I am immensly glad and fortunate to have seen Leonard Cohen play in his home town , and it is great to still be in this wonderful city ( even though it is rather cold ).
The concerts were great , as they always are, but the fact of being in montreal perhaps didn`t add as much as the romantic side of me had hoped . It was good to hear him make various references to home , and to speak in french (though its easier for me to understand when he speaks in english !)
it was magical and moving to hear him sing what at the time to me was an unknown french - quebecoise song , and to feel the audience respond so enthusiastically . Subsequently it was interesting to educate myself a bit about George Dors and La manic . He wouldn`t have performed that outside this province i guess
But did the location really matter ? Certainly much of the time I was so lost in the performance before me that the city outside became irrelevent . Leonard`s voice in my view continues to improve - his body language is also more expressive in the totality of his stage performance .The band get better and better and Alex is now so integral to the sound that my early tendency to 'miss Dino' has gone. They give it their all everywhere they play .. montreal didnt add to that.
So did the 'montreal' aspect make it significantly more special than usual ? I'd be interested in views on that .
The downsides ? .. The huge sports arena venue wasn't great , i almost slipped on spilt beer , the security was strict ,and the weather was , for an english person , very cold ! in other words there werènt too many serious downsides!!
I have a little hobby of making a few videos at concerts , which i realise is strictly against the rules but i can assure you i do it discretely so as not to affect the experience of others . I dislike glaring phone screens held aloft as much as anyone .
i got a certain amount of good video on night 1 but was told eventually to stop ( to be more precise i was twice told to stop).
Shortly after i sat down on night 2 someone from security came up to me and said something like " you were the guy with the video last night ........if you want to enjoy tonights show don`t get it out .."
This was said reasonably politely but i was clearly a marked man
. As a result i only got a little video on night 2 . As i said to Gwen ( musicmania ) who was sitting next to me it's important not to be totally defeated on these matters !
It was good as always to meet with a few forum members . Thanks in particular to Rachel for the ticket for the second night .
I'll post any worthwhile video when i have a better internet connection . Its great that inspite of the efforts of security there is some great video already posted
I also have a very good recording of the whole of both concerts so will look into a vine (or 2 ) if anyone is interested .
One unique opportunity that being in montreal gives is to be able to see Leonard's house and that is to come .
A friend who is here with me loves Leonard's music but cant understand why i would want to see his house .
To be honest i am lost for an explanation but will just follow my heart and leave the head a little behind