CONCERT REPORTS: London, September 8 & 9

Concert reports, set lists, reviews, photos and You Tube links. Fan meet-ups before and after the concerts.
Liamberney
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Re: CONCERT REPORTS: London, September 8 & 9

Post by Liamberney »

Thanks from me also, especially Wendy & Meglos for taking the trouble to post in the early hours. And as always, Sturgess66 for dilligent harvesting of the www.
MaryB wrote:
British audiences are also known to be exhuberant and the love and admiration they feel for LC is definitely conveyed to all those on stage. So, in addition to doing the chorus for 'Marianne', did you possibly join in for 'Save the Last....'?
Do you know Mary, as a member of the 'British Audience' (tho' not last night), at one time, we could hardly be described as exhuberant. I recall seeing LC in Manchester in the 70s and he performed a jazzed up version of The Butcher. Some one called out at the end of the song 'why didn't you do it like that first time! I remember thinking 'you can't speak to Leonard like that'. We were more reverential in those days, and Leonard was much more serious. My bet is that the Irish started the singalong on so long Marianne. Pity some of the audience have have no sense of when not to. A croaking drunk during FBR would break my heart.
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somewhat_nifty
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Re: CONCERT REPORTS: London, September 8 & 9

Post by somewhat_nifty »

What a great night! After the initial upheaval with the venue change and worry about exchanging tickets, I was looking forward to seeing a show at Wembley Arena, never having been there before. My front row seats were in a great position, although I had problems seeing Alex the violin player due to the cameraman in front of me, but everyone else I could see perfectly, like they were in my living room! Anticipation was building due to the delay at the start, but once the concert was underway Leonard and the band transported us with their usual magic. It was great to hear some of the new album tracks live, I particularly liked Amen, and I Can't Forget was a great addition to the set list. Good to hear the Webb Sisters and Sharon extend their repertoire as well. Really lovely.

Sadly, as people above have mentioned, our second half was marred by two loud drunk ladies. The two seats next to my boyfriend on the front row became vacant at the interval (why would you leave half way through, very odd?!), and these two girls snuck in next to us and proceeded to disrupt the show with constant calling out to Leonard, trying to get us to dance during Heart With Now Companion, and, to my horror, yelling out 'Don't go home with your hard-on, Leonard!' during the quiet moments of Halellujah :shock: We were so angry, and I was looking around for a steward in vain. In the end, my boyfriend had a sharp word with them, they got very aggressive but did eventually leave - only to come back during the encore and push their way in, as people above as noted. They were telling us we didn't truly understand Leonard, and that he would have loved their antics :roll: So, unfortunately a bit of a sour note to an otherwise wonderful show. I hope they didn't disturb Leonard and the band too much.

I'm uploading video with my (slow) connection as I type - check out my youtube at http://www.youtube.com/messalina79
I'm chained to the old masquerade...
2008: London O2 14th Nov, RAH 18th Nov; 2009: NY RCMH 16th May, Weybridge MBW 11th July, Barcelona 21st Sept; 2010: Sligo 31st July, Lille 25th Sept, Las Vegas 11th Dec; 2012: Wembley Arena 8th Sept, Dublin 11th Sept 2013: London O2 21st June, London O2 14th Sept
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TommyJ
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Re: CONCERT REPORTS: London, September 8 & 9

Post by TommyJ »

I couldn't agree more - a wonderful night indeed. Leonard seemed in great fettle, and voice, and seemed to be really obviously enjoying himself. The band sounded brilliant and yet again the Webb Sisters and Sharon elevated the experience to new heights - incredible. I thought the audience a little subdued, but others felt it differently so maybe that's just me. Sorry to hear about the drunken interlopers - there is some high grade selfishness on display sometimes. It was a bit irritating that those returning late from the interval (due to the insane lack of toilet facilities and therefore long queues) barged back to their seats during Tower of Song, rather than waiting until the end, but I guess we can't all be perfect! I thought Leonard's handling of the Hop Farm debacle was brilliant - he seemed as cross about it as everyone else and issued a full apology. Terrific stuff. I'm going back for more tonight!
London o2 July 2008 and Nov 2008, NYC (Radio City Music Hall) May 2009, Weybridge July 2009, Lille Sept 2010, Las Vegas Dec 2010, Wembley 8 and 9 Sept 2012, Dublin Sept 2012, Paris Sept 2012, London 02 June 2013, Leeds Sept 2013, London o2 Sept 2013 ... and hopefully more to come.
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A.Sukitu
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Re: CONCERT REPORTS: London, September 8 & 9

