Cologne- July 1st

Europe and Israel (July 1 - September 24, 2009). Concert reports, set lists, photos, media coverage, multimedia links, recollections...
dannycarey
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Re: Cologne- July 1st

Post by dannycarey »

Womanfromaroom wrote:Hello everyone -

sorry if I only give you the details of my story later, but I am still speechless! For my mum and I have just returned from the splendid concert in Cologne, and this morning we even had the immense, unbelievable luck of meeting Leonard and Sharon Robinson! I am absolutely impressed with their natural kindness; cf. the picture below! :D
As I have said, details to follow, but right now, I am not yet able to think and to concentrate properly again ... ;-)
jesus....youre LUCKY!!!!dafür würde ich töten:D
MaryB
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Re: Cologne- July 1st

Post by MaryB »

Anne,

An original set list, and autographed, and then a beautiful photo of you and your mom and LC! I am so very happy for you! I assume that since Sharon was not in the pic, she was the one taking it?

Best regards,
Mary
1993 Detroit 2008 Kitchener June 2-Hamilton June 3 & 4-Vienna Sept 24 & 25-London RAH Nov 17 2009 NYC Feb 19-Grand Prairie Apr 3-Phoenix Apr 5-Columbia May 11-Red Rocks Jun 4-Barcelona Sept 21-Columbus Oct 27-Las Vegas Nov 12-San Jose Nov 13 2010 Sligo Jul 31 & Aug 1-LV Dec 10 & 11 2012 Paris Sept 30-London Dec 11-Boston Dec 16 2013 Louisville Mar 30-Amsterdam Sept 20
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tina
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Re: Cologne- July 1st

Post by tina »

Womanfromaroom wrote:Hello everyone -

sorry if I only give you the details of my story later, but I am still speechless! For my mum and I have just returned from the splendid concert in Cologne, and this morning we even had the immense, unbelievable luck of meeting Leonard and Sharon Robinson! I am absolutely impressed with their natural kindness; cf. the picture below! :D
As I have said, details to follow, but right now, I am not yet able to think and to concentrate properly again ... ;-)

Wow - I have to admit I'm jealous!
Congratulations for this unic meeting and this nice photo as a memory!
I also would be speechless! Really great! What a lucky day for you!

PS: Can't wait to hear the rest of the story!
Brugge July 2008 // Oberhausen November 2008 // Cologne July 2009 // Ghent August 2012 // Mönchengladbach September 2012 // Oberhausen June 2013 // Brussels June 2013
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Womanfromaroom
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Re: Cologne- July 1st

Post by Womanfromaroom »

