CONCERT REPORTS: St. John's, NL (May 25, 26 and 27)

[JJR]

The LC tour reaches St. John's this weekend. Unbelievably, the same weekend on which Bob Dylan comes to town. Yes, five nights of concerts, two by Bob and three by Leonard! The LC shows will take place at (erm) a local High School. Not perhaps the most elegant venue but undoubtedly the concerts themselves will be awesome. First show is tomorrow evening. The countdown begins ....

[phantomlimb]

rumour is cohen might join dylan on stage for a bit tonight

[mirka]

IMHO "a local High School" agrees very much with Leonard Cohen concert, I wish I was there !

Frankie Lane, he was singing Jezebel
I pinned an Iron Cross to my lapel
I walked up to the tallest and the blondest girl
I said, Look, you don't know me now but very soon you will
So won't you let me see
I said "won't you let me see"
I said "won't you let me see
Your naked body?

[anneporter]

The sun is shining in St. John's this early morning--the birds singing at the break of day-- surely a sign that we have been sent as we prepare to welcome Leonard Cohen. After a long hard winter and a slow, cold and foggy spring, greens are brightening around around us at last, the miracle we have been awaiting. The air is still mentholated by the multitude of icebergs just offshore.

The high school where Leonard will play is the alma mater of my son and my daughter, who have both climbed out of the water of adolescence and are hiding the world, having cut their teeth on Cohen's music.

The high school is Holy Heart of Mary, a venerable old Catholic girls' school that allowed boys and Protestants in a few years ago. It is famous for its music programs, and its choirs have travelled the world. It has a full-size, old-style theatre, which, sadly, may be slated for destruction. It is in the historic heart of the downtown, a stone's throw from the Basilica of St. John the Baptist, where statues of the virgin Mary, St John and Jesus look out over the rooftops to Signal Hill, the harbour, and the open Atlantic.

I brought my radio out to garden and turned on CBC's Weekend Arts Magazine to hear Jenny Gear singing "Here It Is": truly beautiful.

I'm about to try to compose a letter of welcome and thanks to Leonard Cohen for coming here, gracing our air with his song and his presence. I hope I find a way to get it to him. In case I don't, I am sending it out to the universe:

Thank you, Leonard, for your music and your generosity.

And to the community of his fans, especially those I met at the early morning ticket line-up in March ( best known as fans # 8,9, 11 and 12): JOY!

By the way, Leonard did not join Dylan on stage last night. It was good to hear Dylan on his birthday, but the real event is yet to come. For me, Bob Dylan was a warm-up act for Cohen. Now I have to wait two more sleeps, since my precious tickets are for Tuesday.

Now the radio is playing "Tonight will be Fine" and I'm sure it will be for those lucky enough to have tickets--ENJOY!

Namaste,
Anne ( aka #10)

[anneporter]

Now the radio is playing Bob Dylan singing Hallelujah--Fabulous! What a glorious morning!

[jglBB]

... For me, Bob Dylan was a warm-up act for Cohen.

I like this line very much Anne and I completly agree.

[MEB]

Has anyone spotted the tour buses arriving yet?

[eheath]

With the crossing of paths of Cohen and Dylan in St. John's this weekend, I thought the following may be of interest to some of you out there.
While reading Cohens biography a few nights ago , there was mention of Cohen's attending what was described as an " all-day poetry party" on Jan 8 1966. At the party , "Cohen brought out his guitar and raved about the new poet of America, Bob Dylan . No one had heard of him so Scott (the host) rushed out, bought two of his records and began to play them. Only Cohen could tolerate the sound: with one of the guests leaving the room shouting" Its an awful bore ,I can't listen to any more of this". Cohen nonetheless announced that there was an audience out there waiting for him (Dylan) and that he (Cohen) would be the Canadian Dylan, a claim that none of them thought serious enough to refute. -- - By 10 P.M. Scott offered to play one of Dylan's records again and this time ,dancing not criticism ,was the result."

I saw Dylan on Fri night, and think with a lot more hard work, he could possibly become the American Cohen , perhaps when he matures a little and reaches Cohen's age.

