CONCERT REPORT: Weybridge, July 11

[Helensj]

Here are two video clips of the sound check for Lover Lover Lover - since he rehearsed this but sadly didn't play it during the concert. The quality isn't brilliant - we were some distance away on the other side of the fence and it is affected by wind and chatter!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mfm8sSYU90U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYzME6CfdW4

Thank you for the comments and feedback on the vids. Here's our last clip from the sound check - the sublime Webb Sisters sing parts of If It Be Your Will (accompanied by wind, rain, chatter, aircraft and trains
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwKOMxcXAGk

PS We can sympathise with all those who were delayed in traffic and missed Suzanne Vega or the start of Leonard's concert - we've been there.

Helen and Steve from Weymouth
O2 London, Bournemouth, WETbridge

[bridger15]

Helen and Steve from Weymouth
O2 London, Bournemouth, WETbridge

Enjoyed your soundcheck videos. They must be a special memento of WETbridge for you.
Love your signature line!

[HarryMann]

I think the crowd were amazing (apart from the bloke who stood in the aisle next to me when they all came to the front who kept whooping in my ear!!!).

Agree, sorry but I also abs.hate this new (immature Americun habit) of 'whooping' - hate, hate hate it... it's coarse, loud and usually simply attention seeking (who can yelp or whoop loudest!) Yuk, yuk, yuk... PLEASE, grow up & keep it for American/teenage gigs, it's dreadful (take it to the limit & ask yourself what happen as when EVERYBODY does it?). It also often obscures whatever the artist is singing, playing or saying next, so self defeating! Incredibly selfish - so fits societal trends perfectly! (author = Grumpy old git)

Let's make Britain a whoop free zone... There are so many other ways of showing appreciation - the old hippy 'Yeeeeeaaaaah' !! or overhead clap or two, so artist can see appreciation - ditto applause after a solo, why do these norms have to be 'subsumed by 120 dB whoops' ?

===========
Leonard didn't do what I think is one of the most melancholic, moving songs of all... Gypsy Wife, with its opportunity for Javier and Dino to really come alive in the Latin/Romantic tradition of accompaniment.
Yes, Javier did seem a bit restrained in his solos (c.f. both 02 concerts)
Sharon seemed to be really enjoying every minute along with Hattie & Charlie, whilst quite reserved sometimes in the past
Leonards voice just 'better than ever'

==========
Didn't mind enthusiasm getting the better of people at the back coming forward as the 2nd half developed and encores built up to a lovely atmosphere - just felt the constant interruptions definitely ruined it for a lot to the left of us (we at row L, main aisle left of centre) during the 1st half and beginning of 2nd... didn't think the stewards were anything other than reserved, well-mannered (and quietly persuasive) and tried to be firm when in a difficult situation (must have been given their rules of engagement, don't blame them:)...
Stewards were trying hard to help speed the loos by monitoring & ushering peeps forward as soon as one became available (as always womens loos should be 2 to 3 times as many as mens!)

If peeps plan ahead a bit, abs. no need for constant gob-stuffing (unless you're diabetic ) - I found I could easily survive with a dash to the bar for a pint (15 minutes) at the break and be easily seated in time for 2nd half - but yes, there should have been twice as many bars and IMHO, no yukky greasy smelly takeways allowed back into the seated area - hate that, always will, don't try to convince me otherwise
Ever heard of sandwiches (so easy to sneak them in), blimey, even eat them beforehand or after on the way home...

========

But overall a fantastic concert made better by the slight drizzle that indeed, seemed to bring people together - are they a tight team now? Yes they are!

[mappoman]

I have to agree with all the adverse comments concerning the Weybridge venue, pretty naff. The on line pre concert info stated no food to be taken into the auditorium and no entry once the concert had started. I was in section D and had people constantly going past with food and drink, and don't even mention the exiting from the parking area, what a mess!

Anyway does anyone know how I can purchase a programme. Stupidly didn't get one as it was so wet and I assumed it would get spoilt but now regret it big time as this was my first time of seeing Leonard live after many years of waiting.

[HarryMann]

and no entry once the concert had started.

Hahahahahha

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ajdCCOzmxo

Checkout 1:10 to 1:20 as just an example of the mass movements of people well into the concert... non stop, actually. Couldn't really relax and start to enjoy the concert until after Tower of Song 2nd half. These were not all late-comers due to traffic, some plain lazy to take their seats, hell, goodness knows where half of them thought they were, maybe thought they were in Trafalgar Square

I also thought all wanderings, crowd antics and noise a bit of an insult to Suzanne Vega - what must she have thought!

