CONCERT REPORT: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan November 20, 2012

[sturgess66]

The venue, Credit Union Centre is an indoor arena -that opened in 1988.
The concert capacity is 13,000.
Leonard Cohen last played there on April 28, 2009.

[sturgess66]

They're live -

‏@girlrobyn Yup... Leonard Cohen. Aahh! pic.twitter.com/Y3Q1Vdip

[sturgess66]

@basementgalaxy Beautiful 1st set by Leonard Cohen. Loved the rearranged Everybody Knows, & the sax-less Ain't No Cure.

@ScottyDouglas Leonard Cohen inspired bathroom graffiti: "First we get her chatting, then we get her PIN."

@JennyBerkel In Saskatoon for Leonard Cohen with #michelleelrick and Sister Kristen. Brought a trunkful of panties to throw onstage. Look out, Lenny!

‏@timkipimaging Waitin for the second half of the Leonard Cohen concert. Amazing show for anyone let alone a 78 year old!!!

[zwirnie]

Review from The StarPhoenix
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/entertain ... z2CqoYl5hl

Cohen plays hits to packed house



At the age of 78, Leonard Cohen's voice is lower, his band more refined, and his dancing is a little slower. But despite that frailty of the now aged Cohen, the heart and soul of the man - who is undoubtedly one of the greatest song writers and poets of the last half century - remains fully intact. The master was hard at work on Tuesday night at the Credit Union Centre, one of 56 live performances the songwriter will have given this year.

His renditions of folk classics like Suzanne and Bird On a Wire no longer have the edge or rebelliousness of his early years - when his poetry and lyrics made him one of the most irrefutable sex symbols in Canadian history - but the appeal is still very much there.

After 12 studio albums and countless world tours, it's obvious Cohen still genuinely loves what he does. While at times Cohen is playful - without fail he skips like a child on and offstage - he treats each performance with respect. He salutes each one of the musicians in his band with a tip of his fedora each time they have a solo. He thanks everyone who puts the show on, from the sound techs to the lighting crews. He bows in thanks when the applause is loud enough. He rarely addresses the crowd between songs, but when he does it's with a certain brand of modesty and respect that's rare for someone of his fame and stature.

"It's very kind of you to put up with my melancholy," he told the crowd halfway through the first set. "Cohen, when are you going to lighten up?"

The truth is it's too late for Cohen to lighten up. There is no point. His greatest songs are about the darkest moments in life, the most terrible parts of love. Throughout his set - which as of press time lasted two and half hours - Cohen took a packed house at the CUC on a journey of the heart.

Unlike other living legends, he has no reservations playing all the hits from decades long gone. He didn't shy away from playing a number of songs from his latest release, Old Ideas.

His band, for its part, nicknamed the Unified Heart Touring Band, does the songwriter and his poetry justice. All of them accomplished musicians in their own right, they do their job perfectly by sitting back and letting Cohen's poetry and lyrics shine through. This is not the first time Cohen has came to Saskatoon. And with the vitality and enthusiasm he still exudes in every song, I'm sure it will not be the last.

© Copyright (c) The StarPhoenix

[thecrewfrom222]

The new #1..... My 12 year old son and i were blown away with the show . He couldn't keep track of how many songs he knew and surely will never forget boys night with Leonard Cohen. I've seen many shows that were "great" but this show for all the talent and heart can't be beat ! ! When you coming back???

Rick & Rylan Neufeld

[jlowe]

Something very special happened in Saskatoon. Perhaps it's the relatively small venue and the intimacy it brings to the show, but this performance outdid even his 2009 performance. In particular, both "The Bird on The Wire" and "Anyhow" were better than any previous recorded version. Is each tour performance recorded? Any chance another live Album is in the works with a mix of some of the outstanding performances from the 2012 tour (Anyhow from the Saskatoon show!) and some of the songs that weren't on either the Live from London, or Songs from the Road albums (e.g. Light as a Breeze from the earlier 2012 shows).

[sturgess66]

http://www.inlandav.ca/news/leonardcohen.php

Leonard Cohen
Live in Saskatoon

Leonard Cohen recently performed at the Credit Union Centre in Saskatoon. Inland AV was proud to supply two video projection systems (featuring two15' x 20' screens and two 12,000 lumen projectors) to ensure that every seat in the house had a clear view of this Canadian icon.

Below is a picture of the projection system installation.

[zwirnie]

Setlist

This is a setlist just posted on setlist.fm, by someone who did not attend the concert ... can somebody who attended please comment on the correctness? Thank you.

First Set
Dance Me to the End of Love
The Future
Bird on a Wire
Everybody Knows
Who by Fire
Darkness
Ain't No Cure for Love
Amen
Come Healing
In My Secret Life
A Thousand Kisses Deep (recitation)
Anthem

Second Set
Tower of Song
Suzanne
Waiting for the Miracle
Anyhow
Heart with No Companion
If It Be Your Will (with The Webb Sisters)
Alexandra Leaving (with Sharon Robinson)
I'm Your Man
Hallelujah
Take This Waltz

Encore:
So Long, Marianne
Going Home
First We Take Manhattan
Closing Time
Encore 2:
I Tried to Leave You
Save the Last Dance for Me (The Drifters cover)

[sturgess66]

Well - hallelujah!
Literally actually - some video from this show.

Uploaded by strikethematch52 - Thanks!

Hallelujah (not complete to the end of the song - but ...)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doqHC4779t0

Everybody Knows (partial)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHv8vYlS5xo

[sturgess66]

There was very little video from this show - but here's another one -

Uploaded by debarazzi - Thanks!

Hallelujah (includes the beginning of "Take This Waltz"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbbn6PD6Bik

Also notable - Leonard says "I did not come to Saskatoon to fool you"

[sturgess66]

Another video from this show -

Uploaded by MadameWinterBee - Thanks!

Ain't No Cure For Love
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHmWpCcqj_A

[FPL40]

Looking forward to the Louisville concert March 2013