CONCERT REPORTS: London, September 8 & 9

LC&LC · Post by **LC&LC** » Sun Sep 09, 2012 7:35 pm

I'm so happy they were soooo good on stage (Sharon gave us the best version of Alexandra Leaving I've heard so far) because quite a few things went wrong... the show as late, and still had to stop on time, the screens were minuscule I thought and they were very high (I like to look at them for close ups when Javier or Alessandru play) the queue at the ladies room was so bad that I missed Tower of Songs and worst of all, I think there were more than 2 drunken English girls, by the time of the encores, I was close to the stage and standing just in front of 2 of them, they were singing 'yogourt' (ie they didn't know the lyrics) and completely out of tune, kicking people in front of them (including me) I finally gave them one of my famous dark looks, and one of them pourred water in my bag... (I checked, it was water

)... I do hope these girls are not members of this forum, as everyone I've met or chatted with here are very nice and respectfull of LC and the band, and the audience... and if you are ladies, well I would rather avoiding seeing you again, for the sake of my leather handbag.
but still, it was a great concert... ending too soon of course, but they were all on top of their shape and give it all to us to make up for the hick ups.
now roll on Verona...

tomsakic · Post by **tomsakic** » Sun Sep 09, 2012 7:48 pm

Great description of a stressful day at Wembley at no ideas tour blog at http://dragonhelm.tumblr.com/post/31188 ... iary-sep-8

Could somebody provide the full LC's talk quoted bellow?

Just before 8pm, the band take the stage and open with the usual, Dance Me. Before the next song, The Future, Leonard apologies to the audience for the delay, the change in venue, and the associated costs and inconveniences befalling those who thought they were going to Hop Farm in Kent, rather than London Wembley. ‘I learned the same time you did,’ says the man, rousing the audience into laughter and good cheer. He says those decisions are made by people whose ‘hands I never get to shake — or crush.’

tomsakic · Post by **tomsakic** » Sun Sep 09, 2012 7:49 pm

Upd: NME report has it at http://www.nme.com/news/leonard-cohen/65995

Cohen apologised to his fans for the late venue change for the weekend's shows, which were initially supposed to take place at Hop Farm in Kent, site of the annual Hop Farm Festival. After the evening's opening song, 'Dance Me To The End Of Love', he said sorry for any inconvenience caused and added: "I want you to know I learned about it [the venue switch] the same time you did. There are unseen hands that manipulate the marketplace. Hands that I never get to see...or crush."

MaryB · Post by **MaryB** » Sun Sep 09, 2012 10:20 pm

Liamberney wrote:My bet is that the Irish started the singalong on so long Marianne.

I agree with you on this. Attending an LC concert with an Irish audience......I wish everyone had the good fortune to be able to do so. It is an experience like no other concert.

Fan of Leonard · Post by **Fan of Leonard** » Sun Sep 09, 2012 10:42 pm

Great concert and evening... I couldn't more with your comments. ... yes pity about the 3 drunk women...I was behind you in front of them... shouting and waving in the quiet moments of Leonard songs... then they were trying to snog each other... you didn't see that

Luke Dotterill · Post by **Luke Dotterill** » Sun Sep 09, 2012 10:51 pm

Yes, a tremendous night that put pay to my fears about Wembley almost immediately the band appeared. Alexandru Bublitchi 'the king of violin from Moldova' was a pure virtuoso and it was a constant delight to hear so many of the new string arrangement parts. Night Comes On was a gift of an inclusion.

sturgess66 · Post by **sturgess66** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 12:46 am

http://leonardcohen.tumblr.com/post/312 ... ly-night-2

Wembley Night Two

Sight for sore eyes. UHTC tour vet Steve Arch is in the house as the local lighting crew chief and man is he looking smart.

Ryan Murphy and Neil Larsen on high alert in the hallway.

Video -
Javier Mas and Charley Webb have a #quickspin around backstage.
http://leonardcohen.tumblr.com/post/312 ... -backstage

3-2-Wembley

rpan · Post by **rpan** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 12:50 am

This video has now been uploaded, shows the apology for change of venue and then The Future, from 8th
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEf5qg01Ct4

burningviolin · Post by **burningviolin** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 2:16 am

Saturdays concert was a real gem. Leonard and the band were in great form, whatever about being a 'lazy bastard' he certainly is one 'happy bastard'! He's the same age as my father who I consider to be pretty sprightly but wow, Leonard! the way he moves on stage, the energy he gives out (along with the rest of the band) and he seems to be enjoying every minute of it and so was I. The band are such accomplished musicians and it's a joy to hear them, they are one slick outfit. I have never been in the front row for a concert before and it was really nice to actually hear some of the 'live' sound coming off the stage. the sound of the band has certainly changed and I loved Alex's violin playing. It was a pity that closing time was not on the set list but as we know the concert had to be cut short.

Highlights as well as the vioin were I Can't Forget and Night Comes On. It seemed as if even if he couldn't forget, LC had certainly forgiven.

IMHO The Webbs and Sharon as always were fab, but at the points that Charley plays clarinet I couldn't hear it in the mix at all! Mitch added a little touch of 'Oh Suzanna' to the end of Democracy, nice musical joke. LC has it all and live performance really shows it. He's got the lyrics, he's got extremely meaty musical compositions, song writing talent and he is a compelling performer surrounded by a really tight backing band. The beauty of musical interpretation and live performance is old lyrics sometimes take on new meaning and this happened on several occasions for me.