Just saying, not really 'on', is it' ?

[birminghamfan]

Dont want to be ungrateful - a magnificent and charismatic performance at Weybridge but shorter than usual no doubt due to the rain Dear Leonard , please can we have Chelsea Hotel and the wonderful 1000 Kisses Deep in Liverpool? Thank you from a very grateful fan - see you on Tuesday!



Manchester 18062008
o2 17072008
RAH
Birmingham NEC
New York 16052009

[MaryB]

Thanks to honeyrose, aplane, and helensj for all the lovely photos.

A special thank you to helensj for capturing Lover.. during the soundcheck! Since it has been listed as one of the optional songs to play from their setlist, I have been hoping it would actually get played during the concert. Your videos are the closest to it - thank you again.

Cyril, if you are still here, welcome to the forum. Everyone here is entitled to their opinions and it's a shame when you are made to feel unwelcome because of an opposing opinion. If you stay, you will find this forum a lovely place to be.

Ziyad, I agree with you 100%. Your post (and Anne's also) eloquently defended this position of audience participation. The most memorable concerts I've attended were always the ones with the most enthusiastic crowds. LC and his band avidly respond to the fervent reaction from us and then turn around and give us soooo much more (if that is even possible). There is a sense of hightened intensity, playfulness and good-natured interaction that occurs between all on stage when we in the audience respond to what is happening on that stage, with gusto!

Kindest regards,
Mary

(P.S. What exactly is a whoop ?)

[FOXWOOD]

I am sure that if the venue had been better organised than we would have heard Lover lover lover played.
After the first set Leonard said something to the effect of "We will be back in a very short time"
After the normal 20 minute break a large proporton of the audience were stuck in queues and the seats were only 3/4 full. The second set couldn't have started on time because of he disruption of huge numbers of people trying to gt back to their seats. The interval ended up being 30 minutes long and the people were arriving back throughout the second set.
I found to quicker to return to the car for food and drink than to attempt any of the queues. If the venue bans food and drink from being taken it then it should be able to cope with the demand from the audience.
With regard to the parking - I was on the second row of cars- first in last out but after 1 hour 15 someone from MBW moved a barrier and opened up another exit which took us down towards the stage and then out parallel to the main queuing traffic .
The venue I thought was actually good - the sound was excellent for an outside concert. The problems lay with an inabilty to cope with the numbers of people there. The number of food and drink outlets, and toilets should have been at least doubled and exits opened up earlier.

[Cyril]

Thanks to honeyrose, aplane, and helensj for all the lovely photos.


Cyril, if you are still here, welcome to the forum. Everyone here is entitled to their opinions and it's a shame when you are made to feel unwelcome because of an opposing opinion. If you stay, you will find this forum a lovely place to be.

Ziyad, I agree with you 100%. Your post (and Anne's also) eloquently defended this position of audience participation. The most memorable concerts I've attended were always the ones with the most enthusiastic crowds. LC and his band avidly respond to the fervent reaction from us and then turn around and give us soooo much more (if that is even possible). There is a sense of hightened intensity, playfulness and good-natured interaction that occurs between all on stage when we in the audience respond to what is happening on that stage, with gusto!

Kindest regards,
Mary

(P.S. What exactly is a whoop ?)

Thanks Mary -- I don't think I have been made to feel unwelcome to the forum, though Row J on Tuesday is a different matter. One or two views expressed to seem a little stuffy though. You know, time moves on: why, I hear that Bob Dylan is planning to go electric soon!

[Melvyn]

I don't think I have been made to feel unwelcome to the forum, though Row J on Tuesday is a different matter. One or two views expressed to seem a little stuffy though. You know, time moves on: why, I hear that Bob Dylan is planning to go electric soon!

Cyril - I'm afraid you failed to understand my ref. to Row J tomorrow night! What I said was something along the lines of hoping that there wasn't going to be someone in Row J who was going to stand up & ruin the concert for me - ipso facto, I'm in Row K!

Anyway, I don't think I made you unwelcome, I was just disagreeing with your view (as have others) that you need to stand up for a "proper" concert.

I think it's maybe a generational thing. When I bought my first Leonard Cohen LP in 1967 or so, you went to concerts to listen & enjoy the performance - particularly in the folk world of Leonard Cohen, Joan Baez etc. Interesting you mention Dylan going electric; I saw him in Edinburgh on that tour in 1966 and it was the norm then to sit in your seat, enjoy (or not) the song & then applaud (or boo). Each to their own I guess.