Post by A.Sukitu »

Thank you for a very beauiful concert - how can it get better and better? Exquisite.
Leonard mentioned very elegantly that he had found out about the venue change from Hop Farm to Wembley Arena at the same time as we did; he mentioned something about financial gain and that "sometimes things happen by unseen hands that I will never get to shake or crush." For me, this closed the door on the matter.
A generous concert - wonderful and full of wonder. Sharon singing "Alexandra Leaving" was breathtaking.
Great to meet up with Susan and Greg! [roll on more UK concerts next year??]
Leonard, the last dance is always yours.
Annie
"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.
pegasus4
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Re: CONCERT REPORTS: London, September 8 & 9

Post by pegasus4 »

Wonderful concert despite Wembley venue ( not my favourite) Would have loved the Hop Farm with the weather as it was and a mid afternoon start. Still great to see Leonard again and loved the violin focus of the sound. Missed Dino and Bob of course but violin was astounding and Xavier and Neil came more to the fore. Leonard spoke less than 2009 and2010 but seemed more carefree. Sadly, as others have mentioned there was some commotion in the crowd and this was at the back as well with stewards having to tell people to go to their seats and not loiter and chat away during the performance. I’m all for free speech but not whilst Leonard is singing as there is no-one better to listen to in concert ( along with Tom Waits!!). Thank you again Leonard. High points –Partisan as ever and Who by Fire with Xavier ‘s extended intro.
Mordy
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Re: CONCERT REPORTS: London, September 8 & 9

Post by Mordy »

Sounds like a fantastic evening - I'm so glad.

As there seemed to be quite a number of tickets still available for tonight (Sunday) as recently as Thursday - and I live only about half an hour from Wembley - I went onto the Eventim site yesterday to see if I could get one - but all I got was 'tickets no longer available'. All sold out? Be interested to know. Oh well, will have to hang on until Paris!

Also interesting to hear that LC didn't know about the change of venue until it was generally announced. Sadly, I feel there's still a bit of damage limitation to be done,(though at this stage in his career it's probably not that important) as I've heard a few people saying that they'd read that he'd pulled out of the Hop Farm, as if it was his decision and he was throwing some kind of artistic wobbly. I guess it's water under the bridge now, but I still feel that a concert in London at a proper concert hall or theatre, along the lines of the one he did at the Beacon in New York, for forum people and those who were let down over the Hop Farm, would not go amiss.
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sturgess66
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Re: CONCERT REPORTS: London, September 8 & 9

Post by sturgess66 »

I'm loving all the concert reports here and in spite of delays, etc. it sounds like it was a great show.

This is a bit of video uploaded by HoisinhvienUK - Thanks!

The video is not great - it's sort of like a peak through a door that is ajar -
But it gives an "atmosphere" idea - the singing along

So Long Marianne (partial) + First We Take Manhattan (partial)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IF_bw5l6ARw

Ruth a/k/a "somewhat-nifty" gives the link to her video page above - here it is again -
http://www.youtube.com/messalina79
I just watched two nice videos that she has uploaded - "I Can't Forget" & "Night Comes On"

Leonard is telling little stories/anecdotes at the end of "I Can't Forget" - as he moves along the tour trail. :lol:
Does anyone know what he is saying - @3:46 - in Ruth's video
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xV37xZr05hs

