Thanks for posting these wonderful vidoes, Albert. Chelsea Hotel was for me one of the highest points (of a night filled with so many high points). I'd also love to see The Partisan and FBR if anyone has them.
Mary
CONCERT REPORT: New York, Feb 19 at the Beacon
Re: Beacon Theatre Youtube links
1972 London/1974 London/1985 Montreal/1993 Ottawa/2008 Montreal,London O2/2009 NYC Beacon,Kingston,Ottawa X 2,Barcelona,Las Vegas,San José/2010 Malmo,Las Vegas X 2/2012 Verona,Vancouver,Montreal X 2,Ottawa,Kingston/2013 NYC, Hamilton
Re: New York, February 19, 2009 - Beacon Theatre Show
Ladydi, I recognize the experience: suddenly realise you`re crying... In Amsterdam I just looked, listening. In Rotterdam I would have liked to sing along, because I know all the songs. I started to sing along but after about 5 songs I just couldn`t sing anymore, tears came and all was feeling, being there, my soul touched as seldom before (that`s why I say he sings my soul), the feeling was so overwhelming that I could only be silent, drinking in what happened, singing along would have degraded it. The last songs I could join in, singing from the heart. Pooo, difficult to tell in english, but anyhow that`s probably why I can`t stop reading the stories of all who were there at the Beacon.
Of course it faded, slowly, but reading you all brings it back and it`s there immediately... Thank you
Of course it faded, slowly, but reading you all brings it back and it`s there immediately... Thank you
here is your love for all this
2008 amsterdam/rotterdam, 2009 antwerpen, 2010 gent/dortmund, 2012 gent/amsterdam, 2013 antwerpen/oberhausen/rotterdam/amsterdam
2008 amsterdam/rotterdam, 2009 antwerpen, 2010 gent/dortmund, 2012 gent/amsterdam, 2013 antwerpen/oberhausen/rotterdam/amsterdam
Re: New York, February 19, 2009 - Beacon Theatre Show
This account regarding Bob Johnston sends chills because, if I'm remembering the name right [and maybe I'm not; however, afterward, the description of his 'role' when I asked "who is that?" was "that's Leonard's longtime biographer" and the name rings in to me as being the same one, as it also rang familiar at the time, but I couldn't place it]... anyway, after the second show at Joe's Pub, with Esther's help, I and a few others were fortunate enough to be able to get backstage to see Leonard, and I ended up sitting next to him on the small couch for about a half hour, as others came up and spoke to him, with him either seated or standing. The security at Joe's Pub was very Gestapo [hyperbolic, yes, but it still captures the intensity and their refusal to listen]. I'd experienced it earlier when the situation didn't call for it.
As we were sitting, someone came into the small dressing room and told Leonard that [Bob Johnston?] had just tried to get back to see Leonard and that security wouldn't let him in. Leonard was clearly upset. As he quickly stood up, he asked "Where's he at??" and with a sense of urgency took a few steps to go after him. The person who announced this hapless event said, "They turned him away and he left."
It was clear that Leonard's intent was to go after him and bring him back; but that almost as quickly as he moved in that direction with that intent, he also realized that [Bob?] would already be lost to the streets of New York, and Leonard would have no idea where to find him and his face showed his disappointment. He stopped and turned around and sat back down. In those moments, it was also clear how very much Leonard's people mean to him. It sounds as though this could be the same man, and that perhaps his appearance is part of what's going on with these young security people, who know nothing of his relationship with Leonard. A real shame. I was wishing, "If only Leonard had known and could've left his name on some approved list." To think this could actually be the same man and that this happened twice is just wrenching.
~ Lizzy
As we were sitting, someone came into the small dressing room and told Leonard that [Bob Johnston?] had just tried to get back to see Leonard and that security wouldn't let him in. Leonard was clearly upset. As he quickly stood up, he asked "Where's he at??" and with a sense of urgency took a few steps to go after him. The person who announced this hapless event said, "They turned him away and he left."
It was clear that Leonard's intent was to go after him and bring him back; but that almost as quickly as he moved in that direction with that intent, he also realized that [Bob?] would already be lost to the streets of New York, and Leonard would have no idea where to find him and his face showed his disappointment. He stopped and turned around and sat back down. In those moments, it was also clear how very much Leonard's people mean to him. It sounds as though this could be the same man, and that perhaps his appearance is part of what's going on with these young security people, who know nothing of his relationship with Leonard. A real shame. I was wishing, "If only Leonard had known and could've left his name on some approved list." To think this could actually be the same man and that this happened twice is just wrenching.
~ Lizzy
"Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken."
~ Oscar Wilde
~ Oscar Wilde
Re: New York, February 19, 2009 - Beacon Theatre Show
Bob Johnston is a very high profile record producer and not likely to be lost in this age of search engines. Don't worry about him. If Leonard wants to find him, I'm fairly sure he can. Everybody here should know about him.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Johnston
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Johnston
Re: New York, February 19, 2009 - Beacon Theatre Show
My own review:
---
In the autumn of 1995, Chad Friedman came to visit me at the gas station I worked at. I was 18 years old. This wasn't anything special; on most afternoons, he'd come by to chat for a bit, idly bouncing a basketball with a cigarette hanging from his mouth. He liked to talk about Bob Dylan, LSD, Hemingway, Jerry Garcia, and other random assortments of verbal food (or diarrhea, depending upon your opinion of Chad Friedman). Well, on this day, he came bearing a gift -- a mix tape he made, all for me.
