CONCERT REPORT: St. Louis, November 7

October 17 - November 13, 2009. Concert reports, set lists, photos, media coverage, multimedia links, recollections...
j6ppc
Posts: 75
Joined: Sat Mar 07, 2009 8:50 am

Re: CONCERT REPORT: St. Louis, November 7

Post by j6ppc »

bridger15 wrote:here is my raw video of DARKNESS
not visually pleasing
but sound is good
can at least compare the lyrics with its debut in Nashville

it is still processing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vB_lq_HUp64

i feel like a WIRED BIRD

gotta fly, literally

---Arlene
Thank you Arlene. It is interesting to see the words change as he plays with this song. Love both new songs!
Bests

Jon
goaskaliceok
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Location: Atlanta, Ga.

Re: CONCERT REPORT: St. Louis, November 7

Post by goaskaliceok »

Well,
"The Darkness" for me will always be the way he performed it in Nashville!
So beautiful!
katimari
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: St. Louis, November 7

Post by katimari »

Last night I sat in my chair, in this theater, new yet ancient, leaning forward towards the sound. It fed my soul. They gave to us a performance that was more like an embrace than simply playing a song to a group of strangers. I don't think I will ever see or hear something more perfect and I was humbled by it all. I learned things. I learned by watching someone who has so much respect and so much appreciation of his fellow musicians and fellow people that he fills the air with a kind of kindness -- a welcoming -- a return to decency. You gave these songs to us. Here you stand singing these songs to us. We are thankful. We are thankful in a way we can not express. We sit and listen and burst inside at some feeling that can not be said, can not be spoken. How you move us through time, how you walk us through our life, in these few hours, in this space we have made together.

We hiked to the very top of the theater to the very highest seats and were told there that Leonard Cohen was giving people these seats tickets to sit in the orchestra section. When we asked an usher where our seats were, the usher said - "oh, you are one of the lucky ones". How true, that statement. Leonard Cohen won't ever know what it meant to the girl who was told she was one of the lucky ones. He won't ever know how is kindness felt so personal and real. He won't ever know what it meant to her to sit so close and hear so clearly. She would like to say thank you - thank you so much - I won't forget it.
Evie B
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: St. Louis, November 7

Post by Evie B »

Welcome katimari, and thank you for sharing your feelings in your truly lovely, charming post. How kind and thoughtful Leonard is, sounds like you had terrific seats.
Evie B
...he shows you where to look amid the garbage and the flowers
MaryB
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: St. Louis, November 7

Post by MaryB »

katimari wrote:I learned by watching someone who has so much respect and so much appreciation of his fellow musicians and fellow people that he fills the air with a kind of kindness -- a welcoming -- a return to decency.
Katimari,
'A return to decency'. Beautifuly put and a touching post. You truly deserved your seat upgrade.
Welcome to the forum. Hope to hear more from you.

Best regards,
Mary
1993 Detroit 2008 Kitchener June 2-Hamilton June 3 & 4-Vienna Sept 24 & 25-London RAH Nov 17 2009 NYC Feb 19-Grand Prairie Apr 3-Phoenix Apr 5-Columbia May 11-Red Rocks Jun 4-Barcelona Sept 21-Columbus Oct 27-Las Vegas Nov 12-San Jose Nov 13 2010 Sligo Jul 31 & Aug 1-LV Dec 10 & 11 2012 Paris Sept 30-London Dec 11-Boston Dec 16 2013 Louisville Mar 30-Amsterdam Sept 20
Lilifyre
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: St. Louis, November 7

Post by Lilifyre »

Katimari, so glad you had such a wonderful experience. The show was truly awesome! I've been replaying it in my head since I walked out of the theater last night. This was my birthday gift to myself (and a gift from my partner as well) and it really made this a wonderful birthday. There were 2 other venues closer to me (both Atlanta and Nashville) and I could have chosen Cleveland on my actual birthday, but St.Louis is "home" for me. That just added to the magic of the night for me.

