CONCERT REPORT: Québec City, Québec - December 2, 2012

[sturgess66]

The venue is Colisée Pepsi a/k/a Pepsi Coliseum, a multipurpose arena, and an old one - it opened in 1949. In the past, it has been the home of the Québec Nordiques, and many of the hockey greats have passed through. Hey - it's Canada - and it's hockey eh?
Concert capacity is 15,176.

Leonard Cohen last played in Québec City May 21, 2009
http://bit.ly/YYl7oP



It's cold there now - but still -

[sturgess66]

A promo video on YouTube for Montreal and Quebec City shows -

Leonard Cohen On Display - Evenko and AEG Live are proud to present LEONARD COHEN on stage at the Bell Centre Wednesday, November 28 and December 2 at the Pepsi Coliseum in Quebec City.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkX-f1OINvY

[sturgess66]

They're live -

‏@DBelgue - Léonard Cohen en pleine forme à Québec! pic.twitter.com/vT9Z1VBA

‏@NickHoule - Leonard Cohen fait son entrée au pas de course tandis que le public de Qc lui réserve une ovation - il ouvre avec Dance me to the end of...
[Leonard Cohen made his entry on the run while the public reserve Qc him a standing ovation - it opens with Dance me to the end of ...]

[sturgess66]

http://www.journaldequebec.com/2012/12/ ... tant-cohen

NOTABLE: "And, lo and behold, a French air: The Manic Georges Dor, which fits so well with his approach, delivered by a voice from beyond!"

GOOGLE TRANSLATION (original article in French at link above)

Cohen Mesmerizing!
Montreal won the 6000 fans at the Pepsi Coliseum
CA_PierreONadeau
Pierre O. Nadeau @

Journal de Québec,
Published: Sunday, December 2, 2012, 11:01 p.m. | Updated: Sunday, December 2, 2012, 11:05 p.m.


Photo Didier Debusschere

Leonard Cohen is the pure delight of his fans from Quebec!

Larger than life, reaching even to reinvent, Leonard Cohen has literally captivated his audience last night during the emotionally charged reunion.

Ah! It was nice to see under his hat and his faithful dark suit, delivering his finest moments of poetry, his eyes almost always closed fist moving and sometimes kneeling!

Three years after his visit to the Youth Pavilion, the legendary character, who plying his trade for 60 years, occurred for the first time in his career at the Quebec Coliseum. After drawing 20,000 fans, a few days earlier, during two shows at the Bell Centre, Montreal reconnected this time with 6,000 fans, a crowd very satisfactory to the producer Michel Brazeau.

On the double

After going on stage six musicians and three singers, the amazing poet appeared 78 years on the run in the clamor of a public ecstasy that rose a line for warm welcome . "I do not know when we'll see, but I promise you that you will give everything we have," says he at the outset

And he kept his promise through a generous performance, relieved of all classics happily welcomed by a crowd of mixed ages visibly conquered beforehand.

From the first notes of Dance Me to the End of Love, Leonard Cohen moves the audience in an atmosphere of soothing fullness, by paying the freedom to revisit parts of resistance as Everybody Knows by leveraging the subtle virtuosity of his accomplices

Unpretentious

The body arched, the same voice background ashtray, a little thinner, the chronic depressive confessed operates in an environment stripped, leaving room for all the emotion of his approach implemented on two giant screens.

"He was sexy," says a neighbor, visibly moved by his classy attitude, charisma and that special voice that will resonate in both the new album Old Ideas in its vibrant Hallelujah, So Long Marianne, and his inseparable Suzanne supported this time by a violin. And, lo and behold, a French air: The Manic Georges Dor, which fits so well with his approach, delivered by a voice from beyond!

In short, a show, a meeting! Magic! One of the most beautiful and tender moments for 2012 in Quebec, far from the tumult of superficiality and decibels.

