CONCERT REPORT: Helsinki, Finland, August 10, 2010

July 25 - December 11, 2010. Concert reports, set lists, photos, media coverage, multimedia links, recollections...
khayya
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Helsinki, August 10, 2010

Post by khayya »

Back from yesterday's concert. I didn't expect it to include so many changes as compared to the Live in London DVD and last years concert in Dublin. Awsome! Although in the middle of the concert Leonard said his usual "I don't know when we will pass this way again", in the end he said:"Until next time!", so it didn't have this pessimistic "look at him one last time" feeling, rather a meeting of friends who are expecting to meet again soon. "The Darkness" had developed into a much longer song than the first version. I don't know if there are any links to it in youtube (all I find are the last year's early versions) - I'd really like to hear this again.
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sturgess66
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Helsinki, August 10, 2010

Post by sturgess66 »

Video by "ConradLant" Thanks!

"First We Take Manhattan"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPCOAaHtha0
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TheSpice-BoxOfEarth
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Helsinki, August 10, 2010

Post by TheSpice-BoxOfEarth »

My first concert has now gone and it`s time to balance between a banal praise and a wordlessness. What a magical night! What a triumph of humanity! … And what a man – my Leonard, our Leonard – he was even more mythic than could dream about.

Beforehand, I had a plan to write a long and brilliant report but now I have no idea where to start. Last night is sparkling in my mind like a sweet misty dream, it`s almost like it would run away always if I tried to catch it to write it down. Maybe I will reject my vision of consistency and instead it try to tell some little notices about things I enjoyed most:


Leonard. Like I already said, he was unbelievable. In certain way he was different than I expected, I don`t know how to explain it, but he was more phenomenal: wiser, nimbler, shorter, sexier… And I swear I had such great hopes for him!

Leonard again. His gestures and expressions, his movements. His sparkling eyes when he raised his glance to the light. His fingers like a road sign when he sang “From the bloody cross on top of Calvary to the beach of Malibu” His beautiful skinny legs. His playful dance steps. The guitar hanging on his neck.

The band. It`s such a bunch of sweet pranksters! Dino`s intensive movements and the way he guided the audience wave their hands. His little theater while the band was leaving the stage after Take This Waltz. Rafael`s flying kisses - was it Neil he was sending them to? Javier`s smile – I swear it was once for me; we had a short eye contact at the end of Heart with No Companion while the lights were bright and he smiled to my delighted grin. The storm of applauds made by Sharon, it felt like Finns had some kind of special connection with her.

The music. The caressing melodies, the virtuoso-like playing. Leonard`s voice that wrapped its warm palms around my heart and healed my loneliness. The sweet tinkling of the flamenco instruments. Heart with No Companion, The Partisan. Heavenly praise, sober ecstasy.

The words. Leonard`s beautiful introduction before Anthem - I hope somebody remembers it better than I do and can post it. “I didn`t come to Helsinki to fool you.” Feels So Good with its touching verses. Demanding ”I want you, I want you, I want you” to Javier.

Intimacy. Suddenly there were 10 000 people around me at the intermission and then again at the end. Where did they come? From what Holy One they withdrew? Did The Lord of Song I saw in Leonard`s eyes, did he twist everybody`s hearts together?

The sincerity. The humble way Leonard took his hat off and revealed his old man`s mask. Somebody should have shouted that it was the most beautiful of all the masks. The statue with closed eyes that was covered by the feathers of the angelic voices of The Webb Sisters while “If It Be Your Will.” The grateful and sublime bows he greeted the band and us – happy, happy we.

The encores. The crowd floated towards the stage like silk ribbons when they were playing So Long Marianne – how beautiful pilgrimage! The rhythmic moving of bodies and the drumming of hands while First We Take Manhattan and Closing Time. The joyous sense of community, the shared love.

Born In Chains. “Oh Lord, I can no longer keep this secret. Blessed is the name, the name be praised.” Those words are now "written in my heart with burning letters" and for me the name is Leonard Cohen.