"I believe if I'm not mistaken, friends, I used to be - in London - ___________it was long before _______ became fashionable - I had to bring a coat? up in _________ I'm not sure"
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somewhat_nifty
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Re: CONCERT REPORTS: London, September 8 & 9

Post by somewhat_nifty »

We couldn't work out what he was saying on the night! He says 'it was long before Hampstead became fashionable' but then he just mumbles... I'll have another listen!
I'm chained to the old masquerade...
2008: London O2 14th Nov, RAH 18th Nov; 2009: NY RCMH 16th May, Weybridge MBW 11th July, Barcelona 21st Sept; 2010: Sligo 31st July, Lille 25th Sept, Las Vegas 11th Dec; 2012: Wembley Arena 8th Sept, Dublin 11th Sept 2013: London O2 21st June, London O2 14th Sept
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sturgess66
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Re: CONCERT REPORTS: London, September 8 & 9

Post by sturgess66 »

From Joey/CampCohen -
http://leonardcohen.tumblr.com/post/311 ... -the-notes

Image

Rafael Gayol rolling in to sound check to get two nights at Wembly started.

Image

Before the show, Alex plays for us all the notes the audience will never hear.
jmr2908
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Re: CONCERT REPORTS: London, September 8 & 9

Post by jmr2908 »

I was also at Wembley last night. I wasn't 'in the loop' at the time of the re-scheduling so thought I had lost my change to see him this time. Luckily I got hold of a 3rd row, centre ticket at the last minute - and, boy, am I glad that I did...

This is my first concert of the current tour, and I was amazed how good the performance was. If anything, Leonard seems younger than he did on the last tour! I was very happy to hear Amen (which IMHO is the best song LC's written since Anthem), Darkness, Going Home and Come Healing being played from the new album. And this was the first time I heard Night Comes On performed live. Other highlights for me were Democracy, The Partisan, Anthem... A truly excellent evening.

Re: the encore. I thought it was fantastic when the crowd started singing along to Marianne and the enthusiasm continued into FWTM. You could see that Leonard was very touched and surprised by this. Personally, I wasn't too bothered that the "drunk ladies" (I think everyone seated around the front knows who we are talking about) continued into FBR.. after the first 2 songs I didn't think there was any chance of them calming down for the intimacy of FBR. However, the actions described by somewhat_nifty are clearly out of order. On the way out I overheard them moaning that they had never been to a concert with a more miserable audience (I wonder who they were talking about...)

Anyway, I really hope no-one's concert was spoilt by the actions of a few. Being in the early 30s, and having only discovered LC after Ten New Songs, I recognised that I able very lucky to see the great man live. And, in my opinion, he's currently at the top of his game. I hope he can fit in a few more UK dates later in the tour.
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sturgess66
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Re: CONCERT REPORTS: London, September 8 & 9

Post by sturgess66 »

From DigitalJournal - http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/332456
Review: Leonard Cohen brings 'Old Ideas' to London Special

By Tim Sandle
Sep 9, 2012 - 3 hours ago in Arts
3 comments

Leonard Cohen delivered a scintillating performance at London's Wembley Arena on September 8, as part of the European Leg of his 'Old Ideas' tour. Cohen captivated the crowd with a mix of more recent songs and classics drawn from his past albums.

In January 2012 Leonard Cohen issued his first studio album in eight years, called 'Old Ideas'. The album was well received and it consisted of self-reflecting lyrics weighing up love, loss and aging against a back-drop of different musical styles.

To support this new recording, Cohen embarked on a world tour. After playing the US and Canada the 77 year old poet and song-writer moved his touring party to Europe, where he is playing in various countries during September and October.

Cohen's troop of performers included three female backing singers. These were his occasional musical collaborator Sharon Robinson and the Webb sisters, who sang beautiful harmonies and played several instruments (not to mention surprising the audience with occasional acrobatics). The six musicians were very talented, playing piano, the Hammond organ, bass, Spanish guitar, acoustic guitar, and mouth organ, among other instruments.

