CONCERT REPORT: Bucharest, September 21

September 21 - November 30, 2008. Concert reports, set lists, photos, media coverage, multimedia links, recollections...
dragos
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CONCERT REPORT: Bucharest, September 21

Post by dragos »

It was very, very good ! We also sang Happy Birthday to him, and was very pleased.
He is still very powerful. An outstanding concert !
Inge
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Bucharest, September 21

Post by Inge »

Hello Dragos

:?: :?: :?:
When did the concert start? And when did it end? You posted your message at 9.07 p.m. Was the concert over at that time? Or did you leave during the intermission? :?


***Dragos posted it at 11:07 local time! / Jarkko***
BerlinBerlin
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Bucharest, September 21

Post by BerlinBerlin »

Setlist please 8)
sofial
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Bucharest, September 21

Post by sofial »

hey... laura , indicibil( congratulations on your photos from terra vibe, by the way) and anyone else ...please write something. we are anxiously waiting.
Alina
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Re: Bucharest, September 21

Post by Alina »

There are no words powerful enough to describe tonight's show. Over 3 hours of excellent music, even greater voice and a pretty smile ;-) . Standing ovations brought us 7 more songs. Everyone on the stadium stood up singing Happy Birthday. Twice :)
Vlad Ciobanu
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Re: Bucharest, September 21

Post by Vlad Ciobanu »

The concert was absolutely outstanding. Leonard truly acted like a wise friend, rather than a visiting artist however great or unknown. This spectacular show had in it a class that I personally have not seen until now and after many years of enjoying the products of his creativity I can say with very much delight that is was an honor to be at his concert on his 74th birthday, at the beginning of his first tour in 15 years. Everyone at the concert stood in awe of him, with a bewildered silence common only to miracles. This might be a bit of an overstatement, but Leonard had a very loving audience tonight that Romania hasn’t ever given to any artist before. A friend of mine even thought to compared the sight of the full stadium in standing ovation with the organized spectacles for the former communist leaders of the country, only this time there was no one on the stadium who could imagine being anywhere else. Leonard is one of the most spectacular human beings alive, and the sheer beauty and vitality that resonated out of his songs, managed to hypnotize more than 10000 people tonight. I take off my hat and lower my head to this most inspiring man that is Leonard Cohen. Thank you for being here tonight.
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MarieM
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Re: Bucharest, September 21

Post by MarieM »

First YouTube is up at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMfl8zqOACs

Where is Sharon Robinson????
Marie
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Laura
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Re: Bucharest, September 21

Post by Laura »

There is so much silence in my house right now... A more clear report might come when I get my thoughts together better; but I wanted to tell you the story of how Famous Blue Raincoat happened (oh yeah, we got privileged with it, too!).
So we were all standing, and as close to the stage as possible, by the time of the encores. And Leonard starts "I tried to leave you" on his guitar-which has quite a long instrumental introduction. During all this introduction someone was screaming-actually, almost chanting- "famous blue raincoat, famous blue raincoat" (I think there were more people, because it was pretty loud). I can't figure out what that was about, because I thought newer songs are better known in Romania; or did they know only a few special concerts got FBR?! Anyway, Charley Webb makes a little sign to Leonard behind Hattie, and suddenly he starts "it's 4 in the morning..."... from the "I tried to leave you" music! I really liked that, because it was the one thing that seemed really unpredicted and unplanned.

The concert was as fantastic as the others before it, but I'll just mention now other things that were special and unique, comparing with other concerts I went to...
The Partisan. That's not one of my favourite songs, but it might have become then; it was really a powerful interpretation, and somehow apropriate in a country that got its share of partisans and shootings not too long ago.
The weather was quite merciful with us; it was cold, but it didn't start raining... until exactly the beginning of the encores. So Leonard comes back on stage, and tells us "I believe it is raining". Aproval, of course. So he goes then something like "I understand if you have to go, if there are places where you must be..." "So long Marianne" was the song he sang next. So around the end of the song he goes at the very edge of the stage (while he was singing), stretches his hand out, notices it's still raining hard, gets a funny expression (something between shaking his head and shrugging), and continues the song with "and just when I climbed this mountainside/ to wash my eyelids in the rain."

