The earlier concerts - before 2008

Recollections from Leonard Cohen's pre-2008 tours, YouTube clips
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TipperaryAnn
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Location: Ireland

Re: The earlier concerts - before 2008

Post by TipperaryAnn »

John Etherington wrote:
I actually enjoyed the solemnity of the early concerts, and Leonard as an earnest and serious singer-songwriter.
Yes, I can see why. The "fully fledged performer" has learned stagecraft and crowd control over the years and the concerts are now full and ravishing experiences, but the quiet, solemn moments are still magical, for instance when Leonard is in the spotlight with his guitar and Suzanne...as it was in the beginning.


(Thanks for the hints about finding your earlier posts - will do!)
Forget your perfect offering -
There is a crack in everything...
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TipperaryAnn
Posts: 584
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 3:42 pm
Location: Ireland

Re: The earlier concerts - before 2008

Post by TipperaryAnn »

alb123 wrote: After listening to The Future about 20 times, I went on a Leonard Cohen bender and purchased a CD every week until I had all of his studio recordings

I love hearing the stories of his earlier concerts.
And I love your YouTube LC offerings, thanks Alb! :D

For you" The Future", for me "Various Positions" - having bought that I just had to get all the others!
I envy those for whom a similar LC "bender" is still in the future.....
Forget your perfect offering -
There is a crack in everything...
Diane

Re: The earlier concerts - before 2008

Post by Diane »

TipperaryAnn wrote:
Diane wrote:
I heard on the bootleg - and I think do vaguely recall - a woman in the audience requesting Lady Midnight over and over. Leonard said he hadn't rehearsed it but she persisted and finally he said if she came to him later he would whisper it to her.
Greetings Diane,

I wonder did she?! Access to LC was probably easier in 1985.
Much of your description of Leonard then would still apply to him now - except the black hair, of course!
Ann, I suspect she didn't; it was the song she wanted. I typed out some of the Lady Midnight incident a couple of weeks ago, and then decided it wasn't much funny if not heard live. But as I just came across it again, thought I'd post anyway. The woman would have to have been ejected to give up I think.
This from towards the end of the concert, following numerous calls for Lady Midnight throughout. Hammersmith Odeon Feb 26th 1985:

Lady with monotone saaf London accent (a bit like mine, but it wasn't me I swear), shoutingly:
Lady Midnight!

LC: If you say that one more time. I'm going to play for another three hours.

Audience: cheers

Lady: Lady Midnight!

LC: Let's not make an issue of this... let me continue...

Lady: Lady Midnight!

LC: I'm not gonna play that song.

Audience: laughs

LC: I want to pay tribute to... our bus driver (etc)..

Lady: Lady Midnight!

LC: ...and I want to thank Miss Lady Midnight for the volume of her voice, the persistence of her spirit, the timbre of her heart ... please come behind stage and I will whisper the words to you...

Lady: Lady Midnight!

LC then performs a fine Joan of Arc

during the applause...
Lady: Lady Midnight!

LC: there are terrible sordid details in the life of a musician; I will convery some to you. There is a persistent woman here. I do applaud her enthusiasm, I really do, but I never taught the band Lady Midnight. I've forgotten it. That sometimes happens. Seriously friends, if the lady wants Lady Midnight please come up here and sing. I love that song but I don't want my career to stand or fall on whether I can sing Lady Midnight. Please forgive me.

Lady: Lady Midnight!
It actually sounds like Paula but she has already denied it...
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TipperaryAnn
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Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 3:42 pm
Location: Ireland

Re: The earlier concerts - before 2008

Post by TipperaryAnn »

That IS funny, Diane! Some determined woman... :lol:
Forget your perfect offering -
There is a crack in everything...
Diane

Re: The earlier concerts - before 2008

Post by Diane »

Ann:-) You have to love, too, how LC manages such fine responses even to an annoyingly persistent person.
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