CONCERT REPORT: Christchurch, New Zealand, December 14, 2013

[sturgess66]

The venue is CBS Canterbury Arena, an indoor entertainment and sporting arena located in Addington, a suburb of Christchurch, about 2.5 kilometres from the city center.
It opened in 1988 and is sometimes referred to as “the horseshoe” because of the exterior design.
The capacity is 8,888.




Christchurch, New Zealand’s third largest city, is located about one third of the way down the South Island's east coast,

Christchurch was severely affected by the 2010 earthquake (7.1 magnitude) and is still struggling to recover from the damage.
Leif Bodarchuck talks about it here –
Old Ideas Tour — Dec 14, Christchurch - http://leifb73.com/2013/12/14/old-ideas ... istchurch/


Sophaloaf8 - #LeonardCohen in #christchurch #newzealand! Did I mention he's my neighbor at the hotel?

[zwirnie]

Massive apologies for this post, and I know this not the place for it. But as someone who has lived in CHCH during the time of those earthquakes, I just wanted to mention that the September 2010 earthquake was not the devastating one. While it was big on the scale, it did (relatively) minor damages with no loss of life. In February 2011 was another one, which 'only' measured 6.3 on the scale, but caused much more destruction (and the loss of 185 lives).
Apologies for the stickler attitude, but one of the reasons why the city is still struggling is because of the long period of time between these two main earthquakes and the ten thousands of aftershocks that occurred in between and are still going on.

Leonard Cohen was in CHCH for his first concert in 2010, two months after the first big one. He was the first artist to come back after the earthquakes, and it meant a lot to many people there. I just wanted to clarify that ... wish Leif would have done it in his post too, as he was there (most likely) three years ago...

[sturgess66]

Thanks for that Zwirnie. I think this is exactly the right place for it.

[sturgess66]

TWITTER -

@AmyBowie – - @ripponfestival @chchmusic OMG OMG i won a free ticket to see LEONARD COHEN! Wowowowowowowow thank you! What do i do to redeem?
I am SO EXCITED about LEONARD COHEN for free tonight I might just explode.

@Margie186 - I'm excited! #leonardcohen pic.twitter.com/P87tLMV9KU https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BbbOxMDCIAA-0U9.jpg

@suKitsune - At Leonard Cohen live in Christchurch! We may well be, the yougest people to attend the event tonight...

@crafternoon - I'm your man #leonardcohen http://distilleryimage6.ak.instagram.co ... 1dd2_8.jpg

@kairos001 - We are here - nice and early and getting excited. #LeonardCohen pic.twitter.com/7kDhhNCRcw
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BbbQKRXCIAAcyUH.jpg

@Samm467 - Waiting for Leonard Cohen to come on stage, so excited @ CBS Canterbury Arena http://instagram.com/p/h5IrvaDQ3y/

@Samm467 - Such an awesome night watching Leonard Cohen play! @ CBS Canterbury Arena http://instagram.com/p/h5TzqaDQ_A/
http://distilleryimage9.ak.instagram.co ... 78ad_8.jpg

‏@mr45144 - Like a Bird on a Wire. pic.twitter.com/tyEaJe5A94 https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BbbqgNhCEAAwjj9.jpg

‏@crafternoon - I was born with a gift of a golden voice #leonardcohen http://instagram.com/p/h5VQ6PmwVO/

@crafternoon - Leonard Cohen just blew my mind, destroyed my soul and covered Jeff buckley's hallelujah... Amazing show. What a band, what a man!

@mackersline - Three hours of Leonard Cohen and im feeling good. No depressing feelings. Want money back. Best show I've seen. #legend

@BrianBoruNZ – Leonard Cohen in Christchurch - four standing ovations, four encores. So generous. So good!

@BrianBoruNZ - And pure genius surrounded by extreme talent. #LeonardCohen

@secondzeit - Leonard Cohen, three rows back. All the hits played with surprising sense of fun. Crowd so well-behaved, the security guard fell asleep.

