CONCERT REPORT: Zagreb, Croatia, July 25, 2010

[sturgess66]

Tom - did the The Vagina Monologues play over there? A very popular off-Broadway show and I think it toured internationally. A whole [no homonym pun intended] lot of vagina talk going on there.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Vagina_Monologues

Maybe a good subject for "Everything Else" - LOL

Love Dino Soldo - a very fine musician - and I think he is a terrific compliment to Leonard Cohen and this show! That is my opinion. And - same about all the fine musicians and singers with whom Leonard has chosen to tour! The best of the best. (Similar opinion about those who accompanied him in the past. Leonard knows good. As does Roscoe Beck - I believe he was somewhat instrumental - again - no pun intended - in putting together the band. And Sharon Robinson - who recommended the sublime Webb Sisters.) This group - I'm glad to see them all again, even if only "virtually," via video, as a result of people who are kind enough to film and then upload on YouTube.

As for reactions to performances, or new material, I take courage and go with my instincts and gut reactions. Everything is not always perfect. Or nothing is ever perfect. Something like that. Thankfully and blessedly. Also - I watch performances on YouTube - of the same songs - again and again- but in different venues - different days/nights. No performance is ever the same. And no audience is ever the same. The performances are, to a great extent, affected by the mood - and the energy - and type of energy - of an audience. It is felt. It is in the air. Energy is received - and given back -artistically melded into emotions - dictated by lyrics of the song. So - the same song - over and over again - is never the same - not to me anyway - and I know this to be true for others. Listening to a studio recording - that is a different. Not that, over the years, I have not listened to studio recordings over and over again. But in this age of heightened technology - I can now watch live performances of the same song - from different shows. Same songs, again and again. But adding the human element of the wonderful performers to the performances makes every show different.

But I digress - so back to my cheerleading.

Another video - good one - of Leonard's magnificent "Hallelujah" -

Uploaded by "Silvach30" (thanks!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2dEdI5pYNI

[bridger15]

Dear Tom,

I would like to take this opportunity to extend the highest compliments to you and to thank you for making this Forum such a grand place for Cohenites. Your posts have always been of the highest calibre, informative and entertaining.

These past few glorious days, you excelled even yourself with your hard work leading up to the meet-ups and recent concerts and your many valuable posts following the concerts.

I am in awe of your knowledge base, your passion and your conscientiousness. We are very lucky to have you as one of the integral leaders on this forum.

---Arlene

[mnkyface]

Since this thread (Arlene's post notwithstanding) has devolved into the subject of Dino and vaginas... I'd like to point out that none of the Dino detractors have one. I'm just sayin'.

[tomsakic]

Dino Soldo ... and I think he is a terrific compliment to Leonard Cohen and this show!

With all my love to you, sturgess66, and to Dino, and to Leonard, and the whole band, I have to be direct and I beg to differ: Leonard Cohen doesn't need anybody to be a terrific compliment to him and his show. Those musicians actually need to be grateful beyond their grave to be with him on HIS stage.

I like his humbleness and gratitude. He gathered the best musicians there. But it is his music and his songs and his concert, sorry. And we know that.

Dino's problem the competing with Javier Mas, one of the best living flamenco strings players, and Neil Larsen, the incarnation of Hammond B3, and Roscoe Beck, the genuine Fender bass player of world fame, plus Grammy winner Sharon Robinson (did you notice that Dino doesn't breathe when Sharon sings?), and LC's own guitar master Bob Metzger. Plus young forces: the angelic sisters, amazingly excellent drummer and Dino, master of breath (I really like his harmonica and contribution to Democracy i.e., or Gypsy Wife).

Now I can go back and love the whole band, and everybody - but I needed to made myself clear about this who has to be complimented.

Hi to all cheerleaders, vagina non-havers and rest of the gang here (ps. Arlene, you're exaggerating now, but thanks)

[friscogrl]

I can understand some of theses comments about Dino and his stage presence but try to imagine the show without him. We all notice him either for good or bad. He brings such exuberance and joy to these shows. He's a good looking talented guy in his thirties who is having a great time and so what if there is bit of fist pumping and extra arm waving, why not? He adds a youthful punch to these shows and if one looks around at the audience these days they will not just see a bunch of middle-age women ( and men).
All of these musicians are talented in their own right or they wouldn't have been chosen to be part of this band. With all due respect to Mr Larsen I have never heard anyone say "Oh I want to sit near the Neil Larsen side of the Stage" ,it is always the Dino and Javier Mas side!

M

[tomsakic]

Well, we're seating on his part of the stage because of the Webb sisters!

[sturgess66]

Tom - I think we are saying much the same thing really. No difference I think. Although not sure what you mean about "competing." That's a non-event on that stage - IMO. My "compliment" remark was perhaps clumsy but was meant in a most respectful way towards Leonard Cohen - and Dino - and perhaps I was trying to say what friscogrl articulated about Dino - "he adds a youthful punch to these shows". But - you are right about, "it is his [Leonard Cohen's] music and his songs and his concert" - and we know that - and I think so do each and every one of the members of the Unified Heart Touring Company, even though they are all the finest of musicians and singers in their own right. I met Dino Soldo after the first show in Philadelphia last year and one of the things mentioned was tours in general - and then specifically - this tour - and the honour of touring with Leonard Cohen. I have not forgotten - and I believe that Dino's exact words to me were that for him being on this tour was "a dream come true."

Left, right, back and center, front and center, slightly off-center from center stage - to the left or right - I love them all. And the extraordinary Leonard Cohen - who travels and skips all over the stage.

All right - mention of part of the female anatomy - the vagina - has apparently made a comeback here. How about equal time for the men? A mention of part of their anatomy - with a little humour.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dXGj_-orxw

A cute video.