As for the downsides there were a few. The venue itself is so badly designed! The queues for the loo were huge and the lack of stewards was really obvious. The other downer were those horrible drunk and obnoxious women who almost ruined the second half shouting out during songs. Fair play to Mr. Somewhat_Nifty for trying to get them to stop, but the lack of security was extremely unfelpful.

Regardless of the druks and the lack of facilities one must still recognise that it's such a privilege to get to hear such a top class concert, and an even bigger privilege to be anywhere near the front of the auditorium let alone first row! So I am very grateful. It's the first time I ever expreience it and probably the last too. We really don't know how good we have it when all we have to complain about are tickets/venues/rude people, the fact that we are in a position to get ourselves out the door and our bums in a seat, any seat, at a live music show highlghts it to me. I'm very grateful to my Lc travelling companion Somewhat_nifty for getting a ticket for me and I'm grateful to her and her boyfriend for putting me up in London, organising good weather

and hanging out with me. I had a wonderful time! Thank you and thank you LC!

One small request would be to hear Avalanche and or Different sides on Tuesday in Dublin...that and dry weather!

ladydi · Post by **ladydi** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 2:30 am

Thanks burningviolin for a wonderful review! With your musical background it is very special indeed! My hopes for you in Dublin are A) sunny dry weather B) Avalanche AND Different Sides, and C) no blonde drunks!

Enjoy! Wish I could be there too. Would love to see you again, but perhaps "next year"!

Diana

Suemerlyn · Post by **Suemerlyn** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 3:59 am

I feel SO-O-O lucky, got a last minute ticket in Row 7 - that's the best ticket I've ever had for Leonard, and I could see and hear him and the band really clearly. Sorry some of you guys had silly drunken girls at Saturday's gig, no such interruptions downstairs tonight.

Tonight's gig (Sunday 9th) was my first of the new tour. Just got home and had a cuppa tea, it's pretty late so this will be short.

Wow, wow! Wonderful concert, Leonard totally on form, band very tight and relaxed together (saw a little aside 'chat' going on between Alexandru and Javier while L was singing). Was sitting next to a young guy I didn't know who was a Leonard concert virgin, who was completely blown away, lovely.

Loved the Webbs and Sharon's 'new songs', knew about inclusion of I Can't Forget, and fantastic to hear Leonard sing it, one of my favourite numbers. The Partisan, Night comes on, and audience all singing the encore Marianne of course - reminded me of fun Madison sing alongs in August. The old Drifters number Save the Last Dance was a surprise to me (though I've read the Saturday reports now of course.) Thought that was very funny and a great way to end it.

Wow.

Still buzzin...and there's Dublin to come as well on 11th. Love the haunting violin, changes the band's sound. I could go on and on but I won't now. Think 'I've loved you all my life', Leonard.

zodkavombie · Post by **zodkavombie** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 4:25 am

So glad I decided to go, it was a last minute decision but a good one

Only just got home so extremely tired to write more for now but hopefully once I checked what I recorded I will see if it's worth downloading it.
Nice to meet (briefly) friends from past concerts and hope to meet more when I Paris!!!
Victorine

sturgess66 · Post by **sturgess66** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 4:32 am

sue7 · Post by **sue7** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 6:19 am

cohenadmirer wrote:
somewhat_nifty wrote:We couldn't work out what he was saying on the night! He says 'it was long before Hampstead became fashionable' but then he just mumbles... I'll have another listen!
Its something about living in london years ago - long before hampstead became fashionable.The anecdote goes on a little i think naming a landlady called stela pullman . He finishes by saying he thinks this happened but can't be sure .
I think there may be brief anecdotes at his stage of this song whenever he plays it , themed around memory and its unreliability ,a play around ' i can't forget but i don't remember what ' , and yet another injection of humour into his performance

I think it's close to this:
"I believe, if I'm not mistaken, I used to live in London. Yes, it was long before Hampstead became fashionable. I lived in a little road with Stella Pullman (?) called Gayton. I had to bring a coal bucket in the morning. Did this really happen?"

I'd read somewhere else (I forget where) that he had lived in Gayton Road in Hampstead, just off the High Street, for a few months. The very modest building is right next to what is now an Oxfam shop.

da2008 · Post by **da2008** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 8:14 am

Speechless. The man plays his heart out. No idea how he does it, there's really nobody like him. Very happy about the set list, all new songs sound wonderful. The violin is the most welcome inclusion to his band. I'd avoided reading reports from the previous concert this year so there were lots and lots of great little surprises. Not taking this for granted.

CONCERT REPORTS: London, September 8 & 9

Re: CONCERT REPORTS: London, September 8 & 9

Re: CONCERT REPORTS: London, September 8 & 9

Re: CONCERT REPORTS: London, September 8 & 9

Re: CONCERT REPORTS: London, September 8 & 9

Re: CONCERT REPORTS: London, September 8 & 9

Re: CONCERT REPORTS: London, September 8 & 9

Re: CONCERT REPORTS: London, September 8 & 9

Re: CONCERT REPORTS: London, September 8 & 9

Re: CONCERT REPORTS: London, September 8 & 9

Re: CONCERT REPORTS: London, September 8 & 9

Re: CONCERT REPORTS: London, September 8 & 9

Re: CONCERT REPORTS: London, September 8 & 9

Re: CONCERT REPORTS: London, September 8 & 9

Re: CONCERT REPORTS: London, September 8 & 9

Re: CONCERT REPORTS: London, September 8 & 9