Keith James - Songs of Leonard Cohen UK Tour

Tributes & covers; Leonard's songs on the soundtracks and TV
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Pete
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Keith James - Songs of Leonard Cohen UK Tour

Post by Pete »

I just stumbled across this looking for something else.

http://www.keith-james.com/


THE SONGS OF LEONARD COHEN UK TOUR 2011
It gives me great pleasure to announce my concert tour of The Songs of Leonard Cohen.
Each song stripped back - desolate, naked and sensual.
The most enigmatic, mysterious and sub textural songwriter the English speaking world has ever known. Revered and covered by the entire music community; Leonard Cohen’s exact sense of prose, his wry humour and his courage to wrestle with the unspoken. Forgiving human frailty with the brush of each line.


I previously included a list of dates and venues in this post but since then there have been many more added so the best thing is to check his website (link above)
Last edited by Pete on Mon Apr 04, 2011 1:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.
1974: Brighton Dome 1976: Birmingham Town Hall 1993: London RAH 2008: Manchester Opera House, London O2, Matlock Bandstand, Birmingham NEC 2009: Liverpool Echo Arena 2013 Birmingham
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Pete
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Re: Keith James - Songs of Leonard Cohen UK Tour

Post by Pete »

I might go to the Lincoln one depending what next year's calendar looks like. That would be quite fitting considering the very first fan event was in Lincoln in 1998.

Pete
1974: Brighton Dome 1976: Birmingham Town Hall 1993: London RAH 2008: Manchester Opera House, London O2, Matlock Bandstand, Birmingham NEC 2009: Liverpool Echo Arena 2013 Birmingham
Evie B
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Re: Keith James - Songs of Leonard Cohen UK Tour

Post by Evie B »

Thanks for bringing this to our attention Pete. I will go along to the Grantchester venue on 14th April.
Thanks again.
Evie B
...he shows you where to look amid the garbage and the flowers
Diane

Re: Keith James - Songs of Leonard Cohen UK Tour

Post by Diane »

The Square and Compass in Dorset is one of the finest pubs in England! If I can wangle a visit down there that weekend I will pop along. He was pretty good when he did the Lorca interpretations (although the accompanying dbl bassist made the music imo). Thanks for the info, Pete.
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Rob
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Re: Keith James - Songs of Leonard Cohen UK Tour

Post by Rob »

..And the really really good news is that since Pete posted those tour dates, this one has been added.

Sunday 27th March 2011
Cardiff Arts Institute, 29 Park Place, Cardiff - 8:00PM
Box Office - 029 20 231 252

THE SONGS OF LEONARD COHEN

http://cardiffartsinstitute.org
Diane

Re: Keith James - Songs of Leonard Cohen UK Tour

Post by Diane »

Rob, John the Shorts posted about this elsewhere. I'd better go 'there' and tell him you and I will be along... (I'd still sooner go to the Square and Compass mind you, but Cardiff is a tad closer).
Diane

Re: Keith James - Songs of Leonard Cohen UK Tour

Post by Diane »

An enjoyable night it was in Cardiff, meeting with Rob and Ann to see Keith James. We thought the highlights were his excellent covers of Famous Blue Raincoat (which he called the best song ever written), and Chelsea Hotel. He had a singer accompanying him, Louise, and she did a fine solo version of Bird on the Wire. As well as a number of LC songs, we heard a couple of poems from Let us Compare Mythologies put to music, plus some Lorca, and I give him a gold star for Woodstock from his recent Great Canadian Songbook tour. He mentioned that there had been a lot of interest in his current tour because of Leonard's popularity, and that there are even some obsessed people around, who would die rather than miss anything LC had ever done. Whoever does he mean? An evening well worth catching if you can!
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Rob
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Re: Keith James - Songs of Leonard Cohen UK Tour

Post by Rob »

I agree, a fine evening of (mostly) Leonard's songs.
There was an audible intake of breath when Keith James suggested that "not everything Cohen has recorded is absolutely brilliant".

As I was leaving I had a chat with a group of twenty year olds who were very knowledgeable about all things Cohen, the future may not be entirely murder.

Rob.
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Pete
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Re: Keith James - Songs of Leonard Cohen UK Tour

Post by Pete »

Laura and I will be at The Kitchen Garden Cafe in Birmingham this Sunday :D

I was there last Sunday to see Tir na nOg - it's a lovely venue ...small and intimate.

Anyone here going?

Pete
1974: Brighton Dome 1976: Birmingham Town Hall 1993: London RAH 2008: Manchester Opera House, London O2, Matlock Bandstand, Birmingham NEC 2009: Liverpool Echo Arena 2013 Birmingham
Diane

Re: Keith James - Songs of Leonard Cohen UK Tour

Post by Diane »

I wonder if you'll notice, the exquisite way he says, "yes" in FBR.
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Pete
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Re: Keith James - Songs of Leonard Cohen UK Tour

Post by Pete »

A great evening at The Kitchen Garden Cafe last night. Laura and I represented the forum :) but met other Cohen fans (Hi Rob!) and others who weren't fans but inquisitive. Keith acknowledged that there were a few 'die-hards' amongst the audience and then asked, innocently, for the name for a collection of Cohen fans. Some wit shouted 'a gloom of Cohen fans' :)
As for the performance- it was most enjoyable. I didn't know quite what to expect and was apprehensive about what one man (and Louise accompanying for some songs) would do with a whole evening of Cohen compositions ( with 3 exceptions) but I can definitely say that it worked. His dexterity on his varying guitars was a pleasure to watch and to listen to. His arrangements retained the essence of each song whilst providing sufficient diversity to offer a refreshing listening experience. His voice soothed, soared and sometimes deepened from song to song.
..and there was audience participation with 'So Long Marianne' - even with audience members on varying forms of percussion. That's the only song we were allowed to accompany although I did hear Laura quietly singing along with 'Famous Blue Raincoat' :)
Keith also slipped in one of his own songs. I bought one of his other CDs to explore more. What I like about it that he hasn't added more musicians to the studio recording (except for double bass). I got caught out with a Harvey Andrews album when I went one of his concerts and really enjoyed one man and guitar so bought his latest CD and it had a wealth of musicians on which actually spoilt the songs - but that's another story!