When he left and the evening rush hour workload died down, I popped it into the boom box and sat back, skeptical but curious. Most of it was tracks lifted from an acoustic performance Jerry Garcia gave at Oregon State Prison in the early 80's. There was a Traveling Wilburys song, a few from Bob Dylan, some sort of solo Bob Weir thing, and then, suddenly, the monotony broke -- who the hell is this baritone voice? And where in the world did he get these fantastic words from? And how can this be so catchy if I've never heard it? And why am I getting this sensation that I'm listening to an old wise man chanting down absolute truths from a mountaintop like some modern day Moses? I felt corny and fascinated and ridiculous and riveted, and I sat there and played these songs -- "Famous Blue Raincoat," "Susanne," and "The Stranger Song" -- over and over again for the rest of my shift, and then the rest of my week, and then for the rest of the year. And that's how I discovered Leonard Cohen.
The following week, I took my shiny new paycheck to Tower Records in Northeast Philadelphia to search out this man's material. I didn't know anything about him, which is why I was so surprised to find nine albums by him sitting on the shelves, the earliest one bearing a prehistoric (for me!) copyright date of 1967. I spent over $100 in cash that day purchasing all nine, a hefty sum considering my income in 1995, and proceeded to spend the next several months familiarizing myself with his material in a nearly obsessive fashion. In 1995, there was no Wikipedia, no search engines, no true internet at all to speak of, really, and so my knowledge of his work was based exclusively on his work. I only came to find many years later the imagery his songs illustrated for me was completely accurate; his work reflects him, exactly.
I'd occasionally make calls to Ticketmaster to ask if there were any scheduled Leonard Cohen dates. There never was. And again, it was only years later that I came to discover, to my crushing dismay, that the last time he played a live show was a year before I discovered him, in 1994. And so time wore on, and I accepted my fate that his recorded work was all I had. He became a bit of a soundtrack to the better part of my life in my 20's. And when the internet finally became The Internet that we all know today, I researched.
After his tour in 1994, he retreated to the Mount Baldy Zen Centre in California and lived in seclusion until 1999 as an ordained Buddhist monk. He came out of it releasing a new album in 2001. Now is the time that he'd tour, of course. But at 67 years of age, could he? The weeks and months and years wore on with no announcements until 2004, when he released another album at age 70. Rinse, repeat, nothing. Throughout this time, he was releasing books; stories, poetry, even penning a soundtrack here and there and writing songs for other artists. As prolific as he was, he wouldn't poke his head out of seclusion. This was a theme throughout his life; unmarried, isolated, private.
Over these years, his work would break the surface of mainstream music occasionally due to other artists covering his songs -- this is the curse of Leonard Cohen; a critic and musician favorite, mostly known for other people's interpretations of his work. From Jeff Buckley's "Hallelujah" to R.E.M.'s "First We Take Manhattan" to literally thousands of other covers, so many people have enjoyed his work without even knowing it.
Then comes 2008. An odd amount of activity. Leonard Cohen is inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame and announces... a tour. A tour, a tour, a tour! Throughout everywhere, it seemed, except for the United States. Ugh. My lifelong stance was that, were I ever to be given the opportunity to see Leonard Cohen live, I would sell as many belongings as I needed to in order to travel and see it. This was not something I could realistically do anymore (i.e. - I grew up, blah), and I had to sit on my loins and read reviews of the shows instead. I was disappointed in myself, I'll admit, and regretted my decision to sit the tour out.
And then, in January of 2009, the announcement came that seriously changed my life; Leonard Cohen, for the first time in 15 years, would play one show in New York City at the intimate, 2800-seat-capacity Beacon Theatre on February 19th, 2009. To circumvent scalpers, a riddle would be posted on a webpage that would give the password you'd need to purchase tickets. The riddle, of course, could only be solved by those familiar with Leonard's work. I sat at that page, refreshing mercilessly until the riddle was posted. I made short work of it, and I suddenly found myself clicking a shiny, divine "submit" button to confirm my purchase of two tickets. And because I was one of the first 200 people to purchase tickets, I was given VIP access, allowing myself and my guest entry to the theatre two hours before showtime with "special guests and gifts."
Most things from that point until February 19th, 2009 were a blur, but my girlfriend and I departed from the taxicab at about 5:15pm on February 19th, 2009 in front of the Beacon Theatre under a marquee that confirmed, without argument, what was actually happening. People from every continent on our planet Earth were huddled outside in the freezing cold talking amongst each other, and I briefly felt unworthy in the luckiest sense. Upon admission, we were each handed a complimentary canvas tote bag and t-shirt, which was a nice touch (I was actually really excited about it). We soaked in the warmth (me using heat, she using wine) and (im)patiently waited for showtime.
Once in our seats, we assessed our surroundings. We were in the left-center Loge section, essentially the very first balcony overlooking the stage, in the very last row. This last row was a bit of an island, in that it only had 7 seats across and seemed to be added to the venue as an afterthought. Nonetheless, we had a fine view of the stage. To our right was a group of three and then a person going solo, and to our left was another person there by themselves. We sat back and waited, lumps in throats.
And then the lights go down. And then the band takes the stage. And then Leonard walks out with a smile, in the flesh, and the entire place is on their feet, giving the first of what felt like one hundred uproarious standing ovations. It was the exalted masses releasing 15 years of pent up wanting all at once, and I stood with them, and we made the theatre tremble to the tempo of our racing blood.