I certainly hope this isn't my last Leonard Cohen concert but it will always be the best!
Lili
"Well, that's my story
I admit it's broken and it's bleak
But all the twisted pieces fit
A 1000 kisses deep."
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RegularCliche
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: St. Louis, November 7

Post by RegularCliche »

.
Last edited by RegularCliche on Mon Jan 12, 2015 7:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
2009: Oakland 2x, St. Louis, Kansas City, Las Vegas, San Jose
2010: Sligo 2x, Lisbon, Caen, Grenoble, Strasbourg, Marseille, Tours, Lille, Oakland 2x (again), Las Vegas 2x
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MusicCityGypsy
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: St. Louis, November 7

Post by MusicCityGypsy »

Wow -

sounds and looks like you all had a fantastic time (can't say I'm not jealous of all of you "touring" with Leonard & Co.)
Somehow I can't bring myself to start my paper that's due Tuesday... who cares about such trivial things as grades when one has memories of such a brilliant show --
Morgan, I can totally understand about the grades and papers and tests and the aftermath that Leonard Cohen concerts have on these little things. Speaking of that, while I'm on the computer writing this I SHOULD be getting back to "school life" I assume (which is why my Nashville pictures will not be all up until next week, gosh how I wish I could make this my full time job).

Cheers!

Cara
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bridger15
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: St. Louis, November 7

Post by bridger15 »

I am posting some videos that aren't that great (see my earlier posting) but at least there will be a record.

Tower of Song
LC thanked the audience for not going home.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBP11PvIjiw

Suzanne
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Khgq4vFisYM

Closing Time
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saOStvMQcB0
Last edited by bridger15 on Mon Nov 09, 2009 10:43 am, edited 2 times in total.
2009-San Diego|Los Ang|Nashville|St Louis|Kansas City|LVegas|San Jose
2010-Gothenburg|Berlin|Ghentx2|Oaklandx2|Portland|LVegasx2
2012-Austinx2|Denver|Los Ang|Seattle|Portland

Arlene's Leonard Cohen Scrapbook http://onboogiestreet.blogspot.com
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sturgess66
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: St. Louis, November 7

Post by sturgess66 »

From StLToday.com -
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/entert ... enDocument
Leonard Cohen earns ovations at Fox concert
LcohenFox.jpg
LcohenFox.jpg (9.25 KiB) Viewed 10097 times
FILE PHOTO -- Musician Leonard Cohen, 75, shown in April 2009, performed in St. Louis for the first time on Saturday. (Getty Images)

By Daniel Durchholz
SPECIAL TO THE POST-DISPATCH
11/09/2009

ST. LOUIS — Leonard Cohen earned the first of many standing ovations at the Fox Theatre Saturday night just by showing up.

Many audience members likely thought they'd never lay eyes on the reclusive singer, who hasn't toured in 15 years and has never performed in St. Louis. Their ecstatic reaction was not unexpected when Cohen bounded onto the stage but was wholly justified when he left it for the last time more than three hours later.

Dressed in a black suit and fedora and backed by a six-piece band plus a trio of vocalists, the 75-year-old singer admitted he didn't know when he'd pass this way again, but he said, "Our intention tonight is to give you everything we've got."

Cohen dug deep into his large catalog of material and offered up numerous gems, including "Hallelujah," "Suzanne," "Bird on the Wire," "First We Take Manhattan" and "I'm Your Man." He mostly stood stock-still at center stage, gripping the microphone in one hand and cupping the other around it, whispering his lyrics conspiratorially in his foggy, froggy voice. During some songs, he dropped to his knees, as if in supplication.

Cohen's humility was extended toward his musicians, each of whom was offered plenty of time in the spotlight. Javier Mas, who played a variety of exotic string instruments, shone brightly, as did reed man Dino Soldo, whom Cohen dubbed the "maestro of breath."

Backup vocalist Sharon Robinson sang the sly, knowing "Boogie Street," which she co-wrote with Cohen, and Hattie and Charley Webb performed a prayerful "If It Be Your Will." From the shadows, Cohen gave his rapt attention, hat held over his heart.