Yes, you are right - Sharon was the photographer! And I think she has done a great job... ;-)
Right, so here is what happened:
The morning after the concert, my mum and me had breakfast in our hotel in Deutz (which is just opposite the city centre of Cologne, on the other side of the Rhine), and afterwards, we decided to walk over the great bridge to Cologne to see an arts exhibition. We came by a five-star hotel, and I must admit that I had had a certain feeling that Leonard and the band might be staying there. But of course, as it was rather late in the morning (ten o'clock) and there was going to be the Berlin concert that evening, we assumed that they had already left. However, it was a really hot day yesterday, and the hotel has a beautiful, shady terrace overlooking the Rhine and the Cologne skyline with the cathedral, and as it was open to the public and no one was around, anyway, my mother suggested that we should sit down for a few minutes and she would smoke a cigarette. So she did; after she had finished, she looked over to one of the other tables where two people, a man and a woman, had been sitting down in the meantime and said: “Surely, this couldn’t be Leonard?!”. I was not certain at first, for of course, he was not wearing his Fedora hat just to sit out there, and I am a little short-sighted; but then my mum was positive that the woman he was with was Sharon Robinson. So I just took a deep breath, grabbed my camera and the setlist that was still in my pocket from the evening before, went over and said something like, well, you know, the usual things – might have been “Excuse me, Mr Cohen”. And he smiled, got up, shook my hand and introduced Sharon (I could just stop myself before saying: “Yes, I know that that is Sharon!); I thanked him for the concert, and he thanked me for having been there. Then he waved to my mum, who had been waiting in the distance, to come over, too, and she got a warm handshake from Leonard and Sharon as well. I really don’t know what I said then, but I am bit ashamed – it seems to me now that I was talking way too much, and I really, really cannot remember what I said! Must have been something about this being an honour and this being unbelievable, and I am afraid it was not at all coherent. Don’t know, but somehow, as I have said, it was a lot of talking... And then, embarrassingly, I said: “Sorry, Mr Cohen, normally, I am more eloquent” – at which Sharon laughed and Leonard chuckled, in a deep “he-he” manner. My mum said later she was tempted to comment on that, but luckily, she did not… :oops: Well, and then he signed my setlist and we had the photograph taken… My mum did not want to be in it at first (she just hates having pictures taken of her!), but he insisted. And you can see that she looks happy enough… Afterwards, my mum wished him all the best for Berlin that night, and I said that I would try to come to Tel Aviv as well. He said: “Oh, we’ll all try to be there – it is all quite difficult”, and we briefly talked about apparently, no one wants him and the band to go there and how much opposition and even hatred there is from both sides. I told him that I am quite active posting about this topic on the forum, trying to keep some sort of middle stance – and when we had said our goodbyes and had already turned round, he said to me: “And thank you so much for your support on the forum – I appreciate that very much”. Which left me speechless and for hours with the most stupid smile on my face you can imagine … And then, I could not eat anything all day long because I felt like being outside reality in a way! “It’s coming from the feel That it ain’t exactly real Or its real, but it ain’t exactly there…” ;-)
Wow, all I can say is that Leonard is a really, really kind man, whose kindness somehow comes from very deep inside – he is virtually aglow with it, and I have never, never experienced that with anyone before. I don’t know how to describe it better, but being in his presence just makes you feel warm and very comfortable. He made us feel completely natural, not like intruding at all… Sharon was extremely open and friendly, too; I don’t know whether she got all the proper attention from us, but she seems to be used to Leonard being the centre of attention at these occasions…
Well, what can I say? That the enormous luck we had was incredible; I still cannot believe somehow that this has really happened… And that I will never, ever complain again when my mother wants to have a smoke! ;-)
Last edited by Womanfromaroom on Fri Jul 03, 2009 2:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"You thought that it could never happen / to all the people that you became"...
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tina
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Re: Cologne- July 1st

Post by tina »

Dear Anne,

thank you for sharing this great memory with us - like I said, I'm jealous, but at the same time, I'm very happy for you and your mom!
What a great day! What a big, unforgetable moment!
Brugge July 2008 // Oberhausen November 2008 // Cologne July 2009 // Ghent August 2012 // Mönchengladbach September 2012 // Oberhausen June 2013 // Brussels June 2013
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kwills
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Re: Cologne- July 1st

Post by kwills »

Oh that was superb!I can imagine myself blabbering on if I met him or being completely tongue tied.
You lucky women!!!!!!!! Sooooooooo jealous! You must be floating on cloud nine now. :D :D :D
Manchester 19th June/Cardiff 8th Nov
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Womanfromaroom
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Re: Cologne- July 1st

Post by Womanfromaroom »

Well, yes, I am! That smile still hasn't worn out, I still have to really force myself to eat something, and the friends I met up with yesterday evening were polite enough to listen to my story at least three times - but nevertheless made it clear that on the whole, they found me even more absent-minded than usual and all in all quite unbearable... :D It is similar with my mother, who is probably getting on some neighbours' nerves right now by playing Leonard records (yes, vinyl ones!) on top volume! ;-)
"You thought that it could never happen / to all the people that you became"...
Love Calls You By Your Name
Evie B
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Re: Cologne- July 1st

Post by Evie B »

Hello again
I am crying still reading about your's and your mother's meeting with Leonard and Sharon. It is truly fitting that you should be a person fortunate enough to meet Leonard, you are always such a true supporter of his in every way, with only kindness and love for him and everyone being expressed on the Forum. My feelings are that justice has been done. I did not dare to believe beforehand that you would actually meet him, but am so incredibly happy that you did.
Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy that memory, how sweet it is.
Much love
Evie
...he shows you where to look amid the garbage and the flowers
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Womanfromaroom
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Re: Cologne- July 1st

Post by Womanfromaroom »

Eve,

that truly is one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me. Thank you!! :)
"You thought that it could never happen / to all the people that you became"...
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Wimmer
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Re: Cologne- July 1st

Post by Wimmer »

Hallo Anne!

