"Leonard Cohen Live in London" > DVD & 2CD (April 2009)

[RainDog1980]

I agree with John E - I love the cover of the album/DVD. I'm also pleased it is the 17 July concert, as i was there, but I do have concerns about listening to all those introductions of the band and the 'sublime Webb sisters' several times every time I play it ...Presumably as it is recorded live, it won't be edited...

A bit sorry the album is not the wonderful Royal Albert Hall concert (where incidentally, lovely Lenny did not do so many intros of the band).

Ah well, these are not major issues and I'll be out there with the rest of you to buy it on April 6. Not sure why people are going on about being able to purchase it from Amazon. Can't we just go out to our local record store and buy it? And if were, god forbid, only available at first from Ticketmaster, I'd wait and get it later!

There will be at least one introduction that you can skip on CD. Usually a lot of that is edited out for time and flow purposes. I for one like that kind of thing, I love hearing the whole concert unedited.

I haven't heard anything about Ticketmaster being the only retailer for the first 100 days. Amazon has it for pre-order for 3/31, so I'd bank on there not being any truth to that. Columbia would not likely strike up that kind of deal, either.

[davidrichards]

Don't know where you live RainDog or which Amazon site you were looking at but Amazon.co.uk are not listing it, neither are HMV Online. The Webb Sisters EP seems to be equally difficult to track down in the UK as well. As Hydriot said in a reply to an earlier message we will have to trust in Jarkko. Strange that major retailers are unaware of a release date though!!!

[margaret]

It is not strange at all. Jarkko who runs this site has a close friendship with Leonard and links with his management so usually gets news about these things well before the normal retailers and ticket sellers.

[Paula]

David as soon as it is out Amazon and HMV will have it. Even if it was showing you would only be able to order it so take a chill pill

[ebor-rose]

HMV ( 12.99)and Play.com (11.99) now have Live in London CD for preorder for 30/3/09. Neither have the DVD mentioned. No Webb Sisters but the EP is now in itunes and lots of people have already downloaded If it be your will.

[stfa]

According to Montreal's Lapresse Monday February 16th entertainment section - it looks like there will be a second dvd (sorry if I missed this somewhere else on the site) My ability to understand French is limited, maybe some one could check this. Here is the relevant excerpt:

"Un autre DVD, filme en haute definition celui-la, sera lance en format Blu-ray a la fin de cette tournee entreprise le 11 mai 2008 a Fredricton."

The article also refers to the London DVD and album and mentions the Coachella concert and Beacon concert of which it says:

"Il profitera de l'occasion pour annoncer les details de sa tournee nord-americaine qui passera par le Canada et le Quebec au cours des prochains mois"

- which may tie in with Jarkko's announcement on the 20th!!!!

[Nicolas]

Hi stfa,

I do not think they are talking about another new DVD shot at Fredricton, in fact they just mention that a Blue-Ray disc of the London show will also be available. They just mention Fredricton as the start point of the tour, not that this Blue Ray disc has been shot at Fredericton. At least that is how it sounds to me as a native french-speaking guy

[jarkko]

The BluRay disc will not be another release of the London 02 concert but some sort of "Best of the tour". However, it will be on sale much later.

[A.Sukitu]

please could a begging request be forwarded to include Famous Blue Raincoat and The Partisan? (... and Who By Fire ... and ...)?
x

[stfa]

Hi stfa,

I do not think they are talking about another new DVD shot at Fredricton, in fact they just mention that a Blue-Ray disc of the London show will also be available. They just mention Fredricton as the start point of the tour, not that this Blue Ray disc has been shot at Fredericton. At least that is how it sounds to me as a native french-speaking guy

Thanks Nicolas, I wondered if it was my wishful thinking translation - I though autre referred to other.

Am I correct in thinking th secomd French quote says his tour will stop in Quebec and Canada?

Cheers!

[stfa]

In fact, here is the entire article which may allow for better clarification:


Alain De Repentigny
La Presse
Depuis bientôt un an, Leonard Cohen a entrepris une tournée de concerts qui l'a mené au Canada, en Europe deux fois plutôt qu'une ainsi que, depuis janvier, en Australie et en Nouvelle-Zélande. Jeudi, le poète montréalais se produira à New York pour la première fois en 16 ans. Son retour en Amérique coïncidera avec le lancement d'un album double et d'un DVD témoins de son spectacle.
Vendredi dernier, le Beacon Theatre de New York a rouvert ses portes avec un spectacle de Paul Simon. À son tour, Leonard Cohen y sera ce jeudi, le temps d'un concert, son premier en 16 ans aux États-Unis. Il profitera de l'occasion pour annoncer les détails de sa tournée nord-américaine qui passera par le Canada et le Québec au cours des prochains mois. On sait déjà que Cohen chantera au festival rock californien Coachella le vendredi 17 avril, le même soir que Paul McCartney, Morrissey et Franz Ferdinand.
Le 31 mars, Sony lancera simultanément un album double et un DVD double, Live in London, enregistrés le 17 juillet 2008 au O2 Arena. Moins d'un mois après avoir chanté au Festival de jazz de Montréal, Cohen a repris ce soir-là à quelques chansons près, devant 16 000 spectateurs londoniens, le programme de ses concerts à la salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, de Dance Me To The End of Love à l'hymne Wither Thou Goest chanté a cappella avec ses musiciens en toute fin de spectacle. Ce Live in London sera le tout premier enregistrement de Cohen sur le marché depuis son album Dear Heather, paru en 2004.
En 2008, l'artiste de 74 ans a donné pas moins de 84 concerts devant 700 000 spectateurs. Et ce n'est pas fini. Après sa virée nord-américaine du printemps, Cohen devrait retourner chanter en Europe. Un autre DVD, filmé en haute définition celui-là, sera lancé en format Blu-ray à la fin de cette tournée entreprise le 11 mai 2008 à Fredericton.