At Wembley Cohen delivered a superb three-part concert which lasted around three and a half hours. Cohen opened the concert with a powerful rendition of 'Dance Me To The End Of Love'.

Cohen played three songs from his 'Old Ideas' album, including the brooding 'The Darkness'. He also dedicated his song' Democracy' as sober note to the coming US election. However, for the most part the concert was an upbeat affair focusing on love and family (although, being Leonard Cohen, loss and longing too).
The songs which seemed to be best received by the capacity audience were 'Hallelujah', 'Take This Waltz' (which the recent.Sarah Polley movie borrowed the title), 'Suzanne', 'Everybody Knows', 'I'm Your Man', and this reviewer's favorite, 'Tower Of Song'.

Many of Cohen's songs on record, particularly his earlier work, are often composed of relatively Spartan sounds, stripped back to just his voice and an acoustic guitar. On stage, the songs are reinterpreted as mulch-instrumental backed 'soundscapes' and enriched by the harmonic female choir-like voices.
The encore featured a riveting rendition of 'Famous Blue Raincoat', an audience led sing-along of 'So Long Marianne' which, to borrow an ungainly concert goers metaphor, brought the roof down with its intensity.

Cohen bid farewell with his only cover version of the night, 'Save The Last Dance For Me', citing the Wembley imposed curfew as the need to end the concert a few songs earlier than he would have liked.

Leonard Cohen is one of popular music's greatest lyricists. He is also a witty and generous performer (giving space to his fellow musicians). In his mid-seventies he continues to deliver an intense and creative, music driven set and his tour, as it continues worldwide, is well-worth catching.
Editing to say: Apologies rpan !! I just noticed that you posted a link to this article on page 1
Now that this is here :roll: - I'll leave it I guess. It's a good review - and sometimes links become inaccessible - but this will nail it - :lol:
Last edited by sturgess66 on Sun Sep 09, 2012 6:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
cohenadmirer
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Re: CONCERT REPORTS: London, September 8 & 9

Post by cohenadmirer »

somewhat_nifty wrote:We couldn't work out what he was saying on the night! He says 'it was long before Hampstead became fashionable' but then he just mumbles... I'll have another listen!
Its something about living in london years ago - long before hampstead became fashionable.The anecdote goes on a little i think naming a landlady called stela pullman . He finishes by saying he thinks this happened but can't be sure .
I think there may be brief anecdotes at his stage of this song whenever he plays it , themed around memory and its unreliability ,a play around ' i can't forget but i don't remember what ' , and yet another injection of humour into his performance
Last edited by cohenadmirer on Sun Sep 09, 2012 6:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Leonard's work resonates
Brighton 1979; Dublin , Manchester june 2008; glasgow, manchester Nov 2008; Liverpool july 2009 ; Barcelona Sept 2009 ;marseille, lille september2010: Ghent August 2012;Barcelona October 2012;Montreal x2 November 2012: 2013; Saint John NB April 2013; Brussels June 2013;Manchester August 2013; Leeds , Birmingham September 2013; Amsterdam September 2013
danslenoir
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Re: CONCERT REPORTS: London, September 8 & 9

Post by danslenoir »

sturgess66 wrote: Does anyone know what he is saying - @3:46 - in Ruth's video

"I believe if I'm not mistaken, I used to live in London. Yes, it was long before Hampstead became fashionable. I lived on a little old (?) road with Stella Pullman called Gayton road. I had to bring the coal up in the morning to light...was it...did this really happen? I'm not sure
http://www.alanfranks.com/Leonard_Cohen.html

For most of the Sixties, Cohen was commuting between Hydra, where he lived with his Norwegian girlfriend, and the Chelsea Hotel, where he entertained such famous friends as Dylan and Jimi Hendrix. Before that there had been a spell in London, just as there had for the young Dylan and Paul Simon. Cohen was here as a novelist, staying in the Hampstead maisonette of a friend, Stella Pullman, with whom he is still in touch. "She allowed me to stay there so long as I wrote my daily quota of three pages. I had certain duties, like getting the coal in and lighting the fire.

