CONCERT REPORT: London, UK , September 15, 2013

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Hartmut
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: London, UK , September 15, 2013

Post by Hartmut »

Thank you for your report, Rachel. Reading it made me feel almost as if I had been there myself ... :-)
holydove
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: London, UK , September 15, 2013

Post by holydove »

Hartmut wrote:Thank you for your report, Rachel. Reading it made me feel almost as if I had been there myself ... :-)
:) I saw someone there who looked so much like you - I said, "this can't be him, must be his double". . .

Thank you to everyone who responded, for your very kind comments - you made me smile today.
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mydoglorca
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: London, UK , September 15, 2013

Post by mydoglorca »

Holydove / Rachel

I love your report. In your 2nd & final paragraphs, especially, you speak for many of us.
Until we meet again........

Jill
1976 Bristol 1979 Birmingham 1988 RAH x 2, 1993 RAH x 2 & Madrid, 2008 Edinburgh, London O2, Cardiff, Bournemouth, RAH 17 Nov, Birmingham, Manchester 30 Nov, 2009 Weybridge, Liverpool, Dublin 19 & 20th,2010 September -Marseille, Tours, Lille, 2012 12 & 14 Aug Ghent,Wembley x22013 O2, Antwerp, Bournemouth, Manchester
HelenOE
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: London, UK , September 15, 2013

Post by HelenOE »

Sharon Robinson is Leonard Cohen's "secret wife?" That's "My Secret LIFE," sir! It's a song. :lol:
John Etherington
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: London, UK , September 15, 2013

Post by John Etherington »

Thanks holydove for bringing a modicum of sanity into a madhouse!
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Hartmut
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: London, UK , September 15, 2013

Post by Hartmut »

HelenOE wrote:
Sharon Robinson is Leonard Cohen's "secret wife?" That's "My Secret LIFE," sir! It's a song. :lol:
This is probably the funniest thing I've ever read in a concert review:

'Cohen’s main backing vocalist and long-time collaborator Sharon Robinson, who he refers to as his ‘secret wife’, is as good as ever'
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Zimmy66
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: London, UK , September 15, 2013

Post by Zimmy66 »

Hartmut wrote:
HelenOE wrote:
Sharon Robinson is Leonard Cohen's "secret wife?" That's "My Secret LIFE," sir! It's a song. :lol:
This is probably the funniest thing I've ever read in a concert review:

'Cohen’s main backing vocalist and long-time collaborator Sharon Robinson, who he refers to as his ‘secret wife’, is as good as ever'
Hence the reason that external shit like this does not belong in a concert report thread.

I rest my case.

Robert
To live outside the law you must be honest
HelenOE
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: London, UK , September 15, 2013

Post by HelenOE »

What, and deprive us of a good laugh?
DavidfromEaling
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: London, UK , September 15, 2013

Post by DavidfromEaling »

Many people had to travel some distance to get to the O2 - and the same distance to get home again. Rather than being concerned about the curfew, it would have been better if the show started earlier and finished earlier. I missed the last batch of encores because I had to get back to Chesham, where I now live.
William HK
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: London, UK , September 15, 2013

Post by William HK »

DavidfromEaling wrote:Many people had to travel some distance to get to the O2 - and the same distance to get home again. Rather than being concerned about the curfew, it would have been better if the show started earlier and finished earlier. I missed the last batch of encores because I had to get back to Chesham, where I now live.
Quite agree David, especially on a Sunday. We booked originally thinking it was going to be on a Saturday and planned to spend the night in London. Then it was moved to Sunday and we ended up getting home after 0100 on Monday, which was not ideal before a working day. There was no way my wife and I would have missed Leonard Cohen - we still haven't quite come down to earth - but our enjoyment would have been just the same had the performance begun at 18.30 and ended an hour earlier.
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sturgess66
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: London, UK , September 15, 2013

Post by sturgess66 »

Last edited by sturgess66 on Wed Sep 25, 2013 8:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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A.Sukitu
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: London, UK , September 15, 2013

Post by A.Sukitu »