[Mabeanie1]

Thank you for posting the full article stfa. Interesting to note that the tour should return to Europe after the N American leg.

W

[tomsakic]

There's PR announcement on http://www.leonardcohen.com from February 13, with links to DVD, pre-order and correct tracklist.

'Live In London' In Stores March 31 - Pre-Order It Now!
FEBRUARY 13, 2009
Sony Music Entertainment/Columbia Records is proud to announce the release of Leonard Cohen's Live In London, a musical chronicle of the legendary singer-songwriter-musician-painter-poet's historic 2008 concert -- available as either a DVD or 2 CD set -- on Tuesday, March 31, 2009. Beginning today, Friday, February 13, Leonard Cohen's 'Live In London' is available to U.S. residents for pre-order on http://www.amazon.com. Additionally, Cohen's performance of "Suzanne," culled from 'Live In London', is now streaming exclusively on the site. Click here for both!

Recorded live on July 17, 2008 at London's 02 Arena, one of Europe's largest indoor venues, during Cohen's phenomenal 2008 World Tour, Live In London offers definitive performances of classic songs drawn from the artist's 40-year repertory.

With his 2008 World Tour selling more than 700,000 tickets across 84 shows worldwide, Leonard Cohen is coming to New York City's Beacon Theatre on February 19 to perform his first U.S. concert in 15 years.

Leonard Cohen's first newly recorded release since 2004's gold-certified Dear Heather, the Live In London collection fully captures and recreates the extraordinary show that earned Cohen, who celebrated his 40th year as a Columbia Records artist in 2007, more than 80 five-star reviews for performances during his fall 2008 UK and European tour.

Leonard Cohen's return to live performance in Canada and Europe was met with extraordinary and unanimous accolades throughout 2008:

"Cohen poured everything he had into a stunning performance." - Rolling Stone, June 9, 2008

"Cohen's master class will become Irish concert lore.... Quite simply, it doesn't get much better than this." - The Independent (Ireland), June 16, 2008

"The mood in the hall was adulatory.... This show is one for the ages." - The National Post (Canada), June 7, 2008

"An epic concert for an ecstatic audience." - Macleans (Canada), June 2008

"Cohen didn't just present the songs that made him famous - he brought them to life, animating his well-tuned verses with wit and passion and presence." - Toronto Globe and Mail, June 9, 2008

"Charming, funny, poignant, smart, sharp and sexy.... Leonard Cohen was our man" - Toronto Sun, June 7, 2008
"When legend Cohen takes to the stage, it's no less than a cultural event of Biblical dimensions" - The Independent (Ireland), June 15, 2008

"Leonard Cohen's first show in Britain in 15 years is immaculate, beautiful, exquisite." - Daily Telegraph, London, June 18, 2008

"Leonard Cohen is the coolest dude on the planet, bar none." - Sunday Tribune (Ireland), June 22, 2008

"Here is a performer who reigns supreme in his ability to illuminate the spiritual, the political and the personal with passion, insight and wit." - Birmingham Mail (England), August 4, 2008

The first Leonard Cohen concert collection to be released since 2001's Field Commander Cohen: Tour of 1979, Live In London includes the songs:

Disc 1 -

1. Dance Me To The End Of Love
2. The Future
3. Ain't No Cure For Love
4. Bird On The Wire
5. Everybody Knows
6. In My Secret Life
7. Who By Fire
8. Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye
9. Anthem
10. Introduction
11. Tower Of Song
12. Suzanne
13. The Gypsy's Wife

Disc 2 -

1. Boogie Street
2. Hallelujah
3. Democracy
4. I'm Your Man
5. Recitation w/ N.L.
6. Take This Waltz
7. So Long, Marianne
8. First We Take Manhattan
9. Sisters Of Mercy
10. If It Be Your Will
11. Closing Time
12. I Tried To Leave You
13. Wither Thou Goest

[wakeupmartin]

I know people are disappointed about there being no Partisan, Famous Blue Raincoat, etc., but surely the major letdown is that there was no Webb Sisters cartwheel on that night.

[tomsakic]

Well, give them time. After the whole tour is over, we will get "best of live CD" - every song from the setlist, best version (chosen from the archive of all shows). As for the cart-wheel DVD shot, almost all Fall shows were captured on video (including RAH shows) so one day...