CONCERT REPORTS: Sligo, Ireland, July 31 & August 1, 2010

[FOXWOOD]

I attended the Saturday with Mrs Foxwood who, although she is not a fan, agreed to come all the way from Sunny Yorkshire with me to see Leonard in concert.
Although not yet completely converted - she did say she really enjoyed the concert - which is Praise indeed!

There are many fantastic reviews in this thread so I will just make a few observations rather than repeating what has been already said.

Firstly we both really enjoyed visiting Ireland.
The people are incredibly friendly and helpful. Thank you again to Pauline for suggesting somewhere to stay - and also the food that she sold us from Cosgroves was delicious.

I would like to thank the lady who agreed to give us a lift back to Sligo after the concert. We had taken a bus to Lissadell . At midnight after finally being directed to the correct car park we found all the buses had gone, there were just hundreds of people walking around asking each other if anyone knew what was happening.
I saw a car with empty seats and tapped on the window and cheekily asked if they were going to Sligo. 40 mins later we had been delivered saftely to our door! Our thanks were accepted but all offers of any reimbursement from me were turned away as if it was an insult.

The concert was really something special . I felt that the audience in the first half was alittle subdued but the second half will live in the memory forever.

I was suprised by the number of people who would get up in the middle of a song and make their way along the row ( they are normally are seated in the middle) to leave to go to buy drinks etc.

Leonard did really go out of his way to make this concert one to remember.
It started 30 mins late - I presumed that they couldn't get every one in on time. I had expected the set list would have to be shortened and the concert still finish at 10.55pm as advertised in the local papers.This was not the case. Instead the interval was shortened and after only 20 mins Leonard was back on stage with "Tower of song" dragging people back from the food and drink stands. New songs and concert firsts Add light rain and the crowd now doing the singing whilst Leonard listened - magical!
The concert eventually finished at 11. 45pm with "Lover Lover Lover" What more can you ask for?


If you every get the chance to go to Ireland - do so.
If you have the chance to see Leonard on this tour - do so .

We were very lucky that we had the chance to do both.

[kencowley]

Just my twopence worth on Saturday's Lissadell show and some of the arising talking points;

Firstly the Bob v Leonard issue. Bob is the artist I go to most often (these days between 5-10 shows per year), and he is still the artist I get the most out of, mainly due to the sheer variety of songs and the arrangements and the phrasing (this, despite the ravages of time on his voice)

Leonard was never that high on my radar, but having seen him for the first time in 2008, can say he has jumped dramatically up my list of favourite artists, now nestling comforatably just below Bob 'n' The Beatles, along with the likes of Bruce, Neil, Tom, Johnny, Gillian, Wilco, Dead, Kinks etc. The 5 concerts I have seen (all in Ireland, he has played 10 here altogether since his re-emergence) have seriously been 5 of the best I've ever seen.

And none more so than last Saturday in Lissadell. Maybe the best show I've ever seen, certainly up there with my favourite ever Bob or Bruce shows. I won't repeat what many other reviewers on the forum have so eloquently said, but for me it's just the combination of vocal performance, presence, and that amazing band. I've done a short review on my blog, which is www.samsonsdiner.blogspot.com

Anyway, back to Bob v Leonard, of course, it's not a competition, but really it's like comparing apples and oranges. Bob was at an amazing peak in the early 2000s, and Leonard is at one now. Both extremely enjoyable in their own way. For my money, by the way,Thomond Park was one of Bob's best Irish shows in years. And if Leonard has played many concerts better than Lissadell I'd be surprised.

However, as a venue, Lissadell was stunning (and a million times nicer than Thomond Park). If there were to be more concerts there though, they'd really need to sort out the transport issues. I'd love to know why they didn't turn the main road in to a 3 lane road (using cones and traffic managment), making the inner lane a dedicated bus lane, and then reversing the cones for after the concert.
Hope we see him again! Ken.

[Bill's Bar]

I won't attempt to match the eloquence of Aifric, jd, and others in their concert reports. All I can say is that,(apart from Kilmainham), the Sligo concerts are the best I have seen. I only place Kilmainham ahead because of the 20 year gap since I had seen Leonard perform live. I think the Irish audiences add to the athmosphere( despite the few odds and sods mentioned elsewhere), both in their singing and in their silence. Leonard and the band picked up on this and it made for two memorable nights. As I watched 10,000 people singing and dancing to "So long Marianne", I was very happy to see the Leonard has finally got the recognition he deserves, and nailed the "grocer of despair" tag, once and for all. I overheard one of the stewards saying to a colleague "He's a real philosopher with words isn't he.?".

So thanks to Leonard, Robert Kory and the rest, for taking up and running with the light that Marie lit to bring the tour back to Ireland.

Just a quick word on the transport. Yes, Saturday night was bedlam with the busses. It took two hours to get back to the hotel. But on Sunday night within an hour we were back in the bar, with a drink in front of us, and Cohen fans beside us.!!

Tony.

[JudasPriest]

Ah, Ken...I see you too hang around these parts. Bumped into your cousin before the gig who is a friend of a work colleague of mine. Hope she enjoyed it as much as we did. And yes, as a venue, Lissadell (logistics aside) is infinitely nicer than T Park.

[JudasPriest]

Off to see the Handsome Family tonight in Whelans. Seem to recall them covering a Leonard song at the tribute concert in the Point a few years ago..