http://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/entertainm ... -interview

"I lived at the corner of Gayton Road and Hampstead High Street in 1959. I lived with my landlady, Mrs Stella Pullman. I had a bed in the sitting room and I had some jobs to do, like bringing up the coal to start the fire every morning. She said to me, 'What do you do in life?' and I said 'I'm a writer.' She said, 'How much do you write?' and I said, 'Three pages a day.' She said, 'I'm going to check at the end of every day. If you haven't written your three pages and you don't bring up the coal, you can't stay here.' She did that, Stella Pullman, and it was under her fierce and compassionate surveillance that I wrote my first novel, The Favourite Game."
cohenadmirer
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Re: CONCERT REPORTS: London, September 8 & 9

Post by cohenadmirer »

rpan wrote:I thought this was just fantastic concert, band now really gelling and Mr Cohen in great voice and seemed to be really enjoying it, started at 8 and had to end at 11.30.

A very full apology from him about the change of venue was a notable thing at the start.

Another review: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/332456

These blond and drunk ladies were just an embarrassment to themselves, they were not right next to me but their antics were distracting even at some distance. To whoever is hoping or expecting nobody to move about, get food etc - good luck! Food and drink is allowed in the auditorium and there was a stready stream of people to and fro the whole time, any old number soft or loud makes no difference!
The review has a curious and major mistake in it :? t
Leonard's work resonates
Brighton 1979; Dublin , Manchester june 2008; glasgow, manchester Nov 2008; Liverpool july 2009 ; Barcelona Sept 2009 ;marseille, lille september2010: Ghent August 2012;Barcelona October 2012;Montreal x2 November 2012: 2013; Saint John NB April 2013; Brussels June 2013;Manchester August 2013; Leeds , Birmingham September 2013; Amsterdam September 2013
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somewhat_nifty
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Re: CONCERT REPORTS: London, September 8 & 9

Post by somewhat_nifty »

danslenoir wrote:
sturgess66 wrote: Does anyone know what he is saying - @3:46 - in Ruth's video

"I believe if I'm not mistaken, I used to live in London. Yes, it was long before Hampstead became fashionable. I lived on a little old (?) road with Stella Pullman called Gayton road. I had to bring the coal up in the morning to light...was it...did this really happen? I'm not sure
http://www.alanfranks.com/Leonard_Cohen.html

For most of the Sixties, Cohen was commuting between Hydra, where he lived with his Norwegian girlfriend, and the Chelsea Hotel, where he entertained such famous friends as Dylan and Jimi Hendrix. Before that there had been a spell in London, just as there had for the young Dylan and Paul Simon. Cohen was here as a novelist, staying in the Hampstead maisonette of a friend, Stella Pullman, with whom he is still in touch. "She allowed me to stay there so long as I wrote my daily quota of three pages. I had certain duties, like getting the coal in and lighting the fire.

http://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/entertainm ... -interview

"I lived at the corner of Gayton Road and Hampstead High Street in 1959. I lived with my landlady, Mrs Stella Pullman. I had a bed in the sitting room and I had some jobs to do, like bringing up the coal to start the fire every morning. She said to me, 'What do you do in life?' and I said 'I'm a writer.' She said, 'How much do you write?' and I said, 'Three pages a day.' She said, 'I'm going to check at the end of every day. If you haven't written your three pages and you don't bring up the coal, you can't stay here.' She did that, Stella Pullman, and it was under her fierce and compassionate surveillance that I wrote my first novel, The Favourite Game."
Great, thanks!
I'm chained to the old masquerade...
2008: London O2 14th Nov, RAH 18th Nov; 2009: NY RCMH 16th May, Weybridge MBW 11th July, Barcelona 21st Sept; 2010: Sligo 31st July, Lille 25th Sept, Las Vegas 11th Dec; 2012: Wembley Arena 8th Sept, Dublin 11th Sept 2013: London O2 21st June, London O2 14th Sept
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