When that all-too familiar baritone thundered through the sound system, time stopped... until, during the third song of probably the most amazing night of my life, a Beacon Theatre employee approaches our oddball row and asks if there were any groups there with just two members. My girlfriend and I were the only ones, and we confirmed. "Would you be okay if we moved you elsewhere?" the woman asked. "There's a handicapped man with a cane, and he needs a place to sit." Our row was handicapped-accessible, and we obliged. She asked us for our two tickets, she gave us two new tickets, and told us where to walk. This is all happening very fast now, so we're just following her lead, and twenty seconds later, we're in our new seats. In the first row of the first balcony, dead center.
Dead. f$#king. center. in. the. first. row.
And there we sat with an unobstructed, perfect view from the best seats in the entire house while we watched Leonard Cohen meander and slither through his repertoire with ease and pride and dignity and respect, from his earliest to his latest material, with the most phenomenal backing band I've ever seen, through 27 songs, three encores, and enough standing ovations to rival a State Of The Union address.
And throughout it all, the overlying sentiment was that we were being gifted, that we were in a special place that could never be recreated, that we were guests of Leonard's in his own temple, and all 2800 of us sat together and watched The Master masterfully show us what happens when legends and geniuses don't die prematurely.
There is no true end to this because it's all still reverberating in my bones.
Two videos my girlfriend took with her camera: Hallelujah (excerpt) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOf-h5ydZgg) and In My Secret Life (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UjRETjw0E8).
---
In the autumn of 1995, Chad Friedman came to visit me at the gas station I worked at. I was 18 years old. This wasn't anything special; on most afternoons, he'd come by to chat for a bit, idly bouncing a basketball with a cigarette hanging from his mouth. He liked to talk about Bob Dylan, LSD, Hemingway, Jerry Garcia, and other random assortments of verbal food (or diarrhea, depending upon your opinion of Chad Friedman). Well, on this day, he came bearing a gift -- a mix tape he made, all for me.
When he left and the evening rush hour workload died down, I popped it into the boom box and sat back, skeptical but curious. Most of it was tracks lifted from an acoustic performance Jerry Garcia gave at Oregon State Prison in the early 80's. There was a Traveling Wilburys song, a few from Bob Dylan, some sort of solo Bob Weir thing, and then, suddenly, the monotony broke -- who the hell is this baritone voice? And where in the world did he get these fantastic words from? And how can this be so catchy if I've never heard it? And why am I getting this sensation that I'm listening to an old wise man chanting down absolute truths from a mountaintop like some modern day Moses? I felt corny and fascinated and ridiculous and riveted, and I sat there and played these songs -- "Famous Blue Raincoat," "Susanne," and "The Stranger Song" -- over and over again for the rest of my shift, and then the rest of my week, and then for the rest of the year. And that's how I discovered Leonard Cohen.
The following week, I took my shiny new paycheck to Tower Records in Northeast Philadelphia to search out this man's material. I didn't know anything about him, which is why I was so surprised to find nine albums by him sitting on the shelves, the earliest one bearing a prehistoric (for me!) copyright date of 1967. I spent over $100 in cash that day purchasing all nine, a hefty sum considering my income in 1995, and proceeded to spend the next several months familiarizing myself with his material in a nearly obsessive fashion. In 1995, there was no Wikipedia, no search engines, no true internet at all to speak of, really, and so my knowledge of his work was based exclusively on his work. I only came to find many years later the imagery his songs illustrated for me was completely accurate; his work reflects him, exactly.
I'd occasionally make calls to Ticketmaster to ask if there were any scheduled Leonard Cohen dates. There never was. And again, it was only years later that I came to discover, to my crushing dismay, that the last time he played a live show was a year before I discovered him, in 1994. And so time wore on, and I accepted my fate that his recorded work was all I had. He became a bit of a soundtrack to the better part of my life in my 20's. And when the internet finally became The Internet that we all know today, I researched.
After his tour in 1994, he retreated to the Mount Baldy Zen Centre in California and lived in seclusion until 1999 as an ordained Buddhist monk. He came out of it releasing a new album in 2001. Now is the time that he'd tour, of course. But at 67 years of age, could he? The weeks and months and years wore on with no announcements until 2004, when he released another album at age 70. Rinse, repeat, nothing. Throughout this time, he was releasing books; stories, poetry, even penning a soundtrack here and there and writing songs for other artists. As prolific as he was, he wouldn't poke his head out of seclusion. This was a theme throughout his life; unmarried, isolated, private.
Over these years, his work would break the surface of mainstream music occasionally due to other artists covering his songs -- this is the curse of Leonard Cohen; a critic and musician favorite, mostly known for other people's interpretations of his work. From Jeff Buckley's "Hallelujah" to R.E.M.'s "First We Take Manhattan" to literally thousands of other covers, so many people have enjoyed his work without even knowing it.
Then comes 2008. An odd amount of activity. Leonard Cohen is inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame and announces... a tour. A tour, a tour, a tour! Throughout everywhere, it seemed, except for the United States. Ugh. My lifelong stance was that, were I ever to be given the opportunity to see Leonard Cohen live, I would sell as many belongings as I needed to in order to travel and see it. This was not something I could realistically do anymore (i.e. - I grew up, blah), and I had to sit on my loins and read reviews of the shows instead. I was disappointed in myself, I'll admit, and regretted my decision to sit the tour out.