[sturgess66]

Notes From The Road / Camp Cohen / Joey Carenza - has been out of commission for a bit - will be back - with "catchup" - Dec 3


Photo: Currently Down For Maintenance Blog Set To Return 03DEC2012 (MON)
Still Shooting & Writing, will post... http://tmblr.co/ZIGJEyYREDJD

[joyezekiel]

A phenomenal evening. Got to get to bed now, but will try to report while on the rail journey early tomorrow morning. Have setlist, with notes!

Joy

[Mabeanie1]

A phenomenal evening. Got to get to bed now, but will try to report while on the rail journey early tomorrow morning. Have setlist, with notes!

Joy

Joy

Thank you. Look forward to hearing your report.

Wendy

[sturgess66]

From Le Soleil -
http://www.lapresse.ca/le-soleil/arts-e ... fiques.php

GOOGLE TRANSLATION (original article in French at link above)

Published 02 décembre 2012 at 23h48

By: Nicolas Houle
The Sun

Leonard Cohen Winners Beautiful


Leonard Cohen, elegant like his team, in a black suit topped by a hat, embodied everything he sang, sometimes kneeling, sometimes standing, eyes closed. (Le Soleil, Pascal Ratthé)

(Québec) Shortly after being mounted on the stage of the Coliseum Sunday, Leonard Cohen launched in the language of Molière "I do not know when we'll meet again, but I can promise you that tonight we will give everything that we can. "artist of 78 years has not lied. With nine musicians and singers, he offered a generous concert nearly three hours, fuel sensitive interpretations.

Leonard Cohen in an old arena? It did not seem the ideal place to enjoy the poet. And yet, a few minutes after he enters at a run before 7,000 fans standing, we plunged heart and soul into his compositions. I must say that the sound was impeccable. Care was taken to keep the volume at a reasonable level so that everything was amazing clarity, beginning with a deep voice and vibrant Montreal. And then there was this sober, which created a proximity: the giant white veils behind which we guessed a painting signed by the singer. Finally, the audience was very attentive and seemed to hold its breath on every part, except when he could not repress a cry of approval ...

Also from Dance Me To The End of Love, Cohen was followed wherever he led us. He sailed in the entire repertoire, coming as the inevitable course Bird on the Wire or Everybody Knows, but also making fun tapping into lesser known albums like The Future, which he defended the piece title, Anthem, Waiting for the Miracle and Closing Time.

Cohen elegant like his team, in a black suit topped by a hat, embodied everything he sang, sometimes kneeling, sometimes standing, eyes closed. It was also listening to his talented troupe of musicians: one when offered a solo instrumentalists, he approached and removed his hat even. True that they deserved their listens, in particular Spanish guitarist Javier Mas, and violinist Alexandru Bublitchi, a remarkable technical accuracy and emotional. Each piece was entitled to rich arrangements, full of finesse. To top it all, Cohen relied on a beautiful section of singers, where was his long-time collaborator, Sharon Robinson and sisters Charley and Hattie Webb. Thus we were treated to several magical moments, whether the recent Come Healing, graced with the angelic voices of the Webb Sisters at Hallelujah, which still manages to give chills , or to A Thousand Kisses Deep, Cohen recited his unique timbre, which seemed to shake the foundations of the Colosseum.

In many ways, the show which we were treated was a logical continuation of the previous tour: same formula of musicians and singers. Or, were added new songs Old Ideas and even surprises such as the recovery of the Manic, Georges Dor.

When doing the calculation, it is nearly thirty songs that the great Leonard shared. Take This Waltz in Going Home, So Long, Marianne Famous Blue Raincoat, fans have gone through the full range of emotions could be seen smiling faces, heads swaying and sometimes eye gorging tears . No doubt that Cohen, author of Beautiful Losers, made ​​spectators before him Winners beautiful.

[BEATRIZ SALLES]

From Le Soleil -
http://www.lapresse.ca/le-soleil/arts-e ... fiques.php

[/quote]

Perfect conclusion:

....."Nul doute que Cohen, auteur de Beautiful Losers, a fait des spectateurs qu'il avait devant lui des gagnants magnifiques."


