Leonard collapsed in Valencia - but everything's OK now!

[lucien_vega]

Llevo todo el día dándole vueltas. Sobre todo después de enterarme que Leonard ya estaba enfermo antes de salir a escena. Tiene 75 años y NUNCA ha suspendido un concierto. El gesto de salir ayer a actuar engrandece su figura, muy alejada de tantos y tantos divos del rock. La imagen de verlo caer ayer en el escenario para mí forma parte ya de la mejor mitología de artistas. Un ejemplo vivo de honestidad y sacrificio. Qué grande Mr. Cohen, qué grande...

[MarieM]

I wonder if someone might be kind enough to translate this article. I did a Google translate that came out completely unreadable but I did get out of it that the writer talks about an email she received from Robert Kory about what happened in Valencia. Thanks.
Marie

Leonard Cohen a été victime d'une indigestion alimentaire


Daphné Cameron
Cyberpresse


Le chanteur Leonard Cohen a été victime d'une indigestion alimentaire lors d'une prestation donnée hier soir en Espagne, a indiqué son agent.

L'artiste montréalais a suscité l'inquiétude après s'être évanoui sur scène devant une foule de 6000 spectateurs au vélodrome de Valence. Il était en train d'interpréter Bird on the Wire. Ses musiciens ont immédiatement arrêté de jouer pour lui prêter assistance. Une heure plus tard, la représentation était annulée.

«Leonard est un iron man. Il n'a pas dit à personne qu'il ne se sentait pas bien jusqu'au dernier moment», a expliqué son agent, Robert Kory, dans un échange de courriels avec La Presse.

«Il s'est effondré en s'agenouillant. Lorsqu'il est revenu à lui, il voulait poursuivre le spectacle, mais son équipe a insisté pour qu'il voie un médecin. Ce qu'il a accepté de faire en protestant un peu.»

Selon Rober Kory, l'auteur-compositeur-interprète de 75 ans a souffert de déshydratation à la suite d'une intoxication alimentaire. «Mais il a obtenu son congé de l'hôpital après un séjour de moins de deux heures. Il va bien maintenant.»

Leonard Cohen prendra part au dernier concert de sa tournée espagnole qui se déroulera à Barcelone lundi.

L'agent de Leonard Cohen a souligné que les spectateurs espagnols seraient remboursés.

http://www.cyberpresse.ca/arts/musique/ ... ntaire.php

[goldstei]

Greetings from Ann Arbor, Marie, where are you? My French ain't perfect, but it's good enuf...

Leonard Cohen Suffers Indigestion

Singer Leonard Cohen suffered an attack of indigestion while giving a concert last evening in Spain, his manager reports. The Montreal artist aroused worry after fainting before a crowd of 6,000 at the Valencia velodrome while singing "Bird on the Wire." His musicians immediately stopped playing to assist him and after an hour, the concert was cancelled.
=
«Leonard is an iron man. He didn't tell anyone he wasn't feeeling well until the last moment," his manager Robert Kory told La Presse in an e-mail exchange. [a few words I'm not sure of about his fainting] "When he came to, he wanted to keep singing, but his entourage insisted that he see a doctor. He agreed although protested a bit."

Kory said the 75-year old singer/composer suffered from dehydration as the result of his indigestion. "But he was released from the hospital after less than two hours and now he's fine."
Cohen's last concert during his Spanish tour will be Monday in Barcelona. His agent stressed the Valencia spectators will be reimbursed.

[MarieM]

Thanks for the quick translation, goldstei. I liked that, "Leonard is an iron man."

I'm a stone's throw away from you in Canton. I graduated from U of M and lived at Packard and State for three years. Love A2.

Marie

[j6ppc]

I was on second life this morning (gmt -8) when the incident happened. Those of us there who belong to the SL Leonard Cohen club were notified almost immediately. The outpouring of concern there was enormous as well. It was touching to see everyone there rally behind Leonard. As of course it was also touching to observe the same thing here.

G-d willing Leonard will recover well.

Please Leonard, should you happen to read this, take care of yourself. I'd rather not see you ever again if it came at any expense to your well being.

[gibjoe]

We all hope Lenny will get well soon, he may not read these posts but somehow the love and affection behind them will get to him. Look after yourself friend and don't overdo things, we need you to give us many, many more years of happiness yet.