And then, in January of 2009, the announcement came that seriously changed my life; Leonard Cohen, for the first time in 15 years, would play one show in New York City at the intimate, 2800-seat-capacity Beacon Theatre on February 19th, 2009. To circumvent scalpers, a riddle would be posted on a webpage that would give the password you'd need to purchase tickets. The riddle, of course, could only be solved by those familiar with Leonard's work. I sat at that page, refreshing mercilessly until the riddle was posted. I made short work of it, and I suddenly found myself clicking a shiny, divine "submit" button to confirm my purchase of two tickets. And because I was one of the first 200 people to purchase tickets, I was given VIP access, allowing myself and my guest entry to the theatre two hours before showtime with "special guests and gifts."
Most things from that point until February 19th, 2009 were a blur, but my girlfriend and I departed from the taxicab at about 5:15pm on February 19th, 2009 in front of the Beacon Theatre under a marquee that confirmed, without argument, what was actually happening. People from every continent on our planet Earth were huddled outside in the freezing cold talking amongst each other, and I briefly felt unworthy in the luckiest sense. Upon admission, we were each handed a complimentary canvas tote bag and t-shirt, which was a nice touch (I was actually really excited about it). We soaked in the warmth (me using heat, she using wine) and (im)patiently waited for showtime.
Once in our seats, we assessed our surroundings. We were in the left-center Loge section, essentially the very first balcony overlooking the stage, in the very last row. This last row was a bit of an island, in that it only had 7 seats across and seemed to be added to the venue as an afterthought. Nonetheless, we had a fine view of the stage. To our right was a group of three and then a person going solo, and to our left was another person there by themselves. We sat back and waited, lumps in throats.
And then the lights go down. And then the band takes the stage. And then Leonard walks out with a smile, in the flesh, and the entire place is on their feet, giving the first of what felt like one hundred uproarious standing ovations. It was the exalted masses releasing 15 years of pent up wanting all at once, and I stood with them, and we made the theatre tremble to the tempo of our racing blood.
When that all-too familiar baritone thundered through the sound system, time stopped... until, during the third song of probably the most amazing night of my life, a Beacon Theatre employee approaches our oddball row and asks if there were any groups there with just two members. My girlfriend and I were the only ones, and we confirmed. "Would you be okay if we moved you elsewhere?" the woman asked. "There's a handicapped man with a cane, and he needs a place to sit." Our row was handicapped-accessible, and we obliged. She asked us for our two tickets, she gave us two new tickets, and told us where to walk. This is all happening very fast now, so we're just following her lead, and twenty seconds later, we're in our new seats. In the first row of the first balcony, dead center.
Dead. f$#king. center. in. the. first. row.
And there we sat with an unobstructed, perfect view from the best seats in the entire house while we watched Leonard Cohen meander and slither through his repertoire with ease and pride and dignity and respect, from his earliest to his latest material, with the most phenomenal backing band I've ever seen, through 27 songs, three encores, and enough standing ovations to rival a State Of The Union address.
And throughout it all, the overlying sentiment was that we were being gifted, that we were in a special place that could never be recreated, that we were guests of Leonard's in his own temple, and all 2800 of us sat together and watched The Master masterfully show us what happens when legends and geniuses don't die prematurely.
There is no true end to this because it's all still reverberating in my bones.
Two videos my girlfriend took with her camera: Hallelujah (excerpt) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOf-h5ydZgg) and In My Secret Life (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UjRETjw0E8).
Re: New York, February 19, 2009 - Beacon Theatre Show
This surely looks a lot better than view I had from orchestra where I could hardly see more than the bobbing heads of the people in front of me. I'm glad I got to see Leonard years ago, because this time I could hardly see more than a tiny creature with a guitar on the stage. I will have to wait for NPR webcast to really see the show. I hope it will be archived.
-
tinderella
- Posts: 1515
- Joined: Sun Feb 10, 2008 11:48 pm
- Location: Dublin Ireland
Re: New York, February 19, 2009 - Beacon Theatre Show
Hi Dumbjaw.... Your story was fantastic....I am really thrilled for you that you finally got to see him and the best seats inthe house too 
Marie... your photograph is so gorgeous....I hope my turn will come some day.
Marie... your photograph is so gorgeous....I hope my turn will come some day.
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leonardmtl
- Posts: 368
- Joined: Thu Oct 25, 2007 9:57 pm
- Location: Cambridge, MA
Re: New York, February 19, 2009 - Beacon Theatre Show
Lizzylizzytysh wrote:, I and a few others were fortunate enough to be able to get backstage to see Leonard, and I ended up sitting next to him on the small couch for about a half hour, as others came up and spoke to him, with him either seated or standing.
~ Lizzy
I am struck that you were invited to sit with Leonard, in view of the protective "bubble" that surrounds him
Could you give us a little bit of the history.
Leonard from Montreal...same name...same town...no golden voice
We're all on one road....we're only passing through....
1967 Montreal / 2008 Toronto/ 2009 New York Beacon /Boston 2x /New York MSG / Chelsea Hotel Plaque Celebration /San Jose / 2010 Las Vegas 2x / 2012 Montreal 2x /Boston 2x
1967 Montreal / 2008 Toronto/ 2009 New York Beacon /Boston 2x /New York MSG / Chelsea Hotel Plaque Celebration /San Jose / 2010 Las Vegas 2x / 2012 Montreal 2x /Boston 2x
Re: New York, February 19, 2009 - Beacon Theatre Show
I saw Harvey Keitel in the lobby at intermission. I got the impression from his harried demeanor that he'd only just arrived, and therefore missed the first hour, but at least he was there for the rest.blackdress wrote:I saw Richard Beltzer and Rufus Wainwright. Who else was there?
