"Leonard Cohen Live in London" > DVD & 2CD (April 2009)

[jarkko]

Review of Leonard Cohen's Live In London album on The Quietus:
http://thequietus.com/articles/01475-le ... bum-review

[Paula]

Nice review

Revisiting these old nuggets is pure joy... and it is pure joy that just flows from this performance. All the better, I suggest, when isn't surrounded by beige clad silver haired people passing Jelly Babies around (as I was, in Manchester... ruined 'Sisters of Mercy', it did).

Can I just say it was not me passing around the Jelly Babies but the image of it made me laugh these silver haired people passing round jelly babies where once they probably passed around something a little stronger.

[pegasus4]

I read with interest Jarkko's posting of Bill Sanders' comments about the Live in London DVD. I have also read the comments about the DVD on Amazon UK including the disparaging one star reviews(plural).Unfortunately ,there are now an increasing number of comments on Amazon critical of the quality of the DVD and its low tech production. As a souvenir of the tour I'm so grateful that we have both the CD and DVD but the critical comments are valid and are not mitigated by Bill Sanders' explanation of the thinking behind the DVD.The DVD could have been so much better as Leonard's performances at the O2 and other concerts I saw were sublime and outstanding.I have a video copy of Channel 4's production on Leonards 1988 tour and the quality is so much better and that was made 20 years ago.I sincerely hope we do have the opportunity to obtain a DVD in HD/BlueRay of the best performances of the tours as I'm greedy for more Leonard and this would be just wonderful.

[honeyrose]

I am a bit confused. I have the Live in London CD but when I searched on Amazon UK for the DVD it only brought up a link to Live in London (CD). Is the London version DVD out yet?

[FOXWOOD]

I am a bit confused. I have the Live in London CD but when I searched on Amazon UK for the DVD it only brought up a link to Live in London (CD). Is the London version DVD out yet?

Here is the link.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss_w_h ... nard+cohen

[tonymoco]

.

"Leonard Cohen -- Live in London" -- the recently released 2 CD Album of an evening's performance in London on the current tour -- is currently #8 in music sales on Amazon.com!

Amazon Top Sellers:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/mu ... _dp_ts_m_1

"Leonard Cohen - Live in London" at Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/Live-London-Leona ... 238&sr=1-1

This (global) level of success and recognition is so well deserved and has been such a long time coming....not to mention what it says about hope for humanity: the lyrics being so full of love, authenticity, and healing.

Hallelujah!

(UPDATE: The "Live In London" Video DVD is #1 (!) in the following Amazon.com categories:

#1 in Movies & TV > Music Video & Concerts > Pop
#1 in Movies & TV > Music Video & Concerts > Other Music > Folk
#1 in Movies & TV > Music Video & Concerts > Rock & Roll )
.

[jarkko]

http://www.metacritic.com/music/artists ... rd%20cohen

The live CD at Metacritic:

86 points (out of 100) by critics (based on just 6 press reviews)
9,8 (out of 10) by users (you may rate the album yourself, too --> let's make it 10!!)

What the critics said:

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

91Entertainment Weekly
Live in London is a reminder that Cohen is as gifted a performer as he is a songwriter.

90musicOMH.com
The wry humour on display even extends to the setlist, with 'I Tried To Leave You' being the first song of the encore. It's little touches like that which make Live In London both the perfect souvenir for those who were there on the night and also a handy introduction to one of the true living legends of the music industry.

80PopMatters
The London performance has yielded one of the finest live albums to come our way in a long while.

80Slant Magazine
London is by far Cohen's most generous live release, and if it tilts too heavily to the last two decades of his career, it compensates by including virtually all of the classics from the first three.

80Uncut
An uncommonly thoughtful victory lap, which deserves--and has received--a handsome recorded memorial.

80All Music Guide
Perhaps fate forced Leonard Cohen's hand to stage the tour documented in part on Live in London, but it seems that fate knows just what it's doing, and this album eloquently demonstrates how much Cohen still has to offer, and how clearly his music still speaks to him (and us).