@mr45144 - Leonard Cohen tonight in Christchurch. Tingles down the spine, what an entertainer. Suzanne just almost had me in tears

@papierplane - Standing ovation No. 5 #leonardcohen @ CBS Canterbury Arena http://instagram.com/p/h5lL8KAMwu/

[B4real]

@crafternoon - Leonard Cohen just blew my mind, destroyed my soul and covered Jeff buckley's hallelujah... Amazing show. What a band, what a man!

Now that gets up my nose!! But he/she obviously had a great time!

[sturgess66]

@crafternoon - Leonard Cohen just blew my mind, destroyed my soul and covered Jeff buckley's hallelujah... Amazing show. What a band, what a man!

Now that gets up my nose!! But he/she obviously had a great time!

Basecamp "Hans" covered it -

@basecamp07 - @crafternoon glad you liked the concert and btw don't you know that LC wrote Hallelujah? Thanks for the good laugh!

[B4real]

Hey Linda,

Basecamp "Hans" covered it -

@basecamp07 - @crafternoon glad you liked the concert and btw don't you know that LC wrote Hallelujah? Thanks for the good laugh!

You must have just found basecamp07 's reply. Nice to see we are all paying attention

[sturgess66]

A set list, etc. from Masonthekiwi on Statigram - and it looks like he is "local crew" -


Swag. Free t shirt


Leonard Cohen - Old Ideas tour. Local crew t shirt, set list, lyric sheet. #LeonardCohen #oldideas #setlist


Standing side of stage #LeonardCohen #OldIdeasTour

[LisaLCFan]

@crafternoon - Leonard Cohen just blew my mind, destroyed my soul and covered Jeff buckley's hallelujah... Amazing show. What a band, what a man!

Now that gets up my nose!! ...

Yeah, me too! Everybody knows that it is "kd lang's Hallelujah"!

[sturgess66]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/christ ... nard-Cohen

Hallelujah, here's Leonard Cohen

Cohen still going strong at 79

Last updated 08:45 15/12/2013

Leonard Cohen at CBS Canterbury Arena, Saturday, December 14. Reviewed by Vicki Anderson.

There is a crack in everything, it's how the light gets in.

Magical is a word which was used a lot by those who saw Montreal poet, and gifted member of the tower of song, Leonard Cohen, last night. Around me the audience packed into the arena to see the famous baritone delivered the kind of fervent praise usually reserved for a religious experience.

Religion is something which is not far from the heart of Leonard Cohen. A Buddhist monk as well as observant Jew - there is indefinable spirituality which informs many of his songs.

He has an unwavering power to unfurl like no other, through song, tales of the human condition from love to despair and every emotion in between. Cohen says as much in the silences and spaces in his performance as he does through his articulate word play and extraordinary music.

The smart hat and suit complicate the Zen-like aura a little but throughout, Cohen conducts himself in a calm meditative manner.

Some of his best known songs are written in the tone of a seer, eg First We Take Manhatten which carried the same spooky weight last night as it did when first unveiled last century. Playing for over three hours over two parts and three encores followed three standing ovations, the arena was bathed in a hushed, reverent atmosphere as Cohen delicately delivered Dance Me to the End of Love, Tower of Song, Hallelujah, I'm Your Man and more.

For me Chelsea Hotel #2 and 1000 Kisses Deep were dynamite.

Cohen skipped on and off stage and fell to his knees often during the performance.

For all who attended last night, the kind of respect usually reserved for a Dylan or a Brian Wilson was afforded. He received a standing ovation walking on stage and three standing ovations before Closing Time.

Cohen is a master at weaving emotion subtly and the atmosphere was never overly maudlin, rather the sadness was inspiring and the audience laughed often at his well-timed lines and clever poetic teasers.

Aged 79, his deep baritone wavered only a little over his three-hour set and any blemishes were hidden by the outstanding band and wonderful trio of backing vocalists which included the infamous Webb sisters alongside Cihen's collaborator, Sharon Robinson, who did a mighty rendition of Alexandra Leaving.

