CONCERT REPORTS: Las Vegas, Nevada, December 10 & 11, 2010

[musicmania]

Well said Lizzy

[LHHUNTER]

I think that half-witted woman should have been thrown to the lions at Ceasars for her outrageous stunt

[mutti]

I am finally able to get internet connection and finally watched Passing Through!
It brought me right back to the excitement of the singing and seeing people on stage peeking out through the curtains as they heard us and then Leonard coming out and singing with us..what fun that was!
A big thank you to Marie Mazur for the idea of singing Passing Through and for her ideas of the red roses being held high during Anthem and again for the idea and facilitating the Thank you Card for Leonard and the Band.
Thank you Grace. Its the best gift I could imagine being part of. Wonderful idea Marie.
Thank you for all involved in the crew project. Sam, Avi, Kelsey, Sheila, to name a few.
My mind is still mush from the concerts so forgive me if I am forgetting anyone.
Thank you Diana for organizing the red roses and arranging them in such a beautiful way.
Thank you all of you from Ireland so famous for your singing along and all of you from other countries who are used to singing certain songs at as the Canadian and American concerts I had been to this is rarely done. So it was grand in Las Vegas to sing at the top of our lungs to So long Marianne, I'm your Man, Now we take Berlin, and more. A little birdie told me Leonard loves it when we sing along and we sure did that night!
I love when this happened as it allowed me to sing and laugh and clap and do all the things that were spontaneous and to dance in my seat or standing...what a divine experience! This was a night of celebration!
Thank you again Maarten for the beautiful nametags and bracelets. A tradition that I hope continues if we get more opportunities for more performances...Thank you Albert and all that took videos. Thank you Marie and Albert for your banner!
Thank you Jarkko! Thank you sooo very much! for all that you do for us.
and finally thank you Leonard for your years of song and music.
Feeling grateful tonight and so am showering you all with thank you's.
Leslie/Mutti

[lizzytysh]

The situation really leaves a person at a loss as to how to 'properly' express its outrageousness, doesn't it, LHHunter, musicmania, Ruth, and Wendy. It reminds me of the 'joke' about how a blind man 'sees' an elephant, as he touches the various parts of its body, impossible to touch [and, thereby, 'see'] it as a whole. It doesn't even matter how you try to parse this incredibly rude act, its scope remains so huge that you really can't wrap your mind or words around it. Leonard has led his performances with his dignity and this act was its polar opposite.

Leonard is a man who wore his fedora for something like a year, in his house, at the table, in the living room, everywhere, just so he would look and feel absolutely comfortable and natural in it, him wearing the hat vs. the hat wearing him... he has maintained his rituals with his band and the very rare guest allowed into it before each performance; with the anointing of essential oils and the specific chant in Latin; he has decorated his stage with his eastern civilization rug; his stage has become his comfort zone, where he moves freely and can spontaneously interact with his group; he knows where to step and where not to step; he has protected his psyche and energy store from outsiders, both before and after concerts, usually returning to his room rather than socializing. He is a perfectionist in every sense of the word; even his conversation is limited, with clear barriers as to what he will reveal and what he chooses to keep private. He has carefully constructed his environment, so he could maintain the grueling tour schedule over this long period. He knows what it's like to be out there 'unprotected' and he has carefully ensured that his own essential needs be met in order to do such a tour in the first place. Those who love him understand and respect that. First and foremost. Nowhere does a strange person [man or woman] intruding on his stage fit into his mapping.

There are many fitting analogies for what occurred; and Leonard in his forgiving nature dealt. I know she sure as hell didn't do it for me! There are many things that come into my mind as I watch and listen to Leonard sing and speak, but NEVER has rushing the stage occupied even a moment of thought or fantasied vision. Bad enough that a couple people threw some items there and that one [unknown] woman was tackled as she tried to scale the steps on Friday; worst case scenario that someone managed to throw herself there on Saturday. Not at all what Leonard envisions or wants for any night, much less his last night of his highly successful three-year world tour. May everyone remain circumspect at any and all of Leonard's future performances and just stay where they belong... outside of and beyond his space!


~ Lizzy

[Travelingladiesman]

I arrived home early this morning after a great adventure.
Thanks to all for the good wishes and offers of "a bed for the night".

