Photo: Photographer Morten Rygaard --- www.mortenrygaard.com
Review / Live / Sunday 18-08-2013 at. 12:11
Leonard Cohen
King's Garden, Odense,
Saturday 17 August 2013
Reviewed by Morten Ebert Larsen
GAFFA - 5 stars
Readers - 6.00 stars on average (after 4 votes)
Ever since Leonard Cohen returned to the tour life in 2008 after a break of 15 years, it is every time has been found that now it was at least the last time that he had put his feet on Danish soil - and we have subsequently been gratifying surprised by the announcement of return visits for return visits. Master has been an unusually frequent visitor, and last night was Odense looked at his and the band's extensive tour schedule. The spring was used in the U.S., summer in Europe and in the latter part of 2013 visiting Canadian as Australia and New Zealand.
More than 11,000 spectators had redeemed the semi-expensive ticket for an evening in the company of one of music's greatest - and let me say it right away. It was a great, great night. The sound to a Leonard Cohen concert is anything but high and I had feared that it would end in a game audience chitchat, as it too often makes for concerts at home. Here I was fortunately very pleasantly surprised, and Cohen was shown the respect he deserves if any.
The session ended up being a marathon concert and started presumably with "Dance Me To The End Of Love". It seemed the leader and the band just to play in time and in "The Future" told Cohen that he did not know when a reunion could be possible, and therefore he and the band give everything they had. Of course, the words he says every night, yet it was impossible not to notice that there simply was given everything. Correct running we were with an under estimate "Bird On The Wire" where Cohen was so down on his knees and reinforced the last lines "I have tried in my way to be free" to the audience's great jubilation. This showed the otherwise somewhat anonymous Mitch Watkins first time with his quiet underlying electric guitar.
Scary accomplished
Of course it is Leonard Cohen, who is the star. Not forgetting too, however, his fiercely competent band, and those we got happily allowed to hear shine individually to a large extent. Sometimes it can be terrible to be a concert with many different instruments whose sound is not good. I'll happily greet and say it was in the king's garden, where you could hear the different sounds and nuances.
A large peak in the first division, which lasted just over an hour, was an almost criminally beautiful "Who By Fire", began with an out of this world-solo by Javier Mas on its Spanish 12-string guitar. Last year in January came Cohen's latest studio album "Old Ideas" and luckily setlist represented by four tracks from this album. Thus we include the magical hymn-like "Come Healing" where the slightly more than plain adorable Webb Sisters went into a song-interaction with the master that caused goosebumps. The first set ended with "Lover Lover Lover" where Cohen in the aftermath presented the band members with a comprehensive presentation. Very classy and speaks volumes about Canadian. There is respect for all parties, and even lydmændene were mentioned.
Master in darkness and safe choices
After a short break the second set kicked off. A set that lasted more than two hours. Here Cohen opened to show his skills on the keyboard in a wonderfully humorous "Tower Of Song". "I was born like this / I had no choice / I was born with the gift of a golden voice" he sang and received deafening cheers. Second set opened right scraped with a non full crew on the scene. It was powerful to experience "Suzanne" with Cohen on guitar, only flanked by choir and violinist Alexandru Bublitchi who played a major role throughout the evening. The darkness was here begun to fall, and the champion pulled the big "Chelsea Hotel # 2" with himself gasping hard in guitar strings. Wow.
Korsektionen consists of the already mentioned Webb Sisters, Charlie and Hattie, and not least the crazy velsyngende Sharon Robinson, who gave us "Alexandra Leaving", where you could hear a pin drop. Of course, we should also have "Hallelujah," "So Long, Marianne" and especially a playful "I'm Your Man". It is the guarantee that is played on, taking no chances. Since awaited return in 2008, Cohen played pretty much the same thing night after night, and of course all the classics endure yet another rehearing, but it could be interesting to hear some other man's countless great songs.
Cavalcade of encores was impressive. "First We Take Manhattan" took the common song on, but a serious nerve hit Cohen first with the subsequent "Famous Blue Raincoat". Quite simply one of the best songs. The Webb Sisters took control of a captivating version of "If It Be Your Will", where they also played acoustic guitar and harp. "Closing Time" thought I put the phrase, but Cohen had other ideas and came up with "I Tried To Leave You", which once again showed how the cabinet should stand. This gave each band member the opportunity to shine with a little solo.
Drifters-cover "Save The Last Dance For Me" was neither fish nor fowl, and the subsequent "Heart With No Companion" seemed a little out of place in the encore, where Cohen had been folded several times. In return we got the incredible "Anthem" with another round band presentations at the end of a concert that lasted over three hours and mostly was unsurpassed, but also had his few dead spots. Therefore we end up in a gigantic giant number five, but it was to a great extent an unforgettable night in the middle of Odense.
