Leonard was our Special Guest at the London meetup

[Grecian man]

Thanks all for a wonderful day and making me feel so welcome as a new ( ish) member
Can,t thank Heather enough for giving me a ticket on the day
People will really have to get their thinking caps on to arrange another meet up to top
this one

John ( long john )

[andrea]

Thank you Leonard for coming and making us all so happy
Thank you Jarkko for making this possibile
Thank you Padma and Diane for organizing this special afternoon in the Green Note Cafè
Thank you Willy for your hugs when we realized Leonard's presence
Thank you Lizzie and Peter for having been so marvelous hosts to Marco and me this weekend
Thank you all who were there for sharing those magical emotions
Thank you all
Andrea

[Paula]

Me and Leonard

paulaleonard1.JPG (16.77 KiB) Viewed 5800 times

[Paula]

It has taken me half an hour to work out how to down size the pictures to up load them I still have no idea how I did it.

This is Megan and Leonard.

[Paula]

I think I might have buggered it up I don't think it should have that surround. I am not touching it again it will probably implode!

[margaret]

Paula you did fine and the pictures are brilliant.

My photo shows me grinning like a Cheshire cat with Leonard in mid blink

[Joe Way]

Thank you all for the great reports! I'm really enjoying reading and seeing the pictures. You folks were on my mind all weekend long. Hope to see many of you in Edmonton.

Love,

Joe & Anne

[ispellit]

I've found some pictures of the event on John Gleeson's Flickr site.
Just in case anyone may be interested.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/johngleeso ... otostream/

[Diane]

Bruce has been singing to me on the way home tonight, "you'll be coming down now, baby" and I guess I will, eventually. Not yet though. Wasn't it amazing. And I am deeply thankful that I did not know in advance that Michael would make me read out Damellon's comp. winning poem with Leonard standing beside me.

Just read your report from earlier Linmag - we will never let you hear the end of it, that you missed meeting Leonard Cohen for some lifesized terracotta statues. You have have to see the funny side.

My photo shows me grinning like a Cheshire cat with Leonard in mid blink

Margaret I have a pic of Leonard as he led you away...

[Diane]

Here tis:

[dick]

Hi All

Just a quick note to thank Padma and Diane for all their great coordination... and also to let Micky know his pub choice for after the concert was right on. Only your absence made it not perfect Michael! Hope the shoulder gets better, and remember my warning about the bad things that can happen if one pats oneself on the back too much Padma - please do let us know if you came up short on anything.

Leonard´s appeareance was a huge gift for all of us! I´m pleased that so many at least found the concert interesting, and in the 4th time around, I repeat that it gets better for me each time - this time I especially appreciated the clarity of the lyrics... the libretto had been an absolute necessity for understanding in a couple of others. Was thrilling to see many great fans again, and to meet many wonderful new folks.

John´s great review mentioned the disconnect with the humor... In two concerts there was much more applause after almost each song (only one or two at Barbican) and while most of the times audiences remain quiet, in the second Lincoln Center show there was hearty laughter after many of the humorous lines in both poems and songs. Have gained some personal insight as to how much the audience´s reactions can influence my own perception of a live peformance.

Linda and I doing our best to wear out Jarkko and Eija now in Barcelona, but our webman never tires!
Night now --- have more wonderful touring to do the next few days. Best to everyone!

Dick

[ispellit]

Ah, and folks... what makes this miss additionally unbearable for me is:
I'm a huge Alan Rickman fan.
So I missed both. *griiiiieeeeef*

Henning, maybe your mum would like to join our Rickman fan forum? Tell her she's most welcome. We're a bunch of cute old ladies...

Thank you all for the wonderful pictures and descriptions of meeting Leonard.
Makes my flesh creep.

K.

[Diane]

Dick I must say I did enjoy the concert a bit this time (it set my teeth on edge in Cardiff). Nice to see you and linda in London, and thanks for all that candy! So you are in Barcelona, now, and with Jarkko and Eija. I couldn't keep up with all that partying.

Henning:

[Pete]

I'm the one on the right
Many thanks to Paula for forcibly insisting that she take a photo of us.
Those who I have since told that I eventually got to meet my legend of 38 years (yes..I've worked it out now ) can now believe me. Even I can now believe me

It must have been a little surreal for Leonard to be suddenly confronted by a group of dedicated fans. It helped the occasion so much for the poems to be read out to him...especially Lizzie's. I remember a few years ago when Lizzie read out that poem to a small group of us and I thought at the time, 'I wonder what Leonard would think of that?
I can't remember if the poem is on the forum or not...it's called 'Undressing Leonard'.
Leonard listened so attentively ..he appreciated it so much. Lizzie...if you're reading this and you havent posted it...could you??
I noticed that when he went out to the taxi some passers-by saw the commotion and got in on the act..and Leonard ended up posing yet again and I'm not sure if the passers-by really knew who he was.
Thank you Leonard for taking time out to visit us.
Hope we weren't too overbearing but there is no other way

Pete

[Diane]

Yes Lizzie, please post your poem. It got a great reception, so it must be good. I was too stunned at the time to hear it.

Perhaps Leonard came in cos he heard you singing, Pete.