[hershey]

I have read all the criticisms, and constructive opinions from some forum members, seemingly 'expert' in the technical know - how of DVD qualities, but just speaking for myself - I think it is wonderful. I also know that most forum members (as well as many critics) highly rate this DVD too - and it's No 1 in many countries.

The little 'quips' have not been edited out, the band are shown in all their highest quality of musicianship, as are Sharon and The Webb Sisters, and I was actually fortunate to also be at the July 2008 concert, so it makes it extra special for me.

I can understand those experts making views on how it could have been better, but for me it is wonderful. Who knows, commercially, when this DVD filming was planned, that the tour would go on and on, or that therefore there might be more budgets or opportunities for a Blue Ray or 'World Tour' compilation. So whatever comes next (and a World Tour 'best bits' would be great) lets be thankful that we have a complete 'one' concert recording.

[Evie B]

You are so right, Hershey, you are so right.

[basecamp]

I found this new review:
http://www.tagesspiegel.de/kultur/pop/H ... 71,2775084

Leonard Cohen: suchender, zweifelnder Geist
Leonard Cohen ist jetzt fast 75. Er wird immer leiser und heiterer. Diese Woche ist er auf Platz 21 mit "Live In London"...

[MarieM]

From Billboard
http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/reviews- ... 3429.story

April 25, 2009 ET
Live in London

Take almost 15 years off from performing at age 60, and won't fans forget you? Not if you're Leonard Cohen, whose return to the stage last year was greeted with hallelujahs. Deservedly, too: "Live in London" at the 02 Arena (July 17, 2008) is available as both a two-CD album and a two-DVD set, and you can't go wrong with either—both capture Cohen's return with remarkable fidelity, in all senses of the word. The concert sound is as vibrant as a fussed-over studio recording, and on the DVD Cohen looks rakish in his fedora and pinstripe suit. The spare but strategically deployed band, led by musical director/bassist Roscoe Beck, plays with the clarity, and you'll share the smile Cohen frequently wears in announcing his background singers: Sharon Robinson and Charley and Hattie Webb, "the Webb sisters." Between tunes Cohen recites lyrics from the next song to be performed, and these 26 tunes, delivered in his steady rumbling baritone, may have never sounded better, certainly not in one place on one special night. From his ancient folk-rock standards "Suzanne" and "Bird on the Wire" to the darkly visionary later songs like "First We Take Manhattan," "The Future" "Democracy" and "Closing Time," Cohen delivers a peak musical and emotional experience. —Wayne Robins

[jeremek]

Review of the Polish

http://www.laweczka.net/news/Dlugo-ocze ... dynie,1425

all the best
j.

[racer76]

Doubt I can add much and I aint read the other 18 pages but yes a minor point that most of it seemed shot from the stalls and almost up there noses! That aside I still treasure it and Lenny seems geuine at the reaction and rightly so, excellent musicianship throughout especially when you see what passes for "talent" these days.
My 22 year old niece is a big fan with 4 albums on her iphone, Leonard you are king, thanks for being in my life for 27 years.

[howthelightgetsin]

I'm still waiting for mine from Play.com... I'm just I will love it, for the sake of memories alone. Doubt Leonard would care too much what reviews and critics say:

'then there's no pride when the world affirms you, and no shame when the world scorns you'(L.Cohen)

besides he has witnessed all the standing ovations many times to know what people feel.

[DrHGuy]

Pitchfork is hosting online viewing of Leonard Cohen - Live In London for one week only (although it must be noted on their site, I haven't yet found when the week started or when it will end). From their blurb,

The classic singer-songwriter's July 18, 2008 gig from London's O2 Arena is lovingly documented in this excellent concert film. The two-and-a-half-hour set is available in its entirely.

I suspect most forum members have already purchased their copies of the DVD, but it might be worthwhile to pass along this link to friends and family who have not yet attained the state of grace (i.e., become Leonard Cohen fans).

The site is http://pitchfork.com/tv/#/episode/986-l ... n-london/1