Happy Christmas and New Year to everyone,

Joe (Going to Christmas party now)

[TipperaryAnn]

Leonard has astutely avoided 'meeting with' fans throughout the course of this three-year World Tour... EITHER BEFORE or AFTER his performances.


~ Lizzy

Really? So where did the proudly posted photos of forum people posing with him come from, then?
The Dortmund thread has Tinderella with him BEFORE a concert, for example.

[sturgess66]

Uploaded by "mderaiche" - Thanks!

December 11th show -

"Famous Blue Raincoat"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZ9I3jt6Eqo

[Cheshire gal]

Thank you Lizzy for your explanation of how Leonard keeps his 'comfort zone'. This makes a lot of sense to me. Moving from country to country over the last three years, you can imagine how it would be important for him to have a familiar setting for each concert. Plus the safety feature of the placement of equipment on stage and a barrier between him and the audience. This was unfortunately lacking in Vegas.

[basecamp]

I arrived home early this morning after a great adventure.
Thanks to all for the good wishes and offers of "a bed for the night".

Happy Christmas and New Year to everyone,

Joe (Going to Christmas party now)

Thx for the update, Joe!
Happy X-mas to each and every one!
Cheers!
- Hans

P.S. @ Joe, somehow I knew that you wouldn't leave out out a good party..,

[musicmania]

Nice one Joe! Delighted you finally got home safely!!! Watching the news this evening is heartbreaking as there are now people stranded who won't get home. One poor woman was devastated and I was willing the cameras to move away and give her some privacy!

@Lizzy, perfectly described as always. It was strange there was no barriers in The Colosseum. The one in Katowice was pitiful but at least it was there.

[scubasam]

Some musings on the woman who jumped on the stage...

Some of us would never jump the stage and harass Leonard mid concert. Some us would never intrude on Leonard's personal space or any of the other band and crew members space if we had an opportunity to meet them. We would respectfully ask for a moment, or wait to be invited in to their personal space and world. And some of us certainly wouldn't hang on to Leonard whispering in his ear while he is trying to make his planned exit.

Some of us also would not lie and cheat our way through life, while others have no qualms about doing so. Some of us have integrity and scruples, others don't and therefore call into question everyone else's integrity and scruples. Some will jump on the bandwagon of success, regardless of whether they actually did anything constructive or positive to buoy the endeavor. Some will even attempt to sabotage endeavors they do not agree with, then jump in and take credit for the endeavor's success when it occurs. Others would never consider doing that. Some of us get badly burned, yet still find a way to give credit where credit is due. Others cannot do that. Some of us hide behind an avatar, pretending to be something we are not.

We all have our comfort zones and things we are willing/not willing to do. When it comes to Leonard, we all want to know Leonard personally and intimately and we all want that 'special moment of recognition' from him. We want to know that we touched him in a way that he touched us. But, for most of us that is not possible. Most of us choose not to jump him on the stage in order to respect him and his personal space. For the woman who did, I personally think it was wrong and inexcusable and had she slipped, she could have seriously hurt him, but in her defense, she meant no harm and at least her actions were without malice and honest/open (albeit selfish and foolish).

[dick]

[quote="scubasam"] and we all want that 'special moment of recognition'

Tom -- that s what we felt when Anjani approached us with a big smile and introduced us to her friend with "this is Dick and Linda Straub"

Next few minutes were another cloud nine.

Like Leonard, Anjani is incredibly gracious.

[scubasam]

and we all want that 'special moment of recognition'

Tom -- that s what we felt when Anjani approached us with a big smile and introduced us to her friend with "this is Dick and Linda Straub"

Next few minutes were another cloud nine.

Like Leonard, Anjani is incredibly gracious.

How fantastic Dick! They both come across as incredibly gracious and humble, and those who earn their trust do so not by plying them with material gifts or adulation, but by behaving in a way that emotes true decency. Bravo!

[lizzytysh]

This things happen by happenstance, not arrangement, TipperaryAnn.
The two situations don't even come close for comparison purposes.
Not even close.
Not even remotely.


~ Lizzy

[lizzytysh]

There are many things you'll never know, scubasam.


~ Lizzy