..."No doubt that Cohen, author of Beautiful Losers, made spectators before him beautiful winners."

[mnkyface]

I nominate this for best google translation from the 2012 tour:

(Québec) Shortly after being mounted on the stage of the Coliseum Sunday, Leonard Cohen

[joyezekiel]

Setlist first:

Dance me
Future
Bird on a wire
Everybody knows
Who by fire
Darkness (no guitar)
Ain't no cure
Amen
Come healing
Secret life
Thousand kisses deep
Anthem

Tower of song (no intro)
Suzanne
Waiting for the miracle
La manic
Heart with no companion
Partisan
Alexandra leaving
I'm your man
Hallelujah
Take this waltz

So long marianne
Going home
First we take manhattan

Famous blue raincoat
If it be your will
Closing time

I tried to leave you

[joyezekiel]

I nominate this for best google translation from the 2012 tour:

(Québec) Shortly after being mounted on the stage of the Coliseum Sunday, Leonard Cohen

I missed that bit!!!

[Tchocolatl]

Thanks everyone for your info about the Québec concert! I have goosebumps.

So he did it again.

As Beatrix Salles stressed it here, the article was written with the novel Beautiful Losers in mind. So the title of Le Soleil's article should be read :

Cohen makes beautiful winners.

Than he took Québec!

[bridger15]

Setlist first:

Dance me
Future
Bird on a wire
Everybody knows
Who by fire
Darkness (no guitar)
Ain't no cure
Amen
Come healing
Secret life
Thousand kisses deep
Anthem

Tower of song (no intro)
Suzanne
Waiting for the miracle
La manic
Heart with no companion
Partisan
Alexandra leaving
I'm your man
Hallelujah
Take this waltz

So long marianne
Going home
First we take manhattan

Famous blue raincoat
If it be your will
Closing time

I tried to leave you

Thank you, Joy for the set list first and for annotating "Darkness" with NO GUITAR.
I look forward to your concert report.
---Arlene

[joyezekiel]

For me, this was one of the best concerts. The venue wasn't as large as I'd expected after Montreal, and although it's an old building, the acoustics were excellent - every breath and every sigh clearly audible. Security was evident, but not intrusive, and there were plenty of photos being taken (although not by me!)

The crowd was fabulous - very respectful, yet off their seats and loud at the appropriate times. The people around us had huge grins for much of the concert and I'm sure it was so throughout the whole stadium. The love was palpable...... the Quebecois adore Leonard!

Leonard trotted onto stage as usual and launched into a very relaxed "Dance me"..... it felt as if we had all the time in the world. The music was tight - unified hearts indeed. "Darkness" was again performed without Leonard playing the guitar, instead treating us to some magnificent soft-shoe shuffling! Alexandre on the violin was stunning in Amen and it seemed no time at all until "Anthem" was closing the fist set.

There was no preamble or introduction to "Tower of Song", and no mention of angels at the end, but Leonard sang with a passion I've not heard before. The audience were off their seats and rapturous for Suzanne, and when Leonard introduced "La Manic" I thought the roof would lift off the stadium! Beautiful rendition of a beautiful song. More standing ovations.

"Heart with no companion" was softer than usual - not quite so country. And my favorite - "The Partisan" -was unbelievably powerful - tears in my eyes for that one. The audience were on their feet again for Sharon singing "Alexandra leaving".... one wonders if she can get any better.

"Hallelujah" has never been my favorite song, but last night I "got it" and I felt the tears pricking the backs of my eyes.... "I did not come here tonight, my friends, to fool you".

Encores seemed to go on for ever, with the usual contributions, culminating in a spine-tingling "I tried to leave you". Leonard and the band were clearly loving every minute and looked as if they could go on all night. I know I was feeling thankful and relieved that I have more concerts to look toward to, although if this had been my last I would be happy.

Joy