Many of his songs are relentlessly bleak, but Cohen undercut the dour mood with some comic relief. In "The Future," a catalog of humankind's outrageous acts and a call, more or less, for the apocalypse, Cohen hit the line about "white girls dancing," prompting the Webb sisters to turn cartwheels on the spot. In the droll, sexually frank "I'm Your Man," he altered one line slightly and sang, "I'll wear an old man's mask for you." As if at this point he needs one.

Despite his chronological age, though, Cohen seemed buoyed by the crowd's response as he jogged, danced and even skipped on and off the stage during the encores. "Here's a man still working for your smile," he sang in the closing song, "I Tried to Leave You." He got it, having given his all, as promised.

Though it was decades overdue, Cohen's St. Louis debut was an absolute stunner.
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DrHGuy
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Leonard was great. The fans were colorful.

Post by DrHGuy »

This post re the St Louis Concert is interesting and of high quality throughout (and who could resist a blog called "Queen Mediocretia of Suburbia") but I admit the most fun I had was wondering which Forum members might have contributed to the conclusion that "The fans were colorful."
Leonard Cohen Concert: Both Sublime and Ridiculous
http://mocklog.typepad.com/queen_medioc ... ncert.html

First, loose ends: Gary never actually told anyone in his family he thought we were well enough to celebrate sister-in-law's birthday, so the event was in actuality much less "planned" than we thought. We are going today, Sunday, instead.

So, all of Saturday was spent planning for and resting up for and preparing for the Leonard Cohen concert.

"8 SHARP" demanded the tickets in a very demanding font. So, we were there at 7:15, and while I tried in vain to buy Eddie Izzard tickets (too early), Gary chatted with some Leonard devotees.

"Oh, yes, we love Lenny," they sighed. "He is a poet."
"Well," Gary chuckled, "Too bad I can't understand them because his voice is so bad and all the songs sound the same."
An elderly woman turned to Gary and stared him down, pointing a narrow finger at her ear. "Lissssteeeen," she advised knowingly.

A testament to how great the concert was, during the intermission, Gary asked me, "He sounds fine. What is wrong with our car stereo system? Something's wrong with our car!" (Seriously, this means the car will be in the shop soon to find out why the sound's so distorted, and they will find he has over-cranked the bass or something.)

So, that's it in a nutshell. Leonard was great. The fans were colorful.

First, Sir Leonard Cohen (I don't call him "Lenny" as some impudents do) and the Other Musicians

Up! Down! Up! Down! There must have been ten standing ovations, some at the start, some for specific songs, some at the end. It was like Mass. Only, people don't scream out "WE LOVE YOU JESUS!" at Mass.

Handsprings. Most of the time the backup singers just shifted their weight from one foot to the other, but then at one key point (I won't tell you what it was) they vaulted into a backward handspring. They may or may not have removed their fedoras first.

Standing Still. For about three songs (If It Be your Will is the one I remember) he just stood and recited the song. That was lovely. Plus, it made it easier for Gary to "Lissssteeeen."

And of course, he was witty. The song choices were even witty. I was sad not to hear Closing Time, but of course they saved that for one of the later encores. I think the very last song was I Tried to Leave You. When the house lights came up, I was so satisfied, Gary asked if I wanted to finally get dinner and I felt I didn't want to even eat ever again.

Second, The Fans

Even though the concert was sold out, Gary and I had empty seats on either side of us. This was an excellent buffer because we were surrounded by insane people.

In Front of Us. Look, the older guy in the beret and the woman in the shawl didn't bother me. But, at the intermission Gary turned and said, "Berets! Shawls! Who wears a beret?" I merely report this because of Gary's aghast tone; I didn't know it was so scandalous.

Behind Us. The guy right behind me made a point of continuing to clap well after everyone else stopped. We all paused to hear the next song but he just kept going all "I am Clappier Than Thou." So for one song I deliberately out-clapped him. (My clapping was not flawless; I regret to say I broke the silence after Who By Fire by being the first to clap.)

