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CONCERT REPORT: Milano, October 23

Posted: Sat Oct 25, 2008 9:05 am
by asta
It's very rare to go for several days after a concert, and there be nothing on the Forum! You Tube / Set List / Report .........

Re: Was anyone at MILAN concert?

Posted: Sat Oct 25, 2008 11:45 am
by andrea
Hi Asta,
Ye, I was in Milan too and through the youtube link in this forum I have found it (thank you to Fan who posted it) .
Here I repeat them for you

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04VhqSR4Xkc

http://www.youtube.com/user/orestory

Maybe this can be a help you, it was a beautiful concert again :-)

This is a photo shot by Paola:

Image

Grazie, thank you to Leonard, his band and collaborators
and ....heartful thanks also to Jarkko and his moderators for these Files, without those many happenings would not have been possibile for all of us at all, Grazie!

Re: Was anyone at MILAN concert?

Posted: Sat Oct 25, 2008 1:46 pm
by asta
Thank you very much for You Tube links. WONDERFUL performance by Javier Mas - just a pity no visuals of him (and the fantastic singers) ASTA

Re: Milan, October 23

Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 1:17 am
by lucien_vega
I saw Leonard in Benicassim this summer. As they didn´t include any spanish city in the fall tour, i finally decided to buy two tickets for Milan´s concert. It was as beautiful as I expected. "Gypsy wife", "The partisan", "In my secret life" and the delicious performance of "If it be your will" by the Webb sisters were my favourites. The thing i didn´t like was the lack of coordination in their movements between the women doing the vocals (Sharon Robinson and the Webb Sisters). Meanwhile Sharon was always following the rhythm, the other two (specially Charley), were too static. Two much contrast with Sharon.

At the end of the concert people who were a the back of the auditorium went down, just in front of the stage, so the people who were seated in the stalls had to stand up to be able to see the band. I was at 6th row but i didn´t care because concert got warmer many people started to dance and sing (this things are more common on stadiums, etc).

Also at the last os the concert Leonard was grateful to Milan´s people for not forgetting him during all these years. It sounded like a final verse. Anyway that was for sure a wonderful way to say goodbye. ;-)

What Happened in Milan??

Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2008 4:48 pm
by noniy
I was there. That’s the second concert after seeing him in Rome back in July. And there was something strange about this one.
The first one in Rome was so good that I bought another ticket (from Israel) and took several more days off just to see another concert. Don’t get me wrong – it was worth it, but it wasn’t as biblical as the concert in Rome (and it’s not just second-time-expectations kind of things)
It all started with “dance me to the end of love”, well it was great, but then after Dino’s solo he didn’t thank him (It was strange that he didn’t thank the band as often as he used to, only twice during the entire concert (including the encore). Maybe he wanted to watch his voice, maybe it was because the concert was filmed for the future DVD, I don’t really know why, but it was a bit sad, there you have the “Gentlemen Tour” as I call it with ultra talented and devoted band that deserves the Maestro’s attention. There was something so true and humble when he kept thanking his band that I missed on this one…)
And then he moved on to “the future” probably one of the most charged and powerful songs ever, relevant to 2008 as it was (and even more) at 1992. And it once again seemed to move on fast-forward rather than letting us digest the almost apocalyptic lyrics. You all probably read or saw that after “white man dancing” he does a little dance that always makes the crowd very happy (and rightly so…) it is the required relief in this kind of dark-prophecy, but I think the “white girls dancing” addition is a more of a distraction than a relief (though I have to agree with Mr. Cohen, Charley Webb is definitely sublime ;-)).
And then “Bird on a wire” and once again no recognition to either Mr. Metzger or Dino. Why? (And about Dino, I saw a bassoon (fagotte) at his station at the beginning of the concert but it was never used and disappeared after the break, strange..)
And so it continued on and on… great concert with something missing…
Maybe the crowd was restrained as well, when it came to “Hallelujah” the roof remained unharmed where in other concerts this song turns into an alternative-group-super-prayer, they were subspecialty quiet…
“Gipsy wife” was moving as usual (all songs introed by Mr. Mas are), “my secret life” maybe not an all-time-hit was also moving in its slowly-but-surely-gutting kind of way (so does “Boogie Street” - God bless Mr. Cohen for “10 New Songs”) but Suzan was presented a little bit flatter than usual. Why?
Encore was great as well, “Famous Blue Raincoat” is a great addition to the setlist.
And on a personal note, Mr. Cohen – come to Israel, since this summer there’s a quiet migration to Europe and back of people who’re flying especially to see you. Come over, it’s been a while…

