Montreal: comments and feelings

The Tower of Song Tribute Concert, the MAC Exhibition, Leonard Cohen Murals, Leonard's Grave, City Tour for our Members
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clive cass
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Montreal: comments and feelings

Post by clive cass »

Can people please post news about whats going on there so we can join in the event from a distance and enjoy the atmosphere before and after the concert.

Looking forward to reports on Moishe's restaurant and the city tour as well as MAC exhibition and the wall mural and dedication ceremony plus anything else.

Is it one total Leonard Fest there ? What do the locals think about it all or is it just for visitors ?
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MarieM
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Re: WHAT'S GOING ON IN MONTREAL

Post by MarieM »

clive cass wrote: Mon Nov 06, 2017 7:38 pm Can people please post news about whats going on there so we can join in the event from a distance and enjoy the atmosphere before and after the concert.
Here is a newspaper article about the bus tour:

LEONARD COHEN SUPERFANS MAKE PILGRIMAGE TO MONTREAL AHEAD OF TRIBUTE CONCERT – MONTREAL
http://rockmusicnews.ca/leonard-cohen-s ... -montreal/
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rae
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Re: WHAT'S GOING ON IN MONTREAL

Post by rae »

Hi Clive. I'm a local. Yes, we are very interested in the various events going on over the next few months. More and more seem to be popping up all the time! I won't be able to go the concert tonight, but I will certainly be listening to the rebroadcast on the radio on Tuesday. While looking through my photos from last year's vigil.

I'll also be going to the MAC exhibit, though a bit later when perhaps it will not be too crowded. And I have tickets to one of the five album concerts, in the spring- Songs of Leonard Cohen.

The mural on Crescent Street has just been finished. It looks great at street level. I love how when I walk by at night, even though it is not directly lit up, the street lights give it a subtle glow. I won't post a photo now and so ruin it for the members on the bus tour, but those who want to see it ahead of time can find many photos on the MU Facebook page. They are the group that designed and painted it - you can see photos of the progress, as well as the completed mural from various vantage points. Just search for MU.

Even those who aren't fans like us respect him a lot, and are proud that he's a Montrealer. This was very evident during the Montreal 375 concert, where two of his songs were performed. I posted about this a few months ago; the link is still active, to listen to it online.

I'd like to wish everyone a wonderful time here in Montreal. Sorry about the weather, but at least it is not snowing yet!

Rae
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Re: WHAT'S GOING ON IN MONTREAL

Post by 199Dan »

What can I say...........
GREAT event in Montreal tonight. :D
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HugoD
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Re: WHAT'S GOING ON IN MONTREAL

Post by HugoD »

First quick Impression:

Amazing concert, lots of highlight. For me Adam Cohen was amazing. Almost scaring the way he looks and sounds like his father. Especially moving was the his recital of the last note Leonard wrote to Marianne at the end of So long Marianne. Brought tears to my eyes. If he would adopt his fathers repertoire we could enjoy his music for an other 40 years..

Also KD Lang was remarkable with her version of hallelujah. And there were lots more. For me Elvis Costello on “ the future “ and Courtney Love with “everybody knows” were mismatched. But that is , as usually, down to taste.

A wonderful concert to remember it surely was.
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Re: WHAT'S GOING ON IN MONTREAL

Post by mary emma »

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clive cass
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Re: WHAT'S GOING ON IN MONTREAL

Post by clive cass »

Does anyone have a set list including who performed each song
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Re: WHAT'S GOING ON IN MONTREAL

Post by mary emma »

Hi Clive,
I found this one https://www.setlist.fm/festival/2017/to ... 7ae88.html
I don't know however whether it is complete.
regards
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Re: WHAT'S GOING ON IN MONTREAL

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jarkko
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Re: WHAT'S GOING ON IN MONTREAL

Post by jarkko »

I opened a new thread for media coverage & YouTube links, it's here: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=37747&p=367602#p367602

Let's keep this original threads for your comments and feelings!
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HugoD
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Re: Montreal: comments and feelings

Post by HugoD »

