Are the reviews always this good?

[Hartmut]

Hi Lizzy,

Have you seen him, Hartmut?

Yes, quite a lot of times, fortunately.

Now that we're old,

Well, one has to assume that some of the critics in the 80s and 90s were no spring chickens either.

But that:

and the young are older than they were then as they have experienced so much more than the young did then... our worlds are nowhere as idyllic as they once were...

is actually a good explanation.

Hartmut

[sturgess66]

Young people going to these present day concerts are being "blow away." And then going back to find his earlier recordings.

Look at this - his name is popping up in the sports news - - the race towards the World Series.

Hey, Leonard Cohen, at age 75, put everything into a terrific concert we attended last night at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, a concert that lasted over three hours and ended with one of the great singers of our lifetime skipping joyfully off the stage three times (and returning three times for encores). And Manny can’t run out a grounder in the NLCS, or even stay on the bench to watch his teammates, rather than take a shower during the final outs because he’s no longer in the game?

http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-braves-blo ... raves_blog

[Actually]

Young people going to these present day concerts are being "blow away." And then going back to find his earlier recordings.

I wouldn't generalize that. And I must know, because I am young.

[lizzytysh]

Connection ~ connection with life, connection with ourselves, connection with Leonard, connection with each other. Understanding ~ that most gratifying feeling of experiencing someone truly understanding you and the equally gratifying experience of truly understanding someone else. These are only two of the many facets Leonard brings to us !

There really are few people who will buy in to the perceptions of others's opinions of music and rapturously proclaim them as their own, if they're really not. Not so many people worldwide are so weak. Ahhh... such skepticism .

When I first heard Suzanne coming from the album on the turntable, I had never heard of Leonard Cohen, much less read a review by anyone young or old. When I took a train to Chicago circa 1974 to see Leonard on two, consecutive nights, I had not read a single review of his performances. My response is the same as today. This concert tour has been phenomenal in that it confirms beyond all doubt that Leonard's impact on people, young or old, is a deep and lasting one... it has to be humbling for him to bear witness to the young people embracing him now the same as we did then... as Donalagata so accurately said in Tampa, Leonard is building his legacy right now. The misfortune that came upon him has turned into irreplaceable and priceless treasure. For us, we have had the unique opportunity to see and hear him perform Live. For him, he no longer just knows of our love for him, he has been able to directly experience it over and over and over again.

The reality of it all ~ greatness defies convention and can easily be recognized by many.
Such is the nature of true greatness. Leonard's songs and music have always evoked the state of being human and the eternal. The responses of people who never knew him continue to confirm all that he has so carefully planned. He is such a gift for which to be deeply grateful. Every adoring word accurately applies.

Truth and authenticity have no real imposters and they are recognized and embraced for all that they are by both the old and the young. Leonard's tour is the truth bearer vessel of these realities.


~ Lizzy

[hydriot]

If I can add, there was ONLY ONE bad review during 2008-2009 tour, and that was not actually "bad" but more cynical and wanna-be-snobbish from one of typical young music blog writers. It was posted somewhere here on the forum; it was very short.

Journalists always try to find something bad to say about a concert or play, just to maintain their credibility with the readership. What has amused me is how in the early days they struggled to find something negative to add balance (catering perhaps not quite up to scratch, beer too warm...) ... and then just gave up and admitted: "Hell: superb, can't be beat!"