[donalagata]

*

[phillip]

Am so glad you are feeling better, take good care of yourself ok:)

phillip

[doug_las]

my wife and i were at the valencia concert and from the off we knew things weren't right. lc's voice didn't sound good at all, having been to the madrid concert on the 12th sept, little over a week ago, we knew what to expect. ok the sound at the venue wasn't as good as madrid but even so at least to me it was noticeable that lc was not on form. then when he started to miss out some parts of a song, when he exited the stage mid-song (during a passage where he wasn't singing) and also when he went to sit down on the drum riser things did not seem right, the combination of these all led us to believe that lc was unwell.

lc then slumped to his knees before falling to his side which was when rafael stopped drumming and the rest of the band went to help lc. it was distressing to see this all unfold in front of us and the hour or so wait until javier and dino announced that the concert had been cancelled and that lc was ok seemed like an eternity.

it has been reassuring to read reports of people close to lc that he has recovered and we wish him all the good health he can take.

thinking of you mr c.

[seadove]

You know, I'm starting to worry, about the Thursday concert in Tel Aviv, since it is forcasted that day will be an exceptionally hot evening!

Let's hope he drinks lots of liquids.

[Patrycja]

Dear Leonard,

I am very glad to hear you're better, and that it wasn't anything more serious. Wishing you a happy and healthy rest of the tour.

Warmest regards,

Patrycja

[Squidgy]

Take care of yourself Leonard !! It's ok to slow down a little ! Your fans never get enough, but we are asking too much if we expect you to circle the world ....Rest and relax, you deserve it, you have given us so much

[tomsakic]

Today's article from The Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/se ... n-hospital

Leonard Cohen resumes tour after spell in Spanish hospital

The singer-songwriter collapsed onstage in Valencia three days ago, due to suspected food poisoning, but is scheduled to perform in Barcelona tonight


* Sean Michaels
* guardian.co.uk, Monday 21 September 2009 10.15 BST
* Article history


Recovery ... Leonard Cohen has been released from hospital in Spain. Photograph: Valery Hache/AFP/Getty Images

Three days after he collapsed onstage in eastern Spain, Leonard Cohen is scheduled to perform in Barcelona tonight. The 75-year-old singer was rushed to hospital on Friday, allegedly suffering from food poisoning.

Video of Cohen's concert at Velódromo Luis Puig in Valencia, shows the Canadian poet and performer at full strength, singing Bird on the Wire – and then suddenly not. The passionate performance, Cohen's fourth song of the night, is brought to an abrupt end part-way through the bridge. After kneeling several times through the course of the song, Cohen simply falls over during a saxophone solo. As shocked concertgoers look on, his accompanists immediately abandon their instruments and rush to Cohen's side.

An ambulance rushed the singer to Nueve de Octubre hospital, where he was reportedly released the next morning. Plans are now going ahead for the last date on Cohen's Spanish tour, tonight at the Palau Sant Jordi concert hall in north-eastern Barcelona.

Later this week, Cohen is scheduled to appear in a contentious concert at Tel Aviv's Ramat Gan football stadium. "The performance here will take place, and it will be excellent," Cohen's Israeli promoter assured the Jerusalem Post. "There's nothing to worry about."

Cohen had originally planned to perform in both Tel Aviv and the West Bank city of Ramallah. But, after Palestinian rights groups protested against both concerts, the Ramallah performance was cancelled and Amnesty International withdrew their support for the tour.

[efc]

I too have requested the removal of the video. The morbid among us will focus on those few seconds. What is most important is focusing on his lifetime of work, and the incredible Unified Heart Tour for the past year and a half. One person on YouTube requested it to remain as it shows Leonard's strength in wanting to continue. It does...in fact, under the circumstances I'm amazed he was able to get as far as he did with "Bird on the Wire"....but I for one don't want to see this video ever again. He became faint, unfortunately in public view, but he is recovered and his energy is legendary and he will be back to normal soon.

Diana

The footage makes for uncomfortable viewing, but at the end of the day it was taken at a public event (and we now know that it was a temporary ailment rather then something more serious). In other words I don't think the video should be banned.

[LEONKA]

When I saw whathappenedI almost stoped heart.I was concerned about Mr.Leonarda,I waited a long time whether
it isin order.Mr.Leonard my minion,I would really hate if it was when it was something seriously.has glad that´s okay.
I am very happy glad that´s okay,I wish him much health and love from Anjani .
Mary the fans Slovakia.