We are looking for "One-line praises" of the tour

September 21 - November 30, 2008. Concert reports, set lists, photos, media coverage, multimedia links, recollections...
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Heike
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Re: We are looking for "One-line praises" of the tour

Post by Heike »

Another headline following the Oberhausen concert:

Der alte Mann und das "Mehr"
(Nice pun with a Hemingway reference, perhaps: "The Old Man and the Sea of Plenty")

(Carsten Vogel, Westfälische Nachrichten, November 4th, 2008)
MartinB
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Re: We are looking for "One-line praises" of the tour

Post by MartinB »

Quote from review by Steffen Jungersen in the Danish tabloid B.T. 2008.10.18 after the Forum, Copenhagen concert on October 17th:

De små 8.000 i salen teede sig til tider med en andægtighed, som var det selve Vorherre, som stod på scenen.

The nearly 8000 in the hall behaved at times with a devoutness as if The Lord himself was standing on the stage.
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st theresa
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Re: We are looking for "One-line praises" of the tour

Post by st theresa »

Not exactly one line but when I saw this thread, I immediately thought of the article from Caceres Extremadura
translated by Ethan Mansur



"Along with a group of musicians of exceptional quality to accompany his seductively rough voice, which still sounds like one of a man in his 50s, Cohen, 73, has returned to enthuse large crowds on both sides of the Atlantic ocean with his sober elegance, his poetic irony, his desperate vision of existence, his unwavering search for beauty."
danny
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Re: We are looking for "One-line praises" of the tour

Post by danny »

"ANYONE lucky enough to have enjoyed one of Leonard Cohen's comeback concerts this year will have afterwards been engaged in stacking it up alongside the greatest gigs of their life."

http://news.scotsman.com/entertainment/ ... 4674219.jp
brokenhill
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Re: We are looking for "One-line praises" of the tour

Post by brokenhill »

"Cohen's three-hour set masterpiece"

was the very apt headline in the Bournemouth Echo on Nov 17 2008

http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/leisur ... sterpiece/
brokenhill
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Re: We are looking for "One-line praises" of the tour

Post by brokenhill »

He's an inspiration to us - how to be happy with what you have and not long for what's not there.

A bit too incestuous perhaps, cos it's guitar technician, Leif Bodnarchuk. quoted in Uncut's marvellous "LEONARD COHEN: BEHIND THE SCENES" (PART 3!)

http://www.uncut.co.uk/music/leonard_co ... ures/12428
Still reliving every second of:1970 Isle of Wight, 1985 Birmingham, 2008 Manchester OH , Edinburgh, Cardiff, Bournemouth, Birmingham, 2009 Liverpool and ................ :o)
brokenhill
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Re: We are looking for "One-line praises" of the tour

Post by brokenhill »

Sorry to hog this topic but, returning to my favourite hobbyhorse, I spotted this in the Brisbane Times (online, happily, for at last the man comes to my hometown tonight! Maybe in a few weeks I'll wish myself in Brisbane but not tonight Josephine!)

Here, it was the music alone that transfixes, and Cohen's engineers provide surgically perfect sound.

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/en ... 33198.html
Still reliving every second of:1970 Isle of Wight, 1985 Birmingham, 2008 Manchester OH , Edinburgh, Cardiff, Bournemouth, Birmingham, 2009 Liverpool and ................ :o)
mickey_one
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Re: We are looking for "One-line praises" of the tour

Post by mickey_one »

"this was music good with pleasant tune and pretty girls. lots of people wore hats and dark suits. the man in the centre of stage was old and he kneel a lot as his legs must be tired. people in crowd on seats they clap and shout hooray. everyone happy to see old man and go home with many nice smiles."

