CONCERT REPORTS: Dublin September 11, 12, 14 & 15, 2012

[arran]

Just returned from Dublin concert on Friday 14th. The weather stayed dry, our seats were much better than expected, managed to get a few pieces of merchandise, those sitting around us were pretty much sober and just there to enjoy seeing The Master. Thanks to Charlie and Hatty for their acrobatics and to the whole team for a wonderful night from 7.15pm til 11pm. Leonard said at the beginning "we will give it everything we have" and they certainly did. Wonderful night, wonderful memories, wonderful man. Thanks Leonard.

[musicmania]

Hmmm where is my post thanking Albert gone? Maybe I closed the page before submit? Ok so I write again, thank you Albert.

You are right Aido, they wouldn't. There is a magnetic pull on my heart making me want to be as close as possible to Leonard during So Long Marianne

I never heard Anyhow as a song to be laughed at its lyrics.

Trust me you had to be there to see it. it was AMAZING and perfect song position after I'm Your Man! Albert's video is of course brilliant but I think I was more laughing at Leonard's expressions than the lyrics. He was soooo playful during this song. And in keeping with the theme of Anyhow here is a photo I captured during the song.

[annmarie]

I am so excited to hear that Leonard did Anyhow in concert (& with new lyrics, different from the new lyrics in soundcheck, no less)!! That had to be totally awesome! I echo Tineke's hope that this has been captured on video -( where are you, Al or Marie - I'm depending on you & your brilliant videography).

Anyhow,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mz9j3GCYiPQ

was lucky to capture this ...had 2 seconds left on by battery when this was finished !


albert

Oh Albert what would we do without you!! Brilliant, and just like I remember it. Thanks so much.
I wonder if you managed to capture Marianne last night? I know someone else already posted it, but it sounded nothing like what we heard from the tiered seating ( it was a gamble, but Marianne never sounded so good). There was just a vague nuance of something that captivated us, something even more special than the Marianne that we've loved for 44 years.
Anne

[annmarie]

Not sure I've quite come down to earth enough to post, but what a week!!!!!!!!!!!!
I don't really have words to describe it all. Kilmainham magic was definately in overdrive.....again! In 08 we felt privileged to see Leonard again and thought perhaps it would be the last time. How wrong we were, thankfully!
Yes it was cold, we had drunks etc, BUT we had Leonard in fantastic form. Old songs that we all love, new songs that capture us all over again How privileged a lot we are!
Very special thanks to our lovely Gwen for some really magic moments..............moments we've waited 44 years for I still have to pinch myself to believe it happened!
Looking forward to Lisbon next.
Anne

[sandraa]

The 3 nights i attended were a wonderful experience. On the Saturday it was lovely to see the Webb sisters spend a bit of time with a little girl and her family who were waiting at the barriers of the Hospital building. It was also great to wait and see Leonard leaving last night and we were well rewarded with waves etc .
A Cohen audience must be so difficult for stewards to deal with and they dealt with us all with common sense and a bit of humour. Interesting to note that the bag searches seemed to be all about finding alcohol and the stress over cameras seemed to have gone by the 3rd/4th night.

[table top joe]

Just wanted to say a big thanks for the videos to Albert,especially "Anyhow",i love it .......great to read all the reviews too everybody!

[kenscott]

It is always interesting to read different people's accounts; some first timers some well travelled and experienced.I bought my Hop Farm ticket in Spring only to find it was re-arranged when I saw the money returned. I managed to get a Wembley Arena ticket but not in a great seat. I enjoyed the concert so much I made plans to travel to Dublin after getting a Saturday night ticket. I read much about the special atmosphere at Kilmainham and was looking forward to it. Wembley had been respectful but warm and affectionate, only letting go toward the end. This site was very useful in letting me know what to expect and I even packed my sleeping bag, hat and gloves but didn't need them! Arrival at Kilmainham was good, the park majestic and I liked the banners and flags on entry.It felt like a festival.My seat wasn't too bad as , even buying late I travelled solo. I was so disappointed by the audience attitude however. The huge numbers of people wandering around, chatting, getting up, buying hot food or drinks and then returning were so offputting .It was hugely disrespectful to all of us, performers and audience. Why were outlets still allowed to sell? It was like asking the man to perform in front of a bus queue.It was like trying to watch the concert hidden behind the bus queue. The large numbers of people (all local by their accent) who casually and loudly chatted through song after song as if it was a radio they were listening to were unbelievable.Perhaps having four concerts means familiarity dulled the occasion? I was in A6 and even though I told a group of women to shut up, they really only paused and other groups were also in full flow. To cap it off for most of the encore a man was in our sight line walking round with an urn on his back, a red light flashing and a flag stuck to his urn. Even more unbelievable were the people buying his drinks! Obviously it was lucky for the promoters that there was a concert on as this must help boost sales of all important coffee and tea. Don't worry too much about the people who turned up to listen to Leonard Cohen!
Having said all that ( and as its a theme with other contributors - doesn't it bother the organisers?) I thought his voice was more fluent and richer last night, Sharon Robinson and Alexandra Leaving was achingly beautiful, painfully poignant and (dare I say it?) perhaps the highlight for me. It must have been good - it shut the talkers up for 7 minutes. I travelled from the Midlands and spent the night. Was it worth it? without any shadow of a doubt! He was majestic, dignified and magnificent. I enjoyed the slight changes from Wembley and thought the encores were a tour do force that floated us all above any irritation. Would I go to Paris, Lisbon etc if I could afford it? try and hold me back.
Could the fellow concert goers be affecting the reputation of memorable concerts? Could the organisers and concert goers have made a more sympathetic environment to have helped rather than challenged the performance? Probably

Anyone got a spare ticket for Paris?