The Kitchen Garden Cafe is a great venue - very intimate and atmospheric. It is a cafe and a gardening shop in the day time but some evenings it transforms into this wonderful music venue. Keith has appeared before and he will be returning.

Pete
1974: Brighton Dome 1976: Birmingham Town Hall 1993: London RAH 2008: Manchester Opera House, London O2, Matlock Bandstand, Birmingham NEC 2009: Liverpool Echo Arena 2013 Birmingham
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Laura
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Re: Keith James - Songs of Leonard Cohen UK Tour

Post by Laura »

Thank you for the company, Pete. I really enjoyed the evening. Unfortunately without a local guide, an outsider like me can't really find the interesting places in this country. And this being my first concert in a cafe - it was interesting! Low ceiling, wooden beams, hot chocolate (ok, beer for everyone else), low lights, strange artowrk on the walls... really warm atmosphere. I really liked Keith James' guitar playing, and the voice too; it was somewhat a challenge to guess about what Cohen song he was talking in his introductions. I think the only time Pete managed to guess one was when he said it has about "1940 verses" and he invited us to sing the chorus-that was So long, Marianne! I didn't get any... :(
I am really suffering from a Cohen-singalong withdrawal; which explains the whispering along FBR... I have such great memories about that song.

Pete, as promised, I will not mention anything about the funny moment of the evening. ;-)

Laura
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Pete
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Re: Keith James - Songs of Leonard Cohen UK Tour

Post by Pete »

Laura wrote:Thank you for the company, Pete. I really enjoyed the evening. Unfortunately without a local guide, an outsider like me can't really find the interesting places in this country. And this being my first concert in a cafe - it was interesting! Low ceiling, wooden beams, hot chocolate (ok, beer for everyone else), low lights, strange artowrk on the walls... really warm atmosphere. I really liked Keith James' guitar playing, and the voice too; it was somewhat a challenge to guess about what Cohen song he was talking in his introductions. I think the only time Pete managed to guess one was when he said it has about "1940 verses" and he invited us to sing the chorus-that was So long, Marianne! I didn't get any... :(
I am really suffering from a Cohen-singalong withdrawal; which explains the whispering along FBR... I have such great memories about that song.

Pete, as promised, I will not mention anything about the funny moment of the evening. ;-)

Laura
Laura,
I'm glad you enjoyed it. You've found an oasis in Birmingham :)
On the other matter - whatever you do, don't mention that moment. If word got back to Jarkko then I would never be able to show my face here again. I trust in your silence :)
Pete
1974: Brighton Dome 1976: Birmingham Town Hall 1993: London RAH 2008: Manchester Opera House, London O2, Matlock Bandstand, Birmingham NEC 2009: Liverpool Echo Arena 2013 Birmingham
HelenD
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Re: Keith James - Songs of Leonard Cohen UK Tour

Post by HelenD »

A good friend and escort to LC concerts has just stumbled across an ad for Keith James and we were in two minds whether to go but having read all your comments, we must give it a go.
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clive cass
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Re: Keith James - Songs of Leonard Cohen UK Tour

Post by clive cass »

I went to see Keith James last Tuesday 17th May in Liverpool. The gig was in a small modern cinema and arts centre and was actually in a cinema with Keith stood in front of the stage and about 100 comfy seats. The gig was not sold out but Keith said a lot of his shows have been. I was on the front row not that it really mattered where one sat. For the most part Keith sang on his own but on half a dozen songs his "friend" Louise joined him on vocals and actually this enhanced the sound as it sweetened Keith's voice which otherwise was not quite "velvety" to be confused with Leonards. Louise sang a great solo but I have forgotten what song. Keith sang several of his own songs most of which were based on or contained the words of the Spanish Poet Federico Garcia Lorca who is a great inspiration of Leonard Cohen and whom Leonard's daughter is named after. I enjoyed Keith's own songs. Keith also sang great Neil young and Joni Mitchel covers. Regarding Keith singing Leonard's songs is concerned I would say it was in no way a copy cat tribute act or impersonation of Leonard but a respectful interpretation of the master. Keith's versions of Leonard's songs were excellent but they were versions and I would suggest about 75% a copy. Keith introduced Suzanne as being his own interpretation but even that was quite recognisable as to the original. Would I recommend the show. Yes. Firstly it was a very nice evenings entertainment and secondly it was very relevant to being a Leonard Cohen fan. Keith introduced every song with some of his thoughts and this enhanced the show in a way that could often be annoying and a waste of time.
Dublin(3) 14/5/12, Lille 25/9/10, Liverpool 14/7/09, Manchester 30/11/08, Manchester 17/6/08, London 1988 or 1993 date unknown, Manchester 27/2/85
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