Perla Batalla at the Union Chapel (30th Nov. 2019)

[John Etherington]

Solo concerts by Leonard's ladies don't usually seem to attract large audiences, and previously, when playing in London, artists such as Anjani Thomas, Sharon Robinson, and the Webb Sisters have tended to play at smaller venues such as Green Note, the Jazz Cafe or Bush Hall. To the contrary, Islington's Union Chapel has a capacity of 900 people. Arriving at 6.40 pm, 20 minutes before door time, I was surprised to find a substantially long queue, which rapidly doubled in length. Once inside, I found that the main body of central seats downstairs were already full or reserved for those who had booked dinner in an adjoining building. However, I still managed to get a central seat, twelve rows back, on the left aisle. The Union Chapel is a beautiful building with a circular stained-glass window as a focal point. Adequate heating from raised electric fires made the place comfortably warm on a cold wintry night.

Perla Batalla took to the stage at 8.00 pm. She was accompanied by three male musicians; one on keyboard, one on double bass and one on oud/guitar (the latter had been brought-in from America at short notice). The stage lighting (primarily purple, crimson, and gold) was used to good effect. Perla, wearing a long black dress with white trimmings, played a set consisting almost entirely of Leonard songs, including the following: Anthem, Bird On the Wire, Dance Me To the End of Love, Everybody Knows, Famous Blue Raincoat, Hallelujah, I Came So Far For Beauty, If it Be Your Will, Sisters of Mercy, So Long Marianne, Suzanne, Take This Waltz, and You Want it Darker. Along with the songs, Perla shared some interesting and amusing anecdotes from her times with Leonard (though she was tearful when talking about his passing). Her performance was enthusiastically received, and included two encores.

After the show, Perla came to the merchandise stand at the back, which I believe was run by her husband. She was happy to chat with people and sign items for them. It was lovely meeting Perla for the first time. I told her that I had seen her play live with Leonard four times at the Royal Albert Hall, and also at "I Came So Far For Beauty" in Brighton. Perla mentioned that she had been particularly impressed with Nick Cave's performance at this. Finally, it was great to meet several people that I knew from the Leonardcohenfiles again, including Padma Kalraiya, Judy Remy, Chrissie Anne Clark-Bowles, Habie Schwarz, Albert Noonan and Marie Nolan, plus others whose names escape me.