd got. His voice was strong and there were no signs of the throat / voice problems which seem to be threatening in Oslo, where he took several sips of some sort of bright pinky-red concoction out of a plastic cup during the latter part of the show.

Sadly back down to earth this morning and on the way home after a fabulous trip through Sweden up to the fjord regions of western Norway.

Wendy
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friscogrl
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Gothenburg, Sweden August 12, 2010

Post by friscogrl »

I don't have much to add due to the fact most everything I wanted to say has been said. It was a great show and I was thrilled to hear A Singer Must Die. This is one of those songs that I like better live than on a studio recording. I've seen Leonard both in Malmo and las night in Gothenberg and he seems very at ease now and seems to be really enjoying himself with a lot of smiling. After he did the hand whistle on HWNC he gave the audience a big grin.
When I first Leonard in Toront 2008 he did 26 songs and now he is up to 32! I think he is spoiling us! Born in Chains appears to be a big hit. I love it and everyone I talk to seems to think this will be one of his standards. Lyrically and musically it is quite beautiful. And to address the questions if the word he sings is hammered or not after hearing it last night I think it is definitely hammered and I understand in Hebrew scripture there is a reference to drinking from a hammerd cup.
Anyway it was great show and before each show I always think this will be my last and after the show I am hoping it will not be my last.

Marsha
2008 Toronto June 6/ 2009 New York Feb 19 Oakland April 13 14 Coachella April 17 Ottawa May 25 26 Barcelona Sept 21 Las Vegas 11/12 San Jose 11/13
2010 Malmo Aug 4 Gothenburg Aug 12 Las Vegas Dec 10 & 11
2012 Verona 9/24 San Jose 11/7. Montreal 11/28 11/29/ 2013 Oakland 3/2 NYC 4/6
Hamilton 4/9
jeanne
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Gothenburg, Sweden August 12, 2010

Post by jeanne »

EVERY DAY I WAIT FOR THE REPORTS LIKE A KID WAITING FOR PRESENTS.....I CRY WITH THE GOOD ONES, I CRY WITH THE CRITICAL ONES......I CRY AT THE FIRST NOTE......I AM SORRY, BUT LEONARD COHEN, JUST BEING AND WRITING AND SINGING IS THE GREATEST GIFT. I HAVE EVER RECEIVED.....AND I THINK .....THE WORLD HAS EVER RECEIVED ( THEY JUST DONT KNOW IT)......I HOPE HE KNOWS IT.......AT THE END OF ALL THE TEARS THERE IS A SMILE ON MY FACE AND A PAIN IN MY HEART. SOUNDS CRAZY.......OR AM I SANE AND THE WORLD CRAZY.....WHATEVER ... THANK YOU ALL AND THANK someone FOR LEONARD COHEN.................JEANNE ( IF I AM ABLE TO SEND ANYTHING BACK FROM HIS FLORENCE CONCERT...IT WILL ONLY BE WONDROUS JOY OF FINALLY SEEING, HEARING AND FEELING THE LONG, LONG OVERDUE DREAM.
"there is a crack in everything.that's how the light gets in " Florence 2010 - las vegas 2010....hope for Hydra......Hydra no longer a hope......now a reality..
"when the gods want to punish you, they answer your prayers"
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Cheshire gal
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Gothenburg, Sweden August 12, 2010

Post by Cheshire gal »

jeannie,

There a lot of us that heartily agree with you :D :D


Cheshire gal
'...and here's a man still working for your little smile' -Leonard Cohen
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khayya
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Gothenburg, Sweden August 12, 2010

Post by khayya »

Bless You, Jeanne, for these words - this is exactly how it is - smile on my face and pain in my heart, life and soul touched and changed, and this pain to "lift the spirit up". Thank You.
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