Suuret, suuret kiitokset Jarkko että mahdollistit tämän uskomattoman kokemuksen. Hienointa ikinä! Olin useampaan otteeseen aikeissa tulla esittäytymään ja kiittämään katsomossa, mutta ujous ja muut kiitolliset saivat minut aina luopumaan aikeesta.

Sincerely,
Viivi
A cross on every hill
A star, a minaret
So many graves to fill
O love, aren’t you tired yet?


- The Faith, Leonard Cohen
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Susy
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Helsinki, August 10, 2010

Post by Susy »

To TheSpice-BoxOFEarth ,
this is the most beautiful Concert Report I`ve ever read , so sweet
and full of faithfulness !
Wished I could write in a better english language , but since I can`t
I better made some nice photos you can look at the Salzburg pages !

Thank You , greetings ,Susanne
Susy
zyggy
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Helsinki, August 10, 2010

Post by zyggy »

This was a brilliant concert. The music, the singing and the playing were all remarkable. Leonard Cohen gave everything he had as he had promised at the beginning of the concert. Thank you from an Englishman who came all the way to Helsinki for this concert.
Pasi
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Helsinki, August 10, 2010

Post by Pasi »

Wow. Viivi, that was beautiful. Thank You.
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jarkko
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Helsinki, August 10, 2010

Post by jarkko »

Radio Vega, The Swedish voice of Yleisradio, Finland
Cohen gav publiken allt

”Jag vet inte när våra vägar korsas igen, men jag lovar att vi ska ge er allt vi har att ge ikväll.” Med dessa ord hälsade Leonard Cohen publiken som hade samlats för att se honom i Helsingforsarenan igår. Efter 29 låtar och drygt tre timmar musik frågar jag mig vad mera man kan kräva av en artist som varit i rampljuset i fem decennier och som fyller 76 år i september.

Tre års turnerande har satt sina spår på både Leonard Cohen och hans band. Rutinen hörs i musiken och låtarna är slipade i minsta detalj. Samspelet mellan sångaren och bandet är friktionsfritt till den grad att man ibland skulle önska sig lite mera spontanitet och kantighet i det välsmorda maskineriet. Mellan varven serverar Cohen ändå på godbitar som får mig att känna att jag bevittnar något unikt.

Konserten inleds med två säkra kort, Dance me to the end of love och dystopiska The Future. Bandet har en stor roll i inledningen; gamla klassiker som Bird och the wire och Who by fire har arrangerats för sexmannabandet som ackompanjerar sångaren under turnén.

Lyhört och musikaliskt
Med glädje noterar jag musikernas lyhördhet inför publikens reaktioner. Vid spontana applåder har bandet den goda smaken att lägga in en fermat för att fortsätta efter publikens bifall. Det goda samspelet är ingen slump: många av musikerna i bandet har turnerat med Cohen redan på 70-talet.

I slutet av första delen riktas strålkastarljuset på Cohen som står i mitten av scenen med hatten i handen. ”I en splittrad och sargad värld är jag hedrad att vara här i er vackra stad ikväll”, säger han. Recitationen övergår i världsomfamnande Anthem som avslutar setet.

Den gamla mannens mask
Under konsertens andra del (som föregås av en 20 minuters paus) tätnar stämningen. Klassikern Tower of song inleder det som kommer att bli en 16 låtars hitkavalkad. ”Ni har minsann inte kommit hit för musikens skull”, repliker Cohen torrt då publiken belönar hans anspråkslösa keyboardsolo med rungande applåder.

Cohen blåser nytt liv i sina klassiker genom att friskt leka med ursprungstexterna. ”If you want another kind of love I’ll wear an old mans mask for you” sjunger han i I’m your man och gör en grimas mot publiken. I Take this waltz som avslutar den andra delen gungar hela bandet i valsens takt.

Till all lycka krävs det mera än en dubbelvals för att få Cohen att lämna scenen för gott. Publiken får ta del av furstliga sex extranummer, där också bandet får ta ut svängarna. Stämningen smittar till publiken som reser sig från sina stolar för att klappa och sjunga med i låtarna.