Re: Milan, October 23

Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2008 9:26 pm
by andrea
Hi Noniy ,
you are right what the presentation of the good musicians concern, but I suppose it was for saving voice and time. By now also the musicians have heard it so often and know that Leonard is thankful to them , but on the other side there were also people critisizing these amounts of presentations. So you see, in any case it is difficult to make it right for everyone.
I personally did lprefer like you when he presented them more often, but I suppose he/they have their reasons, surely not to be unpolite. I imagine also that it is very tiring beeing every second night on stage.
The audience indeed was very restrained in Milan, I did miss the standing ovations and warm applause, but in the end they did show him how much the concert was appreciated, he and the band looked very happy.
I have not seen Rome, but Lucca ans some others and of course in summer and outside is also different than inside.
By the way did you smell the balsamic eucalytus air in the theatre ? Sometimes it seemed to be in a finish sauna ;-)
Anyway it was a great concert and I am sure it was worth it coming to Milan, as you also did write.
I wish you that he will listen to the invitation to Israel I know many are waitng for him there.
Bye
Andrea

Re: Milan, October 23

Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 2:24 am
by groules
Hi Noniy,

I was there too.
My second concert after the nice (france) festival .
The sound was amazing
This theater is so technically perfect (replace LA SCALA during rebuilt) but maybe a little cold (for expressing your feeling during a concert!)
I'm not agree with you about the audience.
a lot of applause , respect and even though
there is no standing tickets but very smooth armchairs , everybody (and really everybody in front of the scene) spent the last 45 minutes standing.
But I think you are right, this theater is the best place for the dvd (the acoustic , the lights,...) , despite the fact that it happened a technical problem with the cohen's keyboard at the beginning of "tower of song" that has required a technician on the scene ).
I really feel that , as you said, it was a particular concert in the teatro degli arcimboldi.
it was very intimist , very rare , and so technicly perfect to listen leonard cohen and his band.
a magic moment for me

nicolas

Re: Milan, October 23

Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 7:31 pm
by Andre78
hi you all.
I just needed to share my feelings about it. so where else to search?
Yes. I was there. It's been the first time that I saw Leonard live and even if this could be the last concert, it doesn't matter. I was there.
I've been to Tom Waits's concert last summer, and I thought it was the best of my life.
After three months, same city, same theatre, same crowd of people.
Hard to compare,but if after the concert of Tom felt excited and thrilled, this time i felt... moved, deep inside, and grate.
I don’t know how were the other concerts and I don’t even know what felt the other people, neither what felt the people around me that night. I know that at first reaction I thought to look for to find some other date to see him again, before the tour end. I needed to see him again! But then I realized that it’s not necessary. It’s just enough to try to hold everything in my heart.
As I finished to work at 20 I run to reach the theatre on time, but I arrived at 21.02. the concert was begun exactly on time and it wasn’t allowed to come in during the performance. After the first song I went in and after another song, “the future”, I could take my seat.
Some things that I noticed were the devotion and the kindness towards his musicians and I was really amazed by the sympathy of listeners. The atmosphere was so warm and partecipated! First like in religious attention and, then, enthusiastic, expecially when during the encore it started the standing ovation and everybody run down in front of the stage and started to sing with him “So long Marianne”. Leonard had some short speach during the show and he looked very grate to Milan and its folk and I wondered myself if during the other concerts it happened something like that. Leonard and the musicians in the end seemed to be really exalted! Maybe somebody of you had different perception, but to me it’s been magic.

I took some picture and filmed three short videos with my camera. The last one during “So long marianne”, when people had run down in front of the stage. I’m not able to reduce the .avi format and to post them, but if anybody is interested and would post it on youtube, or anywhereelse, I could send to him/her at least this last one by email.

Thank you.
Andrea

Re: Milan, October 23

Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2008 12:47 am
by tomsakic
Well, I didn't go (in the last moment), but this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udhZTYCeJa0 shows it was good as usual, and the audience is singing out loud with LC and the girls...

Re: Milan, October 23

Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2008 3:24 am
by tomsakic

Re: Milan, October 23

Posted: Sun Nov 02, 2008 5:59 pm
by noniy
Now, more than a week after the show things look a little bit different... well, it’s still not the Roman rush, but it’s nothing less than that, it was just different. Looking back in YouTube and the pictures - it’s just as moving.. I wish I could do it for the third time (or the seventh for that matter..)

So if someone was offended by my post (I know I’m a little upset with it :cry:), I’m sorry.

And if someone from the gentlemen tour is monitoring these forums, we are still waiting and hoping Mr. Cohen will come to Israel (I heard you can make a stop on the way to Australia ;-)).

Re: Milan, October 23

Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 9:57 pm
by Fabio
Come on
seen cohen 3 times before and this it was the best. the emotions and intesity were unparalleled. The theater maybe it didn t help. But it was teh best