The self-deprecation of a song from the album Old Ideas, called On The Darkness: ''I know my days are few. I thought the past would last me, but the darkness got that too'' was particularly poignant.

Cohen said he was "blessed my friends'' but really his musical generosity made the audience truly blessed.

The godfather of cool, Cohen is one of a kind.

COHEN SHOWS NO SIGNS OF SLOWING DOWN

At 79, Leonard Cohen shows no sign of slowing down, last night starting the third leg of a world tour that began in August 2012.

After the release of Old Ideas, which was only his 12th studio album in 46 years but his highest-charting, Cohen has toured both Europe and North America twice, before heading Down Under.

The Canadian, who turned to singing after becoming frustrated with his life as a novelist and poet, opened the New Zealand tour with his nine-piece band at the CBS Canterbury Arena in Christchurch last night.

Cohen is ranked alongside Bob Dylan and Paul Simon as the greatest singer- songwriters of the past 50 years. Lou Reed, who died in October, described him as part of the "highest and most influential echelon of songwriters".

Cohen will play at Wellington's TSB Bank Arena on Tuesday and Auckland's Vector Arena on Saturday.

- © Fairfax NZ News

[HelenOE]

@crafternoon - Leonard Cohen just blew my mind, destroyed my soul and covered Jeff buckley's hallelujah... Amazing show. What a band, what a man!

Now that gets up my nose!! ...

Yeah, me too! Everybody knows that it is "kd lang's Hallelujah"!

According to many Twitterers, it's Alexandra Burke's!

[HelenOE]

Great review, but what did those innocent-looking Webb sisters do to make themselves infamous?

[Kiwidiva]

Dear Leonard, Thankyou for coming back to Christchurch once more, what a fantastic night for us all......It was such a great evening and i thank you for entertaining us with your songs, poetry and sense of good humour.... The Band, Your lovely ladies, Sharon and the Webb sisters, made for a brilliant show...Long may you continue....Each and every encore was more than well deserved . Thankyou..x Kiwidiva

[majmunka]

Sorry, it's not much but my short FB report:
First let me do the screaming: THEY TOOK MY CAMERA AWAY! And I had no backup plan, not even a cell phone T_T Sorry, folks, not a single picture but next time I will be EXTREMELY prepared, I promise. Grrrrrr.

And now the good: everything else, really (well, except the sitting through the encores part, but that couldn't be helped). Leonard is lovely and lively, even more playful than before. Lot of little crazy singing between verses, dancing legs. 15 kneelings
We got a great Lover lover lover in the first set, Chelsea Hotel was superb and Sharon's Alexandra was brilliant - got a long, long clapping.

So long Mariann, First We Take Manhattan and Closing Time feels sooo weird sitting... Anyway, still loved them all. After Closing Time, there was I Tried To Leave You and Save The Last Dance too. Great show, felt like coming home again.

I loved Christchurch and I feel for all the people there. The same nature which makes it so beautiful and peaceful, giving them greens and blues and mountains, destroyed so much. Devastating. They needed this small happiness from Leonard.

[zwirnie]

...

@crafternoon - Leonard Cohen just blew my mind, destroyed my soul and covered Jeff buckley's hallelujah... Amazing show. What a band, what a man!

Now that gets up my nose!! ...

...
According to many Twitterers, it's Alexandra Burke's!

It's not just twitter that "urks" me these days ... setlist.fm as made a fantastic move as well. A few days ago they started to list "Bird on the Wire" as a Judy Collins cover (which is technically correct as she released the song before a few months earlier than LC) and "First We Take Manhattan" as a Jennifer Warnes cover (same thing). It's just wrong when you read the setlist of a Leonard Cohen concert, where he sings his own song and its listed as cover. Always been a great defender of setlist.fm, but this is just as wrong as the original post ...

Anyways, glad that CHCH had another fantastic show, and it sounds like it was well received. Did he make any special references to the city like last time (e.g. "... did not come to the Church of Christ to fool you ..." during 'Hallelujah', which as we all know was written by John Cale for the 'Shrek' movie ... )?