CONCERT REPORT: Perth, Australia - November 13, 2013

The last leg of the Old Ideas tour in November and December 2013
MaryB
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Perth, Australia - November 13, 2013

Post by MaryB »

WOW - such a sublime, detailed report. I loved reading every word. Thank you Greg!!!!
1993 Detroit 2008 Kitchener June 2-Hamilton June 3 & 4-Vienna Sept 24 & 25-London RAH Nov 17 2009 NYC Feb 19-Grand Prairie Apr 3-Phoenix Apr 5-Columbia May 11-Red Rocks Jun 4-Barcelona Sept 21-Columbus Oct 27-Las Vegas Nov 12-San Jose Nov 13 2010 Sligo Jul 31 & Aug 1-LV Dec 10 & 11 2012 Paris Sept 30-London Dec 11-Boston Dec 16 2013 Louisville Mar 30-Amsterdam Sept 20
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musicmania
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Perth, Australia - November 13, 2013

Post by musicmania »

Before I clicked to the next page to reply the word on my mind was sublime too. Thank you for a wonderful heartfelt review Greg.
2009 Dublin 2010 Lissadell Katowice LV x2 2012 Ghent x2 Dublin x4 Montreal x2 Toronto x2 2013 New York x2 Brussels Dublin x2

Gwen's Leonard Cohen Journey: http://myleonardcohenjourney.wordpress.com/

"I did my best, it wasn't much"
Albert
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Perth, Australia - November 13, 2013

Post by Albert »

Hi Greg

Very well written and interesting to read.
As you mentioned 1979, this still is my favorite tour of all times.The combination of Warnes ,Bllezikjan and Hakopian is unbeatable to me.
Seen 7 shows and some sound- checks in Europe. Hakopian had much more finesse then Bublichki , and I still think Jennifer Warnes was the best female band member ever.

By the way , yesterday evening I saw here in Germany a great australian performer and his band : Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.Amazing show,i enjoyed every minute !
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B4real
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Perth, Australia - November 13, 2013

Post by B4real »

Great report Greg!
I especially loved the Aussie comparison to Leonard’s voice :razz:
Greg Ross wrote:....if a didgeridoo could talk, surely it would sound like Leonard Cohen.
I'll be at the Sydney concert tomorrow and your words make me so glad that I am going to be there :D
It doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to B4real ~ me
Attitude is a self-fulfilling prophecy ~ me ...... The magic of art is the truth of its lies ~ me ...... Only left-handers are in their right mind!
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AlanM
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Perth, Australia - November 13, 2013

Post by AlanM »

Hi Greg,
Excellent report! It makes me feel like I was there with you, as I wish I had been.
Happy to report I have arrived in Sydney and I am looking forward to meeting Bev before the show.
To mention that I am excited about tomorrow evening would be an understatement.
My son is going with me, so all those years of Leonard playing and singing in my car on the way to school have had a positive effect!
36 hours to go.

Alan
Last edited by AlanM on Fri Nov 15, 2013 9:33 am, edited 1 time in total.
Too much Leonard Cohen is never enough.
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Susy
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Perth, Australia - November 13, 2013

Post by Susy »

Thank you very much Greg for your concert report ... really love your mention about the * Digeridoo * and love all your beautiful photos you kindly gave us ... Thanks xxx Susanne
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sturgess66
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Perth, Australia - November 13, 2013

Post by sturgess66 »

A photo gallery - 10 photos at the link -
http://www.theaureview.com/photos/leona ... a-13-11-13
Photo Gallery: Leonard Cohen - Perth Arena (13.11.13)
November 15, 2013 - 12:27am — Stuart Sevastos

Image

Leonard Cohen and his remarkable band gave their all as he opened his Australian tour at Perth Arena in Perth. Stuart Sevastos was on the ground to capture the action.
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sturgess66
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Perth, Australia - November 13, 2013

Post by sturgess66 »

Video uploaded by ohdearria -

Anthem (partial)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHCdptqx7os

Hallelujah (partial)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ib4u04fr5OE

Come Healing (partial)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRjOaGlLp1I
sharon.e
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Perth, Australia - November 13, 2013

Post by sharon.e »

Greg,
You're quite the wordsmith yourself. But that's not new.
And your report is of a man quenching a deep deep thirst with a precious glass of water.
I all the way across the world in my imagination and felt I was there for just as precious bit.