Tanzania Chronicle Weekly Digest Magazine Entertainment Section (music) (gigs) (live performances)
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mydoglorca
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Re: We are looking for "One-line praises" of the tour

Post by mydoglorca »

'Emotional end to a triumphant return'

Leonard Cohen, Cardiff International Arena
Bristol Evening Post, 10/11/08
1976 Bristol 1979 Birmingham 1988 RAH x 2, 1993 RAH x 2 & Madrid, 2008 Edinburgh, London O2, Cardiff, Bournemouth, RAH 17 Nov, Birmingham, Manchester 30 Nov, 2009 Weybridge, Liverpool, Dublin 19 & 20th,2010 September -Marseille, Tours, Lille, 2012 12 & 14 Aug Ghent,Wembley x22013 O2, Antwerp, Bournemouth, Manchester
ColinD
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Re: We are looking for "One-line praises" of the tour

Post by ColinD »

Headline from article in the Diario de Jerez on Benicassim. (Local daily newspaper of Jerez de la Frontera, Cadiz province)

"Leonard Cohen lleva su elegancia 'dandy' a la escena 'indie'.
"Leonard Cohen brings his 'dandy' elegance to the 'indie' scene'.
lorenzoB
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Re: We are looking for "One-line praises" of the tour

Post by lorenzoB »

From "Il Corriere della Sera", newspaper, Milan, 24/10/2008

"Asceta (ma seduttore) Così Leonard Cohen ha ipnotizzato Milano", Mario Luzzatto Fegiz

Transl: "Ascetic (but seducer). Thus Leonard Cohen has hypnotized Milan"

Link: http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/2008 ... 4010.shtml
honeyrose
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Re: We are looking for "One-line praises" of the tour

Post by honeyrose »

"A Hell of a Show" - Simon Price - The Independent (UK) - 22 June 2008

"An evening of pure gold" - Kitty Price - The Guardian (UK) - 22 June 2008

"Glastonbury says Hallelujah to Leonard Cohen" - NME (New Musical Express (UK) ) - 29 June 2008

"A Remarkable Renaissance" - Luke Turner - The Quietus - 21 July 2008

"Transplendent" - Linday Davis - Band Weblogs Ezine - 17 November 2008

"A voice that remains stunningly strong and tender" - The Scotsman - 8 November 2008
Judy
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Re: We are looking for "One-line praises" of the tour

Post by Judy »

"A hard core of fans have known for decades that Cohen, now 74, is a genius"

Tim de Lisle - The Mail on Sunday - 23/11/2008
KissAndFly
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Re: We are looking for "One-line praises" of the tour

Post by KissAndFly »

Hi,

I found some beautiful lines in the German and British papers and in Le Soir (Brussel). The British ones are probably superfluitous.

It was difficult to find much in the German press. If you just have a look, the articles are positive. If you begin to read them, you notice a lot of stereotypes (a lot of melancholy bard, prince of the sorrow, Weltschmerz, etc.), some details as in Pico Iyer’s article (down to the single love and the candles), citations from the songs linked to each other to draw a kind of picture – and there are obviously some game rules which have to be respected, which means long intellectual interpretations but no open enthusiasm, maybe the readers or the peers could think they are not real critics and are colluding with the guy. They give with one hand and take it back with the other hand, sometimes in the same sentence.
And then you find a beautiful article from a journalist who juste doesn’t care about being that clever-clever and who just writes about what she/he saw and heared and felt – and you could keep every sentence in it.
Please feel free to correct or improve the translation...




Germany, Berlin
Berliner Morgenpost - October 5, 2008 by Peter E. Müller (Foto: REUTERS)

Drei Stunden lang zog er das Publikum in seinen Bann.
[LC] hold his audience spellbound for three hours.



Germany, Munich
Sueddeutsche.de - October 7, 2008 by Ingeborg Schober und Konstantin Kaip

Schon vor Konzertbeginn fiel auf, wie unglaublich unterschiedliche Fans der große Cohen hat.
Something striking [even before the concert begins] is how different the fans of the great Cohen are.