Really looking foward to the show tonight.
Cheers
Husband of Number 3 in the all-night lineup for tickets.
Hi again # 10

[anneporter]

Hello again

It's 5:15 pm in St. John's. I just got back from Holy Heart theatre, where I left my letter and welcome gift with a member of the crew at the stage door. Then I went for a stroll, taking pictures around the Basilica. On my way back to the car I saw another bus turning up Bonaventure Avenue toward the theatre. I thought this must be Cohen's bus, since it was the last to arrive. Sure enough, I saw him get off and go in. I only saw him from the back, but he was as elegant and impeccable, in his suit and hat, as if he had just stepped out of a fashion magazine, instead of off a bus. Such grace! Such dignity!

I didn't get a photograph, because I was distracted by a small dog pooping and its owner scooping between Leonard and me. From the sublime to the ridiculous, or "after the ecstacy the laundry", as Jack Kornfield says.

I will post pictures of the the theatre and environs, if I can figure out how.

Mr. #3 --nice to hear from you! Didn't you have a number of your own?
Can you post a report and set-list after tonight's show?
Enjoy!
(Say hello to Sylvia for me)
AP

[anneporter]

Here are some pictures of the theatre and environs taken this afternoon:
(The first picture is the bus Cohen stepped out of and the doorway into which he disappeared.)
http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/535/1002284rv2.jpg
http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/6416/1002249wn8.jpg
http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/1336/1002250gw0.jpg
http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/7250/1002253gc3.jpg
http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/239/1002259rg9.jpg
http://img355.imageshack.us/img355/1378/1002271bn4.jpg
http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/8084/1002274os6.jpg
http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/1846/1002276sq3.jpg
http://img355.imageshack.us/img355/7439/1002277hq4.jpg
http://img355.imageshack.us/img355/634/1002281hl1.jpg
http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/7452/1002283oy6.jpg

[Wall]

The greatest show I've seen in my short life. Thank you Mr. Cohen.

[hanes]

Oh. My. God.

That was without a doubt one of the best concerts I've ever been to and will probably ever go to. Everything about the show was perfect, crystal clear sound, beautiful lighting, I didn't hear one bum note the whole time, Leonard's voice was deep and lovely. I didn't catch the set list but I saw some people writing notes so I'm sure it will show up soon, it seemed to be the same as the other shows although I think there was an extra song that I havent seen on the other set lists (someone will correct me if I'm wrong I'm sure, but there was one that he spoke a few lines of in respect to Holy Heart theatre closing, then the Webb sisters sang the rest, beautifully I might add, but I didnt recognize it). The crowd was great, everyone was there to see Leonard so there were no disturbances, I'm more of a "hard rock" kind of person and so many times I've been to those types of shows which are general admission and people are being disruptive and jumping on you or in the case of Queens of the Stone Age here recently, throwing shoes at the lead singer, so this was such a wonderful contrast. Leonard, as many have written on here already for other shows, looked so happy and grateful to be on stage that it couldn't help but make you smile. The 2 hours that he played flew by and I could have easily listened to 2 more. I've seen many concerts and I've never been so emotionally effected by one, he had everyone in the palm of his hand the entire time. Highlights for me were Everybody Knows, Who By Fire, A Thousand Kisses Deep (many people were wiping their eyes during this, myself included) and I Tried To Leave You, but then again I enjoyed every second of it. He was very funny too, before Tower of Song when he turned on the keyboard beat and said "this is harder than it looks.....actually it isn't" had eveyone smiling, and his "white man dancing" shuffle during The Future was great.

My only observation/complaint would be the camera flashes, during the first couple of songs there were folks taking pictures, which I understand, but the constant camera flashes are very distracting and kind of take you out of the experience, I saw people in front of me snapping photos with the flash on, seeing that only the persons head in front of them came out in the picture, then doing it again 5 times. That being said people only did that for the first 2 songs or so, then it died off so I was happy with that, I was hoping it wouldn't happen through the whole show and it didnt.

Anyone going to the other 2 shows is in for a treat, I wish I was going again.

[eheath]

"(someone will correct me if I'm wrong I'm sure, but there was one that he spoke a few lines of in respect to Holy Heart theatre closing, then the Webb sisters sang the rest, beautifully I might add, but I didnt recognize it).

I believe that was "If it be your will" ?

Also the show was for almost 3 hrs by my watch, minus about a 20 min break - not bad for an old fellow.

[mirka]

Here are some pictures of the theatre and environs taken this afternoon:

Thanks for pictures, Anne, bring closer the atmosphere of the concert.
I looked for icebergs but couldn't see any though ....

[JasonblueEyes]

My tickets are for Tuesday Night. I can't wait. 25 hours from now. It's going to be amazing. See you all there, Tuesday.