[friscogrl]

Great video of Anyhow. Leonard was in great form and you did a wonderful job of capturing that Albert!

Marsha

[Brooklynite]

Thank you for all the great reports, photos and videos. I am so much looking forward to my own concert in Brooklyn on December 20. I am counting the days! I have had my tickets since May. They were a Mother's Day gift from my daughter, who will be attending with me. She is looking forward to her first LC concert! I am tempted to splurge for Madison Square Garden tix as well.

I was wondering if anyone had any insight as to why "So Long, Marianne" is so popular among the Irish fans. To answer my own question, I have a theory of my own, as the daughter of Irish parents. I think it is because it is such a good sing-along song. The Irish folks I grew up around always loved a good singing session. What do you think?

[astranger]

I never heard Anyhow as a song to be laughed at its lyrics.

I was curious as to how this one would translate live as it is one of his most down-trodden songs. Leave it to Leonard to turn it into one of his funniest live songs!

[Mabeanie1]

I was wondering if anyone had any insight as to why "So Long, Marianne" is so popular among the Irish fans. To answer my own question, I have a theory of my own, as the daughter of Irish parents. I think it is because it is such a good sing-along song. The Irish folks I grew up around always loved a good singing session. What do you think?

I think you are absolutely right about the sing-along Brooklynite - but there is one other thing. I hate to shatter everyone's illusions about the special nature of Irish audiences but the big sing-a-long happens in every single country in Europe!! Even crusty old England - in London too Leonard stopped singing himself to enjoy listening to the audience's singing, just as he did in Dublin. The audience also sing along with all the other songs in the encores, particularly the choruses. The evidence is there on YouTube.

Wendy

[musicmania]

Very special thanks to our lovely Gwen for some really magic moments..............moments we've waited 44 years for I still have to pinch myself to believe it happened!
Anne

Ah you are very welcome. I am still pinching myself too and still in a daze at Leonard's kindness. I haven't even been able to write my concerts report yet and still haven't sorted all the photos from Friday or Saturday. Hopefully by tonight

[maroo]

Hi everybody!!
I was on the 14th and 15th concerts. that was the first time for me, but what I have inside is around 7 hours of pure emotions.
I also meet some of you, and that was great! I really hope to be part of other Leonard concert, and meet you again, and share emotion and experience!!!
I'll post some of my pictures in some days!!!

Cheers!!

Piero

[holydove]

I read much about the special atmosphere at Kilmainham and was looking forward to it. I was so disappointed by the audience attitude however. The huge numbers of people wandering around, chatting, getting up, buying hot food or drinks and then returning were so offputting .It was hugely disrespectful to all of us, performers and audience. Why were outlets still allowed to sell?

Kenscott, thank you for the honest, but respectful, account of your experience. I was also surprised, having heard much about Kilmainhim, by all the activity & talking that went on throughout the concerts, & I also agree that the concessions should be closed during the concert - especially at a venue where the doors opened 3 hours before the concert began - I think they had enough time to make some pretty substantial profits. Fortunately, I become so absorbed in Leonard & the music, that the constant chattering going on in the row behind us receded far into the background, & though I was aware that it was going on, it didn't really disturb me. But other people sitting near me were, understandably, very disturbed by it. We were also fortunate to not be sitting near a walkway, & most of the time, noone in our row was getting up & going back & forth, & I'm sure that helped to decrease the degree of disturbance. I would add, though, that the love for Leonard was very tangible in the Dublin audience (as it is in all of Leonard's audiences), & Leonard obviously felt it, appreciated it, & responded to it. I think the phenomenon of outdoor venues just sometimes translates into a party-like atmosphere for some people & in some places. As has been said, the atmosphere in Gent, though it was outdoors, was very different - quite reverential & much quieter during the songs (but I think that might be the exception in terms of outdoor concerts).

Having said all that, I would also like to express my agreement with you about the immense dignity & beauty of Leonard's performances. Fortunately, Leonard has alot of experience dealing with different kinds of audiences & atmospheres, & he has always been incredibly gracious & tolerant, & able to deliver the most exquisite performances, under various kinds of circumstances. So I think the noise & activity is much more disturbing for some audience members than it is for Leonard. My guess is that Leonard just tunes in to the love, which manifests differently at different times & places, but as long as whatever is happening is coming from a place of love, it's all good. Of course, that's just my perception. . . (But I still think the concessions should close when the concert begins. . .)

[minnie]

I was wondering if anyone had any insight as to why "So Long, Marianne" is so popular among the Irish fans. To answer my own question, I have a theory of my own, as the daughter of Irish parents. I think it is because it is such a good sing-along song. The Irish folks I grew up around always loved a good singing session. What do you think?

That's part of it but I think, more importantly, "So Long, Marianne" speaks to that part of human nature which the Irish psyche is deeply in touch with; an awareness of the bitter sweet and sometimes horrendous loss that's intrinsically enmeshed with love/life and anything that moves the heart. Accepting that brings an ability to give space to hope, nostalgia and humour without polarising the spectrum of experience.

Maybe it could be petitioned as our new National Anthem ...