Sturgesse66,
Help!
Is it my computer, or does the Alexandra Leaving clip come up as Come Healing?
.... Would be wonderful to relive Sharon's exquisite rendition ..
All bests.
"You let me sing, you lifted me up, you gave my soul a beam to travel on. ... You gave the injury a tongue to heal itself."
Leonard Cohen in Book of Mercy (1984) Ch. 19.
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sturgess66
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: London, UK , September 15, 2013

Post by sturgess66 »

A.Sukitu wrote:Sturgesse66,
Help!
Is it my computer, or does the Alexandra Leaving clip come up as Come Healing?
.... Would be wonderful to relive Sharon's exquisite rendition ..
All bests.
My error A. Sukitu!! - I fixed the link above - and here it is -
Alexandra Leaving - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBITK5M3Cks
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A.Sukitu
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: London, UK , September 15, 2013

Post by A.Sukitu »

Sturgess66, thanks.
Glorious.
"You let me sing, you lifted me up, you gave my soul a beam to travel on. ... You gave the injury a tongue to heal itself."
Leonard Cohen in Book of Mercy (1984) Ch. 19.
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sturgess66
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: London, UK , September 15, 2013

Post by sturgess66 »

http://superbreakblog.com/concerts-and- ... -o2-arena/
Concert Review: Leonard Cohen live at The London O2 Arena

Posted by Sarah, 27th September 2013

When 60s music iconic, Leonard Cohen announced his European tour, Superbreak’s Dinah Burke couldn’t wait to go. Playing live at The London O2 Arena, find out what she made of the show…

Those amongst us of a certain vintage will recall a time when we sat in darkened rooms, musing on the miseries of life, and listening, on vinyl of course, to the intense musical meanderings of a mysterious Canadian, usually dressed in black and sparsely accompanied by an acoustic guitar and occasional violin or piano. This was Leonard Cohen. In the late 60s he was already established as a serious-minded novelist and poet with a somewhat jaded, world-weary take on life. However, if you took the trouble to listen carefully to the lyrics, his songs often had a sly wit and a light touch, with an attractive use of imagery and rhyme. Those same late-60s hippies and dreamers would be amazed to learn that over 40 years later, Leonard Cohen, 79, would be embarking on a sell-out European tour and playing to huge audiences in arenas like the O2 in London.

Image
“I would wholeheartedly recommend that you catch this
outstanding show of musicianship”


We attended the concert at the O2 on Sunday 15th September 2013. How refreshing it was for an event to do exactly what it said on the tin. He started more or less on time, unlike many of the over-hyped boy bands who treat their fans so dismissively, and played gloriously for over 3 hours with only a short intermission. Whoever described his music as “dirge-like” will have to revise their views. He brought with him on stage a breath-taking multi-national set of players and harmony singers, including the exquisite Webb sisters from Kent. His growling, almost sonorous voice worked fantastically well with the sublime, honeyed harmonies of his collaborators.

Cohen featured most of his most famous songs, opening with ‘Dance Me To The End Of Love’, and including favourites such as ‘I’m Your Man’, ‘Suzanne’, ‘Chelsea Hotel’, as well as less familiar ones from his extensive back catalogue. Inevitably, ‘Hallelujah’ raised a huge reaction from the audience. Though much recorded by other artists, only Cohen could deliver it at such a spin-tingling level. I have often thought that smaller-scale, pared-down bands and musicians could sometimes seem underpowered in the enormous O2 arena. However, Leonard Cohen interacted with his audience in such a way that he managed to transform even a cavernous space such as the O2 into somewhere intimate and special. The outstanding sound system at the venue ensured that Cohen’s precise delivery of his lyrics could be heard by every audience member.

I’ve never seen such generosity of spirit shown by a leading musician towards his supporting band as I witnessed at this concert. When other soloists were in the spotlight, Cohen removed his trademark trilby, watched intently and then bowed in gratitude as the solo ended. He behaved like a gentleman of the old school.

I would wholeheartedly recommend that you catch this outstanding show of musicianship while you can, and particularly whilst Leonard Cohen is still with us.

Are you a fan of Leonard Cohen? Have you seen him live in concert recently or in the past? We’d love to hear from you. Get in contact using the comments box below!
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