leonardcohenforum.com

What a great night indeed at the Beacon! I'm back to work today and don't have much time to post any coherent thoughts at the moment, but it was an unforgettable show! So nice to see some of you from the forum as well!

thank you so much IrishAl!!!! what a nice sample, I really would have liked being there, thank you

What a night, I've been to the Mecca of my concert going days.
PJ Clarks was great pre-show, met and was hanging out with reporter from LA Times who flew in for show and to interview LC today (at his hotel, sorry, cant divulge where) - he told me that LC was only givng 3 interviews and one was with him
Got to Beacon just a show about to start, kind of rude pushy people fighting to buy $35 t-shirts blocking the way.
Just as show started, I dipped into the photographers row (my seat was upper balc due to ticketmaster scam and having to buy on ebay for $177)
Anyway, as someone mentioned after the first song they threw the photogs out and amazingly let me stand there - perfect view, sound, etc.
At intermission, I was able to beat crowd out for t-shirt and beer and b-room. After intermssion, I went to the front center stage and LC came out (and security came out for me), anyway, went back to my "seat" standing in photog row until encores when I was able to go directly to front (left) of stage - and watch from there unbothered - what a night. Hard tp pick afavorite tune but Iwould say Who By Fire tops -

IrishAL wrote:Below is a link to a sample from last nights special show in New York. Most of the (ground Floor) audience were on their feet for the last few songs.
Enjoy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MObKR4pFuC8

albert

WOW - this is the living proof that small halls of circa 2500 seats are ideal for a Leonard Cohen show.

It's obvious how important show that was - Leonard is also giving extremely tough performance and girls & the band are "really happening". (The arrangement for this particular song has also improved - it's even better than last Fall in Europe:) )

Hi Albert.
I met you and your wife in London in the wine bar .... so it looks like youare a real bone fida fan now... Your video is superb! Thanks for sharing.

yes indeed

i wonder if the rest of the show was at this energy level - or whether it was the special nature of this particular song ??

http://www.npr.org/blogs/allsongs/2009/ ... bcast.html

News: Leonard Cohen Webcast
by Bob Boilen
Tonight, Leonard Cohen is going to give his first U.S. performance since 1993, at the Beacon Theater in New York. I'm on a train there now, and I'm thrilled. I've never seen him on stage. A concert by this 74-year-old poet, musician, singer and novelist is an event.
We recently wrote a blog post about the incredible prices that ticket brokers were asking for the Leonard Cohen show. Prices for some seats were being "brokered" for more than $3,000 -- money that doesn't go to the artist. The initial ticket prices were $65 and topped out at $250. Those sold out quickly.
In an effort to fight the ticket brokers, Cohen's management is allowing us to stream a recording of this entire Beacon Theater performance. We'll post it online on Feb. 26. Details will appear in our show on Monday, and on our Twitter feed @allsongs.
We're thrilled that Leonard Cohen and Columbia Records are giving us permission to webcast this entire concert. Far too many people have missed his songwriting, or perhaps only know "Hallelujah" or "Suzanne." "Dance Me to the End of Love," "Everybody Knows," "Who by Fire" and, of course, "Bird on a Wire" are just a few songs you must hear before you die.
Tell us your favorite Leonard Cohen song here -- or maybe your favorite interpreter of that song, if it isn't him. And please feel free to share any Cohen story you may have.

I've just heard a recent Leonard Cohen concert recorded in England. There are many breathtaking moments and a collection of songs that spans his entire carreer. That concert from the Arena in London will be released in early spring as a 2-CD set and as a DVD.
Bob Boilen

Firstly, let me say my heart is so grateful to Jarkko and Dan (withheld last name) for allowing me the opportunity to see this legend in concert.
I flew by myself from Atlanta, a married mom of two, and stayed at the Hotel Beacon never knowing what my reaction would be when Leonard walked onto the stage.
As he walked on and began to sing, all I could do was weep. It was everything I could have ever dreamed or imagined it to be. I knew I was being allowed to see a poet of our age in person and in song! Songs I have listened to for a thousand times rang in my ears from his very throat. I am so very gracious so have had this opportunity.
Mr. Cohen was beyond gracious as some former members wrote and I ached to tell him to go home and go to bed!!!
Thank you again, Jarkko, from the bottom of my heart and especially to God above for creating such a wonderful soul, that is Leonard Cohen.

"IF IT BE YOUR WILL"

Here a review from pitchfork:
http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/n ... y-02-19-09

I just got back home and the first thing I did was sign on to the forum to read all the reviews. It was such an amazing experience to be there, I'm still completetly overwhelmed by it all. The atmosphere last night was electric and Leonard looked SO happy and relaxed. I lost count of the number of standing ovations.

It was great to meet so many of the forum members after the concert. I couldn't get to you to say it to you last night, Jarkko, but thank you so very much for helping make all this happen.

P.S. Steve Earle was about 3 rows behind me (I had a better seat!) I also saw Pamela Wallin (only Canadians will know who she is!)

Mary

What else is there to add!

Standing towards the end of the concert, singing, weeping, clapping, inhaling the karma....an emotional high that is so natural, reaching so deep into my heart...almost what the feelings of a baby must be like!

LC just evokes such enormously powerful feelings. Thursday night was no different.


Leonard from Montreal....same name...same town...no golden voice

Like Tom Sakic, I also viewed the "You Tube" link.
The vast majority of Canadians, Europeans, Australians and others who have seen Leonard Cohen performing live since last May did not attend the Beacon concert in New York; yet "First We Take Manhattan" sounds as fresh/vibrant/committed as it was when you, I, and all those Beautiful Losers saw him too.

Andrew.

A review of the Beacon show in the NYTimes:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/21/arts/ ... ml?_r=1&hp

Last line puzzles me though. Any help?

Leonard Cohen’s Beacon Theater concert will be broadcast at nprmusic.org/music on Thursday. Tickets for his tour go on sale Friday at leonardcohen.com.

"Special concert in New York" indicated to me that Leonard Cohen would be pulling out all the stops and playing all the songs that anyone could ever want to hear - and he did. This concert had a deeply spiritual feel to it - Like we were witnessing the Lord of Song redeem or uplift our lives with love and humility through the beauty of the words and music. What a night. Thank you to everyone who made this happen.
It was especially nice to meet so many of you who contribute to these pages.
Pam