To The Right of Us. They came in late, the young couple in their twenties, and then they talked through two songs like they were at a nightclub. The man in front of them turned and hissed "Quiet!" They did not shut up. They did not behave respectably in the House of the Leonard. Then, during an early ovation I leaned to Gary and yelled, "See, now is the time for the girl to talk to the boy! Talk it up! There's no singing!" And they didn't talk after that.

Instead, they snapped, or rather, the boy snapped, his fingers. And not a beatnik "Groovy poetry, man" applause snap, but an extra track of loud jazzy here-I-am-jamming-with-you-lenny as if he was auditioning for the band.

It did give Gary the opportunity to snap his fingers and make me laugh.

And you know, even with the snapping and clapping and talking and testifying from the balcony I still loved it. Wonderful concert.
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sturgess66
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: St. Louis, November 7

Post by sturgess66 »

Yeah - I had just read this on Twitter - and liked this part -
"A testament to how great the concert was, during the intermission, Gary asked me, "He sounds fine. What is wrong with our car stereo system?"
BUT - look what you have done - you may have blown a cover here. Or maybe two covers?
:lol: :lol: :lol:

From Twitter
OOOO NOOOO! Leonard Cohen forum has found my post and wonders who I'm making fun of.5 minutes ago from web
:lol: :lol: :lol:

I suspect the "OOOOO NOOOO!" "cannot be serious." :lol: :lol:

Also - here's a tweet from the Mayor of St. Louis:
Was Leonard Cohen the concert of the year? That's what some people are saying. #fgsabout 13 hours ago from web
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bridger15
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Re: Leonard was great. The fans were colorful.

Post by bridger15 »

DrHGuy wrote:This post re the St Louis Concert is interesting and of high quality throughout (and who could resist a blog called "Queen Mediocretia of Suburbia") but I admit the most fun I had was wondering which Forum members might have contributed to the conclusion that "The fans were colorful."
Leonard Cohen Concert: Both Sublime and Ridiculous
http://mocklog.typepad.com/queen_medioc ... ncert.html

First, loose ends: Gary never actually told anyone in his family he thought we were well enough to celebrate sister-in-law's birthday, so the event was in actuality much less "planned" than we thought. We are going today, Sunday, instead.

So, all of Saturday was spent planning for and resting up for and preparing for the Leonard Cohen concert.

"8 SHARP" demanded the tickets in a very demanding font. So, we were there at 7:15, and while I tried in vain to buy Eddie Izzard tickets (too early), Gary chatted with some Leonard devotees.

"Oh, yes, we love Lenny," they sighed. "He is a poet."
"Well," Gary chuckled, "Too bad I can't understand them because his voice is so bad and all the songs sound the same."
An elderly woman turned to Gary and stared him down, pointing a narrow finger at her ear. "Lissssteeeen," she advised knowingly.

A testament to how great the concert was, during the intermission, Gary asked me, "He sounds fine. What is wrong with our car stereo system? Something's wrong with our car!" (Seriously, this means the car will be in the shop soon to find out why the sound's so distorted, and they will find he has over-cranked the bass or something.)

So, that's it in a nutshell. Leonard was great. The fans were colorful.

First, Sir Leonard Cohen (I don't call him "Lenny" as some impudents do) and the Other Musicians

Up! Down! Up! Down! There must have been ten standing ovations, some at the start, some for specific songs, some at the end. It was like Mass. Only, people don't scream out "WE LOVE YOU JESUS!" at Mass.

Handsprings. Most of the time the backup singers just shifted their weight from one foot to the other, but then at one key point (I won't tell you what it was) they vaulted into a backward handspring. They may or may not have removed their fedoras first.

Standing Still. For about three songs (If It Be your Will is the one I remember) he just stood and recited the song. That was lovely. Plus, it made it easier for Gary to "Lissssteeeen."