Shabbat Shalom from Eretz,
--Sharon
2009 Tel Aviv; San Jose
2010 Sligo [x2] ; Las Vegas [x2]
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mutti
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Perth, Australia - November 13, 2013

Post by mutti »

Thank you Greg...a great review. You have quite the way with words. I still remember your kindness and open heart when we met at Wet Rocks oops 'Almost Red Rocks' way back then. Cheers
Leslie 8)
1988 Vancouver
2009 Victoria/Seattle/Almost Red Rocks/Las Vegas/San Jose.
2010 Sligo x 2/Victoria/Vancouver/Portland/Las Vegas x 2.
2012 Austin x 2/Seattle/Vancouver/Montreal x 2.
2013 Oakland x 2/New York City x 2/Winnipeg...
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Andrew (Darby)
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Perth, Australia - November 13, 2013

Post by Andrew (Darby) »

Great report, Greg... you indeed have a way with words. 8)

Cheers,
Andrew :)
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Perth, Australia - November 13, 2013

Post by sereneava »

Dear Uwe +Susanne
I loved reading your post. Thank you for sharing. All the others who share also. Reading so much on this forum this past week has made me feel like a child waiting for Christmas. Only seven and a half hours to go. Hello to everyone else who will be at the Ent. Centre tonight.
Susan
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Greg Ross
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Re: Thank You

Post by Greg Ross »

Salutations dear people

Thank you so much for your lovely comments on my review of Leonard's Perth concert, it means a lot to me (like the banjo for Lenny!). We have had a marvellous time, not just with the concert, but also in meeting and breaking bread and drinking wine with Gery and Aad (from Holland) and Christelle (from France), they did indeed come so far for beauty ... Leonard and the band gave it to all of us and more!

We also had an unexpected, albeit necessarily brief opportunity to meet Leonard, not only did he sign a photo I took at the 2009 Sandalford Winery concert, he also signed my copy of The Book of Longing then put his hand out to shake mine, thanking me for my support! But you've got to laugh - it was probably the only chance I will ever have to meet the Master and take a photo of the occasion - well you would expect me to take a photo wouldn't you!

I did, two. And guess what! The camera was still set to night / no flash. The first shot of Leonard signing, was completely out of focus ... and the second? It didn't work!!!
BUT ... we have the music!! Anyhow, I've Photoshopped the first photo into my version of a Leonard painting ... it almost works ... I think!!

Speaking of photos, here's a link to my website, where the there is a gallery of photos, some of which are in focus!!!, to accompany my concert review.
http://www.gregross.com.au/news-and-opi ... ours-plus/
Attachments
This is my favourite photo of Leonard performing at Sandalford Winery in 2009, I'd long hoped I'd one day have it signed, hopefully it does prove that I can sometimes take a half-way decent pic!
This is my favourite photo of Leonard performing at Sandalford Winery in 2009, I'd long hoped I'd one day have it signed, hopefully it does prove that I can sometimes take a half-way decent pic!
The Book of Longing ... and the longed for signature.
The Book of Longing ... and the longed for signature.
OK, OK, a poor excuse for a photo!!
OK, OK, a poor excuse for a photo!!
All Good Things
Greg

http://www.gregross.com.au/
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sturgess66
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Perth, Australia - November 13, 2013

Post by sturgess66 »

Another review from this show -
http://xpressmag.com.au/leonard-cohen/

"if the opportunity does arise to catch Cohen live, you’d be a fool not to grab it with both hands. It was the show of the year, hands down."
Live Reviews - Leonard Cohen
November 20, 2013 at 10:30 am

Image

Perth Arena
Wednesday, November 13, 2013

At the age of 79 years, the legendary Leonard Cohen skipped out onto the stage at Perth Arena, played for three hours and change – not counting a 20 minute intermission – like it was nothing and then danced off appearing as grateful to the assemblage of fans for listening to him as we were to be allowed to listen. Younger performers, take note; your tantrums and truncated shows do not impress.

It was, simply, a fantastic night, utterly bereft of filler. The first four songs alone – Dance Me To The End Of Love, The Future, Bird On A Wire, Everybody Knows – were better than most entire gigs. Cohen, still sprightly in his neat suit and fedora, is one of those rare old legendary birds who deserves the status and accolades heaped upon them. A master raconteur in the medium of song, he gets extra points for leavening his emotional, complex poetry with a healthy does of humour and self-deprecation, as when he paused following applause during Tower Of Song to ask whether the audience was humouring him, or the timeless line from Chelsea Hotel #2, ‘You told me again you prefer handsome men, but for me you’d make an exception’.