The concert was great, my decision to go was the best one I've made in a while. Everyone I talked with either at the concert, or before (ran into a couple of attendees at dinner prior to the show) paid $400+ for their tickets, though, I felt almost guilty for having paid regular price. Still, none of them regretted the decision to overpay. My first neighbor in the seats couldn't even get tickets for he and his wife together, so I switched with the wife at intermission, moved from Row U to Row T. They were an Israeli couple, though living here now - the fellow told me that he'd seen Cohen once before, on an air force base during the Yom Kippur war, and that it had been amazing.
Well, I had a great time, at both the concert and in New York in general. I hope to attend a few more shows in the U.S. tour, maybe Ottawa and Boston.
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Grecian man
- Posts: 156
- Joined: Mon Aug 20, 2007 11:30 pm
- Location: Dublin
Re: New York, February 19, 2009 - Beacon Theatre Show
Thanks for the photos Dumbjaw .
Especially your last photo , I could see myself and my brother sitting 5 rows from the front
Lizzy must have fainted as I couldn't see her and she was right in front of me ( where were u liz ? )
Hi to all the forum members we met , i'm sure we made up half of that photo .
Nice meeting you all , I bet the bar owner was glad there was so many of us ,
someone told me thursdays are usually slow there .
Thanks John
Especially your last photo , I could see myself and my brother sitting 5 rows from the front
Lizzy must have fainted as I couldn't see her and she was right in front of me ( where were u liz ? )
Hi to all the forum members we met , i'm sure we made up half of that photo .
Nice meeting you all , I bet the bar owner was glad there was so many of us ,
someone told me thursdays are usually slow there .
Thanks John
Most of the people who want to live forever don't know what to do
with themselves on a wet sunday afternoon ...........
with themselves on a wet sunday afternoon ...........
Re: New York, February 19, 2009 - Beacon Theatre Show
Hi Leonard from Montreal ~
It wasn't the kind of show that this tour has been. Leonard was appearing alongside and in support of Anjani and had been doing so at various places, meeting with fans when he was able. I believe the one exception was in Oslo, when he had become ill with the flu... they both had, actually, so he was unable to meet with people. In Warsaw, he was in a room, seated at a table, and each person got to go individually to sit with him privately for a few moments, to exchange whatever words they chose.
In New York, the 'Gestapo' security had suddenly clamped down on those awaiting seeing him between the two shows, as well as those waiting to use the restrooms. When the one guy barked out for everyone to "Get back! Get back!" I just turned around and abandoned the idea... went and stood at the end of the bar and started talking with Eric from Ireland, and a bit later, Zachary Oberzan came up and said something that encouraged me to try again. I passed Dick enroute and he said something, too... so on I went. To no avail. Security was in the same, identical mode, no matter what I said. After a few minutes, Leonard came out of the dressing room and crossed the hallway, on his way to the back of the stage, to come on for the beginning of the second show. Just as he was about to go through the curtains, in a louder than normal voice said, "Leonard!" He turned and looked at me and I smiled, lifted my hand in greeting, and said "Hi." He smiled back, lifted his hand, and returned my greeting. He then turned and disappeared between the curtains. I returned as quickly as I could to my seat, so I wouldn't miss anything.
When the magnificent show ended, I was making my way out of the room to leave the club, with a very matter-of-fact acceptance that I simply wasn't going to meet him on that occasion and I was okay with that. Just the way things are sometimes.
I was already past Dick's table and overheard him say something about Lizzy not having met with Leonard, yet, and that he was going to get with Esther to help make that happen. I turned around and said, "Lizzy would really appreciate that
." So, he did that very thing and suddenly there I was, again; security wondering what I was doing there ~ again ~ I saw it in their faces... and then, from around the corner, came Esther walking quickly, Dick, and several others behind them. Esther spoke with security directly, and in we went... they said, "Her, too?" looking at me... and she said, "Yes. Her, too." It felt like magic.
Seeing Anjani standing just inside, I anticipated speaking with her first and Leonard after a bit; however, a woman with blonde hair came from somewhere and suddenly held the space next to Anjani and my only option was to interrupt their conversation. That didn't sit well with me, so I just turned... and there, having just stood up from the couch, was Leonard standing looking at me. I had had four specific things I wanted to say to him, but the whole thing transpired so quickly that I went all but mute and as I approached him, and we grasped hands, I said, "Hi Leonard... I'm Elizabeth... thank you so much for everything." Not at all as planned, but it seemed to cover, well, everything
. When I stood silent in the moments following the end of my sentence, and he realized that was it, that's all I was going to say, he motioned to the couch and said, "Here, please... sit down... " and to the others, said, "Please, friends, have a seat ... would you like some water?" and went to the small dressing table built into the concave space in the wall and tried to give us water, but none was left. He commented in a surprized and regretful way that there was none left. We assured him that that was fine. He's such a natural host.
Others got up after a bit, but I simply remained. For me, it became a time and space without boundaries. I hadn't anticipated it, at all, yet there I was. Very little had been said and I was content to just sit and observe. As I did, thoughts of two things came to me. One was when I read on the Forum, at least several years ago, how Perla Batalla said she would go to Leonard's house and just sit and watch TV with him, saying nothing. They had a comfortable friendship and it just sounded so nice to me... and I commented at the time how much I would enjoy doing something so simple and 'homey' as that. The other was how Leonard would just sit in Roshi's presence and their talking would be little. I felt that same sense in sitting with Leonard, someone whom I so deeply admire. There have been three men in my life... my Dad, my former husband, and Leonard... each in their own, unique way. And there I was, sitting next to him, just being, and it was so comfortable. I wasn't going to try to chat him up, charm him, flatter him, ask him questions, or become his best friend; and I don't know enough about music, per se, to talk musicianship with him. I just ~ simply ~ wanted to be there... and he let that happen.