Germany, Frankfurt
Frankfurter Rundschau online
October 31, 2008 by Sylvia Staude (Foto: Andreas Arnold/FR)

Um wenige Minuten nach 8 kommt Leonard Cohen auf die Festhallenbühne; um 20 nach 11 wird er nach einer kleinen Ansprache, die einen Stein von der Größe des Matterhorns zu Tränen rühren könnte, und mit einem "God bless you" endgültig gehen.

Leonard Cohen walks onto the stage [of the Festhalle] just some minutes after 8 and leaves it for good at 23.11 [saying ‚God bless you’] after a little address which could have moved to tears a stone the size of the Matterhorn.

.../...

Die Band hat jedes Lob verdient, und die Lieder haben es verdient, dass sie von diesen Musikern auf Händen getragen werden: Von Roscoe Beck (vor allem Bass), Neil Larsen (Keyboard u.a.), Bob Metzger (Gitarre u.a.), Rafael Gayol (Schlagzeug), Dino Soldo (Saxophon u.a.), Javier Mas (Gitarre, Erzlaute u.a.) und von Sharon Robinson, Charley und Hattie Webb, die man Leonards singende Engel nennen muss.

Short version:
The band deserves the highest praises and the songs deserve all the loving commitment displayed by these musicians [...] and by Sharon Robinson, Charley und Hattie Webb [...].

Version with the names and instruments :
The band deserves the highest praises and the songs deserve all the loving commitment displayed by these muscians – Roscoe Beck (mainly bass), Neil Larsen (Keyboard a. o.), Bob Metzger (guitar a.o.), Rafael Gayol (drums & percussion), Dino Soldo (saxophon a.o.), Javier Mas (guitarluad a.o.) and by Sharon Robinson, Charley und Hattie Webb, Leonards singing angels.


.../...

Applaus brandet auf, wie oft an diesem Abend, und bricht schnell wieder ab, sonst würde man ja was verpassen.
Dann bedankt Cohen sich für die Liebenswürdigkeit seines Publikums - und stellt doch die Liebenswürdigkeit jedes anderen Menschen in dieser riesigen Halle in den Schatten.

A new round of applause breaks out / is rising as so often this evening and breaks off rather soon so as not to miss anything.
Cohen thanks his audience for its kindness –and his own kindness is putting anyone’s in this giant concert hall in the shade.


Germany, Frankfurt
Frankfurter Allegemeine - October 31, 2008
Der Pate: Leonard Cohen in Frankfurt by Rose-Maria Gropp

Als er in diesem Sommer zum ersten Mal seit fünfzehn Jahren wieder in Europa tourte, war das wie eine Epiphanie für das Publikum: für die Älteren, weil sie nicht dachten, ihn jemals wiederzusehen; für die Jüngeren, wie sie nicht damit rechneten, ihn überhaupt jemals zu sehen.

This first European Tour in 15 years was like an epiphany for the audience – the elder ones didn’t think they would ever see him again and the younger ones didn’t have the slightest hope of ever seing him.

.../...

[Beinahe drei Stunden dauert das Konzert, in dem das Erstaunliche geschieht] all diese Lieder Cohens, die wie Sedimente im Unbewussten ruhen, klingen neu und unverbraucht.

During the three hours of the venue, something astonishing happens and all these songs laying like sediment in our subconscious sound new and fresh ––nothing worn-out.


Germany, Oberhausen
DerWesten - November 4, 2008 by Lars Ludwig (Foto: Thomas Brill)
Es regnet schwarze Poesie (It’s raining black poetry)

Am Ende wird man sagen dürfen: Wir sind dabeigewesen. Dabeigewesen, als der graue Zauberer sich noch einmal gezeigt hat. Als er es schwarze Poesie regnen ließ auf die 9000 Menschen, [als er seine leisen wütenden Blitze gegen die Könige der Welt schickte,] als er dastand und sang. Und sang. Und sang.

In the end you will be able to say: we were there. There as the grey magician stood again on the stage, making black poetry rain over 9000 people, and sang. And sang. And sang.