Anyway, I'm glad everyone seems to have enjoyed Saturday night, very surprised in view of the weather. I'm off to Liverpool now!

Regards,

Melvyn.

[Relate]

Anyway, I'm glad everyone seems to have enjoyed Saturday night, very surprised in view of the weather.

I think you had to be there.

The weather, the standing, the singing - all of these things mades the concert very special. Certainly a night to remember and easily the best 2nd half I have seen.

[Lindaj]

Thanks to everyone up at the front for the singalong, it made my evening, what a great gig it turned out to be after such a slow start. No one even clapped or cheered as Leonard started to sing each song! I sung my heart out at the end and loved every minute of it.

Hoping Leonard is ok from the cold and the wet.

[IrishAL]

Video Link, Closing time.

Looking at this video of mine you would not imagine that it is pouring rain..the audience excitement is evident.

Note this is a large video file, so unless you have a fast broadband connection , it is best to pause it when it starts to play ,so that some of it can download in advance.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyAi6Vu8mhs


A.

[Parsifal]

Hello, everyone

This forum was invaluable to me in helping me decide how I was going to travel to Weybride (by train in the end - good call, I think) and the people on here seem very positive and like-minded, so I thought I'd join.


Weybridge was my first (and possibly only) LC concert: frankly, I find the whole business of buying 'big' concert tickets these days a bit exhausting and stressful, so I'd reconciled myself to the fact that I was never going to see one of my favourite singer-songwriters live. However, other half gave me the ticket as a surprise birthday present and I must say, Leonard was everything I was expecting him to be (and my expectations - based on reviews, etc - were high).

Although my experience of the concert (from A4, row U) was less challenged than some people's seems to have been, I have to concur about the venue and (to a degree) about the organisation: I arrived very early, not being familiar with the area and got very confused about WHERE the entrance was located, even asking the people at the Brooklands museum. It didn't help that there were no signposts on the 'private road' and that the barriers were still up. The museum people told me they'd taken down most of the signs, because of people had thought the museum was closed, as well as MBW. All this confusion did mean I got to hear the sound-check, though!

Yes, a shame about the weather - though I was thankful that the worst of it came after the concert had finished. I don't think outdoor concerts in the UK are a good idea, as conditions are so unpredictable.

Anyway, I don't think it actually was a shorter set than usual: same number of songs played as per most concerts - though I was sorry to miss Hey That's No Way.... and Gypsy Wife, The Partisan and (especially) Famous Blue Raincoat made up for that!

[Cyril]

I don't think I have been made to feel unwelcome to the forum, though Row J on Tuesday is a different matter. One or two views expressed to seem a little stuffy though. You know, time moves on: why, I hear that Bob Dylan is planning to go electric soon!

Cyril - I'm afraid you failed to understand my ref. to Row J tomorrow night! What I said was something along the lines of hoping that there wasn't going to be someone in Row J who was going to stand up & ruin the concert for me - ipso facto, I'm in Row K!

Anyway, I don't think I made you unwelcome, I was just disagreeing with your view (as have others) that you need to stand up for a "proper" concert.

I think it's maybe a generational thing. When I bought my first Leonard Cohen LP in 1967 or so, you went to concerts to listen & enjoy the performance - particularly in the folk world of Leonard Cohen, Joan Baez etc. Interesting you mention Dylan going electric; I saw him in Edinburgh on that tour in 1966 and it was the norm then to sit in your seat, enjoy (or not) the song & then applaud (or boo). Each to their own I guess.

Anyway, I'm glad everyone seems to have enjoyed Saturday night, very surprised in view of the weather. I'm off to Liverpool now!

Regards,

Melvyn.

No hard feelings Melvyn -- it isn't even a big difference of opinion, and sometimes my attempted humour doesn't translate well on the screen. Anyway, the atmosphere at the end, at the front, in the pouring rain, a few feet away from the great man and his fantastic band, and (yes) standing, was so good, it was something I have rarely experienced. I woke up the following morning still on a high and sought out the first forum I could to post about it -- that's how I found this place.

Of course you don't have to stand for it to be a proper concert. What I was getting at was the feeling of detachment we had in our seats: they really were a long way back, in a different time zone in fact. As good as the screens were, and the excellent sound quality, it didn't feel quite like being there in the same way.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy Liverpool as much, whatever row you are in!