At some point, I remembered that I had brought some books with me to ask him to sign, if I got the opportunity. So, I took them out. A dear friend had sent two or three of hers along with me, asking if I could include hers, as well, if I got the chance. Suddenly, that stack of combined books took on visual proportions equivalent to a complete, unabridged set of the Oxford English Dictionary. There was no way I could make such a heavy request, so I sorted through them and murmured something about not being able to ask him to sign so many, so would he mind just signing hers. He asked for the correct spelling of her name, which he seems to so often do, and signed them. I thanked him and put them away, back with mine... and continued to sit quietly in virtual silence. He said something and I said something back. Then, after a bit, he inquired about the books that belonged to me that I had brought with me for him to sign and asked me for them. I got them back out and, before he signed, he asked if I preferred Elizabeth or Lizzy; I began to ponder out loud which it should be, starting with, "Well, Elizabeth is my real name... " and he took that as my final decision and started signing, confirming the spelling. I wasn't about to interrupt, but wished I'd instead asked him with which name he thinks of me. As he signed, I just kept repeating, "Thank you, Leonard... thank you so much, thank you, thank you... " as I had ended up totally abandoning the thought, having no intention of asking him to sign mine... content with his having signed my friend's and my having spent some silent time with him. He just has so much generousity of spirit that reveals itself in untold, countless ways. This was still another example. There's an old, "Top 40" song "To Know Him Is To Love Him" by The Ponytails ~ with Leonard it's "To Encounter Him Is To Love Him."
When he stood up again, to speak with someone other than a fan, I immediately asked, "Shall I leave?" He turned quickly, leaned down and touched, then patted, my hand and said, "No, no... please... just stay right here." So, I did. Then, I saw Anjani standing against the wall, with no one there beside her and I got up to talk to her. Leonard was still talking with whomever it was, but may have been finishing up; as, when I said to her, "You are so in your element [her performance of the Blue Alert songs]," Leonard turned slightly and stepped a little closer, and said, "Yes. Yes, she is... she's the real thing." I simply replied, "Yes, she really is." For other reasons that I won't go into, I was grateful that he joined me in front of the others in my praise of her.
Then, somehow [I can't recall the exact sequence or chain of events], I returned to my seat on the couch... and, after a bit, so did Leonard. We were there awhile, with very little talking, as I watched him interact with others, until Anjani came over to his side and let him know that it was time to leave, as they had to catch an early-morning plane. He quickly commented "But Elizabeth is here... ," as though the two situations were simply at odds, and she said something about what time it was and what time the plane leaves. I could see his surprize [shared by me] and I quickly gathered my coat, stood up, and said something about its being fine, of course, and not to worry, that they really had to go; and thanked and said goodbye to them both, immensely grateful for the unanticipated time I'd had. Everyone kind of bunched up and left the small room together. As you've read in other accounts, Leonard's sense of time when he's with others tends to not be a concern for him, even when it should be; so his management people and, on that tour or at least at that venue, Anjani and Esther seemed to be the keepers of the gate. I watched Esther interject in one situation with someone else, to maintain necessary control of Leonard's time.
That's all I know to say in way of an explanation, Leonard. It was so lovely to meet you in New York. I had always imagined you to be in your early 30s and was pleasantly surprized to find it otherwise. This encounter with Leonard was the fates and Leonard being kind to me. I had lost all sense of time and place and I was simply there, filled with gratitude for him, and appreciating his presence.
When I met him backstage in Chicago in the mid-70s, he graciously spoke to me and agreed to having a photo taken with me... he's so much of a natural for black-and-white photography [my favourite], that I asked if someone there might take the picture. Someone enthusiastically volunteered and I gave him the camera; I wasn't very familiar with the borrowed camera, and didn't think to check what that person was doing/not doing in his preparation, presuming he knew all there was with that 35 mm. Well, when I got the film developed, it turned out that he had forgotten to remove the lens cover. So, I have no photo of us from that time, and I don't think I'm over that, yet... so, this simple, quiet time with Leonard was, even moreso, especially important to me.
~ Lizzy
It wasn't the kind of show that this tour has been. Leonard was appearing alongside and in support of Anjani and had been doing so at various places, meeting with fans when he was able. I believe the one exception was in Oslo, when he had become ill with the flu... they both had, actually, so he was unable to meet with people. In Warsaw, he was in a room, seated at a table, and each person got to go individually to sit with him privately for a few moments, to exchange whatever words they chose.
In New York, the 'Gestapo' security had suddenly clamped down on those awaiting seeing him between the two shows, as well as those waiting to use the restrooms. When the one guy barked out for everyone to "Get back! Get back!" I just turned around and abandoned the idea... went and stood at the end of the bar and started talking with Eric from Ireland, and a bit later, Zachary Oberzan came up and said something that encouraged me to try again. I passed Dick enroute and he said something, too... so on I went. To no avail. Security was in the same, identical mode, no matter what I said. After a few minutes, Leonard came out of the dressing room and crossed the hallway, on his way to the back of the stage, to come on for the beginning of the second show. Just as he was about to go through the curtains, in a louder than normal voice said, "Leonard!" He turned and looked at me and I smiled, lifted my hand in greeting, and said "Hi." He smiled back, lifted his hand, and returned my greeting. He then turned and disappeared between the curtains. I returned as quickly as I could to my seat, so I wouldn't miss anything.