[duma]

Hello everybody, does anybody has a video from the Sunday concert's songs:

That's No Way To Say Goodbye

and

A Thousand Kisses Deep (recitation)

Of course, a high quality recording of the whole concert would be greatly appreciated too...

I do have a fantastic recording from the Saturday night concert to offer in return.

God bless you!

[JudasPriest]

Duma, would it not be possible to just upload your great recording of the first night for all to share? I'm sure someone else out there will happily put up the second night too? Forgive me, I'm new around here so this may be breaching procedure but it is the way things are done on fan sites of other artists that I'm more familiar with.

Regards,

JP

[imaginary friend]

Hello Friends,

I finally managed to read this thread in its entirety last night. I loved it all – the reports, the photos, videos, comments, tweets – all wonderful, thanks to everyone who posted here. Very special thanks to IrishAl, the video-pro, and Sturgess66 for posting Frank McNally's fine article from the Irish Times.

Foxwood wrote:
I would like to thank the lady who agreed to give us a lift back to Sligo after the concert. We had taken a bus to Lissadell . At midnight after finally being directed to the correct car park we found all the buses had gone, there were just hundreds of people walking around asking each other if anyone knew what was happening.
I saw a car with empty seats and tapped on the window and cheekily asked if they were going to Sligo. 40 mins later we had been delivered saftely to our door! Our thanks were accepted but all offers of any reimbursement from me were turned away as if it was an insult.

The concert was really something special ...

Clearly the Irish are warm and friendly people, but something happens to people during a Leonard Cohen concert. They emerge a little gentler, a little more thoughtful, a little more respectful. There is this feeling of community, and it's lovely. Foxwood, maybe your benefactress felt it, and just wanted to pay it forward. Heck – I felt it just reading this thread!

Diana, Leslie, Mary B, Tinders – so fabulous that you could all be there!

Edited to add Mary B and Tinders to the 'fabulous' list, and to take Arlene off of it – not that you aren't fabulous, Intrepid Arlene – you are – but I only just realized that you weren't actually there in the flesh!

[duma]

Duma, would it not be possible to just upload your great recording of the first night for all to share? I'm sure someone else out there will happily put up the second night too? Forgive me, I'm new around here so this may be breaching procedure but it is the way things are done on fan sites of other artists that I'm more familiar with.

Regards,

JP

HI JP, I'd love to do this, but the file is huge - i.e. 3 CDs and I know no way to upload such a big database. Any ideas? I'm willing to learn...

All the best,
duma

[Manslady]

Clearly the Irish are warm and friendly people, but something happens to people during a Leonard Cohen concert. They emerge a little gentler, a little more thoughtful, a little more respectful. There is this feeling of community, and it's lovely. Foxwood, maybe your benefactress felt it, and just wanted to pay it forward. Heck – I felt it just reading this thread!

I totally agree - sure we're friendly and warm, but we don't always stand up to the test - it's the Leonard factor. I felt it before, during and after the concert - it's the recognition of the honour it is to be in his presence. It quietly asks for gentleness, thoughtfulness and respect and is not found wanting. It makes you talk excitedly to total strangers in the queue for the loo, allow people to go in front of you at the coffee stand, introduce yourself to your 'neighbours', hug mere acquaintances you meet on the way out, generally feel at one with the world and it's mother and feel totally happy to be in that special place where Leonard is.

I've been to other concerts by other artists but never experienced this feeling.

And now that I think of it, I used to feel quite happy among total strangers when I hung out in Vancouver for a while ... Imaginary Friend, maybe it's a Canadian thing!

[JudasPriest]

Duma,

I can't help because to my shame, I never cracked how to do the whole upload thing. I've in my ignorance just benefited from those who can. However, I've pm'd Kencrowley who I know from Dylan forums and he may be better educated in such matters. If so, I've asked him to maybe send you a pm giving pointers.

If anyone else knows the magic formula, could they help in case Ken can't? It clearly is in everyone's interest to have access to a quality recording of an historic event like Lissadell

[coolfadda]

Well, that was brilliant

I took a punt and brought my good camera, glad I did, no-one went next nor near my bag on the way in. Here's a handful of pics - still going through them, will post more later!

http://www.dillon-malone.com/?p=136

Thanks for the fab photos. I wasn't as brave and only took compact. So so sorry now. Best night ever.

[FanForLife]

Juust added "If It Be Your Will" from Saturday Night

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azMIEC_bN1s

[burningviolin]

These are some of my videos, I hope you enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-GocHauah0
Bus, Mullaghmore.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtMZrZb4UrU
Tower of Song, July 31st.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8mnU8nlkaw
Who by Fire, July 31st.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMTSJyJg1yg
Chelsea hotel, August 1st. (admittedly IrishAl's video is the definitive version of this, I compressed mine too much so quality not really there)

Also have some of Heart With no Companion to upload yet.

[TipperaryAnn]

Burningviolin,
Delighted to hear you recorded "Heart with no Companion" - will be looking forward to that; it sounded great on the night with its lively country rhythm. Its presence on Sunday, with Chelsea Hotel, Hey, that's no way to say goodbye, and the recitation of a thousand kisses deep, means that the Sunday concert was my favourite, although both were great. For those of us lucky enough to be able to attend both it was good that the setlists were not identical. Of course, when the Saturday concert ended there was still Sunday to look forward to, but when Sunday ended, sadness descended..... ....Thanks to all posting videos here.