Brussels, Belgium
LeSoir - October 20, 2008 by Thierry Coljon

Un triomphe pour Leonard Cohen
A triumph for Leonard Cohen

[LC] durant trois heures montre en main, livre un message empli d'amour, d’espoir et d’énergie positive.

[LC] sings during three full hours and it is a message of love, hope and positive energy.





Greenwich / News Shopper.co.uk - November 18, 2008 by Mark Edwards

Leonard Cohen's live show at The 02, Greenwich, exceeds expectations

If you wanted me to single out the one having the most fun, I’d point at the dapper septuagenarian in the fedora and gangster-sharp suit centre stage.

All his best known songs are aired and the versions are all immaculate, with Cohen in astoundingly good voice.

It is incredible how he makes even such a large space as the Greenwich venue seem intimate.


RAH - London, UK
Everybody knows, I'm your man
Brisbane Times - November 22, 2008 by Paola Totaro

If this unexpected, extra London gig - and reviews of his soon-to-finish, European tour - are portents of what is to come - Sydney, Melbourne and New Zealand should hang on to their hats.

Three hours later he is still there [, hat held to heart in a gentle display of modesty, ] while a full house [in one of England's oldest and most staid venues] erupts after an unforgettable, 40-minute encore and standing ovation.

This Cohen, 74, is imbued with a joie de vivre and wry humour that suggests a new lightness of being.

The show is as beautifully structured as his heart-churning lyrics.

If there can be an essential Leonard Cohen, this concert came close.

Cohen's long-time musical collaborator, Sharon Robinson, delivers an unforgettable highlight, too, a luminous rendition of Boogie Street.

Here, it was the music alone that transfixes, and Cohen's engineers provide surgically perfect sound.

Javier Mas, on 12-string bandurria and guitar, is an auditory joy, as are the angelic harmonies of the English Webb sisters, Charley and Hattie.

Perhaps most striking of all, however, is Cohen's ability to imbue an enormous venue with intimacy and engage with a humanity rarely seen in big stars.

At times, the mood feels grave, as if he wanted us to stare with him in the face of death and eternity while at other times it was life, love and the lure of the sensual that beckons from everywhere.

He has evolved into a musical, universal embodiment of vitality in old age, of wisdom and kindness.

Cohen manages to evoke a melancholy about what will be lost and a still acceptance of what has already gone.

He brings a lump to the throat and tears to the eyes. And still manages to remind us of the enormous beauty - and mystery - of life.

(Photo)
In darkness and light … Leonard Cohen performs during his first European tour in almost 15 years.


Leonard Cohen: Birmingham NEC
The Oxford Times - November 26, 2008 by Reg Little

FIRST he took Glastonbury, then he took Birmingham.

His great songs are delivered in his inimitable baritone, perfectly complemented by the two Webb sisters, and his long-time collaborator Sharon Robinson.

A superb six-piece band, led by the guitarist Bob Metzger, offered polished and varied reworkings [of Bird on a Wire, Chelsea Hotel and Hey, That’s No Way To Say Goodbye,] some with delicious jazz arrangements, others introduced by gorgeous flamenco guitar work.
Preston79
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Re: We are looking for "One-line praises" of the tour

Post by Preston79 »

Not a contribution but so many of these quotes remind me of the greatest witty response I ever heard.

Interviewer: "have you ever had a definite experience of the supernatural?"
Elvis Costello: "Yes. I saw Al Green once."

Incidentally has anyone ever seen a more resonant, wide-rippling one-word answer than Leonard once gave to Jools Holland when asked some rambling question about whether as a Ladies' Man he had found that poetry was the direct route to a woman's heart.

Leonard fixed Jools with a part-amused, part-bemused grin, hesitated for a moment awkwardly causing you to think scenes from his life were flashing before him, and said deliciously with an intonation that said, young man, if you only knew a tenth: "Yes."
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