Att återfinna rösten
När det sista låten är spelad riktas belysningen mot den jublande publiken. Cohen tar till orda en sista gång. Han talar om de år då han ”sökte efter sin röst” och de människor som bidrog till att hålla hans musik levande under den här perioden.

Talet är riktat till Jarkko Arjatsalo - mannen bakom nätforumet leonardcohenfiles.com - han sitter med bland publiken på första parkett. Arjatsalo har blivit en personlig vän till Cohen och var en av de personer som stöttade Cohen under 90-talet när denne upplevde en livskris som resulterade i att han inte kunde sjunga.

Ett värdigt slut på en minnesvärd kväll.
1988, 1993: Helsinki||2008: Manchester|Oslo|London O2|Berlin|Helsinki|London RAH|| 2009: New York Beacon|Berlin|Venice|Barcelona|Las Vegas|San José||2010: Salzburg|Helsinki|Gent|Bratislava|Las Vegas|| 2012: Gent|Helsinki|Verona|| 2013: New York|Pula|Oslo|||
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Geoffrey
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Helsinki, August 10, 2010

Post by Geoffrey »

>Jarkko Arjatsalo . . . har blivit en personlig vän till Cohen och var en av de personer som stöttade Cohen under 90-talet när denne upplevde en livskris som resulterade i att han inte kunde sjunga.

For those who cannot understand Swedish. This says that in the 1990s Leonard experienced a major crisis in his life which left him unable to sing. Jarkko gave him support, and is now a personal friend. Good man, Jarkko!!
Manslady
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Helsinki, August 10, 2010

Post by Manslady »

@ The Spice-BoxOfEarth - beautiful review ... so honest and full of feeling. :)
Every heart to love will come, but like a refugee

Dublin 2008
Sligo 2010
Barcelona 2012
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Maarten
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Helsinki, August 10, 2010

Post by Maarten »

Hi,
Here are my pictures:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=7 ... ec8b7933b2
and
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=7 ... 8801b9f572

(I only took a few... :-))

Thanks Jarkko for the wireless network and the upload!

Maarten

2008 Manchester | Bruges | Amsterdam | London | 2x Brussels | Rotterdam |2x London
2009 New York | Cologne | Antwerp | Venice | Colmar | Barcelona | Las Vegas | San José
2010 Salzburg | 2x Sligo | Helsinki | 3x Ghent | Lille | 2x Las Vegas
2012 5x Ghent | 2x A'dam | Helsinki | Dublin | Verona | 3x Paris | Lisboa
2013 Paris | Antwerp | Oberhausen | Brussels | Pula | Rotterdam | Amsterdam | 2x Wellington | Auckland
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Joe Way
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Helsinki, August 10, 2010

Post by Joe Way »

Jarkko and the whole Air Berlin gang with whom we traveled yesterday,

We were thinking of you last night and hoping that you made the concert-we are so happy that you did and that it was wonderful. So sorry that we didn't have a chance to say good bye in Berlin-but we barely made our flight to Munich.

We have just arrived at home in Madison and looking forward to seeing you again soon.

Love, Joe & Anne
"Say a prayer for the cowboy..."
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Cheshire gal
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Helsinki, August 10, 2010

Post by Cheshire gal »

Maarten those photographs are great. Good job. :D
'...and here's a man still working for your little smile' -Leonard Cohen
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jarkko
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Review in Helsingin Sanomat

Post by jarkko »

"The Grand Master of Charisma dazzled on the stage of the full-packed Arena"

Helsingin Sanomat is the most important daily newspaper in Finland (circulation almost 500 000). The review couldn't be any better!!
The online version only summarizes the long article in the paper (see attachment):

http://www.hs.fi/kulttuuri/artikkeli/Ba ... 5259241578
hs-2010.jpg
UPDATE: Translation of the article by Miia Lindström on page 5 of this thread!
1988, 1993: Helsinki||2008: Manchester|Oslo|London O2|Berlin|Helsinki|London RAH|| 2009: New York Beacon|Berlin|Venice|Barcelona|Las Vegas|San José||2010: Salzburg|Helsinki|Gent|Bratislava|Las Vegas|| 2012: Gent|Helsinki|Verona|| 2013: New York|Pula|Oslo|||
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jarkko
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Review in Hufvudstadsbladet

Post by jarkko »

"Cohen at his height"

http://www.hbl.fi/text/kultur/2010/8/11/d50569.php
Cohen i högform
Leonard Cohens konsert i Helsingfors blev en högtidsstund för alla oss som älskar gentlemannen med den sammetsdjupa röster och kärleksbudskapet.