When the magnificent show ended, I was making my way out of the room to leave the club, with a very matter-of-fact acceptance that I simply wasn't going to meet him on that occasion and I was okay with that. Just the way things are sometimes.
I was already past Dick's table and overheard him say something about Lizzy not having met with Leonard, yet, and that he was going to get with Esther to help make that happen. I turned around and said, "Lizzy would really appreciate that
." So, he did that very thing and suddenly there I was, again; security wondering what I was doing there ~ again ~ I saw it in their faces... and then, from around the corner, came Esther walking quickly, Dick, and several others behind them. Esther spoke with security directly, and in we went... they said, "Her, too?" looking at me... and she said, "Yes. Her, too." It felt like magic.Seeing Anjani standing just inside, I anticipated speaking with her first and Leonard after a bit; however, a woman with blonde hair came from somewhere and suddenly held the space next to Anjani and my only option was to interrupt their conversation. That didn't sit well with me, so I just turned... and there, having just stood up from the couch, was Leonard standing looking at me. I had had four specific things I wanted to say to him, but the whole thing transpired so quickly that I went all but mute and as I approached him, and we grasped hands, I said, "Hi Leonard... I'm Elizabeth... thank you so much for everything." Not at all as planned, but it seemed to cover, well, everything
. When I stood silent in the moments following the end of my sentence, and he realized that was it, that's all I was going to say, he motioned to the couch and said, "Here, please... sit down... " and to the others, said, "Please, friends, have a seat ... would you like some water?" and went to the small dressing table built into the concave space in the wall and tried to give us water, but none was left. He commented in a surprized and regretful way that there was none left. We assured him that that was fine. He's such a natural host.Others got up after a bit, but I simply remained. For me, it became a time and space without boundaries. I hadn't anticipated it, at all, yet there I was. Very little had been said and I was content to just sit and observe. As I did, thoughts of two things came to me. One was when I read on the Forum, at least several years ago, how Perla Batalla said she would go to Leonard's house and just sit and watch TV with him, saying nothing. They had a comfortable friendship and it just sounded so nice to me... and I commented at the time how much I would enjoy doing something so simple and 'homey' as that. The other was how Leonard would just sit in Roshi's presence and their talking would be little. I felt that same sense in sitting with Leonard, someone whom I so deeply admire. There have been three men in my life... my Dad, my former husband, and Leonard... each in their own, unique way. And there I was, sitting next to him, just being, and it was so comfortable. I wasn't going to try to chat him up, charm him, flatter him, ask him questions, or become his best friend; and I don't know enough about music, per se, to talk musicianship with him. I just ~ simply ~ wanted to be there... and he let that happen.
At some point, I remembered that I had brought some books with me to ask him to sign, if I got the opportunity. So, I took them out. A dear friend had sent two or three of hers along with me, asking if I could include hers, as well, if I got the chance. Suddenly, that stack of combined books took on visual proportions equivalent to a complete, unabridged set of the Oxford English Dictionary. There was no way I could make such a heavy request, so I sorted through them and murmured something about not being able to ask him to sign so many, so would he mind just signing hers. He asked for the correct spelling of her name, which he seems to so often do, and signed them. I thanked him and put them away, back with mine... and continued to sit quietly in virtual silence. He said something and I said something back. Then, after a bit, he inquired about the books that belonged to me that I had brought with me for him to sign and asked me for them. I got them back out and, before he signed, he asked if I preferred Elizabeth or Lizzy; I began to ponder out loud which it should be, starting with, "Well, Elizabeth is my real name... " and he took that as my final decision
and started signing, confirming the spelling. I wasn't about to interrupt, but wished I'd instead asked him with which name he thinks of me. As he signed, I just kept repeating, "Thank you, Leonard... thank you so much, thank you, thank you... " as I had ended up totally abandoning the thought, having no intention of asking him to sign mine... content with his having signed my friend's and my having spent some silent time with him. He just has so much generousity of spirit that reveals itself in untold, countless ways. This was still another example. There's an old, "Top 40" song "To Know Him Is To Love Him" by The Ponytails ~ with Leonard it's "To Encounter Him Is To Love Him."When he stood up again, to speak with someone other than a fan, I immediately asked, "Shall I leave?" He turned quickly, leaned down and touched, then patted, my hand and said, "No, no... please... just stay right here." So, I did. Then, I saw Anjani standing against the wall, with no one there beside her and I got up to talk to her. Leonard was still talking with whomever it was, but may have been finishing up; as, when I said to her, "You are so in your element [her performance of the Blue Alert songs]," Leonard turned slightly and stepped a little closer, and said, "Yes. Yes, she is... she's the real thing." I simply replied, "Yes, she really is." For other reasons that I won't go into, I was grateful that he joined me in front of the others in my praise of her.
Then, somehow [I can't recall the exact sequence or chain of events], I returned to my seat on the couch... and, after a bit, so did Leonard. We were there awhile, with very little talking, as I watched him interact with others, until Anjani came over to his side and let him know that it was time to leave, as they had to catch an early-morning plane. He quickly commented "But Elizabeth is here... ," as though the two situations were simply at odds, and she said something about what time it was and what time the plane leaves. I could see his surprize [shared by me] and I quickly gathered my coat, stood up, and said something about its being fine, of course, and not to worry, that they really had to go; and thanked and said goodbye to them both, immensely grateful for the unanticipated time I'd had. Everyone kind of bunched up and left the small room together. As you've read in other accounts, Leonard's sense of time when he's with others tends to not be a concern for him, even when it should be; so his management people and, on that tour or at least at that venue, Anjani and Esther seemed to be the keepers of the gate. I watched Esther interject in one situation with someone else, to maintain necessary control of Leonard's time.