Well, we're seating on his part of the stage because of the Webb sisters!

GAWD!!! MEN!!

[sturgess66]

More video from "igorCK2803" - thanks!

"First We Take Manhattan" (and also quite a bit of "Famous Blue Raincoat")
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMtnG9-bNo8

A good perspective of the whole stage - and OMG - the video shows the audience reaction at the end. What a show! I think people will be "high" for at least a year. Same with every show - LOL - but this was the first of the tour!

LOVE this song- and a "b" word right away ("boredom"). I love the way Leonard pronounces "b" words. Haha

[liverpoolken]

...zagreb's premiere stalker mr paul stubbs and Ireland's premiere video photographer mr albert noonan caught on camera together in front of the stage for the encores in the zagreb arena

[zagi]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hEMy5fC0KY < If it be your will, Zagreb, by 4mitja

how do you comment on this?

[tomsakic]

All right - mention of part of the female anatomy - the vagina - has apparently made a comeback here. How about equal time for the men? A mention of part of their anatomy - with a little humour.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dXGj_-orxw

Well, there is a line or two about it...

Ah, the moon's too bright
The chain's too tight
The beast won't go to sleep
...
And I'd howl at your beauty
Like a dog in heat
And I'd claw at your heart
And I'd tear at your sheet
I'd say please, PLEAAAAASSSSSSSEEEEEEEEEEE
I'm your man


We do know what dogs in heat do, don't we... I'd say that picture in our head actually explains all that screaming and the progress of the singing to the more heated position than in previous lines. Then "I'm your man" line comes as sudden tired surrender... as the men usually are "after" "heat".

[Juraj Mucko]

All right - mention of part of the female anatomy - the vagina - has apparently made a comeback here. How about equal time for the men? A mention of part of their anatomy - with a little humour.

All right.
Here's my personal anecdote.
It is in Croatian and completely untranslationable due to lacal slang use but tomsakic and zagi and few others can testify that it is very humorous.

Davno, sredinom 90-tih moja tadašnja djevojka čudom se čudila što to Cohen pjeva u pjesmi Hallelujah sa Cohen Live iz 1994.
Objasnio sam joj da on to pjeva "picinoj gazdarici".
Ona se na to malo uvrijedila i rekla da je to ružan izraz.
Ja sam odgovorio da je "pica" najljepše tepanje koje ja mogu zamisliti.
Ona me pitala "jel ti svojeg zoveš "kurac" pred prijateljima?".
Odogovrio sam "ne, zovem ga "kurčina", zbog imagea".

Juraj

[zagi]

All right - mention of part of the female anatomy - the vagina - has apparently made a comeback here. How about equal time for the men? A mention of part of their anatomy - with a little humour.

All right.
Here's my personal anecdote.
It is in Croatian and completely untranslationable due to lacal slang use but tomsakic and zagi and few others can testify that it is very humorous.

Davno, sredinom 90-tih moja tadašnja djevojka čudom se čudila što to Cohen pjeva u pjesmi Hallelujah sa Cohen Live iz 1994.
Objasnio sam joj da on to pjeva "picinoj gazdarici".
Ona se na to malo uvrijedila i rekla da je to ružan izraz.
Ja sam odgovorio da je "pica" najljepše tepanje koje ja mogu zamisliti.
Ona me pitala "jel ti svojeg zoveš "kurac" pred prijateljima?".
Odogovrio sam "ne, zovem ga "kurčina", zbog imagea".

Juraj

Put simply, entire world evolves and revolves in and around the very thing that found it's way to this forum, in any possible name or synonym or metaphor you can imagine. Some call it light from heaven, some call it deity, some claim it to be the pool of love, yet it all comes down to simply an act of total and final and eternal joining... something that should be so natural yet in this modern and "advanced" world it's not unusual to see a murder on a street but you better not be showing naked breasts and specially not talking about these bodyparts. So, praise to the vagina and all it's many forms, shapes and states it took in poetic minds of many a poet in heat!

And yes, what Jurica wrote could be quite simply best short description of what many poetry (Leo's including in big chunk of it) is! Too bad it's not translation friendly.

ETA: Indeed many if not all songs and poems are about the very body part we're discussing here, but only true masters and artists can "cover" it so nicely that you'd never guess some lovely song about <insert random topic here> is about, well, you know what. And Leonard seems to be master of the trade, and he's not even trying to hide it!

[Juraj Mucko]

sturgess66 wrote:All right - mention of part of the female anatomy - the vagina - has apparently made a comeback here. How about equal time for the men? A mention of part of their anatomy - with a little humour.

OK. I have two examples in English. Actually, one is in Spanish and translated to English.
And each is about the complementary organ.

You've all seen the famous movie "Citizen Kane", right? All time greatest movie.
I didn't but nevermind. I'm saving this for my death bed.
What were CItizen Kane's last words?
Rosebud!
Think about it....
And it wasn't the snow sled that Steven Spielberg purchased at an auction at obscenely high price.

And in Spanish movie Torrente starring Santiago Segura he describes his member as "the faucet of happiness" !!!!

Now again beyond my ability of translating a special for zagi and tomslakic and the likes who understand Croatian or in this case Serbian.
Đorđe Balašević great serbian poet, songwriter and singer on his latest CD from 2003 says this
"Sad utrni fenjer, sklanjaj šibicu
Mesečev ću prah tek da istrunim
Da u mraku lovim zlatnu ribicu
Da joj želju ispunim."
Even for Serbian speaking audience this is extremely elusive but soooo moving.

Juraj

[tessa]

Almost 1 month has passed since this memorable night, my first Cohen concert. I feel really lucky to have had the chance to see him, hopefully it was not the last time.