And of course, he was witty. The song choices were even witty. I was sad not to hear Closing Time, but of course they saved that for one of the later encores. I think the very last song was I Tried to Leave You. When the house lights came up, I was so satisfied, Gary asked if I wanted to finally get dinner and I felt I didn't want to even eat ever again.

Second, The Fans

Even though the concert was sold out, Gary and I had empty seats on either side of us. This was an excellent buffer because we were surrounded by insane people.

In Front of Us. Look, the older guy in the beret and the woman in the shawl didn't bother me. But, at the intermission Gary turned and said, "Berets! Shawls! Who wears a beret?" I merely report this because of Gary's aghast tone; I didn't know it was so scandalous.

Behind Us. The guy right behind me made a point of continuing to clap well after everyone else stopped. We all paused to hear the next song but he just kept going all "I am Clappier Than Thou." So for one song I deliberately out-clapped him. (My clapping was not flawless; I regret to say I broke the silence after Who By Fire by being the first to clap.)

To The Right of Us. They came in late, the young couple in their twenties, and then they talked through two songs like they were at a nightclub. The man in front of them turned and hissed "Quiet!" They did not shut up. They did not behave respectably in the House of the Leonard. Then, during an early ovation I leaned to Gary and yelled, "See, now is the time for the girl to talk to the boy! Talk it up! There's no singing!" And they didn't talk after that.

Instead, they snapped, or rather, the boy snapped, his fingers. And not a beatnik "Groovy poetry, man" applause snap, but an extra track of loud jazzy here-I-am-jamming-with-you-lenny as if he was auditioning for the band.

It did give Gary the opportunity to snap his fingers and make me laugh.

And you know, even with the snapping and clapping and talking and testifying from the balcony I still loved it. Wonderful concert.
Well, I know the name of at least one Forum fan for sure. She was sitting next to me having the time of her life which enhanced my enjoyment too. But the Forum's Code of Coduct that comes with Membership prohibits me from revealing the name.

Loved the blog. It was a hoot!
2009-San Diego|Los Ang|Nashville|St Louis|Kansas City|LVegas|San Jose
2010-Gothenburg|Berlin|Ghentx2|Oaklandx2|Portland|LVegasx2
2012-Austinx2|Denver|Los Ang|Seattle|Portland

Arlene's Leonard Cohen Scrapbook http://onboogiestreet.blogspot.com
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bridger15
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: St. Louis, November 7

Post by bridger15 »

Here are the pictures, with names, from the Forum pre-concert dinner in St. Louis.

Thank you to Lilifyre for arranging a 4:30 pm dinner just across the street from the beautiful, historic FOX THEATRE.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7GsdLrgsVU
75foxrsz_2img_0591.jpg
---Arlene
2009-San Diego|Los Ang|Nashville|St Louis|Kansas City|LVegas|San Jose
2010-Gothenburg|Berlin|Ghentx2|Oaklandx2|Portland|LVegasx2
2012-Austinx2|Denver|Los Ang|Seattle|Portland

Arlene's Leonard Cohen Scrapbook http://onboogiestreet.blogspot.com
MaryB
Posts: 4017
Joined: Sat Mar 08, 2008 5:40 am
Location: Columbus, Ohio USA

Re: CONCERT REPORT: St. Louis, November 7

Post by MaryB »

Arlene,

I don't have a YouTube or Google account, so will try tomorrow. If this is anything like you Nashville video - WOW - can't wait!

Kindest regards,
Mary
1993 Detroit 2008 Kitchener June 2-Hamilton June 3 & 4-Vienna Sept 24 & 25-London RAH Nov 17 2009 NYC Feb 19-Grand Prairie Apr 3-Phoenix Apr 5-Columbia May 11-Red Rocks Jun 4-Barcelona Sept 21-Columbus Oct 27-Las Vegas Nov 12-San Jose Nov 13 2010 Sligo Jul 31 & Aug 1-LV Dec 10 & 11 2012 Paris Sept 30-London Dec 11-Boston Dec 16 2013 Louisville Mar 30-Amsterdam Sept 20
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