After a good nights rest I woke up this morning with the feeling that we witnessed something magical last night.
The opening of the show with Sting immediately set the standard of great singing and a very good orchestra and other musicians. Was very happy to see the Webb sisters and Sharon Robinson and a few of the other band members of the last tours such as Lars Nielson and of course Javier Mas.
The scenes in between the songs were they show clips of Leonard telling about various subjects were very well chosen and touching.
In the city tour on Sunday we visited the synagogue and met the cantor, what a beautiful surprise to see him, together with the other member of the synagogue singers, performing “You want it darker” .
I didn’t know most of the performers as they were(I guess) mostly Canadian but all of them shined. In my first post I mentioned that two of the song interpretation I didn’t like. That opinion hasn’t changed but let me add that the second performance of Elvis Costello with Bird on a wire” was brilliant .
Maybe it is because I am so attached to the original versions of the songs that I cannot always appreciate other interpretations especially the ones with a lot of added “noise” :razz: .

One thing however i have to mention, and that is the whole VIP tickets thing. The VIP package contains an linnen bag and a laminated poster of the show. I found this disappointing to say the least and if I am honest a bloody shame. 250 cad for two items that (almost similar) could also be bought in the Fanshop for a fraction of this price is outrageous in my view :cry:
The “free” ticket to the exhibition that is also included doesn’t make ik a bargain either.

Having said that all, it is only money and the experience was priceless!
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Re: Montreal: comments and feelings

Post by stfa »

Fantastic show! Only one or two quibbles - the biggest is I wish the Webb sisters had had a number all to themselves. The singer who did IF IT BE YOUR WILL was great but the Webb sisters version would have brought the house down, I guess I'm living in the past but it would have been nice to relive it the way it was on tour one more time. Best moment was probably Adam Cohen and the Webb sisters doing SO LONG MARIANNE - he sounds scarily like his father and adding in Leonard's last letter to her at the end of the song brought chills. Sharon Robinson killed on I'M YOUR MAN again, I would have liked to hear more of her but there was only so much time. More later...
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Re: Montreal: comments and feelings

Post by stfa »

I picked up a copy of one of the camera man's setlist. It shows some omissions/changes:
I'M YOUR MAN was supposed to be done by Macy Grey, BOOGIE STREET done by Philip Glass and Sharon Robinson was supposed to follow the TOWER OF SONG video and the finale was supposed to be WE ARE ALL PASSING THROUGH with the FULL CAST. WILL POST A PICTURE LATER.
Hamilton Place April 1993, O'Keefe Toronto July 1993, Center in the Square Kitchener June 2nd 2008, Hamilton Place June 3rd 2008, Copps Coliseum, Hamilton May 19th 2009, Labatt's London May 24th 2009, ACC Toronto December 4th & 5th 2012, Labatts London Dec 11th 2012 Copps Coliseum Hamilton April 9 2013 Tower of Song, Centre Bell November 6th 2017
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Re: Montreal: comments and feelings

Post by Mabeanie1 »

Interesting info stfa. Thanks. I wonder why they didn't do Passing Through? If there is one thing the show lacked it was an ensemble finale. Having a solo singer do an off standard version of Closing Time was an odd way to finish. When she asked us to sing along we couldn't very easily because she sang it so differently to Leonard. On the other hand leaving the venue to a recording of Leonard singing Save the Last Dance For Me was just perfect.

I think Adam went out of his way to avoid simply copying the tour versions of the songs and that's why we didn't get the Webbs doing If it Be Your Will or Sharon singing Alexandra Leaving. Personally I'm glad we didn't. Those songs belong the the heady days of the Gand Tour and will always be great memories for us.

As for the VIP packages, they are a rip off and always have been but we paid the price in 2012-13 to get the seats we wanted and we did it again on Monday night. Rob Hallett also had something to say about the VIP prices before the show. He was sorry that it was us, the fans who had followed the tour, who had to fork out all that money but at least it was going to good causes. Better those causes get the money than the bl**dy touts (scalpers) he said.

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HugoD
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Re: Montreal: comments and feelings

Post by HugoD »

The two persons in the band that I missed were Roscoe Beck and Bob Metzger, after all these years with Leonard I would have expected them to be there. Anybody have a clue on this absence?
Last edited by HugoD on Wed Nov 08, 2017 6:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Happiness is just the side effect of a meaningful life.
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