Thank yor for sharing this very great moment and I am glad for you and your
mother to meet Mr.Cohen and Mrs.Sharon. My god so great:D For many years ago i meet
Leonard cohen after the concert in Nürnberg, I was 17 Years ago :lol: I never forgot this
moment.
Thank you also for their contribution in the forum for politik. I like to read your Answer
to Isreal and Palästina. It would give more people like your. Would like to
know more about for your work for Israel.Only dialogue can be somewhat.
Sorry for my englisch.German ist my motherlanguage ;-)
Marina
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friscogrl
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Re: Cologne- July 1st

Post by friscogrl »

Oh Anne, what a great story! I loved your account of you and your mother meeting Leonard. It must have been a bit of shock. I think we all have fantasies of meeting him but of course they rarely come true. I am so happy for you. Over and over with these meetings people comment on how warm leonard is and I wouldn't worry about saying too much. I have heard some stories where people burst into tears when meeting him! And I loved that he thanked you for your support on the forum! And how thrilling to have the picture and signed set list!

Marsha
Last edited by friscogrl on Sat Jul 04, 2009 2:06 am, edited 2 times in total.
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margaret
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Re: Cologne- July 1st

Post by margaret »

Anne,
I am really pleased for you. I can see that you are still floating on air after your meeting with Leonard :D

Margaret
ladydi
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Re: Cologne- July 1st

Post by ladydi »

Dear Anne,

I have been so very impressed with your contributions to the Forum, and the strength of your convictions. I truly feel it was meant to be that you "accidently" encountered Leonard and Sharon (good thing that your Mom smokes!). I am sure that you sharing your views with Leonard has given him an additional sense of "rightness" involving his concerts in Israel and Ramallah. If ANY ONE INDIVIDUAL was to encounter him serendipitiously.....it HAD to be you. I truly feel it was meant to be.

On a lighter note, the photo is awesome....as are the autographs of Leonard and Sharon on your setlist! OMG, so many of us are envious of you and your Mom, but again, I truly feel it was preordained!

All the best,
Diana
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Womanfromaroom
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Re: Cologne- July 1st

Post by Womanfromaroom »

Thank you all for your immense kindness! As I have said, I still find it hard to believe that this has actually HAPPENED... But then, I look at the setlist, which is now framed and up on the wall next to my desk, and I come to realize it is true... :)
The only thing about which I will be forever sorry is that I didn't find the words to even reply to his final "thank you" for the support in the forum. I was virtually spellbound, and only afterwards I thought of all the things I should have said... Well, I hope, being the immensely wise man he is, he can imagine that this must have meant very, very much to me!
Once again, thank you for your warm words! Not sure I deserve so much praise... You are all, as Eve has put it earlier, "true supporters of his in every way, with only kindness and love for him and everyone being expressed on the Forum". You know, after the Cologne concert, he said his blessings and also included, with a brief chuckle: "And - even if that's a tricky one! - be kind"... And then having met him and having been confronted with his really gracious, open and warm manner just makes me want to live up to that, although it is probably almost impossible to become as accomplished in one's ways with people as him! But still, Leonard is a very good example to follow, I think... ;-)
"You thought that it could never happen / to all the people that you became"...
Love Calls You By Your Name
MaryB
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Re: Cologne- July 1st

Post by MaryB »

Anne,

Thank you for posting the story of your fortuitous encounter. These chance meetings most often leave one speechless, so we then tend to start to just talk and talk. Knowing this time with him will be brief, you try to get in as much as possible. Believe me, you are not alone in this. You always think of all the most wonderful things to say to him after the fact. He is probably so used to these types of reactions and he does have the most wonderful sense of humor - I tend to think he gets a kick out of it. And, you got one of his famous chuckles out of him! You lucky girl you! You must have said something right!

Best regards,
Mary
1993 Detroit 2008 Kitchener June 2-Hamilton June 3 & 4-Vienna Sept 24 & 25-London RAH Nov 17 2009 NYC Feb 19-Grand Prairie Apr 3-Phoenix Apr 5-Columbia May 11-Red Rocks Jun 4-Barcelona Sept 21-Columbus Oct 27-Las Vegas Nov 12-San Jose Nov 13 2010 Sligo Jul 31 & Aug 1-LV Dec 10 & 11 2012 Paris Sept 30-London Dec 11-Boston Dec 16 2013 Louisville Mar 30-Amsterdam Sept 20
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