Things that intrigued me (and if anyone has answers for them, I'd apreciate hearing them).
1. Where was Sharon Robinson?! (she was not part of this show at all, which is kind of strange especially as her presence was advertised in our newspapers, too)
2. At the end of "Bird on the wire", a little thing added was something like "don't cry, you were always the one/it was you that the longing was made for". Did that happen in other concerts too? (ok, I'll check, but I'm too sleepy now) And where did this come from?
3. Something silly, but it obsessed me. During the first few songs, and some of the last, Cohen had in his hand something that looked like a... very silver komboloi (I think "prayer beads" is the translation for that) Same thing was hanging from Dino Soldo's microphone. I don't remember seeing those before, do they have any meaning, I wonder?
4. The famous wine bottle... but I'll let a friend of mine to tell you the story of that later ;-)

Laura
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MarieM
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Re: Bucharest, September 21

Post by MarieM »

Great report, Laura. Love how Famous Blue Raincoat was demanded and received. Bet Leonard has now set a trend for the chant for this song.
Marie
Speaking Cohen
zahov
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Re: Bucharest, September 21

Post by zahov »

The concert was very good, but there were some minor drawbacks (I compare to Amsterdam).
- The organization was not so good, especially in the beginning. Leonard started, but there were too many people still lining at the entrance. That caused running here and there at least until the end of Ain't no cure for love (3th song).
- The acoustics was somehow not OK in the first part, seemed to me like the balance of the voices and instruments was not rightly matched. For the second part this was fixed.
- Sharon was not there. That gave its impact on the back vocal voices. The sublime sisters were great, but Sharon's voice was definitely missing. In addition there were no "Boogie street" and "I tried to leave you" was different version compared to the summer concerts (she was missing, so Leonard sang his part only).

Overall it was a great event. Leonard prized us with "The Partisan" and "Famous blue raincoat". He was at his usual very high level. The great man. There was some light rain close to the end of the concert and he was looking somehow concerned that the people will go wet. He put his hand in the rain and shook his head like saying to the people "Oh, dear, it so nice to be here now, but the rain could cause troubles to you." This was one of those small details which make every concert different. So kind.

The thing which made Bucarest concert really unique was the Leonard's birthday. We all sang to him and he was very grateful. At the end two ladies gave him 2 cakes with a total of 74 candles ( you can not put 74 candles on one cake even if it is a big one). He was able to hold just one of them. Another very nice moment ...

There were many people, far more then 10 thousand. The stadium was completely full.

I have to say here a big, big, big THANK YOU to Laura, who was so kind and helpful to arrange two tickets for me. Thank you Leonard and thank you Laura.

And the night came on
It was very calm
I wanted the night to go on and on,
but Leonard said
go back, go back to your home... ;)
Amsterdam Jul 12th, Bucarest Sep 21st, Vienna Sep 25th, London O2 Nov 13th
lilyrose
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Re: Bucharest, September 21

Post by lilyrose »

Wow... Thank you, guys, for writing your impressions... I wish I were there.
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Laura
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Location: Bucharest

Re: Bucharest, September 21

Post by Laura »

The press photos... a whole lot of them.

http://www.comunicatemedia.ro/Leonard_C ... -6525.html
ruxandraion
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Re: Bucharest, September 21

Post by ruxandraion »

Magic night!
He is fantastic.
I will never forget this night.
Thank You Leonard.
Gregor
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Location: Cork Ireland

Re: Bucharest, September 21

Post by Gregor »

By all accounts he is still magical, He is setting a pace for the next two months Long may he be able to do so .Then he comes to Cadiff
Leonard keep on going
Gregor
There is a crack in every thing thats how the light gets in
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jarkko
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Re: Bucharest, September 21

Post by jarkko »

http://english.hotnews.ro/stiri-buchare ... eekend.htm
Leonard Cohen brings happy end to Bucharest cultural weekend
de V.O. HotNews.ro
Luni, 22 septembrie 2008, 9:22 English | Bucharest

Leonard Cohen

Some ten thousand people spent more than three hours facing cold and rain on a Bucharest stadium on Sunday evening, completely tamed by the voice of Leonard Cohen in a gig that is unlike any the Romanian had seen in a long time. The Cohen concert comes at the end of a long weekend of cultural events which were aimed at marking the Days of Bucharest.

Cohen had no firecrackers, no designer costumes and did not beg for applause. But he thanked the audience and his stage mates everythime he felt pleased by the performance or when the throngs sang him "Happy Birthday to You", as he turned 74 the very day of the concert.

His playlist for the Romanian audience included hits such as Dance Me to the End of Love, In My Secret Life, Suzanne and Democracy.

The concert came a day after Bucharest people celebrated the Days of the City with medieval music, a Bryan Adams concert, light shows, theatrical performances but also overcrowded underground trains and traffic jams.

Artsy exhibitions mixed well with street-made meat rolls and the Adams gig across downtown Bucharest, but many present there accepted that the events did not rise to the level of those a year ago.

The day concluded with lights projections on the House of the People - or the House of Parliament.

You can see videos from the events at http://life.hotnews.ro/stiri-muzica-446 ... ericit.htm
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