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So, the Dublin shows were at The Point, a converted Train Shed in the middle of the docks on the north bank of the liffey, and about a mile's walk from the pub where we met up beforehand. I just looked up the capacity of the Point, and it's 'up to 8,500' - I suspect somewhat less than this in the all-seated configuration it was in, but certainly several thousand. Acoustics weren't too bad towards the back of the hall, where I was the first night, and definitely good towards the centre of the front section, where I was the second night. Two nights for basically the same show was definitely an indulgence, but since I was going to be in dublin both nights, and had nothing better to do, it didn't seem too extravagent. Maybe when I get my next credit-card bill...

So, the show. Which turned out to be over 3 hours of music, with an interval, and starting a bit after the scheduled start time of 8pm, and ending round about midnight. The exact performers shouldn't have been a suprise to me if I'd read the programme first (I hadn't!) but i knew roughly who was performing. The first night, being towards the back, it wasn't that clear who was coming on stage each time, but some performers were instantly recognisable, including the first one - Nick Cave. In his long, dark jacket, with flowing hair and a long moustache he looked like he could have been a preacher from the wild west. His first song was Avalanche, one of my more favourite of Cohen's earlier songs, and one he did justice too.

Next was Robin Holcomb, as I only knew by reference to the programme. One minor niggle was that none of the artists were introduced first - not a problem with Nick Cave or Lou Reed, say, but I didn't know whether that was Robin Holcomb, Mary Margaret O'Hara or whoever. She sang (Seems so long ago) Nancy , another song I like, but not sung by her, unfortunately, the warbly nature of her singing voice wasn't to my taste.

Then, Lou Reed, who like Nick Cave I was seeing live for the first time! He seems to have generate the most debate amongst those of us who have commented on the performances, with some loving him and some hating his performances. I veer towards the love side, although I acknowledge his shortcomings, like an inability to remember the words and needing to read them from a lyric sheet, which was itself a much larger sheet than anyone else needed. I suspect the latter has something to do with vanity and him needing and not wearing reading-glasses, and the former might have something to do with how fried his brain is. But that aside, I enjoyed the way he rocked-out, on his second song, Stranger Song anyway, if less so on his first song, One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong. I guess it's also fair to say he sounded exactly how you'd expect a parody of a leonard cohen song performed in the style of Lou Reed to sound. Whatever! I enjoyed his performances.

Next, yet another act I was seeing for the first time. In fact, I just noticed the only artists that I had seen before were Teddy and Kamila Thompson, so you can take that as read from now on. So, the Handsome family, who I've been hearing about for a while, but only actually heard their music since the Berlin event, when I was coincidentally given CDs of theirs by my friends Bobbie (Live at Schuba's Tavern) and Lizzie and Peter (Twilight). I've been playing their music quite a bit since I got those, and love them! So it was a treat to hear them live for the first time, and even more so to hear them sing A Thousand Kisses Deep, one of my more favourite of his recent songs, indeed one I've loved since I first heard it in Montreal in 2000, at the Cohen event of that year. His voice suits Cohen songs, and her backing vocals are similarly sympathetic to his, and to the songs.

Then it was Antony. His If It Be Your Will was the highlight of the 'I'm your man' film for me - this was the second song he played, and was even better in the flesh. The first song he sang though was The Guests, which was also good, but not as moving as If It Be Your Will, probably just because it's not a song that's really spoken to me before, and which I haven't listened to as much or as intently as that song.

Next Laurie Anderson - again, it wasn't entirely clear it was her, with no introduction, but it wasn't too difficult to guess, particularly when she started singing Dear Heather, which is in any case a song I don't like at all. I suppose that's a good thing because then I didn't feel it was ruined by the way she performed it, using a vocal effects mic' that made her sound like a man. Weird, or 'Avant Garde' if one wants to be more complimentary about it, I suppose.

She followed this up though with my most favourite song of his from his last two albums, In My Secret Life. I liked her version of it too, although I don't recall loving it, I did enjoy hearing it.

Gavin Friday was next, a name I vaguely recognised, but didn't really know who he was. He is a good singer, though, and a charismatic stage presence, and did a fine version of Who By Fire, one of the songs that makes 'New Skin for the Old Ceremony' one of my favourite Cohen albums.

He was then joined by Mary Margaret O'Hara, and together they sang Hallelujah. Now, I'd have expected to like pretty much any version of this song, one of my top five cohen songs. And I'm sure I would. Just not this version! There's obviously something I don't get about MMOH's singing style, and I have liked the odd song or two I've heard of her before. It just didn't work for me live, though, and to me she looked a bit like a maiden aunt who'd been at the sherry. Does that image work for anyone else? Not that I have any aunts, maiden or otherwise, I'm just guessing.

Then, Anjani sang 'Blue Alert', the title song from her recent album (whose name temporarily escapes me). I wasn't convinced when I heard she would be doing two songs from Blue Alert, although they are Cohen songs (lyrics, anyway) and they would be songs she's rehearsed, they're not songs that Cohen has sung himself. Not recorded, anyway, I suppose it's possible he's sung them in the bath, or shower, but I won't dwell on that image. She did sing this song (and the other she sang, Never Got To Love You), very well, and I was pleased to have heard her sing them live. Although, unlike some cohen fans it seems, I merely admire her singing, I'm not besotted with her...

Next up, Dress Rehearsal Rag, by Nick Cave again. Like Avalanche, from 'Songs Of Love And Hate', and not the most cheerful of Cohen songs, although it has flashes of humour in it. Perfectly suited to Nick Cave's delivery, too.

Then, Stranger Song by Lou Reed, as already mentioned, followed by So Long, Marianne by Beth Orton. Now, I've seen other people rave about her singing at this show, and while I thought it was good, it wasn't anything special to me.

Teddy Thompson then sang Tonight Will Be Fine. No suprise there, as it's on the 'I'm your man' soundtrack, and he'd also sung it two weeks previously when I saw him in Bristol - and I think, at all or most of the shows on his recent solo/acoustic tour. Is it sacrilegious to say I might prefer his version to Leonard's? probably just means I haven't heard the original recently enough, but Teddy's version, however faithful it is, stands out to me more than the original.

then, one last song before the intermission! I'm sure I wasn't the only person dying for a comfort break at this point. Jarvis Cocker and Beth Orton sang Death Of A Ladies Man. If I didn't properly appreciate Beth solo, I loved this collaboration with Jarvis! An unusual choice for a cover, perhaps, but they did it justice, not just aurally but physically. Sheesh, does that even make sense? I'm going to stop typing now before I become completely incoherent. Part Two to follow shortly...

However I'm still baffled by the torrent of negative comments made about the Gavin Friday and Mary Magaret O'Hara take on Hallelujah.