The setlist ranged across Cohen’s career, reaching right back to The Songs Of Leonard Cohen for his early, spiritual beat poet musings through to the darkly apocalyptic prophecy of Waiting For The Miracle and First We Take Manhattan (which we didn’t get until the first encore). You could have heard a pin drop during the achingly beautiful Suzanne. Long-time collaborator Sharron Robinson duetted with Cohen on In My Secret Life before taking on lead vocal duties on Alexandra Leaving, while the second encore saw backup singers the Webb Sisters deliver beautiful lead harmonies on If It Be Your Will.

And yes, he sang Hallelujah.

It’s interesting to speculate what Cohen’s cultural cache is these days. The crowd was mostly north of 40, a few individuals aside, and the Arena was less than full. Of course, this is the third time he’s played to Perth crowds in the last few years after financial malfeasance by his former manager left him close to broke, so maybe he’s been a bit overexposed around these parts. The thing is, can you be overexposed to one of the greatest singer/songwriters of all time?

According to the crowd that night the answer is a resounding no. A few made a break for the exits in between encores -and what’s up with that, anyway? – but the majority hung on to every syllable until Cohen finished on Closing Time and told us all he’d see us ‘…down the road.’ Whether that’s on the cards is debatable – it’d be nice if the dapper old gent could enjoy retirement again – but if the opportunity does arise to catch Cohen live, you’d be a fool not to grab it with both hands. It was the show of the year, hands down.

TRAVIS JOHNSON
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrLk4vdY28Q
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sturgess66
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Perth, Australia - November 13, 2013

Post by sturgess66 »

A nice review -
http://kimcoull.com/2013/11/30/leonard- ... mber-2013/
Leonard Cohen Concert Perth WA 13th November 2013
Posted by kimcoull on November 30, 2013

Image
The ‘Sisters’ were there but, emotionally, Leonard, thankfully, gave no mercy.

As you might expect from Leonard Cohen he worked an almost imperceptible seduction at the Entertainment Centre in Perth last night. As humanity packed into the auditorium, I imagine Leonard was ‘out the back’ oiling his vibe, summoning us to his bedside, whetting his poetry into a magnificent point.

And what a vibe it is.

Ill fitting suit and trademark hat. Everything you would expect, except his shock of grey hair every time he reverently took off his hat in honour and respect whenever any of the exquisite musicians were engaged in a solo. Leonard, at these moments, was a deeply compelling human being. Humble. Respectful. Honouring of others. Aware of his own shortcoming as an accomplished instrumentalist. Unendingly grateful and appreciative that their sublime talent continually rarefied his poetry and music.

The Sisters were the Webb Sisters and his long time partner/collaborator Sharon Robinson. They were honey in his hive, jive, vibe. Faultless.

Sharon Robinson sang ‘Alexandra leaving’. Exquisite.

http://www.sharonrobinsonmusic.com/

The Webb Sisters’ version of ‘If it be your will’ –perfect.

http://www.thewebbsisters.com/

Cohen is obviously a heady mix of artistic sensibilities: The Poet. The Musician. The Lover. The Watcher. The Boy. The Man. The Saint. The Sinner. Artistic Heartthrob. Icon.

And woven imperceptibly into the fabric of his persona is his immense compassion and understanding of the human condition. And intelligence. His mind turns on an exquisite point. The point being that we suffer, make mistakes, need succour, and love, have to leave, forgive, remember, and get wise. That we are broken, caught, inexorable, alone, aching in and out each others’ arms is gut wrenchingly rendered in “a thousand kisses deep’

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXaRT8CXmGE

The undeniable highlight of the evening, the ageing hippie beside me reduced to tears, squeezing my hand, and then my knee, the audience hushed all around us as if the whole of humanity as one was listening to the deepest darkest most sacred secrets of the soul. As if it was Church. Delphi. Varansi. Mecca. Gethsemane. Vajrashila. And not simply Perth. A small uninspiring suburban outpost of human confluence.

And in the midst of all this, between songs, he unexpectedly (for me, having never seen him live), showed a childlike joy, skipping on and off the stage, indulging us with encore after encore, the Persian carpet beneath him a luscious symbol of his exotic and yet intimate riches, undeniably shared (as if we know him and might have a chance of knowing ourselves) with pleasure and passion.

And I am glad he sang ‘Suzanne’. I watched the river pass by, thick and mellowed in a nostalgic and personal memorial.
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