Det fanns gott om Sinatrahattar i Helsingforsarenan på tisdagkväll. Men den vi alla stirrade på satt på Leonard Cohens hjässa, förutom då han respektfullt tog av sig hatten för att buga för publiken eller för att introducera sina kolleger på scenen.

Leonard Cohen må fylla 76 om några veckor men både formen och rösten är på topp. Konserten i Arenan var en mammutuppvisning i intensitet och engagemang. Under tre och en halv timme fick vi höra det mesta Cohen åstadkommit under sina decennier i branschen, börjande från inledningsnumret Dance Me To The End Of Love fram till de sex extranumren med hittar som So Long Marianne, First We Take Manhattan , Famous Blue Raincoat och Closing Time.

Förunderligt väl lyckades också Cohen tillsammans med sitt urskickliga band skapa en intim stämning i den annars så ödsliga Arenan. Ingen i publiken verkade sakna rökridåer, explosioner och andra spektakulära effekter.

Det behövdes liksom inte mera än en ensam man som med slutna ögon ömsom viskade, ömsom sjöng sina berättelser Som artist hör Leonard Cohen till de mera introverta. Mellansnacken var få och handlade om ynnesten att få uppträda inför en publik som älskade det den såg och hörde. För det mesta stod Cohen stilla men han joggade in på scenen och skuttade ut från den. De flesta av sina låtar inledde han på huk, kanske för att tjuvläsa de inledande orden till varje låt vilket en i mitt sällskap spekulerade i. Eller så har åren som zenbuddhist gjort honom extremt vig.

Hur som helst verkade den kanadensiske poeten och musikern ha kapacitet att underhålla oss hela natten.

Konserten i Arenan hade inte blivit vad den var utan det band Leonard Cohen hade med sig. Alla på scenen fick också, helt rättvist, briljera med egna solon. Med i kören fanns bland annat Sharon Robinson som tillsammans med Cohen skrivit odödliga låtar som Everybody Knows, In My Secret Life och Waiting for The Miracle.

Annika Hällsten
1988, 1993: Helsinki||2008: Manchester|Oslo|London O2|Berlin|Helsinki|London RAH|| 2009: New York Beacon|Berlin|Venice|Barcelona|Las Vegas|San José||2010: Salzburg|Helsinki|Gent|Bratislava|Las Vegas|| 2012: Gent|Helsinki|Verona|| 2013: New York|Pula|Oslo|||
ladydi
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Re: CONCERT REPORT: Helsinki, August 10, 2010

Post by ladydi »

TheSpice-BoxOfEarth wrote:My first concert has now gone and it`s time to balance between a banal praise and a wordlessness. What a magical night! What a triumph of humanity! … And what a man – my Leonard, our Leonard – he was even more mythic than could dream about.

The encores. The crowd floated towards the stage like silk ribbons when they were playing So Long Marianne – how beautiful pilgrimage! The rhythmic moving of bodies and the drumming of hands while First We Take Manhattan and Closing Time. The joyous sense of community, the shared love.

Born In Chains. “Oh Lord, I can no longer keep this secret. Blessed is the name, the name be praised.” Those words are now "written in my heart with burning letters" and for me the name is Leonard Cohen.

Sincerely,
Viivi
Dear Viivi,

Beautiful words weaving magic in our hearts...not only from Leonard, but from you also! One of the loveliest reviews I've read, not only because it's from your heart but I felt as if I was experiencing all your emotions! Thank you so much Viivi....

Warm regards,
Diana
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