That's all I know to say in way of an explanation, Leonard. It was so lovely to meet you in New York. I had always imagined you to be in your early 30s and was pleasantly surprized to find it otherwise. This encounter with Leonard was the fates and Leonard being kind to me. I had lost all sense of time and place and I was simply there, filled with gratitude for him, and appreciating his presence.
When I met him backstage in Chicago in the mid-70s, he graciously spoke to me and agreed to having a photo taken with me... he's so much of a natural for black-and-white photography [my favourite], that I asked if someone there might take the picture. Someone enthusiastically volunteered and I gave him the camera; I wasn't very familiar with the borrowed camera, and didn't think to check what that person was doing/not doing in his preparation, presuming he knew all there was with that 35 mm. Well, when I got the film developed, it turned out that he had forgotten to remove the lens cover. So, I have no photo of us from that time, and I don't think I'm over that, yet... so, this simple, quiet time with Leonard was, even moreso, especially important to me.
~ Lizzy
"Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken."
~ Oscar Wilde
~ Oscar Wilde
Re: New York, February 19, 2009 - Beacon Theatre Show
Hi John ~
Good to see you here . I noticed that, too. I can see Partisan and his wife, Joe, Eric, and you, behind me... and the man to my left and his wife, and Ute and Frauke on my right. I could have been leaning down, and with wearing all black, I couldn't be seen, even in outline; but it seems when I look really, really closely, I can see my outline from behind.
~ Lizzy
Good to see you here
. I noticed that, too. I can see Partisan and his wife, Joe, Eric, and you, behind me... and the man to my left and his wife, and Ute and Frauke on my right. I could have been leaning down, and with wearing all black, I couldn't be seen, even in outline; but it seems when I look really, really closely, I can see my outline from behind. ~ Lizzy
"Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken."
~ Oscar Wilde
~ Oscar Wilde
Re: New York, February 19, 2009 - Beacon Theatre Show
Hi Lizzy,
What a remarkable story of your meeting with Leonard! So much detail that I felt I was reading a novel, but it wasn't..it is a moment in time that you experienced with Leonard and Anjani and it is so very very beautiful. Thank you for sharing it with all of us. It has made my evening!
Diana
What a remarkable story of your meeting with Leonard! So much detail that I felt I was reading a novel, but it wasn't..it is a moment in time that you experienced with Leonard and Anjani and it is so very very beautiful. Thank you for sharing it with all of us. It has made my evening!
Diana
-
leonardmtl
- Posts: 368
- Joined: Thu Oct 25, 2007 9:57 pm
- Location: Cambridge, MA
Re: New York, February 19, 2009 - Beacon Theatre Show
Lizzy
What a story! Thanks for being so descriptive. Written in a way that the readers could really feel present
You have received an unusual gift ... you have experienced the reality of being with Leonard...."The real thing"....
And you were a participant in a continuing LC theme of just "being there".........going beyond Roshi and Perla....actually I believe it was first reported as silences with some conversation interruptions with the original Suzanne in her apartment in Old Montreal.
Well, for someone who is so connected to LC, you are the one who truly deserved this extraordinary moment.
I must add that you can see my bald head in the Dumbjaw photo...I am sitting next to Partisan's wife!
Leonard from Montreal...same name....same town..no golden voice
What a story! Thanks for being so descriptive. Written in a way that the readers could really feel present
You have received an unusual gift ... you have experienced the reality of being with Leonard...."The real thing"....
And you were a participant in a continuing LC theme of just "being there".........going beyond Roshi and Perla....actually I believe it was first reported as silences with some conversation interruptions with the original Suzanne in her apartment in Old Montreal.
Well, for someone who is so connected to LC, you are the one who truly deserved this extraordinary moment.
I must add that you can see my bald head in the Dumbjaw photo...I am sitting next to Partisan's wife!
Leonard from Montreal...same name....same town..no golden voice
We're all on one road....we're only passing through....
1967 Montreal / 2008 Toronto/ 2009 New York Beacon /Boston 2x /New York MSG / Chelsea Hotel Plaque Celebration /San Jose / 2010 Las Vegas 2x / 2012 Montreal 2x /Boston 2x
1967 Montreal / 2008 Toronto/ 2009 New York Beacon /Boston 2x /New York MSG / Chelsea Hotel Plaque Celebration /San Jose / 2010 Las Vegas 2x / 2012 Montreal 2x /Boston 2x
Re: New York, February 19, 2009 - Beacon Theatre Show
I wonder if this is Bob Johnston in this video, in the yellow shirt, singing Bird on a Wire to Leonard:vern.silver wrote: Here is the photo I found. Left to Right: "Producer Bob Johnston, Harper Simon (Paul Simon's son,) Bijou Philips (daughter of Mama and Papas John Philips) and BMI's Shelby Kennedy. The photo is from August 2006.
Vern
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEJGWSRxW7U
(starts around 1:50)
Looks like him. Clearly Leonard is very fond of him.
"In this world of shallow, he is the abyss."~ YouTube commenter greg450318
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Lyon, July 2008 / Oakland x2, April 2009 / San Jose, November 2009 / Oakland, December 2010 / San Jose, November 2012 / Oakland, March 2013
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Lyon, July 2008 / Oakland x2, April 2009 / San Jose, November 2009 / Oakland, December 2010 / San Jose, November 2012 / Oakland, March 2013